Rexhall Aerbus

First impressions of the Rexhall Aerbus – sleek, stylish, exciting and inviting. Others must have thought the same, because I had to wait my turn in the queue of people impatient to see what was offered inside. It was worth the wait. The space and comfortable luxury of the open-plan lounge, dinette and kitchen greeted me as I entered. The bedroom and bathroom facilities are partitioned off at the rear. Twin slide-outs, one each side (approx 7200mm long), project the sidewalls of both the open-plan living area and the bedroom area outwards. They increase the regular 2350mm interior width to a whopping 3490mm (11.5ft in the old money). Total floor area is over 30m2, which is larger than some of the studio apartments currently on offer in Auckland. Large pseudo-leather covered settees, chairs and footstools, complemented by solid maple wood cabinetry, provide the comfortable luxury. These lavish touches are carried out with impeccable attention to detail, creating a warm, user-friendly ambience. It is very impressive. The kitchen worktop is a metre deep, around 2.5 metres long, and contains a Spinflo Caprice four-hob oven and a large sink with cover provided. There are Corian bench tops throughout the RV. The four-seat dinette opposite the kitchen area has plush cushions that match the lounge upholstery and are equally comfortable. And there is so much cupboard and drawer space, I don’t think you would ever fill it all unless you lived aboard permanently. Of course, it is permanent residence that is the most likely purpose of this apartment-on-wheels. Sitting up in bed you can watch the 22-inch TV that sits on the vanity top and is part of the wonderful cabinetry unit opposite the foot of the bed. It has lots of doors and drawers to keep things behind and a couple of large mirrors so you can keep an eye on your appearance. Having a big bed (it’s 1500mm wide and 2000mm long) and lots of cabinetry in the bedroom doesn’t make it a crowded place; it is spacious, with plenty of room to move around. The domestic-size bathroom continues the warm timber theme. I liked the elegant ceramic hand basin on the vanity top in front of the mirror. With soft lighting gleaming on the burnished stainless steel trim and maple timberwork you could be seduced into thinking you were in a five-star hotel rather than a RV. The Rexhall Aerbus is constructed with a moulded fibreglass skin over Rexhall’s proven welded steel Uni-Body. This is attached to a Workhorse chassis specifically designed for RV service. The Workhorse “R series chassis, powered by the Cat C7 360hp 7.2-litre diesel, is engineered so that the component parts, including the motor and transmission, work in harmony as a totally integrated system. To improve roll stability through corners the engine is located as low as possible, and the chassis is fitted with airbags, dual levelling valves and a unique V-rod stabilising bar. Full air-brakes with four-wheel anti-lock provide dependable braking in all conditions. The steering system incorporates ZF variable ratio steering gear to provide greater turning leverage. The beauty on this baby is more than skin deep! So, if you are thinking of selling the house and hitting the road full-time in a new Rexhall Aerbus, how long will you have to wait for delivery? Manufacture time depends on chassis availability rather than coach build time. Once Rexhall receives the chassis and starts building, allow four months for the keys to your shiny new home to hit your palm. Shipping can vary plus or minus two weeks. The price of the model reviewed was $440,000. Prices are affected by currency fluctuations. At the time of writing, the $US had appreciated 10 percent against the $NZ since the model reviewed had been paid for. For further details contact Village Autos RV, New Plymouth ph 06 758 0984 or Ashburton ph 03 307 8037.