Bürstner Lyseo T700 review

The folk at Bürstner are always looking to improve their products. In fact, they win prizes for it. Late last year, Bürstner won the European Innovation Award for Best Concept Caravan and the coveted ‘gold’ at the 2020 German Brand Awards.

This desire to be the best shines through in the Lyseo Harmony Line, a range of 10 different layouts and sizes that includes the T700 reviewed here.  The T700 is built on a Fiat Ducato fitted with Fiat’s low-frame wide rear-axle chassis, which improves stability and appearance; the rear wheels are flush with the wall panels rather than hiding at the back of the wheel arches.

Standard safety features include Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP), incorporating traction control and hill-hold functions. Both cab passengers have air-bag protection.

Driving

Most car drivers new to motorhomes are surprised at how quickly they transition to driving the larger Fiat Ducato. Good visibility and cab ergonomics along with the latest version of Fiat’s 6-speed AMT gearbox have ‘newbies’ feeling at ease in no time.

Full adjustment on both cab seats, The wall-mounted table is easily removed if you prefer an open-plan lounge cab aircon, cruise control and heated, electrically adjustable rear-vision mirrors add to the enjoyment.

It is worth noting that the information pamphlet supplied emphasises the importance of using only the right foot when driving. Using both feet, one on the brake and the other on the accelerator, confuses the computer and makes the gearbox act erratically.

Construction

There’s nothing fancy here, just tried-andtrue methods. The walls, roof (30mm thick) and floors panels (41mm thick) are made using a foam sandwich technique that creates a rigid structure with excellent insulating properties. A GPR outer skin, used to protect the roof from hail damage, is also used to preserve the underfloor area from gravel damage.

Outside

The ‘Harmony Line’ graphics and 16-inch alloy wheels give the T700 its unique stamp. On the driver’s side, there’s a hatch for the toilet cassette, a rear garage door and the 700mm-wide habitation door. Above is a 4000mm awning. Kerbside is a second rear garage hatch, an LPG bottle locker and a utilities locker hatch.

All but the toilet cassette hatch have strong clips to hold their lids open. An electric doorstep makes entry/exiting easier. A warning light on the dashboard indicates the entry steps are deployed.

Cab

The curved hatch in the Luton roof over the cab offers good ventilation and plenty of light. A full-width shelf in the Luton itself provides handy storage for cameras, specs and jackets.

The Ducato cab features centrally mounted cup-holders, a leather steering wheel cover, Remi blinds on cab windows and windscreen and seats covered in quality faux leather to match dinette seats. Fiat’s durable smooth black cab floor coverings have been retained.

Decor

The decor - honey-coloured cabinetry, coffee and cream ‘Sydney Swing’ upholstery, gloss white locker doors and drawer fronts, grey slate bench and tabletops - is warm and restful. The floor is covered with randomly patterned vinyl to match the cabinetry. The indirect lighting throughout the vehicle can be adjusted to suit all moods and occasions.

Dining

My preference is for a removable dining table. Stowing the table opens the lounge up, making it more sociable. It is also easier to get to the cab seats. So I was delighted to find the table in the T700 was removable. That, and the excellent headroom (2050mm), makes the lounge an attractive, airy space for entertaining.

When used for dining, with the swing-leaf extension deployed, there is room at the table for up to five diners. The TV is tucked away in the corner above the fridge. A custom-cut wall panel surrounds it, hiding most of the wiring, making it a lot less obtrusive but still handy for the cook to keep an eye on the news while preparing dinner.

A water tank and the Truma 6 dualpurpose water/space heater occupy most of the space under the dinette seat, while two house batteries take up space under the side seat.

Kitchen

The T700 has a compact, nicely appointed kitchen. Intelligent accent lighting transforms it from a workspace into a special place with a selection of appliances to handle most demands; a 145-litre fridge/freezer (single door, removable freezer compartment) opposite the sink, a wall-mounted coffee-capsule holder, a three-burner cooktop and a large circular sink set into the benchtop, a small oven below and a range hood over the hob. (Note; the rangehood relies on a charcoal filter and is not an air extractor.) Good use is made of the space under the benchtop. There are two large, allpurpose drawers (one with a rubbish bin), a dedicated cutlery drawer, and a towel rail and hooks for tea towels and dishcloths.

Here you will also find the LPG shutoff valves, one each for the fridge, stove, hob and dual heater. Most Euro/British RVs have this setup, which allows each appliance to be isolated from the LPG supply should the need arise.

The kitchen is well lit, with accent lighting under the benchtop and behind the locker doors, backlit wall panelling and track-mounted downlights over the benchtop with a large hatch above providing light during daylight hours.

Out back

A solid sliding door closes off the front of the RV from the back with a 150mm step up emphasising the isolation. First up is the split washroom with the shower kerbside and the toilet/handbasin on the driver’s side.

Toilet and hand basin

Behind its silver, side-opening tambour door, the bathroom is a compact, workable space. A smart ‘shell’-style handbasin is mounted on top of the vanity unit. There’s a mirror above, medicine cabinet to the left and a cupboard below.

The toilet roll sits in a neat fitting inside the cupboardwith just the end of the roll available through a slot in the cabinet wall. Both side edges of the wall mirror are backlit, and there are two LED lights above.

Shower

The shower stall is a triangular shape with a two-piece door across the longest side, or hypotenuse. There’s plenty of room to wave your arms about and good access past it to the side of the island bed. An imposing moulding in the back corner of the shower stall houses an LED light and a shelf for soap and toiletries. And it is ‘wheel-arch-free’ thanks to the ThermoFloor double floor.

Island bedroom

At first glance, the rear bed (1900mm x 1400mm) may look a bit shorter than the advertised length. Don’t be alarmed; it pulls out to its full length at sleep time. If you feel you need more room to get past the foot of the bed, opening the doors of the shower and toilet compartments should do the trick.

There is more than enough headroom for sitting up in bed and, with a reading light and side table each side, it is well set up for the morning cuppa.  There are useful storage options, with a side hanging locker on one side of the bedhead, a shelved cupboard on the other, two overhead lockers and two more lockers under the foot of the bed.

There are also two 150mm deep-floor lockers, one in the bedroom, the other in the lounge.In addition to the standard blind and insect screens, both bedroom windows are fitted with smart roman blinds.

Certified self-contained

With 2 x 90 amp/hr house batteries, a 150-watt solar panel, 120-litre fresh and 90-litre grey-water tanks, 2 x 9kg LPG bottles, a 1000-watt inverter, an LPG cooker and a 145-litre LPG fridge/freezer, the T700 is well set up for a few days of freedom camping.

The Burstner Lyseo T700 is a well-built motorhome with an island-bed layout, designed with two people in mind. Just under 7000mm long, it is a compact and manageable; a good supermarket car-parkfriendly motorhome.

Pros

• The size is compact/easy to store and park.
• The removable dining table.
• Very efficient kitchen.

Cons

• Rails and hooks in the bathroom, please.
• More solar-power output to fill the batteries during the winter months.

Bürstner Lyseo T700 specifications

Chassis	Fiat Ducato
Engine	2.3L turbo-diesel Euro 6. 96kW130hp
Gearbox	6-speed AMT auto gearbox
Berths	2
Length	6990mm
Width	2300mm
Height	2990mm
Fresh/grey water/hot water	120L/90L/10L
Power	150 BHP Euro 6
GVW	3500kg
Tare	2890kg
Payload	610kg*

Price as reviewed: $147,900, incl on-roads and GST

*Payload reflects factory standard weight excluding accessories or individual modifications.

For more information, visit smartrv.co.nz

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