The Hymer S-Class belongs to the full-integrated part of the Hymer range, where the body is built as one unit with the cab. The S 700 was one of the models sold under that name; Hymer later used B-Klasse for the same class, and today sells it as the B-Klasse CL and B-Klasse SL.
Hymer S-Class at a glance
| Maker | Hymer, Bad Waldsee, Germany |
|---|---|
| Class | full-integrated motorhome |
| Model | S 700 |
| Line name | S-Klasse (S-Class) |
| Other names of the class | Mobil, B-Klasse, B-Klasse Classic, Business Line |
| Current names | B-Klasse CL and B-Klasse SL |
| Body construction | PUAL sandwich with aluminium skin and polyurethane foam, used from the 1980 season |
| Headquarters | Bad Waldsee, Germany |
| Name today | S-Class no longer used in the range |
No Wikipedia article covers the S-Class or the S 700 on its own: the facts come from the Dutch, German and English articles on Hymer, which are in effect a single source.
History of the Hymer S-Class
A name inside the integrated class
Hymer’s integrated motorhomes have carried several names. The Dutch Wikipedia lists Mobil, B-Klasse, S-Klasse, B-Klasse Classic and Business Line among the former names of the class, which is now sold as the B-Klasse CL and B-Klasse SL. The S-Class was one of those names, and the S 700 was a model within it.
The company behind it
Hymer began as Alfons Hymer’s repair shop in Bad Waldsee, opened in 1923. Erwin Hymer designed the Troll caravan prototype in 1957 and founded the Eriba distribution company with Erich Bachem; the first Hymer motorhome, the Caravano, followed in 1961, and series motorhome production started in 1971 with the Hymermobil on a Mercedes-Benz basis. For the 1980 season the company developed its PUAL sandwich wall, with an aluminium outer skin and polyurethane foam insulation.
After the S-Class
The integrated line continued under other names and is now the B-Klasse CL and SL. Hymer itself became a public company in 1990, built its 100,000th motorhome in October 2004, and has belonged to Thor Industries since 2018. The Erwin Hymer Museum in Bad Waldsee opened in 2011.
Design and features
- Integrated body: the S-Class was a full-integrated motorhome, with body and cab as one unit.
- Several names, one class: Mobil, B-Klasse, S-Klasse, B-Klasse Classic and Business Line all described the same integrated family.
- PUAL walls: the aluminium-skinned sandwich construction introduced for the 1980 season.
- Bad Waldsee: Hymer has built motorhomes at its headquarters since 1971.
- A retired name: the class is now sold as the B-Klasse CL and SL.
Hymer S-Class versions
- S-Class: the integrated line under its S name, with the S 700 as one of its models.
- B-Class: the later name of the same integrated family.
- B-Klasse Classic: a former name used in the same class.
- B-Klasse CL and SL: the names used today.
The S-Class belonged to the same integrated family as the Hymer B-Class, which continues it today. Its ancestor is described in the Hymermobil article, the alcove line in the Hymer Camp article and the compact line in the Hymer Exsis-I article; more models are in the Hymer collection.
Sources
- Hymer, Dutch Wikipedia: names of the integrated class, including S-Klasse
- Erwin Hymer Group, German Wikipedia: company history, PUAL construction, 100,000th motorhome, museum
- Hymer, English Wikipedia: ownership by Thor Industries
