Sportsmobile's off-road Ford camper van has a 'penthouse' roof for up to $225,000 — see inside the Classic 4x4
Brittany Chang
- Sportsmobile created the Classic four-by-four, an adventure van built on a Ford Cutaway with a "penthouse" pop-top roof.
- The tiny home on wheels was designed with heavy-duty durability and off-roading in mind.
- The interior and exterior upgrades vary widely, but the general price range is between $175,000 to $225,000.
Sportsmobile created the Classic, a four-by-four adventure van with a "penthouse" pop-top roof built on a Ford Cutaway.
Unlike many camper van conversion companies that joined the #VanLife community amid its recent boom, Sportsmobile has been around since 1961, according to the company's website. Sportsmobile originally started in Texas, but over the years, the van converters branched out to Indiana and California, creating a nationwide web of Sportsmobile manufacturers that help the company sells its vans directly to consumers.
Besides the Ford used in the Classic four-by-four, Sportsmobile can also convert the ever-popular Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, and Dodge Promasters, as well as the Chevrolet Express.
Sportsmobile West, the company's California branch, creates the Classic four-by-four adventure van, which was designed with durability and off-roading in mind. This overlander mentality can even be seen in the body of the van, which is fused with steel-reinforced fiberglass for added toughness and to recreate the look of the Classic's first iteration on the Ford Econoline, according to Tiny Home Tours' YouTube video tour of the van.
Besides exterior and drive improvements, Sportsmobile also offers a list of interior possibilities in its Classic off-roader. However, this high level of high customization of both the inside and the exterior of the tiny home gives the van a wide and high price range: the Classic can run customers between $175,000 to $225,000, depending on the add-ons.
The tiny home on wheels is powered by a 7.4-liter V8 engine.
The van has various upgrades that give it its overlanding capabilities, such as improved axles and shocks, a front stabilizer bar, and custom shocks, to name a few.
As a result of these upgrades, the van a closer turning radius, improved braking, and increased track width, to name a few benefits.
Equipment like on-board air and a rear stabilizer bar is optional.
The Classic has a gross vehicle mass of 10,050 pounds and comes in two options: the 211.9-inch regular body or the 231.9-inch extended body.
Both have a width of 79.3 inches, and with the pop-top up, the van is 94 inches tall.
The pop-up top "penthouse" allows occupants to stand up inside of the vehicle.
It also has an extra bed that can sleep up to two people, according to Tiny Home Tours' YouTube video tour of the van.
Source: YouTube
The Classic's 140.3-inch wheelbase provides the space needed for a series of different customizable interior amenities.
The layout of the interior is also customizable, but Sportsmobile has several floor plans that it thinks "works well" for the camper.
Source: Sportsmobile
One of the possible floor plans includes a television-side dinette by the front of the van that can be converted into a bed. In this floor plan, the kitchen, closet, and storage cabinets are all in the middle to rear of the van.
Another option is to reverse the prior floor plan by having the dinette towards the rear of the van, and the storage cabinets, closet, and kitchen by the middle and front.
The standard interior package includes a kitchen, electrical systems, insulation, and flooring.
Source: Sportsmobile
It also has shades for the side windows and insulating panels on the windshield and doors to help maintain the interior temperature of the van.
The passenger seat can swivel back to be used as extra leisure seating.
For off-grid meals, the standard kitchen has a refrigerator, a sink with a cover, and a propane system that allows for a cooktop, although there's also the option to remove the propane for an electric stove.
The sink sources its water from the standard 10-gallon freshwater tank and then deposits the used water into the seven to 12-gallon grey water tank.
The Classic's electrical system includes 200-amp AGM batteries, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, a 2,000-watt inverter, and various wall and USB outlets.
This system then powers the van's amenities, including its interior LED lights.
If these systems aren't enough, the van has water and electricity hookups.
However, solar panels, a common feature on off-grid capable campers, come optional.
Seating, bedding, bathroom, and storage options don't come standard, but the items can be ordered based on the customer's needs at an additional cost.
There are various dinette and leisure seating options, including the choice of a couch for $3,023, or ottoman for $1,026.
Clients can also pick between a platform bed, bunk bed, or a convertible sofa that doubles as a bed. These bed options range between $1,067 and $2,874.
While storage isn't standard, cabinets, pantries, and shelves on the kitchen come at varying prices between $416 and $2,135 per storage unit.
This doesn’t include the dining table, which is an additional $322.
For those who want more natural light inside the build, Sportsmobile can add windows on the rear van doors for $832.
But for customers who'd rather enjoy daytime outdoors under the shade, an awning comes optional at $1,486.
In lieu of a bathroom, a toilet and an exterior shower can also be installed between $200 to $3,036 for the toilet, and $465 for the shower.
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