Full review

THE best part of 14 grand for a two-berth ’van may seem like madness, but if you say it quickly it isn’t quite so bad.

However, while the Meridien is already the most expensive of this bunch, if you’re feeling really flush, you could fork out an extra £2400 on the Heritage edition of the 480-2, which is the same ‘van but with rather more generous equipment levels. That’s well over 16 big ones for a two-bunk ‘van! Frankly the Heritage doesn’t represent good value, even if it’s a rather lovely place to stay for a few weeks each year.

It’s also debatable whether or not the Meridien is worth the money, but for now let’s assume it is - especially as it has few direct rivals. New in 2006, the Meridien replaced the Colchester and it sits in the middle of Fleetwood’s range. With touches of luxury all over the place and a lot of standard equipment, Fleetwood is hoping that it can entice enough sybarites to make production worthwhile.

With a great end washroom, a somewhat cramped galley and a conventionally arranged lounge there’s a mix of good and bad news. However, before you dismiss the Fleetwood as overpriced, we’d suggest you take a look. You may be pleasantly surprised.

• Price                        £13,900
• Berths                        2
• Warranty                    3 years
• Internal length (m)    4.66
• Shipping length (m)    6.32
• MRO (kg)                    1065
• Payload(kg)                210
• MTPLM (kg)                1275
• Max width (m)            2.21
• External ht (m)           2.72
• Headroom (m)            1.94
• Awning size (m)          9.00