On the go and yet at home:  Motorhomes and caravans have a large fan base. So it was time for me to take a look at this field of mobility as well. 

For the uninitiated, the motorhome and caravan market offers an almost unbelievable selection of models and options. Motorhome or caravan?  I think I'm a motorhome fan: my first camping test was about a motorhome.

Camping test:

Knaus Sky TI 700 MEG

And suddenly the horizon is so close, let's go there ... 

Everything was planned very differently. When I picked up the test vehicle, I wanted to start in the direction of Lake Constance that same evening. 300 km home from the company headquarters of the manufacturer Knaus-Tabbert and then another 400 km to Lake Constance. Sure - distances are just numbers for a car blogger. But I had made the calculation without the tourist and home travel traffic. And so I couldn't use the impressive top speed of the Sky TI (with the 150 PS diesel) - we're talking about 160 according to the speedometer - too often. Travel instead of racing. Okay - I got it. 

Off to the Eifel

If Lake Constance is too far, then the first trip has to lead into the green forests of the Eifel. However, I am not interested in volcanic lakes - the one Nurburgring is the goal. There are some nice parking spaces around the Mecca of motorsport in Germany - I think the best (wild!) we found it by chance at night - the photo the next morning says it all:

The motorhome in detail:

The Knaus Sky TI 700 MEG

Manufacturer:  Knaus and Tabbert have been a brand since 1996 and thus form a brand name. What began as a cooperation is now home to a company with a wide range of offers in the field of motorhomes and caravans. 1.200 employees work at four locations and produce leisure activities “made by Knaus Tabbert”. The Jandelsbrunn-based manufacturer relies on FIAT chassis for its motorhomes.

Construction: The structure of a motorhome is traditionally divided into “partially integrated”, “fully integrated” and “alcove”. The so-called panel vans, which are essentially classic vans with a homely interior, have been increasingly popular for several years. The test car – a SkyTI 700 MEG belongs to the partially integrated category. This means: The chassis and the driver's cab come from an automobile manufacturer. In this case, the vehicles at Knaus are based on FIAT and Ducato chassis.

Base vehicle:  The FIAT Ducato is one of the particularly successful delivery vans and is often used by many motorhome manufacturers as a basis for a wide variety of “partially integrated” motorhomes. The advantage of the Ducato (identical to the Citroen Jumper and Peugeot Boxer) is the compact front-wheel drive layout that allows different chassis lengths - without being too expensive. Knaus Tabbert offers 3 vehicle lengths for the SkyTI: 6.49 meters, 6.99 meters and 7.47 meters. And three engine variants: 2.0l diesel with 115 hp, 2.3 liter with 130 or 150 hp and 3.0l diesel with 180 hp. 

“Room for magical moments”

This is how the manufacturer describes the test mobile. And with the 7.47 meter long version, the motorhome is actually offered quite a bit of space. There is space in the smallest hut, they say. The Sky TI with a long wheelbase and a decent overhang at the end offers a whole lot more.

space

There are two leather-covered seats in the driver's cab that can be rotated. The space between the seats is large enough to walk through at any time. The table and seating area of ​​the motorhome is located directly behind the driver's back. The table can be moved in 3 dimensions - left and right, as well as forward and back and of course in height. The seating group offers space for 3 people - if you install the headrests for the bench seat, you can use these two seats - facing the direction of travel - for two passengers, because there are only two additional seat belts there. The space behind the passenger seat and on the corner bench opposite is not permitted for passenger transport while driving. This leaves 4 seats. But - you might think I'm snobby, but I think - despite the wonderful overall length of over seven meters, the Sky TI is more suitable for the “magical moments” of two travelers.

This is of course not due to the seats around the table, but much more to the sleeping places. As a partially integrated person without an alcove or fold-down bed, the table and the cushions on the bench seat would serve as sleeping places for fellow travelers number three and four, and just below us: convert the bed into a table in the morning and return in the evening? I'm probably too lazy for that in the long run. Drum - for two, the SkyTI offers the right potential - to be able to experience the magical moments.

Comfort in the motorhome - with spring core and slatted frame

How you make your bed, that's how you sleep - or something like that.   In the rear of the Knaus Tabbert SkyTi, if you opt for the MEG variant, there are two separate - but above all, comfortable beds. Both beds are 86 centimeters wide and are equipped with slatted frames and spring mattresses. Due to the bathroom layout, one bed is exactly 2 meters long, while bed number 2 is only 1.95 meters.

... read on ... >>

Page 1 | Page 2 |  Page 3 |  Conclusion | Gallery

___________________________________