2023 Mercedes motorhome with adjustable queen bed. Rapido M96

The Rapido M96 is a Mercedes motorhome with a two litre, 150hp engine. This motorhome has an adjustable queen bed which can be raised 30cm to make a great deal of room in the garage. It has space for five people around the table, can sleep two in the rear with the option of an extra double bed over the cab. The fresh water tank holds 130 litres and waste water tank 110 litres. With a double floor and optional Alde heating, it is in position to offer protection against the cold.
171-litre refrigerator which opens both ways
Kitchen with rounded design
32" inbuilt TV unit
Additional storage spaces in the living room bench seats
Folding table
Double floor with access from the inside and via hatches on the outside wall
Overall length 7,54 m
Overall width 2,35 m
Overall height 2,95 m
Wheelbase 4,20 m
Wider rear track 1,98 m
NOVATECH CONSTRUCTION
•100% shock absorption polyester: roof, side walls and underfloor protection
•Floor bodywork in polyurethane
•Storage area in robust polyurethane
•AL-KO chassis with independent suspension
•Styrofoam® insulation
BODYWORK AND OPENINGS
•Streamlined front with LED day running lights
•Designer rear pillars with inbuilt tail light unit
•Large lengthwise living room skylight with wooden finish
•Double glazed living area windows with polyurethane frame and cassette non-woven blinds and flyscreen
•Electric living area entry step
•Living area entry step backlighting turns on when door opens
•Living area door with 2-point locking, fixed window and inbuilt bin
•Large living area door: 540 mm
•Storage area hatch struts
•Storage area compression handle flush with hatch, with 2-point locking
HEATING
•ALDE Arctic Comfort Plus heating (option)
•TRUMA Combi 6 heating with CP PLUS control panel
•Heating distributed via the living room table leg (except telescopic leg) (if ALDE)
•Additional MERCEDES heating (if ALDE)
•TRUMA windscreen heating duct to remove condensation (not compatible with WEBASTO)
•Automatic gas inverter with anti-crash system
STORAGE
•Full-width storage double floor with internal and external access
•Heated, lit double floor
•Heated garage/storage area
LIVING ROOM
•Forward-facing conversion of face-to-face living room bench seats
•Living room bench seat armrest
•Flat floor
•Inbuilt unit to fit 32" flat screen TV with backlighting and storage
•Chrome spotlight under overhead cupboards with inbuilt USB port
•Magnetic bench seat backs for a faster forward-facing conversion
KITCHEN
•Curvy kitchen design
•Glossy white drawer fronts with inbuilt matte black handles
•Soft-closing drawers with electric central locking
•Lighting under the worktop
•Glossy white Plexiglas finish on kitchen window with inbuilt spice rack, 230 V and 12 V power outlet compartment
•Additional glossy white spice rack on kitchen side
•Worktop extension on kitchen unit side
•Deep 171-litre fridge with flat double hinge door (left or right opening)
•Embossed stainless steel stove top with 2 hobs, independent black covers and piezo ignition (option 3 hobs)
•Chromed brass kitchen tap with ceramic cartridge
WASHROOM
•Shower/toilet room storage unit with two mirror doors and frosted RAPIDO logo
•Matte shower/toilet room unit door with push-lock system
•Laminate basin countertop with aluminium-style finish
•Thermoformed rectangular basin with brass swivel mixer tap and ceramic cartridge
•Shower column with slate grey Plexiglas finish and customisable backlighting
•Skylight with blackout blind, flyscreen and clothes drying rack
•Chrome finish bathroom accessories
•Quick-clean thermoformed cassette toilet compartment
BEDROOM
•Wall-mounted wardrobes with curved doors with push lock system
•Bedside tables with open alcoves and 12 V plug
•Spotlight under overhead cupboard with USB port
•Backlighting on overhead cupboards and wall-mounted wardrobes
•Fabric-covered backlit headboard
•Permanent bed with aluminium base frame and active multilayer slats, with BULTEX® foam mattress
•Retractable central bed base
•Electric height-adustable (30 cm) central bed with large garage
•XXL permanent bed: 160 x 198 cm
•Storage drawer at the foot of central bed
•Second TV space in bedroom with 12V/coaxial/HDMI wiring
BASE VEHICLE FITTINGS
•ESP: electronic stability programme
•MERCEDES engine compartment insulation and cladding under engine
•Stop & Start
•Hill start assistance
•Cruise control with speed limiter
•Coach-style wing mirrors: electric, defrosting, dual-view mirrors (fixed wide angle lens)/ two-tone
•Central locking on driver's and living area doors
•'Coming-home' mode with automatic awning light and electric entry step
CAB FITTINGS
•AGUTI swivel cab seats in fabric matching the living area
•Jack-assisted foldaway cab bed with slat base and BULTEX® foam mattress
•Central locking on cab bed
•Driver's door with electric window
•Chrome-ringed instruments
•Embroidered (embossing on leather upholstery) cab headrest covers (AUSTIN atmosphere exclusively)
LIVING AREA FITTINGS
•Living area door flyscreen

[@robertcroft8241]

I had three , the last was the 999M in two tone grey and travelled for 7 years from England to Germany to Morocco each year. I loved it, my only complaints were that I could not work the passenger window from the RHD drivers side , and it has no diesel heating. The window switch was fitted in a little roadside auto-electric shop in Morocco, the Epersbacher heater by the super Motorhome place in Stretford Manchester. If I could still drive I would buy another one tomorrow.

[@amanitamuscaria7500]

Blimey Alan! Very nice, but very pricey. Specially if the bloody doors rattle lol! I guess the payload would be ok if the other bed were for kids. Can't imagine whacking that round the lanes in Cornwall.
Why is there such a demand now, do you think?

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Demand I would put down to demographics, more people getting to retirement age and more people taking early retirement and secondly there is the Covid effect, people not wanting to go to hotels. Add this to supply chain problems and natural economic factors mean that the prices are sky high!

[@amanitamuscaria7500]

@@VanlifewithAlan makes senses!

[@aidanmaccormac9125]

Sad to see a good MH manufacturer like Rapido building on such an overated and poor base vehicle as Mercedes. You will not hear the rattle of the Motorhome as the rattles of the engine. I have driven 222 versions of the base vehicle in Coach (bus) format on tour and they are rubbish. Most bus Coach operators are switching to Iveco or Daf versions as they are more comfortable and quieter.

[@bluecarefreeforever]

😂Each to their own. I’d have thought the reverse of what you’d said. Mercedes on many MH’s are wanted and loved. Expensive yes and probably too expensive compared to the latest Fiat Auto but the combo of AlKo / Mercedes and probably Carthago or Hymer because the fantastic DF storage. I am not impressed by Rapido vehicles. The A class version looks dated to me and there are so many parts of it to go wrong/rattle/ break. At 140k on Mercedes bad or even 120k plus for Fiat version you might as well go for Hymer/cathargo/ N&B for a little more.