New RV models, innovations showcased this week at huge RV trade show
The RV industry has been busy as demonstrated at the annual 2007 Recreation Vehicle Industry Association show in Louisville this week. Represented were hundreds of exhibitors, and thousands of attendees from around the United States, Canada and China.
Many coach manufacturers updated their offerings for 2008, especially with their entry level gas Class A motorhomes, Class C motorhomes and toy haulers. Coach design has taken huge steps forward in recent years, and 2008 continues that trend. European influence can be seen throughout the industry, especially the compact Class C coaches based on the Sprinter chassis, now offered by several manufacturers.
Fleetwood RV has a number of new offerings. Its entry level gas Class A coaches have benefited from a complete facelift including full paint and interior appointments. In addition, its fifth wheel trailers and toy haulers continue to gain popularity.
Winnebago is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a number of special offerings. In particular is a new Class B touring coach for 2009 called the Era, built in a Dodge Sprinter van, which includes seating for four, a bath shower area, and a sofa bed in the rear. Winnebago continues to offer its Sprinter based class Cs -- the Winnebago View and Itasca Navion and the streamlined Navion IQ.
Coachmen RV is undergoing a design revolution. According to Coachmen, the company has hired new engineers who are taking a look at RV design from a new perspective. Show attendees applauded the new designs, which include a Sprinter based Class C motorhome, called the Prism and a new Class A, the Mirada 355 with a queen-sized day bed in the rear that coverts the space to a comfortable second living room with large flat panel TV.
Monaco Coach has also renewed some of its offerings. The entry level gas powered Monarch has been completely redesigned for 2008, offering upgraded interiors, full paint, and full-wall slide out. Also, the 2008 La Palma is now offered in a gas model mounted on the Workhorse UFO chassis.
Host RV is offering "America’s first triple-slide out truck camper" according to company representatives. This large truck camper expands on both sides and from the rear to make an extraordinarily spacious interior.
Pilgrim International has started building its RVs out of a new material called CosmoLite. Working closely with TekModo LLC, Pilgrim International debuted a display unit with floors, walls, roof and end caps completely Luan and free of plywood, comprised entirely of CosmoLite, a thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite. Pilgrim International and TekModo introduced the exterior surface SpectraLite enhanced with DuPont Surlyn -- the same extraordinarily impact resistant coating found on golf balls. This material offers improved strength to its RVs, and is rot- and water-resistant. This offering provides a wood free RV, according to company press releases is stronger, lighter and resistant to water and rot -- and environmentally friendly. Currently Pilgrim is incorporating this technology in the floor of its RVs, and plans to continue development in the future.
Ford Motor Company is offering two new gas chassis, a 24,000 lb GVWR and 26,000 lb GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) platform. These new chassis feature the Ford 362 h.p. V-10 engine and upgraded springs, axles, and drive train, according to Ford representatives. The increased rating will allow coach manufacturers to offer more amenities in its RVs or to allow for a higher cargo carrying capacity. In addition, the 2008 E-series Super Duty Class C motorhome chassis has been upgraded with a new exterior and a slightly increased GVWR.
Reese has added an electrically operated fifth wheel hitch slide for short bed pickups. The controller, which is mounted in the cab, unlocks the slide lock, so the driver doesn't have to get out of the cab. Once unlocked, the driver pulls forward, or backs-up to slide the hitch, which then automatically locks at the end of travel. In addition, Reese has added a gooseneck hitch which attaches to the 15K fifth wheel hitch bed rails and can be left in place while the fifth wheel hitch is in use.
Winegard has added a line of automatic roof mount satellite dishes for use with DirecTV or Dish Network television service. These units, which should be available in December, use the DirecTV or Dish reflectors and LNBs, which allows full compatibility with its current HD satellites, and is designed to be easily upgraded as needed in the future. As an added benefit, since it uses the DirecTV or Dish reflectors and LNBs, they don't need to move between satellites when the user surfs from a channel on one satellite to a channel on another.
To watch all the great HD programming out there, Jensen and ASA Electronics are offering a wide selection of flat panel LCD televisions in 1080i and 1080p HD formats.
There are also flat panel mounts for all of these TVs, including hard mounts, swing-away mounts, swing-down ceiling mounts, and mounts which raise the monitor from inside a cabinet, all available from a number of vendors.
Lastly, Smart Light is offering a motion and light controlled RV patio/security light. The unit, which attaches to the side of the RV using the same mounting screws as most original lights, can be operated manually or set to automatic, using only the original power switch. In automatic mode, the light will activate when it senses motion, only after dark. As an added benefit, the light has a small blinking multi-colored LED which indicates to the user what mode the light is in, and what condition the coach batteries are in (when dry camping). An added benefit is the blinking LED may scare potential intruders away, but if not, they may run when the patio light comes on.
This is only a small sample of the offerings at this year's RVIA show, but is indicative of the strength and ingenuity in today's RV industry, and all the great things RVers have to look forward to in the future.
