First Look: Auto-Sleepers M-Star Campervan

Billed as a ‘luxury campervan’, the Auto-Sleepers M-Star is big and imposing on the outside, and modern and homely on the inside. It also comes at a high price with the OTR price currently sitting at just over £126,000, but don’t let that deter you because the investment will net you a campervan that lives up to the ‘luxury’ tag and will turn heads wherever you take it. We only spent a couple of hours with the M-Star and were left wanting more time with it, something we will sort out so we can bring you a full review soon. Before we get going, if you are in the market for a new home away from home, you can take a look at the new and used Auto-Sleepers campervans and motorhomes currently available on the Autotrader marketplace.

Manufacturers of luxury campervans have a difficult choice ahead of them in an economic climate that is increasingly seeing consumers want to make every penny of their investments count. In the M-Star’s case, Auto-Sleepers has decided to build a luxury habitation space on the back of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter large van, which means acquisition cost is naturally higher than other equivalent vehicles.
That said, it cannot be stressed enough that the habitation space is the epitome of ‘luxury’ and the solid driving experience we’ve encountered with other vehicles built on the Sprinter van feels like a good match. Ultimately, it will depend solely on your budget whether the asking price will work for you; finance options are available and will break up the cost accordingly.

The M-Star is built on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter large van platform packing a brand-new Euro 6.3 turbo diesel 170bhp engine mated (optionally) to a nine-speed fully automatic gearbox.
The vehicle is well protected with a Sargent CAT6 and S7 vehicle tracker pre-installed, which you will need to pay a £100 annual subscription to keep running. The safety systems are generous, including an electric parking brake, crosswind assist, lane keeping assist, hill-start assist, active brake assist, headlight assistant, the excellent parking package with reversing camera, and cruise control. Inside the cabin, drivers and passengers can be kept cool by the van’s Tempmatic semi-automatic controlled air con while enjoying the swivelling captain chairs at the front. The dashboard’s centre is dominated by the MBUX infotainment system’s touch screen that features Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB radio. And on the outside, the vehicle is available in a choice of colours - silvers, greys and blues - set off nicely by alloy wheels (included with a spare wheel and carrier) and colour coordinated bumpers. A nice addition, and something you expect to see on higher-end vehicles these days, is a 4.25m Thule awning with an integrated LED strip light that creates a nice outdoor area for dining and relaxing. The outside is further set off by a colour coordinated external TV socket, external gas BBQ point and external 230v mains socket. The large 700mm Thule entrance steps are also fully illuminated, and at the back of the vehicle are rear corner steadies.

The living space in the Auto-Sleepers M-Star is the epitome of luxury (as befits its status as a luxury camper). It feels modern and expansive, packed with modern furniture and chrome fixtures and fittings. All windows are fitted with privacy blinds and flyscreens. There’s a choice of designer ‘Pamplona’ and new 'Trieste' fabrics on the soft furnishings, and the option of grey leather upholstery you can see in the pictures.
The grey, black and beige colour coordination extends to the curtains with tiebacks and the included scatter cushions, and even the removable interior carpets. You get black ceiling LED lights throughout plus two 12V lighting tracks with four adjustable LED spotlights. Storage is generous with lots of positively-closing over-cab storage compartments, a spacious wardrobe, a huge range of high and low-level storage lockers, a cocktail cabinet with crystal wine glasses (which is a touch I love). You also get a nice freestanding table, but you will want to pack folding chairs of your own. The sleeping setup is also spacious with the rear lounge converting to six-foot single beds or one enormous double bed of the same generous length and filling the width of the vehicle’s interior.

First of all, you get a 25-litre LPG gas tank with solenoid control for electronic on/off operation from the Sargent control panel. You also get a 120W solar panel for battery charging, which comes with a 10-year warranty.
Power distribution is controlled from the Sargent EC700 electrical system’s LCD control panel. The split-charged leisure battery feeds multiple sockets including four 230V sockets, two 12V sockets, and five dual USB-A and USB-C outlets. The leisure battery itself is an upgraded 100ah lithium unit. Heating is easy thanks to the Alde Central Heating system that provides heat to six radiators and two independent fan assisted radiators for the cab and sliding door area. The vehicle features a large underslung fresh water tank (model specific), large underslung waste water tank (model specific), and these are fed and cleared by large-bore waste pipework. The main 70-litre freshwater tank uses a Whale auto-fill and manual filler points, and the wastewater tank has a 77-litre capacity.

The kitchen area is spacious and equipped with a large slide out additional work surface that helps make food preparation very easy. The kitchen is equipped with a cooker, separate oven, grill and dual fuel hob. Above that is a dometic 12V extractor, and you also get a Dometic integrated MWO240 microwave with integrated ceramic plate.
Food storage is in multiple cupboards and the Dometic 157L high performance 12V 10 Series fridge with removable ice box with a dual hinged door providing excellent access. The sink is finished in black enamel with a black monoblock tap and incorporates a draining board and cutlery drying rack. You also get a nice kitchen roll holder.

The bathroom is well-appointed and features a stand-up shower and electric flush cassette toilet. Also included is a vanity cupboard with mirrors, chrome fixtures and fittings, a storage cupboard, anti-slip shower mat, Alde panel radiator, LED lighting, a useful retractable clothes line, and a roof vent with fly screen.

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