Sportsmobile SC-100

Although many of the things that came as a result of the controversial
DaimlerChrysler/Mercedes-Benz “merger” were good, others were said to be quite bad. The
Dodge Sprinter van was one of the good things — especially for RVers. While touted as
“all-new” on these shores, the Sprinter had already proven its mettle in various forms
overseas under the Mercedes-Benz brand. Its rugged commercial nature made it a natural
choice for RV conversion, while its 2.7-liter turbodiesel engine and five-speed automatic
transmission promised impressive fuel economy. Sportsmobile was one of the first companies
to recognize the Sprinter’s potential in the RV segment. That’s not surprising, considering
the company has completed thousands of Class B van conversions since its inception back in
1961. The Sprinter platform was a far cry from the miniscule Volkswagen buses it started
with. Indeed, with two different bodies (regular and extended) and two dozen standard
floorplans to choose from, plus available customization, the Sprinter has been one of
Sportsmobile’s most popular offerings. Now, after some 45 years of Class B production, the
company is stepping up with its first Class C motorhome, the SC-100, also based on the
Sprinter platform. “We got started on this project about a year ago,” explains the
company’s founder, Charles Borskey. “We introduced it at the Houston RV show, and got very
good response with it. That’s when we decided to go ahead with production.” Borskey isn’t
blind to the fact that there are already a number of companies offering Sprinter-based
Class C’s, but as with its Class B product, Sportsmobile’s ace in the hole is variety.
“We’ll offer between seven and 10 different standard floorplans, plus our customers can
design their own using our templates,” he says. “We only sell through our three locations
in Austin, Texas; Fresno, California; and Huntington, Indiana, and we don’t have a dealer
network. This gives us a close relationship with our customers. In fact, 40 percent of our
business is from repeats or referrals.” The SC-100 uses a Robel body module, built in
Germany. These modules, which incorporate extruded aluminum sections, fiberglass and bonded
slab foam, are the same used by Robel’s ambulance bodies, which must conform to Germany’s
rigid crash-testing codes. Inside, this first floorplan offering includes swiveling
driver/front passenger seats, opposing chairs that convert into a single bed and a stowable
table in the middle. The galley is located amidships, and includes a 3-cubic foot
refrigerator, a three-burner stove and a sink; a microwave/convection oven and larger
refrigerator are optional. At the rear on the curbside is a 54 x 77-inch bed, and on the
streetside are a shower and toilet with lav. Other features include standard dual-pane
windows with built-in screen/shades, and a large rear storage compartment. “We make a lot
of equipment optional because we’ve found people’s needs vary depending on where they
live,” Borskey explains. “We think there will be quite a demand from people who like to
design their own.” Sportsmobile Texas Inc., (512) 835-4409, sportsmobile.com