RAPIDO CO3

In a class of its own, this cleverly designed three-berth offers plenty of space and comfort, says Peter Baber

- Peter Baber

Despite the inconvenience of one of you having to clamber over the other to get out of bed at night, transverse-bed layouts remain very popular. That’s mainly because a sideways bed doesn’t need to take up so much of the vehicle’s length. Many manufacturers offer at least one transverse-bed model that is just 5.99m long – much easier to park.

The trouble is, though, that 5.99m might be just a bit too short. Could you ideally do with a bit more room? Rapido is hoping you could.

The new low-profile in its compact ‘C’ range, the C03, has a transverse bed, but the ’van is 6.19m long. We checked it out at the company’s season launch, to discover what use it makes of those extra 20cm.

There’s not much difference up front. Like all the low-profiles in Rapido’s compact range, the C03 comes with a standard Peugeot cab, although you can go for a Fiat with automatic transmission as an option.

The cab’s large sunroof lets light flood into the lounge. This features a fold-out table in front of two travel seats. At maximum capacity, you could fit six people here, thanks to an extra seat that folds out in front of the door.