LeisureDrive's Vivante campervan is one of the company's best sellers
Seasoned campervan user’s know there are many different manufacturers (and there are a lot!) out on the UK market at present. The boom in sales has seen many small concerns set up and let’s say most won’t be around for long. Most Campervan users though will know Leisure Drive, the Bolton based manufacturer. Now established 54 years in the campervan business LD has been around doing conversions for the experienced and newcomer campervan users too. Leisure Drive Company owner Derek Andrews is a user of his products too and doesn't just sit back and watch the pennies roll in. He as everybody at LD is fully involved with every stage of manufacture and knows the product inside out. The popular Vivante has been around for a good few years and as other Campervans produced by LD is a quality well proven design. We took the T6 TDI with the super efficient DSG autobox for a look at. The VW is a cracking unit a van that LD have been using for over 40 plus years, in fact some of LD’s VW conversions from the early 80s are still around. The proven Vivante layout offers a mid placed lounge area, nearside side door and nearside placed kitchen. Opposite is placed the wardrobe and built in cassette loo. And in the high top section a double bed makes it into a 4 berth. Though the Vivante is best suited as a couples van you have this option ideal for grandparents taking the grand kids with them. The lounge area is very comfortable with the front seats turning round with four being seated here with relative ease. There’s a captains swivel table that has its own storage place when not in use. Here there is a mains socket placed by the door ideal for use of a free standing electric fan heater. Storage is available under the seat bases and LED lighting in the lounge keeps it well illuminated in the evening. The side kitchen offers a twin burner combined stainless steel sink by Dometic plus a combined grill and oven. Opposite the main kitchen is a Dometic fridge (60 litres) which runs on three power sources. The kitchen comes with good storage with some very useful shelves and cupboards plus over head roof lockers for crockery. Opposite is a concealed electric flush Thetford cassette loo which when not in use the hinged lid adds to worktop, its here to the Vivante's easy to use control panel and more mains sockets are fitted. The wardrobe is placed above the fridge and offers a limited amount of hanging space but also has more storage in the way of a drawer beneath it. If you’re wondering about a mirror that’s placed on the back of the wardrobe door itself. So the Vivante is compact and yet very practical, with full mains fitted and a list of various options including furniture finish the factory can build to most folks requirements. The Vivante is a comfortable campervan that’s built to a high standard, quality shows and with the many years experience you’re buying a campervan that’s designed by those who use their own products – and it shows! Pics 1 Vivante looks a smart campervan – access is via a side door or rear doors. 2 VW is a popular choice for many campervan buyers and LD have years of knowledge converting them 3 Side fridge vents and mains input socket are placed on offside 4 T6 SE can be ordered with optional alloys if required 5 VW cab is top notch quality and car like to drive too 6 Lounge is comfortable and surprisingly spacious in size too 7 Single beds are easily made up, black out curtains are used for night use on windows 8 Excellent double bed should prove comfortable for many 9 Rear entry looking through to the front of the Vivante, our colour was predominately grey though other choices are available 10 Side kitchen has combined hob and sink unit 11 Thetford Cassette loo is fitted with electric flush and concealed neatly away when not in use
