The CrossRoads Cameo fifth wheelRV PRO continues its preview of the 2021 model year. For the entire 2021 Model Year Preview special section, see the September issue.
Airstream
Airstream will be introducing a whole new “floorplan” across all 2021 iconic models. No, this isn’t about the layout of the kitchen, bedroom and living room – it’s literally a new custom floor system.
Made of composite, recyclable material, the new floor will replace the old plywood floor substrate for Airstream’s iconic silver bullets. (Motorhomes and the popular Basecamp will not offer this new composite flooring.)
Vice President of Sales Justin Humphreys says, “It’s the last piece to getting the wood completely out of the aluminum shell, so that’s a really big feature we’re talking to our customers about for our 2021 models. The change was made in tandem with the opening of our brand new, state-of-the-art production facility in January of 2020. The challenges of material handling for a large, one-piece floor were solved with the added space the new plant offered.”
Airstream customers are very conscious about “green” products, so the new flooring will be a big selling point as consumers view the new product. For Airstream, the install process is different, and Humphreys finds advantages beyond sustainability.
“The floor comes in as a single piece, routed for that exact floorplan of each unit,” he says. “It’s also water-resistant. Not only does it inhibit any type of softening that would occur if you had an ongoing leak, but it also reduces any concern for mold or mildew. It is lighter than wood, so it takes a little bit of weight out of every unit as well. Finally, it has more insulating factors than what we had before. It really is a win-win all the way around for the consumer.”
In addition to all iconic silver bullet units receiving a new floor system, Humphreys says that a few popular brands will be receiving fresh interior looks. The Flying Cloud (the RV maker’s No.1-selling product) and International brands are specifically receiving new interior designs.
Detailing the Flying Cloud, Humphreys reveals, “It’s a completely redesigned interior decor with new laminates and soft goods. It’s such a great improvement with a very neutral design. But it’s not taking it over the top, where people might get offended because it’s such a huge design statement. We think our designers did a great job with it. We keep it as neutral as possible, so people can go in and give it their own touch.”
The International also stands in the top four of all Airstream brands and is receiving its own stylistic upgrade.
“And with the International, we took a design-centric approach, with a more a relaxing and beautiful coastal home theme. It’s light and airy with soft aqua colors, natural wood tones, and beautiful graphic details,” says Humphreys.
Turning attention from towables to motorized, Humphreys says that there aren’t a lot of changes for Airstream’s Class B’s, but that there are some power upgrades.
“We are now adding an option for lithium batteries for motorhomes. In addition to the improved charging and storage characteristics that lithium batteries have, we’ve also put on some additional solar. It really is an improvement in longevity of power,” he says.
The lithium batteries made by Battle Born are a replacement for the standard house battery and the benefits include much faster charging with more cycles and a five-year replacement warranty.
On the rising popularity of the Class B segment (especially with the rise of COVID-19), Humphreys describes them as the “Swiss-Army knife” of the industry.
“There are so many more things you can do with this product because of its size,” he says. “We have people driving from home to home, where they would normally travel by airplane, and we’ve got people that just don’t want to stop at public restrooms or restaurants. And having a small Class B or B+ provides a place to prepare your meals and to use its on-board facilities. It’s become a pandemic-driven product where people can avoid a lot of the stops while traveling and having to expose themselves. We see people being attracted to this segment who can use it for so many uses outside of the traditional RVer, yet it can do that for them as well.”
Humphreys also notes that because Airstream opened a huge, brand new travel trailer facility in the past year, the RV maker’s new motorhome facility has moved into the old travel trailer one. “Now we have plenty of room to grow our motorhome business significantly over the coming months and years,” Humphreys says.
He also emphasizes that, in addition to new product features for 2021, Airstream is focusing on helping first-time buyers as much as possible.
“In addition to providing good products for them, we’re also trying to provide a lot of how-to videos,” he says. “So many of them (customers) have never done this before. Because of social distancing guidelines, sometimes the delivery of the unit from dealer to consumer is not ideal. We’re trying to provide more resources to make sure that the end user enjoys the ownership of their new Airstream. We think it’s very important.”
