Airstream Goes #VanLife with Rangeline Tour Coach

• Airstream’s newest touring coach targets adventurers and nomads with ready-to-wear gear inspired by the #VanLife movement.
• The 21-foot Rangeline van uses a Ram ProMaster 3500 chassis and features a smart generator system that uses gasoline in the van’s tank rather than separate LP cylinders.
• Seating for four and sleeping accommodation for two are standard, but an optional pop-top roof provides additional space for two campers.

Interested in joining the Van Life movement but have no desire to make living spaces move with your own two hands? Airstream’s newest touring coach — the Rangeline — is a turnkey option that will get you on the road and on to your next adventure without getting your hands dirty.

Unlike other Airstream motorhomes, which use a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis, the Rangeline is built around the Ram ProMaster 3500 commercial van. That means all models come with a 280-hp 3.6-liter V-6 engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The van’s front wheel drive platform is ideal for such applications as it provides a low flat load floor. However, ground clearance is not as cheap as on the all-wheel-drive variant of the Sprinter van. If your adventure requires the occasional off-road trail, the Rangeline may not have the permits for it. However, it offers a towing capacity of 3500 pounds.

Because it’s smaller than other motor homes, Airstream had to get creative with storage solutions and interior layout in the same way as DIY van-lifers and tiny house builders. It can accommodate two adults in a folding double bed while an optional pop-top feature adds sleeping space for two more people for an additional $11,694.

Overhead storage abounds, and a clever drawer designed to hold a dog bowl slides out from under the 3.2 cubic foot refrigerator. The van’s front seat swivels so it can double as a lounge chair, and instead of the built-in cooktop, the portable induction hot plate is designed to fit in one of the kitchen drawers.

The wet bath is hidden behind a silver accordion-style door, and the aluminum ceiling panels are a reminder of Airstream’s iconic “silver bullet” camping trailer design. Airstream says it uses Lizard Skin insulation—a spray product that’s also available to consumers—in the entire design to dampen sound and help maintain a comfortable temperature inside the Rangeline residence.

The exterior is nicely finished with a fixed walking board on the passenger side to aid access to the interior and a manually mounted tent free of side supports, eliminating the fear of hitting your head as you walk to your campsite at night.

Like many other Airstream products, including Basecamp trailers, the Rangeline is packed with features to satisfy shoppers looking to camp off the grid. It comes with a built-in generator that runs on gasoline stored in the van’s fuel tank rather than a separate source like LP gas or propane. There is also a 200 watt solar panel and a 270 Ah battery bank for storing electricity.

Of course, the Rangeline can also be plugged into shore power if you’re parked at a traditional campground, and all of its connections for power and water supplies have been cleverly hidden behind panels on the driver’s side to maintain the van’s sleek, finished look. appearance.

Airstream says Rangeline has set up a few different aftermarket options for on-board upgrades like a Wi-Fi hotspot, phone booster and satellite TV antenna. The company also says the target audience for Rangeline includes singles and couples or families with young children looking to tour the country or visit nearby locations on short-haul weekend trips.

There’s a price for the convenience of an adventure-ready phone as the Rangeline starts at $131,882. Handcrafted camper vans can be done cheaply, but those with high-end features like those found on the Rangeline can come close to a similar bottom line. The Rangeline is available to order now through Airstream dealers and, if you want it and is in the area, it will be on display at America’s Biggest RV Show in Hershey, Pennsylvania, September 14–18.