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A no-nonsense luxury Class C with Mercedes-Benz power

WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING coaches that are just a little different, Dynamax is certainly one of the leading contenders. The company established itself as an out-of-the-box manufacturer when it introduced the Grand Sport, a sleek-looking luxury coach mated to a Freightliner cab. Now the company has introduced the DynaQuest, a smaller version of the Grand Sport slated to appeal to those who want a stylish Class C with an almost bulletproof drivetrain and serious luxury in a more compact package.

Built on a Freightliner M2 chassis with a 23,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), the DynaQuest is powered by a Mercedes-Benz 6.4-liter diesel engine backed by an Allison 3000 series six-speed automatic transmission. The test rig (a prototype) was outfitted with a 210-HP version of the Mercedes diesel tied to an Allison 1000 series fivespeed automatic transmission. WMe the smaller diesel is available on special order, the company will provide the 250-HP diesel as standard, upping the GVWR from 21,000 pounds (as in the test rig).

Dubbed the model 260SL, the DynaQuest is a shade longer than 26 feet and fairly pricey. With a boatload of standard luxury features, the test rig sported a sticker price of $166,693, which becomes $182,039 with the bigger motor and heavier transmission added to the package.

COSMETICS

ALL OF THE DYNAMAX RIGS Display eye-catching visual design, and the DynaQuest is certainly no exception. This coach is right up there in the running for "most admiring spectator looks per mile" among all the rigs we've tested in a long time, and we've done several recent coaches with great cosmetics.

The extra-smooth fiberglass-skinned body and molded front transition cap blend well with the cab, such that it looks as if both parts were designed together. There's enough flat body to match the cab's generally squarish design, yet the coach body's walls-which curve inward slightly at the top - and its clean clutter-free trim work nicely with the Freightliner styling. Likewise, the clean Stoney Ridge full-body paint ties the whole works together. Polished-aluminum wheels and a few subtle chrome touches accent the two-tone gray body and complement the blackout trim on the windows, access door and cab details.

The storage-compartment doors are well-integrated such that they're not obtrusive and blend well with the rest of the coach. There's enough storage for your average RV-trip necessities, but users will need to pack carefully to get extra gear aboard.

ON THE ROAD

A CONVENTIONAL PICKUP-STYLE cab means the occupants can easily enter and exit the coach via a short climb to the front doors, and the standard forward-tilt hood gives headache-reducing engine access when it's time for service. Both cab occupants enjoy wonderful visibility.

It's not a cushy half-ton pickup, but the Freightliner's driver's position keeps the operator happy in comfortable surroundings. A broad range of seat adjustments, including vertical height/pressure for the air-ride part of the seat, help the driver get comfortable. The average-size steering wheel can be positioned to allow a good view of most gauges, and the balance of the vehicle controls is no more complex than on a standard Class C coach.

The modular commercial-appearing dash of earlier Freightliners has been replaced by a softer, more rounded unit with simulated burlwood inserts and other pleasant texture effects. Sirius satellite radio, an optional GPS-based navigation system ($3,695) and optional backup monitor ($1,113) were all part of the dash array.

In a nod to its commercial origin, the passenger-side power-window switch is close to the driver's side of the dash. In the (nicking world, the solo-operator driver would have easy access to the right-side window. Li an RV environment, however, the switch placement is clumsy at best, and really needs to be closer to the passenger side.

There's no doubt that this is a commercial-truck-based rig. Freightliner did a great job of making the M2 as accommodating as possible for its traditionally commercial operators, but the heavy-hauling origin of this vehicle is never far from mind. The Mercedes' engine noise is well-muffled, and often all but overridden by road noise from a coarse pavement surface. Leaf springs up front and airbags out back keep the ride as smooth as expected, but bad pavement sections, cracks, railroad crossings and the like remind the driver that the suspension was designed for work first and comfort second.

The DynaQuest is a joy to drive in crowded situations. A tight turning radius and meager overhangs fore and aft help the driver maneuver without worry. We never had any problems finding a spot to squeeze in at the edge of the shopping-center parking lot along the drive route, and almost any size campsite was ours for the choosing. The DynaQuest is definitely faster in steering and handling response than its much larger Class A brethren.

