Mid-profile coachbuilt - Roller Team Motorhomes

’VAN REVIEW
ROLLER TEAM
WHAT MOTORHOME?
Mid-profile coachbuilt
T-Line 740
Italian design produced by a French-owned
firm that’s a winner in the UK. We test
a range-topping mid-profile four-berth
I
TALIAN marque
Roller Team enjoys
a loyal following
among British buyers,
and understandably so.
Part of the French giant
Trigano Group, Roller
Team motorhomes offer
an attractive combination
of Italian design flair with
a quality build, all available
at affordable prices.
T-Line is Roller Team’s
premium line-up,
comprising three lowprofile models. One layout
that should do well this
season is the new 740,
sporting the popular rear
French bed with two extra
berths in the lounge,
courtesy of a drop-down
bed. Prices start on the
right side of £50,000, and
prospective buyers will be
further tempted by the
attractive Lux Pack of
options (as fitted to our test
1.87m
x 1.39m
’van) being offered for no
extra cost until 23 February
– a saving of £1195. Hurry!
The 740 is a mid-profile
’van based on the Fiat
Ducato chassis, powered by
a 130bhp 2.3-litre engine
(an upgrade to a 150bhp
is a cost option).
Although the vehicle
is right-hand drive, the
habitation door is on the UK
offside; it’s fine if you tour in
Europe, but in the UK, you’ll
HEIGHT 2.8m (9’ 2”)
WIDTH
2.31m (7’ 7”)
LENGTH 7.43m (24’ 4”)
Contact Roller Team, Trigano House, Genesis Way, Europarc, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN37
DN37 9TU
Tel 01472 571 000 Web www.rollerteammotorhomes.co.uk
126 | April 2014 | www.practicalmotorhome.com
2.11m
x 1.16m
have to take care when using
it at the side of the road.
The exterior has an
uncluttered look, with grey
skirting picking up the
graphite cab colour. The rear
garage can be accessed on
both sides of the vehicle.
It’ll be ideal for a couple
of push-bikes or even
a small scooter.
The 740’s interior has
a classy look, with glossy
white locker facings
contrasting with the dark
cabinet work. The floor
is a mid-tone brown.
Everything feels
reassuringly high-quality.
The rear double bed is
centrally located, with steps
up on either side, each
leading to a wardrobe. It
is also flanked by a pair of
large side windows, while
a small skylight in the
middle of the roof helps
flood the area with natural
light. For bedtime reading,
directional spotlights are
fitted above the headboard.
The split washroom at
the foot of the bed features
a shower on the nearside,
opposite the toilet and
vanity unit. A grey tambour
door closes this space off.
Inside there’s plenty of
storage, thanks to an
overhead locker above the
swivel toilet and a cupboard
unit under the sink.
The adjacent kitchen,
on the nearside, follows the
familiar L-shape, with three
corner-mounted gas burners
and a square sink with mixer
tap. When the cooker lid is
CONTINENTAL COOKING
The small combined oven
and grill illustrates the
T-Line’s Continental origins.
A smart integrated control
panel sits underneath
DESIGN THAT SHINES
The glossy ivory facings
on the overhead lockers
get a horizontal relief
effect, which adds a touch
of class to the interior
RIGHT ANGLE IN GALLEY
The space-efficient L-shaped
kitchen keeps everything
close at hand and allows
people to pass when you’re
cooking or washing up
ILLUMINATING FEATURE
Standard fit across the
range, the Open Sky
panoramic rooflight above
the cab allows even more
daylight into the lounge
CARAVANGUARD
INSURANCE
QUOTE
LIVING SPACE TO SAVOUR
Roller Team’s designers
have created a pleasing
ambience in the 740. Water
and space heating comes
courtesy of Truma Combi
* FOR INSURANCE QUOTES TERMS AND CONDITIONS SEE PAGE 154
jPrice From £47,195 OTR (£48,390 as tested) jSleeps 4 jSeats 4
jBase vehicle Fiat Ducato Engine 2.3-litre turbodiesel, 130bhp jL/W/H
7.43m/2.31m/2.8m (24’ 4”/7’ 7”/9’ 2”) jMTPLM 3500kg jPayload 425kg
jWater (fresh/waste) 100 litres/108 litres jBattery 100Ah j Gas 2 x 15kg
TWO-DOOR GARAGE
The rear garage can be
accessed from both sides
of the vehicle. It’ll be good
for push bikes, a scooter
or other leisure kit
£257.50*
STAY IN CONTROL
Safety first: the drop-down
bed cannot be operated
without a key. The heating
thermostat is located
underneath the switch
POWERFULLY BUILT
Strong enough to support a
mechanised bed, the 740’s
bodyshell is made from
Roller Team’s ExPs, which
has a 10-year guarantee
BRILLIANT CHOICE
An LED strip running
underneath this overhead
locker is yet a further
lighting option provided
for the lounge-dinette
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WHAT MOTORHOME?
Mid-profile coachbuilt
lowered, there’s a decent
amount of work surface;
the L-configuration provides
space for others to pass
when you’re at work in the
galley. Opposite, there’s a
fridge with separate freezer
and, above that, a grill.
The lounge sits on the
other axis of the kitchen’s
‘L’; it offers two belted travel
seats around the table, with
another place setting
available at the foot of the
table, on the offside. The
chocolate-and-biscuit seats
combine well with the white
tabletop. Further refinement
comes from the nets fitted to
the nearside window. The
window and the skylight
over the cab permit plenty of
natural light into the lounge.
Two further berths are
available in a drop-down
bed above the lounge. This is
deployed via a switch above
the fridge, which is key
operated for safety. This
double bed measures 2.11m
by 1.16m (tapering to 1.13m)
making it longer than the
1.87m x 1.39m fixed bed.
Although the cab is well
integrated into the vehicle,
a separation curtain is
available as an option.
Standard cab specification
includes a radio/CD player
and cruise control. Remis
concertina blinds pull into
the middle of the dashboard
and from the rear edge of
the side windows at night.
The Lux Pack (£1195,
but free of charge until
23 February so be quick!)
adds a package of goodies
worth £2495, such as cab air
conditioning, electronically
adjustable door mirrors,
door flyscreen, 100W solar
panel, 100A leisure battery,
reversing camera and
four-bike cycle rack.
PRACTICAL
MOTORHOME SAYS...
This well-specified ’van offers
sharp Italian design with good
fit and finish. It’s competitively
priced, too, and the Lux Pack
is good value. The habitation
door is on the offside, though,
which may not suit all buyers.
LOOKS THE PART
The high-quality dropdown bed frame and
mattress confirm the
T-Line 740’s place in Roller
Team’s flagship range
TABLE FOR FIVE
With the offside single seat
brought into play and the
cab seats rotated, five can
sit in comfort around the
table at mealtimes
SHOWER TAKES SHAPE
Some ’vans with this layout
favour circular shower
units. Roller Team opts for
a rectangular one, with a
shelf below knee height
THERE’S ROOM ENOUGH
The compact washroom on
the offside of the vehicle
has decent storage and
a swivel cassette toilet
offers decent legroom
MULTI-TASKING STEPS
The steps around both sides
of the fixed bed have good
clearance and offer handy
storage cubbies for items
you need to access quickly
ISLAND PARADISE
The rear double bed is
comfortable and generously
proportioned (1.87m x
1.39m). It splits near the
middle to permit easy loading
into the cavity below
BOOKWORM’S DELIGHT
Directional lighting in the
lounge and at either end
of the fixed bed’s headboard
offers a choice of locations
to read in comfort
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