Classic Autotrail Apache 640
Motorhome
2004 Autotrail Apache 640SE Classic British Coachbuilt Motorhome
If you are in the market for a used motorhome that is roomy but a manageable size at around 6.4metres, consider a mid noughties Apache. Though a classic model in years, they were built at an important turning point in the decade when more upmarket motorhomes appeared with less compromised designs and higher build quality..and extra effort was made with this model. These are great value if you want modern features and comforts on a more modest budget of 25k or so. This sought out particularly pristine example had one owner for most of its years and spent much of its winters in Spain, so we need only do some restorative work and minor improvments to bring it up to 2018.....
serene
Inside, it’s what you expect from this company – Practical Motorhome said 'it wouldn’t be a stretch to call Auto-Trail the Jaguar of the motorhome world', because it offers luxurious design that is still distinctively British. The interior colour scheme and the soft furnishings are particularly smart and they offer a very good sense of light and space, neither dark and claustrophobic nor light and insubstantial.
Classic Autotrail Apache 640
The lounge has a large rooflight with good lighting and it does not suffer from the ‘corridor effect’ where the washroom forms a bulkhead into the living area giving an overpowering sense of an enclosed space or where the wardrobe and washroom face each other on many models of this age. The feeling of spaciousness is amplified by cutaway lounge end panels that make the cab and slide-away bunk more part of the living area.
Everything looks and feels opulent, with wall to wall carpets that go under the furniture, hardwood-framed locker doors, and importantly, aircraft-style lockers that curve inwards at the top to expose more ceiling and add to the airy feel, this is a common feature now at Autotrail in anything above the Tribute end of the range, but even the rest of the Autotrail range at that time still had regular squared cupboards (see brochures).
Refreshingly the furniture in these models is made from lightweight and strong, curved plywood as opposed to MDF or plastics so there is a strong feel to everything that promises longevity.
The lounge comprises two very comfortable facing settees, that can be lain along with your feet up to read or watch TV, and a big freestanding table.
With the cab seats swivelled it will seat six comfortably
GALLERY
gas and electric hob, oven and grill
spacious wash and changing area
Classic Autotrail Apache 640
When not in use the solid table stows in a dedicated slot in the large wardrobe and Auto-Trail incorporated an additional smaller round table mounted in a bracket at the front of the nearside lounge settee, and this can be rotated into position so that loungers in both settees can use it for mugs, books and the like. When the lounge is set up for meals, this table provides for diners in the cab seats. When not in use, it can be swung to one side so as not to impede access to the cab, and its sturdy construction means that it can be left in place when you’re travelling.
One thing that’s lacking in some Autotrail lounges is a three-pin power point, not so here, there are five sockets that service the lounge and kitchen area when using mains. Two of which swap cleverly from Mains to Battery Inverter power when mains is not available.
Several USB charging sockets can be found in the overcab bed, entertainment unit, cab and in the habitation area to charge phones and run streaming TV devices like Amazon Fire TV, Alexa or similar.
The lounge is a bright, smart, cosy place to sit. In this particular van there is all-LED lighting, it came with LED spotlights then newer LED units replaced the tubes in the fluorescent light units, which is efficient and sufficiently bright without being harsh.
Gas and Electric central heating is fitted using a Truma dual power unit and blow heater vents feed warm air through into the lounge, kitchen and bathroom.
chefs special
Large lounges, particularly longitudinal ones with facing sofas, as in this Apache 640 mean more often than not designers end up simply squeezing the kitchen in, which can make a dark space for the chef to operate in. To solve this problem, Auto-Trail has put a large L shaped worktop area by the sink and cooker for when ingredients need to be immediately to hand. This allows for a large sink with recessed draining board and a glass hinged cover that creates ample amounts of workspace with the larder directly below and a wonderfully situated eye level mains/battery/gas fridge freezer within reach directly behind the chef when cooking.