Andrew Fink, managing director of Auto Leisure & Marine (ALM) has been a boat builder for many years, studying the craft under his father. It’s a skill that runs deep in the family, his brother Lance owns Tristram Marine, a familiar name in the New Zealand industry.
But Andrew’s understanding of how to maximise efficiency in the most confined spaces also comes into play when designing and building motorhomes. Case and point – the new Allisee Supremacy motorhome.
Allisee Supremacy design
In designing the exterior look of the Allisee, Andrew was determined that it should look like a complete unit, rather than a pre-prescribed front end with a separate box on the back. Andrew wanted a seamless flow between what Mercedes-Benz supplies and what he and his team builds. He has achieved this, with loads of subtle detailing such as the way the lines bookending the cab-over section echo the lines on the bonnet of the Mercedes-Benz below.
This attention to detail is evident everywhere, especially inside.
The Allisee Supremacy features a massive Schwintek-driven slide-out, which takes up the entire side of the living space. Andrew says the full-length slide-out brings with it plenty of challenges from a design point-of-view, but huge rewards for the owner.
Even when the slide-out – which broadens both living and sleeping quarters in equal measure – isn’t deployed, occupants can still easily access the bathroom. A premium-look sliding door into the bathroom is curved at its leading edge in such a way that the bathroom is accessible when the slide-out is in, without needing to climb over the ends of beds or shimmy past furniture to get there.
As the slide-out extends it essentially picks up the queen bed as it goes, repositioning it perfectly in the centre of the bedroom thanks to an arrangement of cleverly-designed spigots underneath. This engineering touch doesn’t intrude on under-bed space though; the spigot system is completely hidden from view.
That’s handy because it’s from under the bed that you retrieve an infill squab to turn the L-shaped sofa into a full U-shaped arrangement with some deft repositioning of an ottoman. In reconfiguring the living space to suit guests or nightly dinner arrangements, Andrew says it was important to retain a seamless, permanent look; this idea extends to items like the line the upholstery stitching takes, which all matches up regardless of whether the sofa is in its short or full configuration.
Build quality
The ALM build team is just as proud of the areas of this motorhome you can’t see, as the areas you can. Again, it seems that marine industry experience really comes into play here, with the entire sub-frame fully galvanised and stainless steel fastenings used extensively.
“In my experience, many vehicles just aren’t up to scratch as far as rust protection goes. We’re a coastal country and at any point in New Zealand our motorhomes are going to be on or very close to the coast, so the Allisee needs to be robust enough to put up with extensive exposure to salt.”
Like the rest of the vehicle, which is 3D modelled in CAD, the aluminium under-floor lockers are CNC machined to be absolutely precise. Manufactured in the US, the windows are all double glazed and the tint is specifically colour-matched to Mercedes-Benz specification; a subtle but pleasing addition to the seamless look of the exterior design.
The vehicle is fully insulated and utilises a diesel-powered hot water and heating combination unit.
“The reason for this is that we up-spec the diesel capacity when we order the Mercedes-Benz chassis out of Germany,” explains Andrew.
“The bigger capacity tank means we have a larger volume of diesel so it seems sensible to use that to generate hot water, which of course means there’s no down-time waiting for hot water when you arrive at your destination, because you can leave the diesel hot water system on when you are driving, unlike with a gas system.”
CZone electronic management system
The Allisee Supremacy also features an impressive central control system which is more comprehensive than anything I’ve seen so far in a New Zealand-manufactured vehicle.
Utilising advanced hardware from BEP Marine, Andrew and his build team has redeployed in their motorhomes the CZone electronic management system, which was developed for super-yachts.
The system is organised into various modes designed to provide one-touch ambient adjustment for the occupant. For example, select ‘Night entertainment’ mode and the system puts the cabin lights on, pushes power to the TV and switches both water pump and gas on. Conversely ‘Driving’ mode turns the house lights and the water pump off. There is even a ‘Night out and about’ mode which turns off all the recessed LED lighting inside, but leaves the awning lights on for your arrival home.
The system can be controlled through an app on an iPad and works off the motorhome’s wifi system.
The verdict
Andrew says that while the specification of the Allisee Supremacy is comprehensive, it’s not all about ‘bling’.
“This isn’t another ‘Me too’ vehicle. As a manufacturer in a small country, we can’t afford to do that. We have to be able to present something unique.”
I think the ALM team has too. This Hamilton-manufactured motorhome boasts a rich feature set that provides tangible benefits for the occupants that make living that much easier.
It’s a step ahead; an extremely well-thought-out motorhome that features the space and technology to provide years of contented recreational motoring. More than that, it’s the best motorhome I have seen this year.
For more information, phone (07) 850 5512.
Pros
- Robust construction and well-thought out interior layout
- Impressive, intuitive automated central control system eases day-to-day living
- Full-length slide-out really adds to available space
Cons
- None that we can think of
Read the full article in issue #137 of Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations magazine (on sale now!). Subscribe here.
