Italian manufacturer Roller Team hasn’t always been so monikered. It started out in the 1980s as Auto-Roller, a firm specialising in supplying caravan parts to the trade.
This then developed into supplying furniture sub-assemblies to companies building caravans, and increasingly for motorhomes. Its first motorhome – aimed at the value-for-money sector – rolled off the line in 1990. Don Amott was the UK importer.
Auto-Roller was quickly bought out by Gruppo CI, which itself was absorbed into the Trigano Group.
Roller Team’s UK operations are based in north-east Lincolnshire, at Auto-Trail’s Grimsby HQ.
After the rebranding, Roller Team consistently upgraded its offer, including the launch of its first A-class motorhome (Pegaso 740) for the 2017 model year. Stretching the tape to 7.38m (24’ 2.5”) and based on the Fiat Ducato chassis-cowl, its layout featured a forward lounge with three additional travel seats, ahead of a centrally placed kitchen.
The bedroom, with a permanent island double bed and en-suite facilities, was at the rear.
Finally, a drop-down transverse double bed over the cab was also standard equipment. Four travel seats, four sleeping berths, all for a very slim launch price of £64,302 OTR.
What more could prospective UK purchasers possibly desire? Perhaps the conversion handed for the UK with the driver’s and habitation doors on the correct side for Blighty? A reality by the end of the first year of production.
One year later, the Pegaso 745 was unveiled, ideal for those who were interested in family motorhomes. It was the same length as the 740 and had a similar forward lounge, but moved the comfort station to the offside and replaced the rear double bed with an additional huge triple-aspect U-shaped lounge. This converted into a brace of easy-access longitudinal single beds, or a regally sized ‘all-over’ double bed if preferred.
Both variants featured contemporary furniture with gloss-white locker and cupboard doors, as well as toning plain, light-coloured soft furnishing fabrics. No fussy patterns like ‘an explosion in a jam factory’ here! A cool Mediterranean vibe pervaded the interiors.
As a nod to UK purchasers, the inset three-burner gas hob was supplemented by a (separate) gas-fired combined grill and oven. Completing the excellent galley inventory was a huge three-way ‘tower’ fridge-freezer, providing the coolth; for the warmth, at the other end of the temperature scale, a good motorhome heating system was provided in the shape of space and water heating, courtesy of a 230V/gas 6kW Truma Combi unit.
The third and final Pegaso appeared in 2019 (and see what we made of the 2019 Roller Team Pegaso 590 when we reviewed it at the time). 590 is – as the model number suggests – a whisker under 6m long. This was a significant development, as increasingly, manufacturers had been building ever-longer A-class offerings, presumably in the belief that prospective purchasers of the genre all want something approaching the length of the Forth Road Bridge!
Perhaps surprisingly, the baby of the range features the biggest lounge and has the most ‘open’ main salon. Of course, this has been achieved by not including a permanent bed or a seating area at the rear.
Behind the kitchen is a very practical full-width washroom, with walk-in shower cubicle, vanity basin, wardrobe and a handy ‘dry’ changing area.
Back in the Gruppo CI days, the manufacturers within that group were pioneers in developing acrylic, ABS and GRP mouldings. This was further developed at Roller Team, especially in the construction of timberless GRP-clad bonded-sandwich body panels, including the roof and floor.
Pegaso is built using these in its ExPs (Extreme Protection System). It is claimed that ExPs has eliminated water ingress, hence the standard (free of charge) 10-year body integrity warranty on these vehicles.
What to look out for in a used Roller Team Pegaso
Base vehicle
Do not buy without a test drive to make sure that all drivers are happy in an A-class driving environment.
Early models were offered with the cost-option of ComfortMatic gearbox (robotised and automated manual transmission); later models used a torque-converter automatic gearbox. Both are usually very reliable. That said, still check for smooth progress on the road and no hesitation when moving off. Check out my motorhome driving tips if you’re after some further guidance on staying safe on the road.
A long-dated MoT is essential. A full mechanical service history from a main dealer or independent commercial vehicle specialist is preferable.
Conversion
As mentioned previously, the ExPs construction is very reassuring, but as always, insist on sight of a recent body integrity inspection sheet, or complete a damp check yourself. Check carefully in those areas that are adjacent to any retrofitted accessories.
All Pegaso models were available at a driving licence friendly 3500kg MTPLM, although first purchasers were offered a free upgrade to 3650kg, which many opted for. This offers more payload, but all drivers will need Group C1 on their driving licence.
Our pick
There are three models and each has been ‘picked’ by me! 590 if you only have limited space on your driveway, or wish for a more compact vehicle. 740 for a permanent double bed, 745 for families. The latter has the most flexible layout, because the rear lounge could be left made up as a semi-permanent bed(s), or kept as an additional seating area during the day.
These vehicles are rarely available for less than £60,000.
If you’re interested in a more modern recent option from the brand, Roller Team are among the exhibitors at this week’s Motorhome and Caravan Show (15-20 October), where they are set to be exhibiting a number of new models.
Essentials
Roller Team Pegaso on Fiat Ducato chassis-cowl
- Built: 2017-present in San Gimignano, Siena, Italy
- A-class (integral) coachbuilt
- Overall length: 2021 model year onwards: 5.99m/19’ 7” (Pegaso 590) to 7.41m/24’ 3” (Pegaso 740/745)
What we like:
- Conversion handed for the UK
- Contemporary interior
- All have four travel seats
- Generous bed sizes
- King/Queen-of-the-road driving environment
What we don’t like:
- Limited kitchen worktop on 740
Alternatives to a Roller Team Pegaso
Italian A-class: similar available from Laika and Mobilvetta. UK built A-class: a used Auto-Trail Grande Frontier.
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