FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MIDDLEBURY, IN, January 25, 2007 — The premier of Coachmen Recreational Vehicle Company's Aurora™ Full-Wall Slide-Out at the National RV Trade Show in Louisville breaks new ground for Coachmen gas Class A motorhomes. This is Coachmen's first full-wall slide-out and represents a total redesign for the Aurora product line, featuring incredible exterior pass through storage (107 cubic feet), side opening compartment doors, all new sleek automotive front and rear molded cap designs, one-piece windshield, seven-foot interior height, and most impressively, a creative one of a kind floorplan.
"Response to this new product at Louisville was fantastic," said Mark Weber, product and sales manager for Coachmen's gas Class A motorhomes. "Dealers were really wowed by the innovation and styling of this new model." The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the Aurora 36 FWS begins at $118,000.
This coach is 35-feet-7-inches long. The 25-foot slide-out room starts behind the driver's seat and goes well into the rear of the bedroom, greatly enhancing the interior space. Weber noted that Coachmen engineers took extraordinary care while designing the slide to ensure a good balance on the coach, and their dedicated work paid off.
Coachmen builds this motorhome on the W-22 platform from Workhorse Custom Chassis. This chassis provides 22,000 lbs. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating), giving the coach plenty of carrying capacity. The Vortec™ 8100 V8 8.1L engine from General Motors coupled with the Allison™ six-speed automatic transmission powers the coach, giving it exceptional ride and handling characteristics.
The Aurora FWS sports eye-catching exterior graphics with partial paint applied to high-gloss sidewalls. Beefy 22.5-inch wheels, custom fiberglass front and rear caps and the one-piece windshield contribute to the overall sleek look, Coachmen incorporated its Sight Rite™ dash with the windshield to improve visibility and reduce front blind spots. For operator convenience, Coachmen built Aurora Full Wall Slide with fully automatic hydraulic leveling jacks plus heated and remote controlled exterior mirrors.
Finding room for all the gear needed for any adventure is simple with the 107 cubic feet of pass through storage. Accessing that storage is also easy with side-hinged compartment doors and lighted storage bays.
Driving Aurora is a pleasure. The coach is equipped with deluxe pilot seats with integrated three-point seat belts. The cockpit is designed for comfort and convenience with a tilt steering wheel, defrost dash fans, dash air conditioning, power sun visors and even a passenger-side pullout computer desk. The state-of-the-art three-way rear view camera is activated by the turn signal, allowing the driver to see directly behind or on either side of the coach.
Step into the living area and forget you are in a motorhome. Aurora exudes spaciousness. The coach is a full eight feet wide before the full wall slide is activated and the extra high interior ceiling is seven feet tall. Large windows and bright decors add to the feeling of spaciousness. Coachmen offers four different fabric choices: Onyx Haze, Sicilian Umber, Castleton Cream and Blue Saxony and two wood options, Welbeck Birch and Brazilian Cherry. The upscale living area features a 70-inch sofa, a leather recliner and a 26-inch LCD overhead television.
Solid surface kitchen countertops grace the galley, which comes equipped with a stainless steel microwave oven, stainless steel three-burner range with oven, a double bowl kitchen sink with a designer faucet, and a large double door refrigerator. A deluxe side-by-side refrigerator is optional. Serve meals at the legless buffet style dinette that seats two or pulls out to comfortably fit four.
The yacht style bedroom is in a class by itself. The queen bed is set at an angle, yielding a new and innovative furniture arrangement. A 20-inch LCD television is mounted on the wall, and the huge wardrobe provides exceptional storage space.
Aurora represents the top of the line for Coachmen's Class A gas motorhomes. The Aurora 36 FWS takes that top of the line up another notch.
Coachmen Industries, Inc., through its prominent industry subsidiaries, is one of America’s leading manufacturers of recreational vehicles, systems-built homes and commercial buildings. The Company’s well-known RV brand names include COACHMEN™, GEORGIE BOY™, SPORTSCOACH™ and VIKING™. Coachmen’s ALL AMERICAN HOMES® subsidiary is one of the nation’s largest producers of systems-built homes, and also a major builder of multi-family residential and commercial structures with its ALL AMERICAN BUILDING SYSTEMS™ products. Coachmen Industries, Inc. is a publicly held company with stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker COA.