On the open road, we maintained 56 MFH in fourth gear at 2,300 RfM while climbing a 6-percent grade. Downgrade, we held at 45 MPH in third gear at 2,500 RPM and dropping, so the Freightliner s engine exhaust brake did its job well. Cruising serious mountains should pose no safety problems with the DynaQuest. Jam on the brakes, and the rig pulls down to zero in no time.


The rigs fuel economy averaged 13.4 MPG throughout our jaunts, a darned impressive figure for a full-size coach. Those who choose the higher-horsepower drivetrain - and take advantage of the 7,500-pound-rated hitch receiver - may reasonably expect a minor drop in mileage and better climbing than we experienced.

LIVABILITY

THE DYNAQUEST FEATURED A rear-comer entry door with a vanity sink and counter on the aft wall, a streetside rear-comer bath, a mid-coach split kitchen with sink and stove streetside opposing the refrigerator and pantry and a forward lounge with a streetside slideout housing a sofa/bed and small dinette curbside. In essence, it's a floorplan lifted from another Dynamax product and resized for this slightly larger rig.

Dynamax surrounds users in quality materials. Cherry hardwood cabinets, Corian countertops and high-grade fabric and carpet create true luxury-coach ambiance. The cherry is dark and rich-looking, but not so dark that it makes the interior space seem too tight. Residential-grade fixtures further enhance the image that this is no entry-level coach.

The Flexsteel/sofa bed in the slideout room serves for daytime relaxation, and it's the main bed at night. It folds out to a 62 × 72-inch bed that's fairly comfortable, but may be a bit tight for extra-tall persons. Fully expanded, it almost reaches the dinette, which also folds down into a bed. With both sleeping spaces occupied, there may be some clambering and such as the occupants head for the lavatory or a midnight snack. More than likely, this will be a two-occupant rig most of the time, so the multi-sleeper complexity will seldom be a problem.

A standard-equipment air mattress, built into a fabric pocket, tops the sofa-bed mattress to provide extra sleeping comfort, and Dynamax includes a small air pump for no-hassle air-mattress inflation. It works on 120-volt AC power, so for lack of an inverter, it would be necessary to start the AC generator to inflate the air mattress in a non-hookup campsite.

By day, there's plenty of room in the living area, The 35-inch-deep slideout adds floor space, and the dinette is another place for a lounger to relax. As for entertainment, it's first-class all the way, starting with the 22-inch flatscreen television curbside near the front of the dinette. A Bose DVD/CD home-theater-style stereo with surround sound is standard, and the optional KVH TracVision L3 satellite dome ($3,465) replaced the standard DSS receiver with roof-mount dish.

Ventilation is most effectively provided by the rooftop air conditioner or Fan-Tastic roof vents, as the amount of screened opening windows is minimal in this rig. One window on each side has dual crank-out panes that make up about the lower third of the window. On a hot day, even with a stiff breeze, that's just not much opening-window room for air circulation.

The galley worked as it should for effective meal preparation. Luxurious surroundings add to the kitchen ambiance, and the refrigerator and slideout pantry are close by so the cook has ready access to food supplies.

Dynamax's corner-bath-enclosure arrangement, with the toilet and shower stall in one room, plus the small vanity sink and counter abutting the aft wall, works well. The toilet and shower are compact but effectively arranged. Nearby storage cabinets are handy for a person using the wash-basin, and there's even a window that allows a view of the outside world.

A plastic panel on the aft-wall cabinet near the entry door conceals a handheld showerhead of the type normally used as an outdoor shower fixture. This handy unit makes it easy to hose off beach sand or mud, for example, just before entering the rig.

Buyers in the higher-price range are fairly particular about what they want, and justifiably so. When you're spending that land of cash on an RV, you want just the right one.

The DynaQuest 26-footer combines quality construction and materials, attractive cosmetics, comfortable operation and a powerful, durable drivetrain with hefty towing ability in an interesting package that's outside the realm of normal motorhome descriptions. It certainly turns heads, and is fun to drive.