Many coach manufacturers updated their offerings for 2008, especially with their entry level gas Class A motorhomes, Class C motorhomes and toy haulers. Coach design has taken huge steps forward in recent years, and 2008 continues that trend. European influence can be seen throughout the industry, especially the compact Class C coaches based on the Sprinter chassis, now offered by several manufacturers.
Fleetwood RV has a number of new offerings. Its entry level gas Class A coaches have benefited from a complete facelift including full paint and interior appointments. In addition, its fifth wheel trailers and toy haulers continue to gain popularity.
Winnebago is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a number of special offerings. In particular is a new Class B touring coach for 2009 called the Era, built in a Dodge Sprinter van, which includes seating for four, a bath shower area, and a sofa bed in the rear. Winnebago continues to offer its Sprinter based class Cs -- the Winnebago View and Itasca Navion and the streamlined Navion IQ.
Coachmen RV is undergoing a design revolution. According to Coachmen, the company has hired new engineers who are taking a look at RV design from a new perspective. Show attendees applauded the new designs, which include a Sprinter based Class C motorhome, called the Prism and a new Class A, the Mirada 355 with a queen-sized day bed in the rear that coverts the space to a comfortable second living room with large flat panel TV.
Monaco Coach has also renewed some of its offerings. The entry level gas powered Monarch has been completely redesigned for 2008, offering upgraded interiors, full paint, and full-wall slide out. Also, the 2008 La Palma is now offered in a gas model mounted on the Workhorse UFO chassis.
Host RV is offering "America’s first triple-slide out truck camper" according to company representatives. This large truck camper expands on both sides and from the rear to make an extraordinarily spacious interior.
Pilgrim International has started building its RVs out of a new material called CosmoLite. Working closely with TekModo LLC, Pilgrim International debuted a display unit with floors, walls, roof and end caps completely Luan and free of plywood, comprised entirely of CosmoLite, a thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite. Pilgrim International and TekModo introduced the exterior surface SpectraLite enhanced with DuPont Surlyn -- the same extraordinarily impact resistant coating found on golf balls. This material offers improved strength to its RVs, and is rot- and water-resistant. This offering provides a wood free RV, according to company press releases is stronger, lighter and resistant to water and rot -- and environmentally friendly. Currently Pilgrim is incorporating this technology in the floor of its RVs, and plans to continue development in the future.
Ford Motor Company is offering two new gas chassis, a 24,000 lb GVWR and 26,000 lb GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) platform. These new chassis feature the Ford 362 h.p. V-10 engine and upgraded springs, axles, and drive train, according to Ford representatives. The increased rating will allow coach manufacturers to offer more amenities in its RVs or to allow for a higher cargo carrying capacity. In addition, the 2008 E-series Super Duty Class C motorhome chassis has been upgraded with a new exterior and a slightly increased GVWR.
Reese has added an electrically operated fifth wheel hitch slide for short bed pickups. The controller, which is mounted in the cab, unlocks the slide lock, so the driver doesn't have to get out of the cab. Once unlocked, the driver pulls forward, or backs-up to slide the hitch, which then automatically locks at the end of travel. In addition, Reese has added a gooseneck hitch which attaches to the 15K fifth wheel hitch bed rails and can be left in place while the fifth wheel hitch is in use.
Winegard has added a line of automatic roof mount satellite dishes for use with DirecTV or Dish Network television service. These units, which should be available in December, use the DirecTV or Dish reflectors and LNBs, which allows full compatibility with its current HD satellites, and is designed to be easily upgraded as needed in the future. As an added benefit, since it uses the DirecTV or Dish reflectors and LNBs, they don't need to move between satellites when the user surfs from a channel on one satellite to a channel on another.
To watch all the great HD programming out there, Jensen and ASA Electronics are offering a wide selection of flat panel LCD televisions in 1080i and 1080p HD formats.
There are also flat panel mounts for all of these TVs, including hard mounts, swing-away mounts, swing-down ceiling mounts, and mounts which raise the monitor from inside a cabinet, all available from a number of vendors.
Lastly, Smart Light is offering a motion and light controlled RV patio/security light. The unit, which attaches to the side of the RV using the same mounting screws as most original lights, can be operated manually or set to automatic, using only the original power switch. In automatic mode, the light will activate when it senses motion, only after dark. As an added benefit, the light has a small blinking multi-colored LED which indicates to the user what mode the light is in, and what condition the coach batteries are in (when dry camping). An added benefit is the blinking LED may scare potential intruders away, but if not, they may run when the patio light comes on.
This is only a small sample of the offerings at this year's RVIA show, but is indicative of the strength and ingenuity in today's RV industry, and all the great things RVers have to look forward to in the future.
posted by Chris Dougherty at
11/30/2007 04:46:00 PM
1 Comments:
You know, instead of all kinds of new bells and whistles, why don't these companies just make the ones coming of the line with upgraded quality so you don't spend more of the first year of ownership in the shop rather than on the road!!! I hear Honda has a proto type RV in the works, if they build RV's with the same quality as coaches, the US manufacturers will be out of business pronto!
By
Sharyn58, at 12:57 PM, December 15, 2007
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