Vortec™ and Allison™ are trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
01/25/07 -Coachmen's Aurora Proceeds In A Spacious New Direction
January 25, 2007, 12:53 pm1/24/07 - Eulogy, John Crean, 1925-2007
January 24, 2007, 5:58 pm
The following was delivered by Elden Smith, President and CEO, Fleetwood Enterprises at John Crean's memorial service on January 18, 2007.
I want to thank the Crean family for inviting me to celebrate with you the business life of John Crean. Having this opportunity is an extraordinary honor.
Fleetwood, founded in 1950, was the launching pad for an incredibly intense, very creative man with an entrepreneurial spirit, and the strong belief that he could build a better trailer. The 1950s were a period of learning for John, a decade of highs and lows, successes and failures. But out of this period came the basic principles of a great company, a multibillion dollar enterprise that by the time he retired led both the manufactured housing and recreation vehicle industries in every segment by a wide margin.
And, out of the '50s came a more single-minded, focused entrepreneurial leader. John determined that good, functional, reliable, high-quality product, produced by a financially solid company comprised of loyal motivated people, was the foundation on which his company would grow. Motivated employees would be attracted to a company by the same things that gave him a sense of satisfaction. An opportunity to be creative, to make decisions, to learn from mistakes, to control their own destiny, and to share in the resulting profits and provide for their families at a level that before joining Fleetwood could only be a dream.
His managers were expected to be, above all, honest, dedicated, hard working, focused and loyal. He rewarded these character traits with trust and opportunity.
In the '70s he became our "teacher." He taught the principles of entrepreneurship. He was not a conventional teacher. No lectures. Most times he taught by example. For example, my first real lesson on the importance of "function and convenience" came a little over 35 years ago. I was in charge of the Recreational Vehicle Group. John would come by every few weeks and we would go to lunch to discuss the market, our latest products and operational direction. He picked me up one day with his new Rolls Royce Corniche Convertible, white with a gorgeous burl wood and red leather interior, complete with the latest CB radio bolted to the floor. . . the most beautiful car I had ever seen. While on our way to and from Denny's he demonstrated both the car and the CB radio. A few weeks later he came by again. I got into the car and the first thing he had to show me was how he no longer had to reach down to the floor to grab the CB microphone . . . to my dismay he had taken two hex head screws and screwed the bracket for the microphone to the beautiful burl wood dash at arm's length from the driver's seat. He reached out, without having to lean over, without taking his eyes off the road, and grabbed the microphone and pleased as punch made a call to an unknown trucker. . . function and convenience.
Everything to John was a "house," be it a mobile home, motor home, travel trailer or folding trailer. And they were all expected to meet the same high standards for function and reliability. Every cabinet in the kitchen of a house, or galley in an RV, must easily accommodate the things it should: pots and pans, canned goods, and cereal boxes; and tables must be large enough to accommodate full-sized plates and place settings opposite each other. No compromises.
John was well aware of manufacturing and material cost. Vacationing in RVs, in Mexico, a group of five Fleetwood families and John and Donna enjoyed a wonderful week together in the late '70s. While most of us on this vacation read, fished, swam, hiked and generally experienced the outdoors, John took his ever-present toolbox and went through the unit we had provided him, from front to rear and top to bottom. On the last day he and Donna departed early. When I got up in the morning, propped on the top of the spare tire carrier on the back of our motor home, was a box of parts that John had taken out of his motor home: excess wiring, ducting for the heating system, unnecessary screws and brackets, and other miscellaneous parts . . . the message: "you are getting loose with your manufacturing processes and design specs . . . tighten up."
Regarding warranty costs. Water leaks and electrical shorts were problems in early motor homes. One evening, while on a trip to visit dealers, John was playing a game of gin rummy with our motor home director of production. Early in one game, as John threw down his hand with Gin, he said good-naturedly, "Take that, Mr. Director of Leaks and Shorts!" Subtlety was not one of John's strong suits, but effectiveness was.
As an inventor and innovator John was unparalleled: a Venetian blind mechanism in the 1940s, an innovative manufactured home in the 1970s and the Bounder motor home in the 1980s.
