B Class Motorhomes

[DBK]

I thought I knew my motorhomes. The most common types are A Class, C Class and PVCs, leaving aside a few low volume oddities. A Class I thought are the ones with an integrated body, C Class keep the original cab and PVCs are vans with windows. But what about B Class? The Hymer website lists many MHs as B Class which I would have thought were A Class. Have a look at the Integrated models on this page;

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The Wikipedia page for MHs seems a bit unclear between B and C Class, stating B Class are built like C Class but don't have beds over the cab. Then in the section on C Class it says they only usually have berths over the cab.

Motorhome - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

My suspicion is the definition of a B Class is a bit fluid. Apart from Hymer who else uses the term B Class? Is a B Class a low profile MH with an integrated body and A Class are similar but just bigger? If it retains none of the original chassis does that make it an A Class? If it keeps some of the original chassis does that make it a B Class?

Jim 's excellent MH Buyer's Guide doesn't mention them at all. Is the term B Class now obsolete apart from being retained by a few manufacturers as a way of defining some of their models?

Any suggestions would be welcome!

 

[John Barrett]

A Hymer product grouping. My Sprinter was a B640.

 

[funflair]

Its just Hymer trying to confuse people, and it works.

Martin

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I always thought that A class was integrated, B class was low profile coach built and C class was overcab coach built. However, the Americans have a different view on this and regard a PVC type as B Class.

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[Lenny HB]

The B is just Hymer's designated name for their fully integrated vans. You could argue that B Class is the correct terminology as Hymer invented the fully integrated van.

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[DBK]

This photo from the Fiat Ducato website might help. (to sow more confusion)

C Class MHs would be built on the two chassis nearest the camera. The third one, hard to see, has a chassis but no cab. Is this (Fiat or Merc) what Hymer build their B Class MHs on? Or would other manufacturers take this, add a new body and call it an A Class? Obviously some A Class are built on a completely new chassis but not all I think. Do the Hymer B Class have new chassis?

 

[DBK]

Thanks for the replies so far. It seems it is a term now only used by Hymer. Which suggests other manufacturers make B Class but they call them A Class.

 

[hymerman]

To add further confusion my old Hymer is a S class.
Hymer used that letter to distinguish between the various A class models, the S class being the more superior and expensive model.
I've had a number of old B class models, all were very good , I just had different interior layouts.
My current S class actually comes with 5 different interior layouts.
Confused yet ?

 

[TinaLes]

So the B Class must stand for Bewildered Class as we all are by now.
LES

 

[wasp]

Well, the yanks do a BT Cruiser that doesn’t have a bed above the cab. If I remember rightly we had a funster who had one a while back. I think he’s left us now though.

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[Manic]

I thought the B class hymer was just a n A class With the B relating to the engine make being Fiat because they do an E class which seems to be Mercedes based.

 

[John Barrett]

I thought the B class hymer was just a n A class With the B relating to the engine make being Fiat because they do an E class which seems to be Mercedes based.

My B Class Sprinter had a Mercedes engine...

 

[MichaelT]

Thanks for the replies so far. It seems it is a term now only used by Hymer. Which suggests other manufacturers make B Class but they call them A Class.

I think it is like the people in the US drive on the right side of the road which is the wrong side and we drive on the left which is the right side

 

[cliffanger]

I thought the B class hymer was just a n A class With the B relating to the engine make being Fiat because they do an E class which seems to be Mercedes based.

Sorry but ours is one of these ...

A B690 on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis with the 3L Mercedes auto option.

Just thought I’d throw that photo in - the day before the world went mad - parked up outside of Franco’s mausoleum in The Valley of The Fallen. We wondered why the site was empty and we were allowed to park wherever we wanted ..... I thought it was because it was a part of history that most of Spain wanted to forget!

 

[Nasher]

To the non-motorhomer/motohome hater

A = Absolutely awful
B = Blahdy awful
C = Completely awful
S = brown


?

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[hymerman]

E510 was the Merc version of the Fiat B584, just a bit shorter .
Gets easier to understand doesn't it ?

 

[Jim]

B class are nothing to do with Hymer, its an Americanism Think big Panel Van.

 

[nicholsong]

B class are nothing to do with Hymer, its an Americanism Think big Panel Van.

I agree that 'B Class' as a Class is not connected with Hymer and in fact I do not consider there is a 'B Class', at least in European terminology.

Hymer use the prefix 'B' on both coachbuilt and fully-intrgrated models, so it does not seem to relate to American B Class panel vans.

As ar as 'Low-profile' that seems to apply to both low-profile and fully intergrated models, so I consider that as a supplementary description to Class, like tag axle, and not a determination factor.

All a bit indetermined as far as I can see.

Geoff

 

[pelican]

To add further confusion my old Hymer is a S class.
Hymer used that letter to distinguish between the various A class models, the S class being the more superior and expensive model.
I've had a number of old B class models, all were very good , I just had different interior layouts.
My current S class actually comes with 5 different interior layouts.
Confused yet ?

So thats why Autotrail offer SE models!

 

[peterc10]

A B class is what Hymer call most of their A classes ............................. simples.

In reality I think the term A class is a UK thing. The German manufacturers use the term "Integrated" for what we call A class and "Semi-integrated" for what we call C class. Those seem more logical terms to use as far as i am concerned.

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[Jim]

In reality I think the term A class is a UK thing.

"A-Class" is an American thing. Apart from a couple of exceptions (Swift and Autotrail) a model each. A classes have never been made in the UK. Big coach type American motorhomes have always been known as A class. Don't know if they nicked the term from anywhere else, but I doubt they did.

 

[funflair]

A B class is what Hymer call most of their A classes ............................. simples.

In reality I think the term A class is a UK thing. The German manufacturers use the term "Integrated" for what we call A class and "Semi-integrated" for what we call C class. Those seem more logical terms to use as far as i am concerned.

What about Alkoven,

 

[peterc10]

"A-Class" is an American thing. Apart from a couple of exceptions (Swift and Autotrail) a model each. A classes have never been made in the UK

Even more reason then to start calling them Integrated instead.

I Knew that few were made in UK but did not know A class was American term

 

[Jim]

Even more reason then to start calling them Integrated instead.

I Knew that few were made in UK but did not know A class was American term

When you think of it, it's a pretty crass term, it has to be American

 

[DuxDeluxe]

B class are nothing to do with Hymer, its an Americanism Think big Panel Van.

Like wot I sed! Hymer B and S are simply model designations. As such the B class doesn’t really exist in Europe, we just call them PVC’s

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[PeteH]

"B" class R-V.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

What about Alkoven,

I always took that as being an over overcab C Class coachbuilt