The industry veteran sees this as not only a challenge for Airstream, but all segments of the industry. Humphreys issues a challenge for the entire RV industry: “The industry needs to take great care of these new customers we are seeing since the pandemic, many of which are first-time RV buyers. I would challenge everyone in the industry to really think of ways to go above and beyond to ensure these new customers, and all customers for that matter, have a great ownership experience. If we take great care of them and they love this lifestyle, then it will expand our customer base for years to come.”
CrossRoads / Redwood
CrossRoads RV will debut new models under the Redwood, Cameo and Hampton brands, while Sunset Trail, Cruiser and Zinger plan to expand current offerings in 2021.
Redwood will introduce the all-new RW4150RD to its premium line of fifth wheels. “Built around full-time luxury living,” the new model has a 45-foot, five-slide rear den, oversized kitchen, enlarged front bathroom/bedroom and larger inverter to accommodate a battery and solar package, according to Tim Cress, product manager.
Moreover, Redwood will increase storage below the gooseneck and eliminate carpet in the slides. Though product details are limited, Cress expects dealers to be impressed.
Cameo plans to debut a new fifth wheel as well. Model CE3975CK features a white exterior, new graphics package, rear-kitchen layout, master bedroom and bathroom slide-in-slide and one-piece fiberglass shower. It also includes a larger window in the living room slide box, a dinette bench for comfort and storage, enhanced ground illumination and roller shades.
Likewise, Hampton will introduce HP380FKL to its new product lineup, which highlights a four slide, front-kitchen layout and double loft. For 2021, Hampton will have three double loft models available.
Meanwhile, Sunset Trail and Cruiser have a few surprises of their own.
“We continue to develop new plans within our newest segment (single axle), featuring 7-foot-wide options that weigh between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds,” says Steve McGarvey, product manager for both brands. “This will hit the first-time buyer market, towing with smaller vehicles and SUVs,” he adds.
Options are important to Cruiser, says McGarvey.
“We have a full lineup of seven travel trailers, eight mid-profile fifth wheels, a half-ton towable and Full PRO ‘HP’ with five unique plans,” he says. The newest, 3601GK, features a gourmet kitchen and a hidden walk-in pantry.
Zinger – a travel trailer also known for its “unique floorplans” – is set to release six new ones, says Robert Fitzsimmons, product manager for Zinger and Volante.
With an MSRP range of $15,000 to $40,000, “We are focused on having the best and most complete lineup for the entry-level market,” says Fitzsimmons. “Many of our ideas come from retail customer input. Once you hear the same concepts a few times, it’s hard not to try and develop something that will work for our customers.”
To see the Airstream and CrossRoads / Redwood previews in RV PRO online, click here.
Previously:
Thor Motor Coach’s Class B Motorhomes, RUVs, Class C Motorhomes, Class A Gas Motorhomes and Class A Diesels previews here
Jayco’s Seismic, North Point, Pinnacle, Starcraft, Class A Motorhomes, Entegra Gas Products and Entegra Coach Luxury Diesel Products previews here
Forest River’s East to West, XLR and Columbus previews here
Forest River’s Sabre, Salem | Wildwood, Surveyor, Shasta, Berkshire previews here
Forest River’s Cardinal | Wildcat, Cherokee Wolf Pack, Cherokee Wolf Pup | Grey Wolf, and Sandpiper | Sierra | Cedar Creek | Riverstone previews here
Forest River’s Sunseeker | Forester, Dynamax, R-Pod, IBEX and NOBO previews here
Coachmen’s Class A’s, B’s and C’s previews here
Coachmen’s Spirit | Apex, Clipper | Viking, Catalina, and Fifth Wheels previews here
Renegade RV and REV RV Group previews here
Lance Camper and Midwest Automotive Designs previews here
Winnebago’s Travato, Revel and Solis previews here
Grand Design preview here
Newmar and Winnebago Towables preview here
inTech RV and Riverside RV previews here
Chinook RV and Gulf Stream Coach previews here
Roadtrek and Xtreme Outdoors previews here
TAXA Outdoors and the Vanleigh previews here
Alliance RV and Nexus previews here
nuCamp and Leisure Travel Vans previews here