The Bounder motor home revolutionized the design of motor homes throughout the industry. Put very simply, what John did was raise the floor of the motor home. This provided bus-like storage below the floor, and allowed for more functional floor plans and operational features. John developed this motor home with the help of a drafter, and one of our prototype assemblers, in his workshop at home. Within a few years the Bounder motor home was the best selling motor home in the country . . . 90% of the motor homes sold in the country today contain most of the unique features John put in that first Bounder unit.
Earlier I mentioned John's toolbox. The toolbox was probably the first thing John loaded in every motor home or trailer he used. He is legendary among Fleetwood Owners Club members. When John and Donna attended Owner Rallies, John would place a writing pad outside their unit and invite anyone that had a problem with their motor home or trailer (something that needed adjusted or fixed) to put their name and space number on the list and he would come by and take care of it. When he had time he would grab his toolbox and head out into the park. You have no idea how many people there are that state with great pride that the Chairman of the Board of Fleetwood Enterprises came by and adjusted their screen door.
At the corporate offices, John's office was the least used office in the facility. He spent most of his time in the shop of the product development building, in the offices of managers and staff, in the plants visiting with management and associates on the production line, with our dealers and with owners. If he had papers to sign, he signed them, as often as not while "talking shop," on the corner of someone else's desk.
John was a natural born entrepreneur, a child of the depression and poverty, educated in the school of hard knocks, and he never forgot a lesson. John Crean instilled in us such simple wisdoms as:
"When things are bad it will get good. When things are good it will get bad. We need to manage our business accordingly."
"During difficult times if you net just $1 you will not go broke."
"The most important 'tool' in the product development area is the dumpster." He felt the dumpster should always be full of failed efforts to improve our products. You might say success comes as a result of many failures.
Years ago I saved a quote by Clarence Francis (a world renowned business leader of the 1930s and '40s) that I believe frames the essence of John's leadership. It says:
You can buy a man's time; you can buy his physical presence at a given place; you can even buy a measured number of his skilled muscular motions per hour.
But you cannot buy enthusiasm.
You cannot buy loyalty.
You cannot buy the devotion of hearts, minds or souls.
You must earn these!
John Crean earned our enthusiasm, our loyalty, our minds and our hearts. We at Fleetwood will never forget him or the things he stood for, and we will be forever grateful.
John's company, Fleetwood Enterprises, has since 1950 built more than 1,300,000 homes, 1,700,000 recreational vehicles, and provided jobs and careers for tens of thousands of people. Because there is a Fleetwood, millions of people are able to enjoy their leisure pursuits more comfortably, afford better homes, and achieve greater career success and opportunity. Their lives, our lives, are better because John Crean passed by this way.
I want to thank the Crean family for inviting me to celebrate with you the business life of John Crean. Having this opportunity is an extraordinary honor.
Fleetwood, founded in 1950, was the launching pad for an incredibly intense, very creative man with an entrepreneurial spirit, and the strong belief that he could build a better trailer. The 1950s were a period of learning for John, a decade of highs and lows, successes and failures. But out of this period came the basic principles of a great company, a multibillion dollar enterprise that by the time he retired led both the manufactured housing and recreation vehicle industries in every segment by a wide margin.
And, out of the '50s came a more single-minded, focused entrepreneurial leader. John determined that good, functional, reliable, high-quality product, produced by a financially solid company comprised of loyal motivated people, was the foundation on which his company would grow. Motivated employees would be attracted to a company by the same things that gave him a sense of satisfaction. An opportunity to be creative, to make decisions, to learn from mistakes, to control their own destiny, and to share in the resulting profits and provide for their families at a level that before joining Fleetwood could only be a dream.
His managers were expected to be, above all, honest, dedicated, hard working, focused and loyal. He rewarded these character traits with trust and opportunity.
In the '70s he became our "teacher." He taught the principles of entrepreneurship. He was not a conventional teacher. No lectures. Most times he taught by example. For example, my first real lesson on the importance of "function and convenience" came a little over 35 years ago. I was in charge of the Recreational Vehicle Group. John would come by every few weeks and we would go to lunch to discuss the market, our latest products and operational direction. He picked me up one day with his new Rolls Royce Corniche Convertible, white with a gorgeous burl wood and red leather interior, complete with the latest CB radio bolted to the floor. . . the most beautiful car I had ever seen. While on our way to and from Denny's he demonstrated both the car and the CB radio. A few weeks later he came by again. I got into the car and the first thing he had to show me was how he no longer had to reach down to the floor to grab the CB microphone . . . to my dismay he had taken two hex head screws and screwed the bracket for the microphone to the beautiful burl wood dash at arm's length from the driver's seat. He reached out, without having to lean over, without taking his eyes off the road, and grabbed the microphone and pleased as punch made a call to an unknown trucker. . . function and convenience.
