New Itasca Has European Styling

Pilgrim International showed a trailer made entirely of composite materials—no plywood needed. Winnebago reentered the Class B market with a gas-saving 2009 van camper. And Newmar exhibited the ultimate tailgating motorhome with a 52-inch exterior TV, two bathrooms and two kitchens.

With manufacturers continually adding more amenities to RVs, Ford unveiled a new lineup of beefed-up chassis to handle the load. And Cummins displayed a new 650-horsepower engine to power the biggest and most luxurious motorhomes.

These were just some of the innovations at the National RV Trade Show, which brought manufacturers, suppliers, dealers and others in the RV industry to Louisville, Kentucky, to preview new products.

The dominant theme this year was European styling—curved cabinets, round showers, sleek aerodynamic exteriors. The European look turned up in every sort of RV from truck camper to Class A diesel pusher.

Here are some of the new models that attracted attention in Louisville:

Newmar All Star UTV
With the rising popularity of tailgating at football games, auto races and other events, Newmar has developed a motorhome specifically tailored to that lifestyle. The 2008 All Star UTV (Ultimate Tailgating Vehicle) is built on the Spartan mid-engine chassis, and includes two bathrooms, two kitchens and everything needed for an outdoor party.

The 42-foot floor plan is similar to the All Star toy hauler, but the toy-hauling space at the rear of the vehicle has been replaced with a kitchen. A side door rolls up to reveal a serving area with two stainless steel countertops. Behind the countertops are a 30-pound commercial icemaker, 12-cubic-foot four-door refrigerator, a convection microwave and a stainless steel sink.

A storage compartment behind the rear wheels holds a Jenn-Air grill that slides out on a pullout tray. There is enough exterior storage space for some tables and two 100-cubic-foot coolers. Two power awnings provide shade along the entire passenger side of the coach. And those who gather near the motorhome can listen to a Kicker sound system and watch a 52-inch LCD TV tucked into the side of the coach.

The motorhome also includes a full-size kitchen in the middle of the coach with a booth dinette, and a hide-a-bed sofa. In addition to the exterior TV, there are three other LCD TVs inside, one in the rear kitchen, one in the front overhead cabinet and one in the living area. There is a slideout on the driver’s side to expand the living area.

Buyers can equip the motorhome with two captain’s chairs in line behind the front passenger seat or choose an optional sofa. The All Star UTV is powered by a Cummins ISL 400-horsepower engine. The suggested retail price is $277,494.

For information, visit www.newmarcorp.com. or call (800) 860-0086.

Winnebago ERA
Winnebago Industries is reentering the van camper market with the ERA, a 2009 motorhome built on the Dodge Sprinter chassis and powered by a 3L 6-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. The fuel-efficient RV hasn’t been fully rated yet, but is expected to get from 16 to 20 miles per gallon. The ERA will arrive at dealerships in March.

The new motorhome has a European-inspired interior with curved cabinetry, and Corian countertops in a fully equipped galley. The exterior has smooth lines, sliding doors for easy access on the passenger side, and double doors at the rear.

The ERA is the first Class B motorhome from Winnebago since it stopped producing the Volkswagen EuroVan camper in 2003. Bruce Hertzke, the company’s chairman and CEO, said, “We are excited to enter this arena again with the new ERA that capitalizes on a remarkable chassis design, as well as exceptional interior and exterior styling. The ERA offers everything a large motorhome has, but in a compact, striking package.”

The new van camper is being marketed as not only a good choice for camping trips, but also convenient for transporting children to soccer games or going to visit family.

The ERA has a 60-inch by 80-inch sofa bed at the rear and two companion chairs up front. The cab seats swivel to face the companion seats across a movable pedestal table, creating a convenient place for dining or playing games. The table also can be positioned by the sofa at the rear of the coach.

The ERA is equipped with a bathroom, a 5,000-pound trailer hitch, 16-inch aluminum wheels, full body paint, Sony radio and CD player, and a 15-inch TV with a DVD player. It has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $90,992.

