Tackling the Toro Bravo

A new RV company, whose owner describes its products as an entirely new category of RV, will begin production in Michigan in early 2024.

Renowned automobile specialist Roush Performance will assemble the modular overlander vehicles for Toro Bravo 4X4, a California company headed by Jeff Rohrer – a former linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys during the Tom Landry era.

Toro Bravo describes its flagship Silver Spear model as “an all-in-one work truck, RV and toy hauler” designed for off-grid overlanding. It will have an MSRP of $299,000 and first deliveries are set for March. The concept for Toro Bravo sprang from design work for military prototypes that Rohrer, 65, was creating with a group of young designers, who are now Toro Bravo co-founders.

“The idea grew out of the fact that the average age of my design team is about 26,” Rohrer says. “I was doing military prototypes with them on some major projects, and we decided to take a shot at an outdoor product. We were working on some things for the Defense Department that we really cannot talk about.

“The kids that I work with came to my previous prototype project as consultants,” he says. “They came from the L.A. school of design. Their design team strengths were their ability to create things in 3D and to make photo-real images. That is an evolving art that is becoming more and more used in the automotive industry. They were helping us on the military prototypes.”

Rohrer’s co-founders are all big on rugged, outdoor pursuits. One is a snowmobiler from Canada. A couple are avid dirt bike riders from California. Another one is a big rock climber.

“They were hanging out with the Sprinter crowd,” Rohrer says. “The basic complaint from that crowd is, we love our Sprinters, we love our 4x4s, but we can’t haul anything. They wanted to be able to go further and deeper into the wilderness, and pulling a trailer is not always ideal. This is for the more aggressive campers, who want to go further and deeper, and be able to bring their toys and be able to have a way to get them readily in and out of the vehicle. That is why we designed a back door that is like a ramp. You can actually get things in and out. I would say that with 95%, or even 100%, of the current options for the RV crowd, there is really no way to load things easily in and out.”

Rohrer says the company’s goal is to “democratize” the market with less expensive options. Growing out of military prototyping, the group went from there and found ways to build its own prototype.

“They did an excellent job. It is built to get beat up,” Rohrer says. “It is on a subframe, so we decided not to connect the cab to the back. The subframe keeps the habitat separate from the cab. That is a big part of our design – the decision not to connect the habitat directly to the frame like most motorhomes – because it will absolutely get destroyed when you go 4x4ing, but if you have a subframe, you have a chance of making something that will last and not fall apart.”

Fostering ‘Future-Proof’

The company’s name derives from a sign Rohrer saw at a bar in Mexico during his previous career as a commercial film producer.

“We were shooting down in Mexico, and I think it was at our wrap party that we started buying things off the wall. There were hats and other things and then I noticed that behind the bar there was a hand-painted sign that said Toros Bravos. I still have that sign in my office, and from that I suggested Toro Bravo, and everyone agreed it was a killer name to communicate what we were after. The market share that we are going after is very Baja and naming our creation after a brave bull seemed super cool.”

Rohrer says his company’s business plan includes attracting a new crowd to the RV industry.

“There are too many people who have other jobs, who would love to be able to not look at their RV sitting in their driveway all week,” he says. “Our design is not for people who want to bring their living rooms to the campground. It is for people who want to be in the outdoors. For them, the outdoors serves as their living room.”

Toro Bravo units are equipped with two bunks, a queen-sized bed, a stainless-steel shower and a kitchen. In other words, nearly everything you might find in a regular RV, just more industrial grade.

“It is something that is meant to get dirty and to get hosed out,” Rohrer says. “Our slogan is ‘work, play, explore.’ We want to attract not only people who want to use it as an RV, but this truck is modular and the back is open. So if you are a rancher, if you are a remote worker, if you are a contractor or an electrician or a plumber, if you are in the movie business and you are a cameraman, you can use this vehicle during the week for work, and in 10 minutes get all your work stuff out and load up your camping stuff, and you are off for the wilderness.”

Rohrer believes the RV industry has an opportunity to expand its sales and customer base. As he sees it, when campers are offered the chance to use an RV as a work truck as well, it offers significant tax advantages. This opens the door for the industry to capitalize on the significant numbers of people who might be able to use it for their trade as well as for recreation.

Rohrer notes the industry has been “making RVs bigger, better and prettier for decades,” but he sees the future differently. He believes RVs such as his will “future-proof” the industry and attract a younger crowd.

“Roush will be making our vehicles in Michigan in the first quarter of 2024, and we are happy to work with them,” Rohrer says. “For this kind of vehicle, it is a natural, because it is military grade, built to last. We anticipate building between 100 to 400 vehicles our first year, and it will go up from there.”

Toro Bravo won’t offer options for the 2024 model, but plans to do so in the future.

“Our kitchen cart is 3D printed and virtually indestructible, but that does not mean we could not bring about changes very quickly,” Rohrer says. “You can create different iterations in 3D print, and based on what we learn this year, we may want to offer options later.”

A Class of Its Own

Rohrer is in the early stages of establishing a network of dealers. The launch of the drivable prototype was held at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Nov. 17. Then, he says, it will be offered to “influencers” from rock-climbing clubs, motocross aficionados, skiers and others to use and review.

“We are excited to let prospective customers give it a try,” Rohrer says.

Toro Bravo will appeal to people all over the country, Rohrer predicts.

“It will be big in Florida and in Texas where there are ranchers who live maybe two hours from a town who could use this for work. The South will be really good for us. The hunting and fishing crowd could find this kind of perfect for them. We are getting good response from Wisconsin and Michigan, because it can haul a snowmobile.”

Toro Bravos are built on top of a Ford truck, a favorite of Rohrer’s. The prototype is built on a F-550, but the company will shift down to an F-450, which he thinks is a better fit.

“Ford is a proven platform that has a long history of trucks that don’t break,” Rohrer says. “It was our job to make sure that the habitat could match the specs as far as durability. That has been our inspiration to do this right, because of the Ford platform.”

Technically, Toro Bravos are a Class C, but Rohrer views his vehicles as an entirely new category. He predicts there will be copycats, but that may be a good thing because it will likely spur innovation.

“There is lot of room out there for companies like us,” he says. “We are kind of a hybrid. We are trying to be accessible and affordable to more people. We are excited to help people get out and have fun, and to go further and deeper than they have ever been able to before. We want to be another option.”