Those among you who double-take at historic race cars (okay I know I’ve just lost about 85 percent of my reading audience, but bear with me), will perhaps feel a certain nostalgia creeping in when catching sight of Mercedes-Benz’s emblem against a silver painted body panel.
The name ‘Silver Arrows’ became shorthand for the dominant Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union grand prix cars of the late 1930s. After the war in the mid-1950s, the name was resurrected and it was in these gleaming steeds that the likes of Juan Manuel Fangio found fame.
Okay, I know when to retract the long bow; this motorhome isn’t going to speed you around the roads of Italy’s Mille Miglia at 200km/h. But the silvery-grey paintwork, that Mercedes-Benz emblem, and the idea of Frankia’s 8400 QD Platin being at the pointy end of proceedings makes it feel like something pretty
special indeed.
Frankia lineup
As far as the Frankia lineup goes, the eight-metre-long 8400 QD Platin is as good as it gets. This vehicle is proper range-topping fare and it boasts the dimensions and the feature set to
prove it.
The ‘QD’ designation means this motorhome comes with an island queen bed at the rear (a GD model, also available, features twin single beds), while berths three and four are accommodated with a drop-down, or ‘Duo’, bed nestled into the ceiling above the driver’s cab and lounge during the day, to be easily retrieved at night for guests, grandchildren or whomever.
Illuminated wardrobe space, plenty of under-bed storage, and both recessed and directional lighting makes the 8400 QD Platin’s sleeping quarters feel nothing less than hotel-like.
A bullet point list of main features in this motorhome would run across page after page, but highlights include a well-appointed bathroom with dimmable lighting, a freestanding vanity, ceramic toilet, and large mirrored cabinetry.
Convenience is key and comes in the form of three USB sockets for recharging devices, an electric shade blind and awning, a supplementary 12-volt socket in the rear garage, double glazing on the motorhome’s side windows, a 22-inch flat-screen TV with connection for a second screen if desired, and a top-quality Alde Compact 320 HE hot water heating system.
The 8400 QD Platin also features four solar panels managed through a state-of-the-art MT4000 hybrid battery control system, a Dolby Surround audio system, Dometic air conditioning, and driver’s cab extras such as standard satellite navigation and an
Alde heat booster.
Kitchen
Some of the cleverest features in this motorhome can be found in the kitchen, which divides the living and sleeping quarters (with bathroom facilities along the opposite wall).
It’s a given that benchtop surfaces, tapware, and appliances are all top-notch here, but the Platin models also showcase what Frankia calls its MaxiFlex kitchen design.
Among other standout details, this features a curved bench allowing the cook to be close to the hobs but not have passers-by behind feel like they’re limbo-ing past.
Sink space is plentiful, with an insert increasing bench space up top, or, by simply relocating the sink insert panel into a specially moulded pull-out drawer below, adding an extra return, which will prove handy for meal prep. The benchtop also features an integrated rubbish bin that sits at the rear of the bench (underneath another insert) and is cleverly sited to enable the easy scraping of food waste right into it without any fuss.
Cubbies above are all finished in rich wood, with another constant inside this motorhome being the durable, thick panels Frankia uses. There are no thin partitions here; everything feels suitably solid, just like it would at home.
Exterior and interior
The Frankia 8400 QD Platin’s slab-sided exterior matches practicality with premium, offering up the absolute maximum in internal space, as well as some truly gargantuan storage solutions accessible from both inside and out,
as well.
The rear garage is massive; this compartment alone could take most of your not-readily-needed accessories on any long jaunt out of town. But there are supplementary storage lockers running the length of the motorhome, with each compartment lined and illuminated. Being German engineered, a lot of emphasis is placed on functionality when it comes to the items you don’t need every day.
Frankia’s designers compartmentalise service controls and electronics, so there are dedicated cubbies for switchgear, electronics, and plumbing; everything is nicely ordered and out of the way, but easily accessible should you need it. It would appear Frankia is as kind to its service agents as it is to its customers.
Up front and underneath that bluff exterior, on-road power comes courtesy of Mercedes-Benz’s best—a Euro-5 (no adBlue needed) compliant 140kW (190hp) Eurosprinter V6 turbo diesel engine, matched with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Despite the size of the 8400 QD Platin, the engine offers plenty of power. Road-ready mass is registered at 5300kg and this motorhome features a 650kg payload.
Verdict
Big is good. And the Frankia 8400 QD Platin is both XL-sized and expertly crafted to provide sumptuous luxury living on the road. It mixes form and function as only a top-quality manufacturer such as Frankia does. And hey, how cool would the smooth-sided silver-grey body work look with a big red race number—a la Fangio—on the side? You could even tow a Mercedes-AMG A45 sports car on an A-frame at the rear to complete the Silver Arrows look.
What’s another $98,000 (for the Mercedes-AMG sports car) between friends?
For more information, call Acacia Motorhomes 0800 112 828 (Auckland) or UCC Motorhomes 0800 222 108
