When Gary Poole, RV product manager for Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC), mentions that “FRED is going to make friends with our customers fast,” he isn’t speaking about the company’s latest customer-service whiz kid. FRED is an acronym for Freightliner’s newest motorhome chassis, which sports a Cummins 5.9L Front Engine Diesel.
“There’s no question diesel is the optimal power plant for the RV market,” said Dean Schaper, director of sales and marketing for FCCC. “FRED is our way of showing gas motorhome customers they can have all the power, fuel economy and durability of a diesel engine — at a price point that’s a very attractive alternative to gas.”
The new FRED chassis also features a lowered engine position compared to gas models, to reduce or even eliminate the engine hump normally associated with front-engine coaches. In addition, the chassis will offer a new, custom-tuned Hendrickson spring ride suspension — exclusive to FCCC — and a 55-degree front wheel cut.
According to Freightliner, the new chassis is scheduled to go into production at the end of this year.
