At first glance, you might not realize that Coachmen has redesigned the Freelander 31SS Class C motorhome along with the four other 23- to 32-foot Freelander layouts. The changes are subtle but distinctive – from the ladder and safety net for the cab-over bed that easily becomes a secure storage area to the Roman-style pleated shades to the quilted feather bed-like duvet on the rear queen bed.
Built on the Ford E-450 Super Duty cutaway chassis with a 14,500-pound gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) and a 223-inch wheelbase, the Elkhart, Ind.-based manufacturer’s 31SS Class C is powered by a 6.8-liter 305-hp Triton V-10 engine. (Two shorter 23-foot Freelander floor-plans are built on the lighter Chevy/Workhorse chassis with a gvwr of 12,300 pounds.)
Smooth fiberglass side walls are laminated to Azdell Superlite composite substructure mounted on an aluminum frame to provide both strength and lighter weight.
Inside, textured linoleum floors throughout give the Freelander 31SS a clean appearance, with the 12 1/2-foot-long street-side slide that houses the jackknife couch and convertible booth dinette creating a spacious feeling in the combination living room/kitchen. The cab-over bunk is notched with a removable panel for easier access to the driver’s compartment.
A Jensen CD and AM/FM Sirius satellite-ready radio is in the centerpiece in the automotive dashboard, the top of which is indented in front of the passenger seat to keep maps and other items in place.
The cabover also can be outfitted with an optional entertainment center with a 20-inch LCD TV/DVD player on a swivel base for viewing from the bunk or the living area.
Shaker-style kitchen cabinets with hardwood doors and storage cabinet doors throughout the Freelander 31SS come standard with a dark Brazilian cherry finish that is matched with laminate on the double-door Dometic refrigerator/freezer.
Custom laminate thermo-foil counter-tops prevent separation in the event they get wet. An aluminum sink has dual brushed-nickel fixtures while the galley also is outfitted with a Magic Chef three-burner range.
The coach is cooled by a Dometic DuoTherm ducted rooftop air conditioner and heated by an 18,000-btu furnace. A thermostat and all-in-one control center system are stationed in the kitchen and a monitor panel indicates the status of the water and LP-gas tanks. The AC generator start-up and manual slideout switches are next to the monitor panel.
A one-piece shower surround with a domed skylight is across the hallway from the toilet and features a vanity, mirror and power vent.
It’s a single step from the hallway into the bedroom; the step is necessary because of the 110 cubic feet of exterior pass-through “warehouse” storage with side-swinging access doors on both sides and a lift door in the rear.
In the bedroom, two wardrobes – one smaller than the other – are on each side of the bed while dome lights are located at the foot of the bed and in the hallway between the living area and the bedroom.
The redesigned Freelander 31SS’ price has been repositioned downward as well – to $76,600 retail.
SPECIFICATIONS
Chassis: Ford E-450
Engine: Triton 6.8-l V-10 gas
Fuel: 55 gal GVWR: 14,500 lbs
Length: 31′ 11″
Width: 8′ 4″
Height with A/C: 11′ 3″
Interior Height: 6′ 11″
Wheelbase: 223″
Freshwater Cap: 50 gal
Gray-water Cap: 29 gal
Black-water Cap: 37 gal
LP-Gas Cap: 11.8 gal
Base MSRP: $76,600
Coachmen Recreational Vehicle Co. LLC, 800-353-7383, www.coachmenrv.com.
