For last year's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, Variomobil introduced the fourth generation of its "Perfect" line of ultra-luxury motorhomes, revealing the Mercedes Actros-based Perfect 1000. How do you follow up such an impressive exhibition appearance? By climbing even higher up the ladder and revealing the larger, more exclusive flagship model, the Perfect 1200 Platinum. A little piece of exclusive real estate built onto a triple-axle Mercedes chassis, the new 1200 features a massive living space broadened by three electro-hydraulic slide-outs and enhanced with nightclub-grade audio and intelligent lighting, all the appliances of home, and an XXL garage large enough to bring along a high-powered grand tourer ... say, a Mercedes-AMG GT.
A close relative of the Signature 1200 we covered in 2017, the Perfect 1200 Platinum is one of the awe-inspiring creations from one of the world's awe-inspiring crafters of opulent motorhomes. It measures 39 full feet (12 m) in length, carrying a gross vehicle weight rating of 26 tonnes. We can't even imagine captaining this beastly wheeled yacht through the tiny, tight-cornered roadways of European cities and villages, but we'd certainly be willing to hop in the passenger seat and come along for the ride.
The fourth-generation Perfect series features an updated self-supporting fiberglass sandwich bodywork construction and structure-enhancing, UV-filtering panoramic windshield design. We prefer the bare, three-pointed star-badged automotive-grade grille of the Signature series, but the new Platinum still manages to make a very good first impression with its understated neutral color scheme, long countersunk window line and angled facial features.
The real exterior highlight on this particular Perfect 1200 show model, though, is the XXL garage, Variomobil's largest garage option. Here, it's displayed mere seconds away from devouring a two-door Mercedes-AMG GT. The garage is also designed with the Porsche 911 in mind and can of course accommodate smaller-class cars like the Mini Cooper. It also includes an optional e-bike slide loader and charging station.
When the eye isn't held captive by the canary yellow of high-performance Mercedes sports car rump, it tends to naturally wander around the Perfect 1200 exterior and land on the large slide-outs jutting out from both sidewalls. Three in all, the pneumatically sealed slide-outs create a proper master bedroom at the stern and a stretched living area wide enough to do gymnastics in, amidships. The 1200 comes standard with the long living room/kitchen expansion, but the master suite slides are optional upgrades.
The impact of the living area expansion is felt immediately upon entering the Perfect 1200. An aisle wide enough for two passengers to walk by each other without the slightest brush of fabric splits the sofa from the front dining nook and the kitchen from the rear dining nook. Living-room-grade power recliners serve as driver and front passenger seats, swiveling around to join the sofa and side recliner in creating a roomy six-person lounge. Hang an optional 43-in flat screen above the driver's cab and you have a comfy TV room.
Strolling farther back, Variomobil's optional "CubeArt" kitchen presents space enough for culinary creativity, offering a dual-burner induction cooktop, sink with modern designer faucet, and stacks of drawers with illuminated handles and push-to-open security. Just behind that main kitchen block (to the chef's left) is the standard 195-L Kissmann KT210 compressor fridge topped by an optional oven. Other available equipment added to this particular show model includes a dishwasher and slide-out coffeemaker.
Using the Perfect 1200 restroom during a meal appears much like the experience of being in a restaurant. Whether or not one has to ask a member of the catering staff to point them in the right direction, he or she proceeds rearward past the curvy, glowing-green glassware case, up a couple steps and down an actual hallway before turning right into the bathroom. The proper dry bath layout inside has an enclosed shower, toilet, sink and even a little legroom.
A few steps back from the bathroom lies the rear bedroom, its spread wings creating a spacious 108-sq-ft (10-sq-m) floor plan. Rather than just stepping or leaping up onto a bed that fills out the entirety of the space, Perfect 1200 residents walk into the room, having the option of a 65 x 79-in (165 x 200-cm) bed to their right or a slide-integrated sofa below the window to the left. Direct reading lights dangle from the storage cabinets lining the wall over the bed, while ambient light fixtures glow from the walls. The mirrored doors at the rear wall slide away for access to the wardrobe.
Perfect 1200 buyers who don't plan to hoard the entirety of the huge interior can sleep an additional two people up front, for a total of four berths. The optional drop-down 77 x 51-in (195 x 130-cm) bed stores over top the driver area.
A high spec of onboard equipment and utilities is necessary to keep such a large hunk of machinery humming, and standards include a dual 170-Ah gel battery system, 17,000-W diesel water boiler/cabin heater, 500-L fresh water tank and LCD command center. The microprocessor-controlled "Platinum" lighting system includes various illumination patterns and dimming capabilities complete with memory function.
Available add-ons and upgrades include Victron lithium batteries, solar charging, back-up generator options, air conditioning, an LED touch panel command center and a washer/dryer. Buyers can also browse through a full multimedia selection that includes the televisions, a Bose sound system, 4G connectivity with onboard Wi-Fi, and Apple TV.
The Perfect 1200 is based on the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2453 with a 422-hp 10.7-liter turbo-diesel six-cylinder standard, 523-hp 12.8-liter unit (Actros 2553) optional. The Actros features an air suspension and 12 wheels split between its three axles. The self-steering trailing axle improves maneuverability.
The LPG-free Perfect 1200 motorhome relies on the Actros' 390-L diesel tank and heated underbody 160-L auxiliary tank with emergency switching for driving and running the onboard diesel equipment.
The new Perfect 1200 Platinum starts at €881,020 (approx. US$1,042,450), and the model on display now at this year's Caravan Salon (and in photos) wears enough options and upgrades to push that price up over €1,450,000 ($1.7 million). Oh, and add another six figures for that other Mercedes hanging out the back. Land yacht design, land yacht price.
Source: Variomobil