It seems as if Class A motorhomes were stuck in the slow lane this year as most other product segments raced by.
In the RV industry’s record-setting year, Class A wholesale shipments and retail sales were flat heading into the last quarter of the year, according data from to the RV Industry Association and Statistical Surveys.
RV manufacturers tell RV PRO that consumers’ interest in smaller motorhomes may explain the waning interest in Class A’s and the corresponding surge in Class C’s, whose retail sales were up 23.7 percent through August.
Nevertheless, the Class A market remains highly competitive, with OEMs building and dealers selling 88 different brands in 2017, according to Stat Surveys.
Thor Industries maintains a clear leadership position in the Class A market, but in the battle for supremacy, competitors have waged a fierce battle for the top spot in recent years.
In fact, Tiffin Motorhome’s diesel-powered Allegro has captured the No. 1 spot in Class A retail sales five of the past seven years and was the leader heading into this fall, according to Stat Surveys. Thor Motor Coach’s A.C.E. captured the top spot in 2015, has been runner-up three times since the brand’s inception in 2012 and was No. 2 again heading into this fall.
So, even in a flat market, the segment remains dynamic.
On the wholesale side, RVIA forecaster Richard Curtin is forecasting Class A shipments will end 2017 at 23,500, or about 3.6 percent above 2016’s tally. He’s projecting shipments to reach 24,100 in 2018, or about 2.5 percent above his 2017 forecast.
Remember When Diesel Was King?
One of the biggest changes since the Great Recession has been the fuel of choice for Class A motorhomes.
During the depths of the Recession (2008-2009), RV builders were selling more diesel-powered Class A’s than gas-powered ones, according to Stat Surveys.
Coming out of the Recession, however, gas-powered motorhomes made a quick spurt ahead and they’re now outselling diesel by a ratio of 2-1.
Or, are they?
The numbers from Stat Surveys clearly support that contention. However, data from RVT.com, North America’s leading online RV buying service, suggests those figures could be misleading.
Click here to read the rest of this story and the December issue of RV PRO.