For more information, call Winnebago Industries at (641) 585-3535 or visit www.winnebagoind.com.

Jayco Seneca
Roominess and comfort are the hallmarks of the Jayco series of Class C motorhomes, which are built on the Chevy Kodiak chassis with a Duramax V8 turbo diesel engine.

The Seneca HD is available in four floor plans, including a new full-wall slideout that was shown at the Louisville show. The slideout features automatic travel locks to keep the slideout in place during travel. The Seneca is available in versions ranging from 34 feet to nearly 37 feet. There is also a toy hauler model, the Seneca ZX.

Jayco introduced its 2008 models last summer, but has added some mid-year upgrades to the Seneca, including the new Cloud Ten mattress, a new 1,800-watt inverter with four 12-volt batteries and new fiberglass rear fender skirts.

Jayco, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary and is the world’s largest privately held RV manufacturer, describes the Seneca as an easy-to-drive Class C motorhome with all the luxury of a big Class A motorhome. Standard features include a leather sofa, solid surface countertops with radius corners, deep overhead cabinets and bronze hardware. Each motorhome is furnished with a queen bed plus a hide-a-bed sofa. The kitchen includes a double-door refrigerator, three-burner range and oversize oven.

Among the other features are remote keyless entry, pass-through storage compartments, hydraulic leveling jacks, an Onan 5,500-watt diesel generator and a 12-volt Eclipse electric patio awning from Carefree of Colorado.

The options include an exterior entertainment center, a portable outside gas grill and a Dolby Digital 5.1 home theater system with surround sound. The Seneca HD has a suggested retail price starting at $141,429. Starting price of the Seneca ZX is $147,000.

For more information, call Jayco at (800) RV-JAYCO or visit www.jayco.com.

Pilgrim
Pilgrim International introduced the industry’s first all-composite recreational vehicle as a prototype at Louisville, and company officials say the new material promises a dramatic reduction in the weight of RVs.

The floor, walls, roof and end caps of the prototype are built of CosmoLite, a thermoplastic fiberglass-reinforced composite that replaces plywood and Luan. Pilgrim has begun using CosmoLite in substrate flooring in its 2008 Cirrus and 1500 Lite Series trailers, and plans to phase in CosmoLite to completely replace wood products in all RV construction.

CosmoLite weighs about one-third less than wood products. In a 28-foot Cirrus trailer, the weight savings from the new floor system is nearly 100 pounds. Pilgrim International Co-founder and Chairman Dave Hoefer said a complete switch to composite materials could reduce trailer weight by 15-to-20 percent. He said this could improve fuel efficiency and enable almost any family sedan or minivan to become a tow vehicle.

Other benefits of composite construction are that the material is water resistant and impervious to rot, mildew and mold. In addition, all-composite travel trailers and fifth wheels are free of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds.

TekModo, an Elkhart, Indiana, company, is offering CosmoLite to RV manufacturers and also has developed a new high-gloss exterior surface, SpectraLite, which is enhanced with Dupont Surlyn resin, the impact-resistant coating found on golf balls. The Pilgrim all-composite prototype showcases SpectraLite. The new coating is available in a choice of colors, enabling trailer buyers to match the color of their tow vehicle.

Pilgrim is starting its conversion to composite materials with flooring because that is one area where trailers are most vulnerable to damage. Doug Lantz, Pilgrim’s vice president of product development, said, “This new technology is a welcome end to floor rot. Our new CosmoLite floors are completely waterproof from both the inside and from the undercarriage. Warranty issues over water damage in the floors are over.”

For more information, call Pilgrim International at (574) 825-8686 or visit www.pilgrimintl.com.

Ford
Ford, which is the largest builder of chassis for both Class A and Class C motorhomes, has re-engineered its Class A lineup to handle more weight.

“Ford’s new heavy-duty F53 Super Duty chassis allows customers to continue bringing more of their home to their home on wheels,” said marketing manager Shelly Smith. “Motorhome builders are adding more luxurious amenities such as granite countertops and slideouts so we met the challenge with the most capable RV chassis ever.”