Everything to John was a "house," be it a mobile home, motor home, travel trailer or folding trailer. And they were all expected to meet the same high standards for function and reliability. Every cabinet in the kitchen of a house, or galley in an RV, must easily accommodate the things it should: pots and pans, canned goods, and cereal boxes; and tables must be large enough to accommodate full-sized plates and place settings opposite each other. No compromises.
John was well aware of manufacturing and material cost. Vacationing in RVs, in Mexico, a group of five Fleetwood families and John and Donna enjoyed a wonderful week together in the late '70s. While most of us on this vacation read, fished, swam, hiked and generally experienced the outdoors, John took his ever-present toolbox and went through the unit we had provided him, from front to rear and top to bottom. On the last day he and Donna departed early. When I got up in the morning, propped on the top of the spare tire carrier on the back of our motor home, was a box of parts that John had taken out of his motor home: excess wiring, ducting for the heating system, unnecessary screws and brackets, and other miscellaneous parts . . . the message: "you are getting loose with your manufacturing processes and design specs . . . tighten up."
Regarding warranty costs. Water leaks and electrical shorts were problems in early motor homes. One evening, while on a trip to visit dealers, John was playing a game of gin rummy with our motor home director of production. Early in one game, as John threw down his hand with Gin, he said good-naturedly, "Take that, Mr. Director of Leaks and Shorts!" Subtlety was not one of John's strong suits, but effectiveness was.
As an inventor and innovator John was unparalleled: a Venetian blind mechanism in the 1940s, an innovative manufactured home in the 1970s and the Bounder motor home in the 1980s.
The Bounder motor home revolutionized the design of motor homes throughout the industry. Put very simply, what John did was raise the floor of the motor home. This provided bus-like storage below the floor, and allowed for more functional floor plans and operational features. John developed this motor home with the help of a drafter, and one of our prototype assemblers, in his workshop at home. Within a few years the Bounder motor home was the best selling motor home in the country . . . 90% of the motor homes sold in the country today contain most of the unique features John put in that first Bounder unit.
Earlier I mentioned John's toolbox. The toolbox was probably the first thing John loaded in every motor home or trailer he used. He is legendary among Fleetwood Owners Club members. When John and Donna attended Owner Rallies, John would place a writing pad outside their unit and invite anyone that had a problem with their motor home or trailer (something that needed adjusted or fixed) to put their name and space number on the list and he would come by and take care of it. When he had time he would grab his toolbox and head out into the park. You have no idea how many people there are that state with great pride that the Chairman of the Board of Fleetwood Enterprises came by and adjusted their screen door.
At the corporate offices, John's office was the least used office in the facility. He spent most of his time in the shop of the product development building, in the offices of managers and staff, in the plants visiting with management and associates on the production line, with our dealers and with owners. If he had papers to sign, he signed them, as often as not while "talking shop," on the corner of someone else's desk.
John was a natural born entrepreneur, a child of the depression and poverty, educated in the school of hard knocks, and he never forgot a lesson. John Crean instilled in us such simple wisdoms as:
"When things are bad it will get good. When things are good it will get bad. We need to manage our business accordingly."
"During difficult times if you net just $1 you will not go broke."
"The most important 'tool' in the product development area is the dumpster." He felt the dumpster should always be full of failed efforts to improve our products. You might say success comes as a result of many failures.
Years ago I saved a quote by Clarence Francis (a world renowned business leader of the 1930s and '40s) that I believe frames the essence of John's leadership. It says:
You can buy a man's time; you can buy his physical presence at a given place; you can even buy a measured number of his skilled muscular motions per hour.
But you cannot buy enthusiasm.
You cannot buy loyalty.
You cannot buy the devotion of hearts, minds or souls.
You must earn these!
John Crean earned our enthusiasm, our loyalty, our minds and our hearts. We at Fleetwood will never forget him or the things he stood for, and we will be forever grateful.
