Sleeping fore & aft in a newer Symbol

We have a 2007 Duetto, and are thinking about upgrading to a newer van, but the Duetto is very practical for us, and although the newer versions of the Symbol based on the Peugot base use the same tried & tested Autosleeper layout of a front bed and rear kitchen they seem to be designed for sleeping across the van, rather than fore-and aft, This means that a) you get a much narrower double bed, 47" as against ~60", and b) if one of you has to get up in the night you have to climb over the other.
In the Duetto we have the passenger seat turned around and use it and bed extension cushions to create a bed ~78" long that we can sleep in length ways, and a King size Duvet cover fits just fine.
Because the Symbol cab floor is higher than the back of the van the seat bases are higher, so I don't think this solution will work: the seat bases must be higher than the bed. However, I've not tried it in practice.
Can anyone with a newer Symbol (Peugot version) comment please?
Many thanks

The are 2 slightly different Symbol models , both built on the x250 Boxer. One has a fibreglass high roof and the other has the all steel high top. The fibreglass roof ones have the higher cab floor, the all steel has a flat floor throughout. So maybe worth checking the differences,  the steel ones are later so it might depend on your budget.

edmason, my 2018 Symbol has yesterday gone on sale with Motorhome Depot but I’m happy to answer, measure, take pictures of anything that may help you.
PM me if you want any info whatsoever 

Paulmold wrote:The are 2 slightly different Symbol models , both built on the x250 Boxer. One has a fibreglass high roof and the other has the all steel high top. The fibreglass roof ones have the higher cab floor, the all steel has a flat floor throughout. So maybe worth checking the differences,  the steel ones are later so it might depend on your budget.

Please correct me Paul if I’m wrong but isn’t it the steel roof models that have the raised floor? I thought the original fibreglass models were the ones that were flat throughout.

Dbvwt wrote:

Please correct me Paul if I’m wrong but isn’t it the steel roof models that have the raised floor? I thought the original fibreglass models were the ones that were flat throughout.

Im sure you're right, you've got a later one therefore what you have is what all have after 2012/13 which is when the fibreglass roof was dropped due to cost. Does yours have the raised fridge top?

Mustn't forget the Dorset either (the Marquis version).

It does indeed have the higher fridge although as you get older that is a great help on the knees!! Many love the earlier version but I can’t fault the new layout.

I have a 2023 Symbol (on a FIAT but the internal is the same) and yes, if you want a double then you need to sleep across the van.

If you want to sleep fore and aft then you need to use singles. I suppose you could use it as a double but the length would only be 5 ' 8" (I've never measured it but it doesn't look that!)

We have a Kemerton xl and make the beds up as two singles, great layout for us. Hope this helps

When we were looking for our first van the length of the double bed was a major point. We looked at a lot of van conversions at dealers and shows but the double bed in the majority was across the van. Being 6ft my head was against one wall my feet on the inside of the door making it very uncomfortable.
As said the Duetto being a length wise bed meant any one of my hight or more can be comfortable even allowing your feet to overhang the end of the bed.