MALIBU VAN 640 LE RB GT SKYVIEW
→ Price From £56,680 (£80,855 as tested) → Sleeps 4 → Belts 4 → Base vehicle Fiat Ducato XLWB → Engine 2.3-litre 160bhp Euro 6d-Temp → Length/width/height 6.36/2.05/2.59m (20’9”/6’7”/8’5”) → MTPLM 3500kg → Payload 655kg (345kg with options added) → Water (fresh/waste) 100/92 litres → Leisure battery 80Ah → Gas 2 x 11kg
Contact Malibu GmbH & Co KG Address Carthago Ring 1, 88326 Aulendorf, Germany Web www.malibu-carthago.com Tel +49 (0)7525 92000
When you’re reviewing vehicles, companies tend to impress you with the highest-spec version of the latest model, but buyers often opt for something a bit more mainstream.
We were reminded of this looking at the new-for-2021 Malibu. The ‘RB’ in the nomenclature of the Malibu Van 640 LE RB signifies the ‘First Class – Two Rooms’ layout – a novel design of washroom and end bedroom, about which more later.
In standard spec, the ’van is £52,750 OTR; that’s on a par with, say, an Adria Twin. Even with the Charming GT Skyview spec on this model – which gets you the sunroof, among other things – the price only goes up to £56,680.
But all of the extras included here raise the price to £80,855 and add 310kg to the unladen weight, leaving you a user payload, for a vehicle with an MTPLM of 3500kg, of just 345kg, rather than a potential 655kg. If you have the right licence, you might want to consider the £525 chassis upgrade to 4000kg.
It’s often said that German firms tend to offer