John's company, Fleetwood Enterprises, has since 1950 built more than 1,300,000 homes, 1,700,000 recreational vehicles, and provided jobs and careers for tens of thousands of people. Because there is a Fleetwood, millions of people are able to enjoy their leisure pursuits more comfortably, afford better homes, and achieve greater career success and opportunity. Their lives, our lives, are better because John Crean passed by this way.
1/09/07 - New Maxxair MaxxFan With Remote Thermostat Control
January 9, 2007, 9:56 amNew for 2007 is our MaxxFan remote control that operates all fan functions from the palm of your hand. The first ever all-in-one RV vent fan that automatically provides rain free ventilation.
- MaxxFan, a new, one-of-a kind ventilator system that protects your RV interior - always - in any weather - rain or shine
- Brings in fresh air and removes hot musty air and odors
- A complete all in one system that fits standard 14" x 14" inch RV roof openings
- Remote control operates all fan functions from the palm of your hand.
- Includes a powerful 4-speed fan, thermostat, air intake and exhaust functions. Thermostat also displays room temperature.
- Easy to remove interior insect screen, simply rotate four retaining knobs to remove for cleaning, no tools required
- Features a powerful, fuse protected, sealed ball bearing, 12 volt fan motor and a 12 inch, 10 bladed fan
- Provides over 900 CFM of airflow on High speed using 4.4 amps.
- Limited 2 year warranty
- All mounting screws and hardware included. (Roof sealant must be purchased separately)
12/22/06 - UFO Chassis Brings A Wave Of New Choices
December 22, 2006, 2:51 pm
DEC 22, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Workhorse UFO™ Chassis Brings A Wave Of New Choices To Motorhome Buyers
Test drives offered to public at Florida RV show; early Web sign-up encouraged.
Visitors to the Florida RV Supershow Jan. 17 to 21 will have an opportunity to test drive a Class A (bus-style) motor home built on the unique new motor home chassis that’s been drawing rave reviews in test drives across the country.
Workhorse Custom Chassis, a leading manufacturer of motor home chassis, will display its all-new rear-engine Workhorse UFO™ platform during the show at the Florida State Fairgrounds (Booth 145). Those wishing to take a test drive of a 36-foot Forest River Georgetown model built on the Workhorse UFO™ can reserve a time now by going to Test Drives In Tampa.
Visitors to the Workhorse booth can also sign up during the show. However, two public test drives at fall RV shows saw most times booked well in advance, as interest in the new chassis is high.
More than 400 RV dealer representatives have also driven the new chassis at dealer events and individual dealerships throughout the fall, with post-drive surveys exceptionally positive.
“Our other chassis drew positive comments when they were introduced, but nothing like this,” noted Bill Walmsley, Workhorse RV marketing manager. “Whether it’s the quietness of the rear gas engine, the sharp turning radius, the lack of roll, the brakes, the acceleration — across the board it’s drawn extremely positive comments from anyone who has driven it.”
“Because of the Workhorse UFO™, 2007 will see significant changes in motor home floor plans and in the way RVers think about front- and rear-engine Class A motor homes,” said Walmsley. “The Workhorse UFO™ chassis is generating a wave of new choices for RV consumers.”
Presently, the majority of front-engine Class A chassis are gasoline-powered, while rear-engine chassis are all diesel-powered. In both cases, the engines protrude above the floor line. This creates a hump between the passenger and driver seats to crawl over in a front-engine motor home, and protrusions that are usually covered by a high-off-the-floor bed and cabinets in a rear-engine motor home.
The Workhorse UFO™ provides motor home buyers a choice of a gas or diesel rear engine (UFO = Universal Fuel Option) with the same coach floorplan. In addition, the configuration of the Workhorse UFO™ also enables coach builders to use a completely flat floor with either enginr, thus eliminating the need to build around a protruding engine and creating a greater variety of floorplan options, such as a rear living area, previously unavailable on rear-engine chassis (UFO = Universal Floorplan Option).
The initial Workhorse UFO™ model has a gas engine, which many find attractive because it is less expensive than a diesel while providing the benefits of a rear-engine configuration. These benefits include less cabin noise, less cabin heat, and, without the front-to-back drive shaft, less vibration and more pass through storage underneath the floor.
