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Airstream Rangeline
Over many decades, Airstream has built a deserved reputation building high-end travel trailers with shiny aluminum skin, earning them the nickname “silver bullet.” But the Ohio-based manufacturer offers more than travel trailers — Airstream also builds Class B touring coaches based on the diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, and has done so for practically 20 years. Now the company hopes to expand its customer base with the all-new, gas-powered Airstream Rangeline.
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New Travel Reality
“We’re in a new travel reality, where freedom and flexibility are top of mind for more and more people,” said Airstream President and CEO Bob Wheeler. “Rangeline is the result of extensive research and dedication to understanding the van life movement and what customers want from their experience. It’s a thoughtfully-designed, highly capable, multi-purpose van that handles like a daily driver, and it’ll open a new world of Airstream adventures to one of the fastest growing segments in the RV industry,” Wheeler noted.
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Ram ProMaster
Airstream builds the new Rangeline on the Ram ProMaster 3500, making it the first model the company has ever built on this proven chassis. According to Wheeler, the ProMaster is a logical choice. Already a popular platform among many Class B RV manufacturers, the front-wheel-drive ProMaster allows for a lower floor height for better accessibility and more interior space, while still providing great traction for bad weather and road conditions. The ProMaster platform includes advanced safety features such as automatic emergency braking as well as adaptive cruise control.
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Commendable Power
Ram’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine powers the new Airstream Rangeline. The powerplant produces 276 horsepower, and it gets teamed with a smooth-shifting TorqueFlite 9-speed automatic transmission. For those who want to bring extra toys on their trips, the Rangeline can tow up to 3,500 pounds. Airstream purposely designed the Rangeline to look like a standard van rather than an RV — no special paint scheme or other items to call attention to the vehicle. Even water and electrical hookups hide behind a panel on the left side of the vehicle — the sewer hookup is below the body, mostly out of sight.
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Simple and Functional
Airstream designers created the 21-foot Rangeline to be simple and functional. As a Class B it can fit into a standard size parking space, which makes it a versatile RV for day trips to the beach as well as for month-long excursions or off-grid weekend getaways to the woods. The Airstream Rangeline comes equipped with a full wet bath including a toilet, sink and shower. Even when camping for days off grid, having access to civilized amenities makes the trip that much more enjoyable for all parties involved. Rangeline offers seating for four with seat belts, and has sleeping space for two in its standard floor plan. And the ceiling is aluminum, making it a proper Airstream.
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Clever Use of Space
At the rear of the coach, the new Airstream Rangeline features a large bed that folds up and out of the way when not in use. This configuration provides impressive amounts of storage space for bikes or other outdoor gear. Even with the bed is in place, the Rangeline has plenty of space below the bed. Additional cabinets can be found near the ceiling. The rear area also has a wireless phone charger mounted on the wall next to the bed — a convenient place to keep devices charged overnight.
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Pop Top
To dramatically expand interior space, the Airstream offers the Rangeline with a pop-up top that not only adds more room overall, it features an additional bed for two more sleeping spaces. Access to the upper area is via a ladder directly behind the front seats, and the space has screened windows as well as USB ports, making it a great place to send the kids. The pop-up top adds $11,694 to the price.
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Dining Space
The Rangeline has a creative dining area with two tables that can be removed or angled as needed. Front seats swivel to the rear so they face a two-seat couch, with the aforementioned tables located in between to create a great space where four folks can dine, play or work.
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Kitchen
The new Airstream Rangeline Class B motorhome also has a portable stove that easily stows out of the way to provide maximum counter space in the kitchen. Multiple cubbies proved storage for all types and sizes of kitchen items, as do drawers and cabinets below the sink.
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No More Propane
In an effort to simplify the camping experience, the new Airstream Rangeline Class B motorhome has all-electric appliances including a 3.2-cubic-foot refrigerator, a .4 cubic-foot freezer, a microwave and a stowable electric stovetop. The RV can be plugged into shore power for these items, but when off grid the appliances get power from a 270Ah lithium battery bank with a 2,000-watt power inverter.
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Onboard Generator
The Rangeline has another trick up its sleeve. The RV has an onboard 2.8 kW gas generator that can charge the batteries and even run the air conditioner without shore power. The generator is powered by fuel drawn from the vehicle’s fuel tank.
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Staying Warm
The Airstream Rangeline has a hydronic heating system powered by the vehicle’s gasoline; the system also powers the RV’s on-demand hot water. Thanks to the front-drive configuration of the Rangeline’s ProMaster 3500 platform, the RV’s freshwater tank resides above the floor line, which keeps it warmer so it has less chance of freezing.
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Innovative Features
As the newest model in the Airstream coach lineup, the Rangeline showcases a number of innovative features. What follows are a few highlights.
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Refrigerator
The door of the integrated refrigerator doubles as a dry-erase whiteboard — a great feature for making grocery lists or leaving notes when heading out on the trail.
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Pet Bowls
Floor space in any Class B RV is not particularly plentiful, so every inch counts. RV owners traveling with pets often find themselves tripping over dishes or bowls — not fun, and it gets old fast. Airstream came up with a solution in the Rangeline: an integrated pullout drawer for pet bowls that can be easily moved out of the way.
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Drawer as Step
At the rear of the Rangeline, the bed sits rather high up when in sleeping position, so a drawer next to the bed pulls out as a convenient step for campers to climb into or out of bed.
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MOLLE Straps
To increase storage without additional bulk, Airstream designers incorporated a MOLLE strap system on the inside of the rear doors — a great way of hooking and storing items out of the way.
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A Moveable Feast
Rather than having a stove permanently installed in the galley countertop, the Rangeline incorporates a portable electric stovetop that stores in a drawer. Pull it out, set it on the counter and plug it in for use. Or when the weather permits, campers can easily take the unit outside, plug it into a 110-volt outlet on the exterior of the van, and cook in the great outdoors.
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