The new chassis borrows heavily from Ford’s new 2008 F-Series Super Duty trucks, and offers six models ranging from 16,000 pounds to 26,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight rating, which is the maximum load that can be carried. The stronger chassis give RV manufacturers the option of adding more features in their motorhomes.

For its biggest motorhomes, Ford is offering a 6.8-liter Triton V-10 engine with 362 horsepower. The high-end F53 models also feature a new steering system designed to improve ride and handling. Wheels are capable of turning 50 degrees in either direction, an improvement over the previous 42-degree cut.

Damon Essence
Damon Motor Coach unveiled its new top-of-the-line motorhome, the Essence, which is built on a Freightliner raised rail chassis and powered by a 425-horsepower ISL Cummins diesel engine.

The Essence is loaded with luxury features, including Villa designer-quality living room furniture, an outside entertainment center with a 26-inch LCD TV, DVD, CD, AM/FM, MP3 and iPod players, and a three-camera color backup system,

“We have managed to bundle an unprecedented number of luxury features and amenities in the Essence and yet keep this model well within the reach of the average diesel motorhome buyer,” said Dave Miller, Damon vice president of diesel sales and product development. The suggested retail price is about $250,000.

The bedroom at the rear of the coach has two slideouts and a king-size bed with a Sleep Number mattress. The kitchen has a four-door refrigerator with icemaker, Corian solid surface countertops, solid wood cabinet doors, a three-burner cooktop and a microwave/convection oven. Slideouts in the living area add to the roominess of the coach.

For more information, call Damon Motor Coach at (800) 860-5658 or visit www.damonrv.com.

Workhorse chassis
Workhorse has teamed up with Caterpillar to introduce a new rear-engine diesel platform for motorhomes utilizing the Workhorse R series chassis and the Cat C7 engine, which has 360 horsepower. The gross vehicle weight rating is in the range of 28,000 to 32,000 pounds.

Gulfstream’s Crescendo and Yellowstone motorhom-es are the first to use the new chassis.

Bill Walmsley, director of RV marketing for Workhorse, said the company is delighted with the opportunity to use the Caterpillar engine since Caterpillar has a loyal following among many RVers. The top-end C7 model is well suited to the mid-range diesel marketplace, and is the perfect complement to the R Series chassis, he said, adding, “It supplies the power and performance desired in this class of motorhomes.”

The R series has developed a reputation for reliability and for ease of handling aided by uniquely designed front and rear suspensions. Caterpillar has ranked highest in customer satisfaction for heavy-duty truck engines in recent surveys by J.D. Power and Associates.

Cummins engine
Cummins introduced a new 650-horsepower diesel engine for luxury motorhomes. The company said the ISX 650 with 1,950 lb.-ft. of torque provides a new level of performance in the premium motorhome market.

Mark Conover, Cumm-ins director of RV business, said the engine is a response to the demands of RVers for more horsepower and improved performance. “The ISX 650 will provide exceptional acceleration, improved ability to climb steep grades, better downhill speed restraint and superior braking horsepower and all-around first-rate performance,” he said.

The new engine is integrated with the Allison 4000 MH model automatic transmission. It uses Cummins advanced electronic controls, patented VG Turbo, high-pressure fuel system, combustion technology and exhaust aftertreatment.

Prism Motorhome
The new Prism from Coachmen brings European styling to a Class C motorhome built on the Freightliner Sprinter chassis. The Prism, just under 25 feet in length, is fuel-efficient, claiming an estimated 17 to 19 miles per gallon.

The exterior features contoured lines, and the interior continues the theme with curved cabinets and furniture, all hallmarks of European styling.

Other features include pass-through basement storage, an exterior entertainment center, an LCD TV on a swing arm for easy viewing, halogen lighting throughout and plank wood vinyl flooring with removable carpet. The Prism M-230 floor plan includes two sofas for extra seating comfort.

The Prism is designed for couples and small families, and is being sold as not only ideal for trips, but also suitable for everyday use. The suggested retail price starts at $104,990.

For more information, contact Coachmen at www.coachmentrv.com.