Poised to draw envy from owners of "yesterday's" supercar-carrier land yachts, new European marque Dembell aspires to create the most luxurious land yacht the world has seen. With its stretched, three-axle Mercedes base, triple-expanding, yacht-appointed interior, motorsport-inspired exterior and impressive self-sufficiency suite, Dembell may even lay claim to the world's first "land superyacht" lineup.
Not satisfied to merely use the "land yacht" moniker as a marketing term, Dembell's management team pursues a purer definition, leaving its interior appointments in the hands of an Italian design firm with experience bringing to life the interior spaces of Azimut yachts. The initial results appear impressive, even for the "money is no object" end of the motorhome market.
Dembell's individual rooms spread out behind semi-transparent glass doors, hardwood floors blending cleanly into matching walls. The master suite, which extends beyond "full-beam" width with the help of a slide-out expansion module, should make slumberers in the 79 x 79-in (200 x 200-cm) beyond-king bed forget that blowing leaves, not lapping waves, await outside the heated window panes. Attractive furniture and decor choices include director-style folding dining chairs, wall sconces, a ceramic toilet and vessel sink, ambient lighting, stone bathroom trim and leather sofa upholstery.
The Dembell floor runs flat and step-less from front to back, providing just over 6.6 feet (2 m) of standing height throughout the floor plan. Up front, the motorhome accommodates the driver and three passengers in air conditioned captain's seats with spring suspension and massage function. Above, the 63 x 79-in (160 x 200-cm) lift-away queen bed provides space for children or guests to join the owners for an overnight stay.
Strolling back, Dembell offers two or three expansion slide-outs for increasing interior floor space. The slide-outs expand the living area (salon?) just aft of the driver's cab, the kitchen across the aisle and the rear master suite.
Miele supplies the induction cooktop, oven, 224-L refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave for the kitchen, while Bose handles surround sound in the living area. A washer/dryer combo is also included, and 50- to 55-in TVs come neatly mounted to the living area and master bedroom walls.
Of course, a proper tender garage is also included. Three available garage options cover the spectrum from bicycles and scooters to sports coupes up to 177 in (450 cm) long, including the Ferrari California that serves as Dembell's example coupe. That's not quite as impressive a choice as the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Volkner decided to carry amidships its Performance S motorhome a few years back, but it's not exactly a shabby way of disembarking and exploring the narrow, twisting mountain roads around base camp.
We'd like to think the optional helipad is on its way, but no official word on that.
The Dembell motorhome supports residents during long jaunts with a roof-mounted solar array, onboard generator and 1,000-L fresh water tank. A combination of under-floor and radiator heat keeps things warm in crisp weather. Outside, the 20.7 x 11.5-ft (6.3 x 3.5-m) awning with wind sensor supplies shade for al fresco dining.
Dembell was inspired by race-day motorhomes, and those roots shine through in the exterior styling. "Sporty" might be an overstatement when it comes to any broadsided RV box, but Dembell enhances the monotone look of its Mercedes Actros-planted motorhome body with a red racing stripe underlining the full-length tinted window line.
Dembell showed its motorhome at a small VIP-style gathering earlier this year and plans a larger public showing at this year's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon. We'll look to get more details, including pricing, after the show opens up on August 27. Dembell appears quite nicely positioned for "most expensive motorhome of the show" recognition.
Source: Dembell
