Germany's annual CMT (Caravan, Motor and Tourism) show hosts a particularly deep camper van lineup, but it also counts a few stretched luxury motorhomes among its hundreds of exhibits. Often the most impressive large motorhome comes in the form of one carrying a minicar or high-horsepower supercar, but the king of CMT 2020 was built to carry a simpler form of horsepower: the whinnying, galloping kind. Swabian special vehicle manufacturer RJH dazzled show goers with a bus-sized expanding motorhome built to sleep a human family of six up front and an equine family of five in back.
RJH specializes in horse transporters of all sizes, from compact trailers to stretched motorhomes with mini-barns in back. The model it brought to this year's CMT was one of the largest examples in its flagship "Exclusive" range of horse transporter-motorhomes aimed at professional and hobbyist equestrians. Needless to say, it was quite an impressive build, inside and out. It was also the most expensive vehicle we toured at the show.
The business end of this 26-tonne Mercedes Actros-based motorhome lands at the rear, where a drop-down ramp leads to a garage for up to five horses, a simple space of adjustable partitions and shelving. A lockable door connects the garage to the main interior, which can also be accessed directly through a side door.
While the pony accommodations are quite simple and spartan, the human accommodations are rather well-appointed. The heart of the motorhome is a lounge space with U-shaped sofa and dining table housed in a driver-side expansion slide-out. To the side, a large flat-screen TV hangs off a stone-accented wall. Across the aisle, the kitchen area keeps a dual-burner cooktop and sink with built-in drainboard at the ready.
Three separate beds offer sleeping space for six people. A double bed loft above the side entry and bathroom provides the only fixed bed space, complete with a small TV. A power-lift king-size bed drops down at night from its position over top the driver's cab, and the dinette set converts to create another two sleeping berths.
The dry bathroom just inside the entryway has a ceramic toilet and sink on one side, a glass-doored multi-jet shower on the other. Couple that with touches like tiled floors, wood trim, steps to the living area, and ambient lighting, and you have a space that feels like a permanent address (farmhouse?) more than a motorhome.
Each RJH Exclusive horse transporter-motorhome is a custom build with options selected by the individual buyer. This particular fully winterized model based on a 444-hp Mercedes Actros 2545 with four vehicle seats (up to six possible) prices in at a cool €499,000 (approx. US$550,000).
Source: RJH