Auto-Roller 200

• Value for money
• Compact but thoughtfully laid-out
• Fundamentals included
• Double and single bed

Auckland Motorhomes (AMH) has a new entry level model that it hopes will capture some new customers, including younger and/or more occasional campers than its regular clientele. The Auto-Roller 200 by Italian maker Roller Team is newly launched for 2010. Based on a Ford Transit chassis, this $108,000 machine features a permanent rear bed, washroom with step-in shower and a lounge that incorporates the two swivel seats from the cab. In terms of living quarters, this is what AMH will be offering as its new entry model. But the platform will switch to a Fiat Ducato, and the branding and point of manufacture will change from Auto-Roller 200 by Roller Team/Italy to the Excel by Auto-Trail/Great Britain. Both companies are from the same group and the end product, save the cab-chassis base, is virtually identical. Open-door policy The reason for the late switch to the Excel by Auto-Trail is because Roller Team no longer supplies the Auto-Roller 200 body with the door on the left side (for right-hand-drive customers). However, the equivalent vehicle from Auto-Trail, a sister company based in Grimsby in the north of England, is virtually identical. Please enter The big news for AMH with the Auto-Roller 200 is price. A $108,000 price point is significantly less expensive than any of the company's other offerings. Sheer luxury it is not. The Auto-Roller is clearly a motorhome built to a particularly compact size and price, but the packaging is clever given the dimensional constraints: the kitchen area and bathroom are carefully staggered each side of the bed and the from of the living compartment can quickly be configured from lounge to dining table, with the aid of the swivel chairs in the cab. There's a double and single bed, and although a television is not fitted as standard at this price, there is a dedicated area for a screen and aerial socket. The kitchen features a three-burner hob and 20-litre warming oven with grill. The gas locker holds two 15kg bottles and there are 75-litre fresh and 105-litre waste water tanks. Read in-depth RV reviews in the latest issue of Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations magazines, on sale now. Specifications Price $108,900 Engine 2.2L turbo diesel Transmission Six-speed manual Power 85kW at 3500rpm Torque 310nm at 2000rpm Wheelbase 3300mm Brakes Four-wheel discs, ABS GVM 3500kg