Automotive

Finetza expanding camper van is part beauty, part beast

Finetza expanding camper van is part beauty, part beast
Pinnacle debuted its new camper at Auto Expo in February, 2018
Pinnacle debuted its new camper at Auto Expo in February, 2018
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The Finetza slide-out creates a rear bedroom
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The Finetza slide-out creates a rear bedroom
Finetza has redone the exterior bodywork and styling of the base Force Motors Traveller van
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Finetza has redone the exterior bodywork and styling of the base Force Motors Traveller van
The slide-out adds extra space inside
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The slide-out adds extra space inside 
PSV has created a very nice look inside, with lounge seating and set-in TVs
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PSV has created a very nice look inside, with lounge seating and set-in TVs
Pinnacle Specialty Vehicles Finetza camper van
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Pinnacle Specialty Vehicles Finetza camper van
Pinnacle debuted its new camper at Auto Expo in February, 2018
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Pinnacle debuted its new camper at Auto Expo in February, 2018
A tour around the exterior of the PSV Finetza
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A tour around the exterior of the PSV Finetza
The Finetza starts for the converted equivalent of around US$77K
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The Finetza starts for the converted equivalent of around US$77K
PSV builds the Finetza on the 4,020-mm wheelbase Traveller van
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PSV builds the Finetza on the 4,020-mm wheelbase Traveller van
The Finetza body looks chunky and over-styled, but we kind of like what PSV's done with the face of the van
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The Finetza body looks chunky and over-styled, but we kind of like what PSV's done with the face of the van
Converted bed - PSV offers floor plans with 2 to 8 sleeping berths
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Converted bed - PSV offers floor plans with 2 to 8 sleeping berths
Inside the living area of the Finetza van
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Inside the living area of the Finetza van
The rear bedroom bed can be made a convertible, too
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The rear bedroom bed can be made a convertible, too
In place of a full kitchen, the main option is a pantry with fridge, hot plate and coffeemaker
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In place of a full kitchen, the main option is a pantry with fridge, hot plate and coffeemaker 
View gallery - 14 images

Looking to capitalize on the upswing in domestic business and leisure travel, India's Pinnacle Specialty Vehicles has created the Finetza, a camper van quite unlike what we're used to seeing from the American and European markets. Outside, it's a fairly rough-looking hunk of van, even within a motorhome segment where homely, boxy eyesores are the norm. But beauty in this case is much more than skin deep, as the chunky bodywork slides away to reveal a motorhome interior designed like a luxury business van. Billed as India's first expanding motorhome, this camper van is truly a story of beauty within the beast.

Pinnacle starts with the Force Motors Traveller, a commercial van and small bus line that looks quite ideal for creating some pretty cool camper vans of various sizes and styles. Pinnacle has chosen the 4,020-mm (158-in) wheelbase Traveller and fully reworked the body.

Pinnacle's dressed-up front-end actually looks okay, the kind of thing you might expect from an aftermarket tuning or armoring shop like Dartz or US Specialty Vehicles. But that face traces back to an awkwardly short hood pushing off a messy, overworked body that seems to want to be part camper van, part Type C motorhome, part bus and part armored SUV.

The Finetza's high roof and drooping lower body surely increase space and practicality, but they certainly don't add anything positive to the aesthetic. The polygonal doors and off-angle windows feel like they belong more on an armored truck than a camper van. Then there are the bulging fenders trying (and failing) to trick our eyes into thinking that huge mass of bodywork wouldn't immediately flip over and ignite into a smoldering pile of twisted metal on the first rock encountered off-road. No amount of window tinting and glossy charcoal paint can make that picture look right.

The slide-out adds extra space inside
The slide-out adds extra space inside 

But camper vans don't have to look good to be good. Saunter through the Finetza's sliding door and the story quickly changes ... quite dramatically. The cabin designs are downright sleek and elegant, looking more private jet than rattling motorhome. The lounge-like atmosphere of the central cabin is enough to make you forget you're aboard a camper van, let alone what might be the world's ugliest camper van. The curved LED smart TVs are set neatly into the walls rather than jutting out off wall mounts, and they benefit from the complement of home theater sound.

