pnichols wrote:
I think what you're seeing is the demise in use of the Ford E450 and Chevy 4500 chassis for small Class C motorhomes in the U.S.. That 14,000+ lb. gross rating of those two chassis provides a lot of safe and reliable long life carrying capacity for multiple slides, passengers, and all their stuff in a 24 - 27 ft. long Class C.
I hate to see those two chassis go off into the sunset. There's too much focus on fuel mileage, IMHO. The fuel cost in owning and enjoying our 24 ft. E450 Class C is the least of our concerns around ownership of it. The 50% to 80% improvement in MPG when using a diesel Sprinter chassis that is near it's max design load carrying limit is just not worth it to me ... but each to their own I guess.
What's needed is a 15 -17 MPG 14,500 lb. load carrying capacity gas or diesel chassis. That would make for a lot fewer marginal designs in the small Class C market.
Not really a problem in this part of world. You can get if you want the IVECO 72c has a 23,750lb GCVWR or put the body on a light Japanese Truck. At least you are looking at 27,000lb GCVWR. European light mediums come in at 33,000lb GVWR