Panama Peak P59+: a minivan with a bathroom

The new Panama Peak P59+ is a multifunctional minivan, capable of offering a great deal in a small space. It’s easy to handle, gets you anywhere, but once parked up it guarantees remarkable flexibility in terms of living space. Having grown in popularity and diffusion over recent years, minivans have always had a place in the motorhome world, but in some ways they constitute a world of their own, with precise patterns of use adopted by a circle of loyal enthusiasts.
The great strength of these vehicles is, of course, their manoeuvrability: their compact dimensions allow minivans to get almost anywhere and to be used as multi-purpose, versatile vehicles, able to replace the family car, but also able, when needed, to transform into a motorhome, or even a mobile office or base for sporting activities.
On the other hand, compact external dimensions mean limited interior space. The lack of a bathroom, for instance, is keenly felt. This is why Panama has decided to include in its extensive minivan range a model fitted with a bathroom, namely the Peak P59+.
The bathroom is small, let’s not kid ourselves, but it is undoubtedly extremely useful for a portion of users. The mechanical base of the Peak P59+ is the one that has made Panama’s fortune, namely the versatile Ford Tourneo Custom, though here the classic 505 cm version is set aside in favour of the more generous variant, reaching 545 cm in length.  Admittedly, the greater length, combined with a longer wheelbase (350 cm instead of 310 cm), somewhat limits manoeuvrability and makes parking a little less easy, but the vehicle nonetheless remains under five and a half metres, so it’s still manageable in an urban setting. It’s possible to enter car parks fitted with height-restriction barriers, and in some cases it can even fit into multi-storey or underground car parks. Bear in mind that the height is 2 metres with the standard 17” wheels, increasing by a few centimetres with the optional 19” wheels. The Tourneo Custom is equipped with a 2-litre turbodiesel engine producing 136 hp, with a 6-speed manual gearbox or, at extra cost, an automatic transmission.  A 170 hp engine paired with automatic transmission is also offered as an option. Note that the Peak P59+ is also available with all-wheel drive, only in combination with the 170 hp engine and automatic transmission.
The standard colour is pastel white, with various metallic colours available at extra cost. The mechanical base is well equipped, with car-level standard features. These include automatic climate control, electrically foldable wing mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a reversing camera, a radio with a 13” touchscreen, a tyre pressure sensor and an electric parking brake. The Peak P59+ is entirely similar to the base van, but the bodywork panels are thermally insulated. The vehicle is also fitted with a pop-up bellows roof, a solution that on the one hand allows standing room inside the cabin, and on the other provides two sleeping berths in the raised space, protected by waterproof canvas walls. There are two further berths in the lower area, created by converting the small sofa. This seating arrangement provides two comfortable travel seats, in addition to the two seats in the cab. By swivelling the front seats round, a dining area is created, with a multifunctional table that can be positioned centrally between the seats or outside on a dedicated support, or can also be stowed away in a compartment in the side door. A fifth seat is offered as an option, duly homologated for travel: it’s a removable seat, positioned next to the small sofa. This additional seat is deliberately not fitted as standard, since the designers preferred to ensure a walkway leading to the rear part of the cabin. It is precisely this area that most characterises the Peak P59+. It features a central corridor with two furniture blocks on either side: on one side the kitchen, on the other a minimal bathroom. There is a fixed toilet, neatly concealed beneath a lid-seat. There is also a wall-mounted mirror. To ensure a minimum of privacy, a plasticised sliding curtain has been fitted at half-height. In this area of the vehicle we also find the connection for the shower head to be used outside. Among the accessories available, there is a curtain that can be attached to the rear tailgate, to create a sort of shower cubicle or changing area. As an option, a portable shower tray can be fitted inside the cabin, positioned in the corridor (with drainage already provided as standard).
The Peak P59+ comes as standard with a 50-litre fresh water tank, a 30-litre waste water tank and a boiler for heating water. Next to the toilet, there is a space provided for hanging clothes. On the other side of the corridor, meanwhile, we find a well-developed kitchen block, with a good worktop, sink and two-burner gas hob, as well as some storage compartments. There is also a small compressor-driven fridge-freezer, with a capacity of 42 litres. It should be noted that the central corridor allows movement while standing upright, which would be unthinkable on a compact minivan. But it can also be used as a loading space, capable of accommodating fairly long items.
The Panama Peak P59+ is thus an extremely versatile minivan, suitable for a variety of purposes. It can carry four to five people when travelling and offers four sleeping berths. The list price is 63,990 euros. The vehicle can be personalised with various accessories available as options.
One of the most interesting is the Pack Living, which includes a 2000 W Webasto diesel heating system, a 600 W inverter and the portable shower tray.
The Pack Camping is also useful, comprising an awning, sliding blackout screens for the cab windows, a solar panel and a curtain to attach to the rear tailgate.

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