One floor plan includes a central lounge area with four chairs set in vis-a-vis fashion. A third two-chair row sits in back of the lounge for added passenger capacity. Another layout shows a vis-a-vis lounge with sofa and love seat benches and a wall-mount TV and low coffee table in between.

Inside the living area of the Finetza van
Inside the living area of the Finetza van

The interior also makes clear that there's some reason and rhyme to Pinnacle's bloated exterior. All that bodywork swallows up a slide-out rear expansion module, similar to the DoubleBack VW. The Finetza's pod opens via mobile device app, revealing the master bedroom suite, split from the main cabin by a doorway. Buyers can choose between fixed and convertible sofa-bed options.

While the Finetza has the overnighting capabilities of a proper camper van, its cooking amenities are more on par with the business van it resembles inside. Instead of a typical dual-burner and stainless steel sink kitchen block, the advertised standard is a "pantry" with mini-fridge, hot plate and coffee machine, a kitchenette available optionally. The onboard bathroom is likewise equipped more for the business traveler than the usual motorhome traveler, there's a toilet and sink, but the shower is optional.

The Finetza's options add up quickly, and that's because Pinnacle has really created it as a buyer-led build. Buyers can choose from various lounge layouts and sleeping capacities between two and eight people. Pinnacle also offers a choice of tables, upholstery, moon/skyroofs, ambient lighting and entertainment equipment. The exterior is also customizable, though we don't think there's a "de-fuglify" option.

The Finetza body looks chunky and over-styled, but we kind of like what PSV's done with the face of the van
The Finetza body looks chunky and over-styled, but we kind of like what PSV's done with the face of the van

We've seen an onslaught of multi-personality camper vans designed to double as everyday people haulers and/or work vans, and the Finetza is a different spin on the concept, capable of serving as a combination camper van/luxury travel van/mobile office. The power system includes multiple charging ports to keep devices running during the drive.

The Finetza comes powered by a 3.2-liter four-cylinder common rail diesel with 115 hp and can carry up to eight passengers. It measures 270 in (6,857 mm) long on the road and 333 mm (8,447 mm) when fully expanded at camp. An air suspension cushions the wheels.

The Finetza made its debut at India's Auto Expo in February. Price will of course vary wildly based on options, but the company puts the starting point for the expandable Finetza at 50 lakh, or 5 million rupees, which comes out to roughly US$76,700. That converted price doesn't look half bad considering the luxurious look and feel of the Finetza's interior. We'd definitely want to add the kitchenette and shower options, though.

Source: Pinnacle Specialty Vehicles

View gallery - 14 images
9 comments
9 comments
Stomps
Underpowered and insufficient suspension.
SammyC
Man, that thing is terrible looking. From every single angle, it's just awful.
ljaques
Beautiful inside (if you like beige and pinky beige), butt fugly outside. OMG, it must have taken 100 people several years to turn every curve into a hideosity like that. Issue barf bags at the auto shows, please. It looks like all 4 tires blew off the rims, and the, (what, 3"?) clearance expands that. That thing wouldn't make it over a speed bump or driveway hump ANYWHERE. Won't that diesel be loud for a luxury yacht?
RewRixom
I like the concept, definitely needs a bit of a lift and some beefy tires on it.
Jon Smith
Ugggggly! Wow. It's hard to pick a spot to start... I can't comprehend why they would need to make those door windows so small, not only does it look terrible but has to make visibility just as terrible. And those wheels, tires, and hubcaps. Are the wheels like 10-inch diameter? And why would you pick hubcaps that stick a foot like that? I could go on...
guzmanchinky
What an amazing machine! Inside.
Martin Hone
Seems my idea of beauty is a lot different than whoever wrote this......
AntonRoss
Nope. NOPE. ALL THE NOPE.
melon
Reminds me of the Family Truckster 2000.