Automotive

Two-story pump-top RV carries visionary glamping comforts to market

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Last year's Lyseo Gallery prototype will soon move into production
Bürstner

Bürstner prepares to open the doors, inflatable roof and order books on the Lyseo Gallery TD motorhome
Bürstner
The first photo of the production interior shows the 689 G floor plan complete with its staircase up to the second floor
Bürstner
The available Homelight is a versatile, award-winning feature that works as a table lamp, overhead light or even flashlight
Bürstner
Bürstner Homelight mounted above
Bürstner
The Homelight becomes a flashlight
Bürstner
With its roof closed, the Lyseo Gallery sizes in like a non-pop-up Lyseo model ... it just offers more space at camp
Burstner
The more compact Bürstner Lyseo models have only a storage space over the driver cab, but the Lyseo Gallery inflates the space into a full bedroom and mini-office (2021 show vehicle pictured)
Burstner
The Bürstner Lyseo Gallery concept kitchen includes a hybrid gas/induction cooktop and a sink with large, home-like faucet (2021 show vehicle pictured)
Burstner
The Bürstner Lyseo Gallery incorporates some interesting ideas from the 2019 Hymer VisionVenture (2021 show vehicle pictured)
Bürstner
Last year's Lyseo Gallery prototype will soon move into production
Bürstner

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It's summer in Germany, which can only mean that it's once again time for Erwin Hymer Group (EHG) to push the boundaries of incredible RV design. After trickling down some of the best features from the forward-looking Hymer VisionVenture into last year's Bürstner Lyseo Gallery concept, EHG is now ready to launch the latter. The unique motorhome stuffs the inflatable half-top, staircase-accessed second-floor bedroom and townhome-like decor of the original concept into two available floor plans.

It's no surprise that the Lyseo Gallery has made it to production. Bürstner mentioned plans for a 2022 launch when it showed the pre-production prototype a year ago, and the production version debuts as the Lyseo Gallery TD. Since last summer, Bürstner has put the unique inflatable pop-up "Gallery Roof" through its paces in an environmental chamber. It conducted a series of 24-hour tests in heat, cold, wind and other harsh-weather simulations.

"The alcove withstood all weather conditions. We tested it in temperatures ranging from -30 to 80°C (-22 to 176°F), in misty conditions, with a 1.5-m (4.9-ft) snow load, in the wind tunnel with the vehicle exposed to winds of up to 120 km/h (75 mph) head-on as well as sideways," recounts Bürstner head of development Tim Niedick. "The elevating and lowering mechanism as well as the locking system worked without a hitch in all conditions. The bellows and the folding mechanism remained intact. With the Lyseo Gallery TD, you can travel in comfort all year round – in stormy and inclement weather, in sunshine and through snow."

Bürstner prepares to open the doors, inflatable roof and order books on the Lyseo Gallery TD motorhome
Bürstner

Niedick's mention of "bellows" only amplifies the fact that the Lyseo Gallery TD reminds us most of a fireplace bellows on wheels – we just want to press that roof down and turn a spark into a bonfire. But while the Gallery TD will look just as natural next to a campfire, its bellows are obviously not designed to fan the flames but to create an air-filled four-season-capable thermal barrier around the upstairs bedroom. They inflate via an integrated air compressor that simultaneously raises the alcove roof, deploying in 90 seconds. Upon breakdown, the roof electrically locks into drive position.

As with the pop-top on the new Tourer CUV from the competition at Knaus, the idea behind the Lyseo Gallery TD's unique compressor-popped roof is to deliver the spacious living area of a larger motorhome within the driving footprint of a smaller one. At 699 cm (275 in) long, the Gallery TD measures more than a full meter (3.3 ft) longer than the Tourer CUV, however, and 10 cm (4 in) longer than last year's Lyseo Gallery prototype.

The production Lyseo Gallery TD will come with two floor plan options, starting with the 689 G previewed by last year's exhibition vehicle. That floor plan begins up front with a spacious L-shaped dining lounge before extending back into a large kitchen complete with 138-L compressor refrigerator and available triple-burner stove. The rear is filled out by a bathroom with separate shower and WC compartments.

The first photo of the production interior shows the 689 G floor plan complete with its staircase up to the second floor
Bürstner

Bürstner has also introduced a second floor plan for production, pushing the dining lounge of the 649 G layout to the rear where it converts over into a second double bed at night. Both floor plans include four belted seats for the ride and the signature upper bedroom reached via a small side staircase in place of a simple step or ladder. The vertically walled bedroom provides 110 cm (43 in) of headroom while raising total vehicle height to roughly 3.7 m (12 ft).

Decor-wise, Bürstner has brightened the space up with new two-tone upholstery and light wall paneling while at the same time contrasting it dramatically with glossy piano-black fixtures and a dark marble-look dining table. Buyers will ultimately select between "Sandy Gray" and "Casa Pino" color schemes. Features like wall-mounted lamps and Bürstner's multipurpose magnetic-mount Homelight table lamp/overhead light/flashlight enhance the homey ambiance.

The available Homelight is a versatile, award-winning feature that works as a table lamp, overhead light or even flashlight
Bürstner


Bürstner will host an official Lyseo Gallery TD world premiere at the upcoming Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, where it will show both floor plans. The show runs from August 26 to September 4, and we'll chase down more details and photos once it is underway.

Source: Bürstner

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1 comment
BlueOak
Cool stuff. But those stairs seem to be more gimmick than real world useful due to their steepness and the turn. Not particularly friendly to use and they take up a big space, further blocking an already fairly tight cabin.

I’d prefer a parallelogram collapsing ladder (steps, not rungs) of similar steepness that stows neatly in a slot under the bed or on the bed.