If you could look up “family motorhome” in a dictionary, odds are good that a Class C coach
would be pictured. With a familiar van cockpit, plenty of sleeping area and a relatively
low price, the ubiquitous Class C is often the first choice of families and first-time
RVers alike.
Coachmen RV is a familiar name in the Class C market, and for 2007 the company has made major changes to its lineup. “We used to have four different Class C models,”
explained Michael Hums, Class C product/sales manager. “We took all of the best features
from those four models and consolidated them into only two — Freelander and Leprechaun.
This streamlined production and raised the quality level tremendously.” The greatest
beneficiary of Coachmen’s reorganization is the Freelander, which has been completely
redesigned and is available in a total of seven floorplans – four of which feature slideout
rooms on a Ford E-450 chassis (non-slideout floorplans are built on a Chevy C-3500
chassis). Key features across the Freelander line include a huge, 104-cubic-foot rear
storage compartment, roto-cast exterior compartments with drains, Firestone Ride Rite air
springs, a 5,000-pound hitch receiver, Onan 4.0-kW genset and revised exterior graphics. A
case in point is model 3150SS, which features a standard 86 x 57-inch bunk up front and a
25-inch deep sofa/dinette slideout streetside, allowing for easy viewing of the standard
Samsung 20-inch flat-screen TV mounted in a curbside cabinet. The galley is directly across
from the dinette, and comes equipped with a residential-size microwave oven, three-burner
cooktop and oven, double-door refrigerator and a large pantry. The bath area is laid out
with a large neo-angle shower streetside, and a separate toilet/lavatory room with linen
closet curbside. The rear master suite features a true 60 x 80-inch queen-size island bed
which, according to Hums, is an industry exclusive for the Class C market. “RV queen-size
beds are typically 74 inches long,” he said. “An 80-inch queen means you can purchase
bedding from any store, which opens up more possibilities for the bedroom.” Other
significant features of the Freelander’s redesign are 6-foot, 10-inch high ceilings and the
addition of the Coachmen Command Center, which integrates all of the unit’s electronics
into one monitor panel for easier viewing. The Freelander also is better equipped than in
years past. “We used to option everything,” Hums noted. “Now we only have a handful of
options, which makes ordering less confusing.” These features include a cabover
entertainment center with single bunk and 24-inch Samsung flat-screen TV/DVD/VCR player; Fan-Tastic roof vent; outside shower; and dual auxiliary house batteries. “We also weigh every coach we build,” Hums pointed out, “and even with all of this equipment, we still have tremendous weight-carrying capacity. We want people to get their money’s worth with our products.”
