By Emily Woodbury
STAFF WRITER
This week, Winnebago announced five new RVs at its open house in Elkhart. The Revel, in my opinion, is the most impressive (only because it seems like the perfect fit for my outdoorsy lifestyle). This new, compact class B motorhome makes it easy for people to spend more time “off the grid.”
Designed specifically for outdoor enthusiasts, the RV is on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis and has a 4WD system. The RV offers two modes for driving on rough terrain (similar to what Jeep offers), including a high/low range and hill descent mode. The bed, located at the back of the rig, raises up to the ceiling, offering 140 cubic feet of storage space for all outdoor toys, gear and supplies.
Solar power allows the RV freedom, all while keeping interior necessities. A fridge, as well as an induction cooktop, outfit the kitchen. The dinette makes into a bed, and the bathroom and closet double as one.
Watch the video below to see the Revel in action and learn more at Winnebago’s website. Also, our friend Andy Pargh, the Gadget Guru, has written an article about the Winnebago Revel that provides additional information about this new RV.
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Wow, fantastic job, Winnebago! Although the starting price is out of my reach ($134,799), it looks like you get a whole lot in return.
I think Winnebago has scored with this rig. It has key features for comfortable, but not fussy, boondocking adventures. (Okay, some I’d consider fussy, but overall it appears to more than serve the purpose for which it was designed.)
One caveat: I’m a bit concerned about the “elevator” bed. Can it be hand-deployed if the automatic mechanism fails? Surely Winnebago thought of that, right? 🙂
Thank you, Emily, for the introduction to the Revel. Let’s hope its quality matches its price tag. Off I go to buy a (winning) lottery ticket and then to the dealership (which happens to be almost 400 miles away).
I think Emily needs to ask her dad for a raise, so she can get a Revel! 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Absolutely. After all, Dad should already know that a happy Staff Writer is a productive Staff Writer. Good luck with that, Emily. 🙂
Nice concept but the solar is not going to work very well when the kayak shadow covers it
Safari Trek has had an automatic bed that raises to the ceiling since 1992 ! Nothing new here. A 29′ Trek has as much interior room as a 37′ RV.
What’s new is the combination of positives in this van. Adventurous people interested in this wouldn’t own a 29′ long, 8.5′ wide class A motorhome on a bet. My B van is 21′ and I sometimes wish it were smaller. This is an effective 4 wheel drive system – not a Jeep Rubicon rock climber, but it’ll get the target market out where they want to go with the amenities and storage not seen before in a class B.
Variety makes life interesting.
I have owned 40′ diesel pusher to 22′ sprinter class B van and lengths in between.
In the 29′ Trek I can travel for 6 months, like full time. I could never do that in a Sprinter. But there are people that do it.
Each to his own way!