However, what test drivers are raving about is the exceptional ride, handling and performance of the chassis. “We wanted to make a chassis that was easier to drive and which felt safer to drive,” said Walmsley. “The Workhorse UFO™ eliminates most of the roll people experience turning corners in a big motor home. It combines great acceleration, maneuverability and stopping power with a very stable and comfortable ride.”
Test Drives Bring Praise
Typical post-drive comments vouch for that assessment:
“I’m very impressed with the way it steers, the way it handles, the way it rides. It’s not just rear engine. I especially liked the rear coil springs. I’ll classify it as rocket. ... I was greatly impressed in a tight spot in the parking lot. I can’t believe I made that turn in the front row. I really think they’ve made a wonderful chassis.”
Ted Trostle, State College, Pa
“The first thing that impressed me was the handling of the coach. You can actually take your hand off the steering wheel and still go straight. The handling through the turns was unbelievable, no body lean whatsoever. The quietness of having the engine in the back was great. Overall, a Workhorse chassis with a rear-engine gas is just unbelievable.”
Ronald Seyfried. Jim Thorpe, Pa.,
“Interesting drive. I think my regular car takes the corner worse than this did due to the roll. I have to go back to one of the manufacturers and see if they are signing up for this.
This particular coach you don’t have the step up to the engine cover that you usually see. You don’t have to climb over something to get into the seat anymore.
The power and the pick up on the gas unit that we tried was excellent.”
Lee Hulbert. Johnstown. N.Y.
“I think this is a great idea. The driving and handling was great. The responsiveness of the chassis was amazing. I haven’t seen a better driving coach in a long time. I compared it to some of the biggest names in diesels and, to be honest with you, it outperformed a lot of the entry level diesels.”
Dealer representative Marc Ferry, Stoltzfus RV’s and Marine, West Chester, Pa.
Since its introduction in late summer, three coach manufacturers have announced plans to build models on the Workhorse UFO™, including two all-new offerings from Winnebago Industries — the Winnebago Destination and the Itasca Latitude. Forest River is also currently building its Georgetown model on the chassis and Monaco Coach Corporation will be soon building its Monaco LaPalma and Holiday Rambler Vactioner models on it. Other unannounced manufacturers are in various stages of integrating the chassis into their motor home lines.
Dealers On The Bandwagon
Dealers across the country have been clamoring to know more about the Workhorse UFO™ and Workhorse is expecting significant orders from those affiliated with the coach builders who have announced their intentions so far. The gas version of the new chassis has been steadily rolling off the Workhorse assembly line since early September. The diesel version will be introduced in late spring.
More than 210 dealers this fall requested sales training from Workhorse regarding the Workhorse UFO™ and Workhorse conducted an additional 400 to 450 test drives at these dealerships, said Andrew Brengman, Workhorse director of dealer sales.
“They’ve been eating it up,” said Brengman of the dealer reaction to the Workhorse UFO™. “Everyone’s looking for a new edge to generate sales, and they really like this concept. Also, everyone’s impressed with how well the chassis performs.”
Beats Air Brakes
Part of that performance, alluded to in test drive comments, is the extra-responsive brakes. They are Quadraulic™ four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes that outperformed the competition’s air brakes in recent tests. Head-to-head comparisons of the rear-gas 26,000 lb. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) Workhorse UFO™ to a 28,000 lb. GVWR diesel pusher chassis also loaded to 26,000 lbs. showed the Workhorse UFO™ achieving a complete stop from 60 mph a full 49 feet sooner than the diesel pusher with air brakes.
Product Advantages
At 26,000 lb. GVWR, the gas powered Workhorse UFO™ is 2,000 pounds lighter than existing 28,000 lb. GVWR diesel chassis, giving the Workhorse UFO™ the same carrying capacity as the latter at a significantly lower price tag. What’s more, gas engines provide savings in maintenance costs versus diesels. With less mass to move, the 8.1L GM Vortec™ gas powerplant can also outperform equivalent diesel engines. The diesel Workhorse UFO™ will also have more carrying capacity than existing 26,000 lb. GVWR diesel platforms.
Another of the significant advantages mentioned by everyone who has test driven the gas-powered Workhorse UFO™ is how much quieter it is in than comparable front gas motor homes. “Because of the rear-engine configuration, the quietness when driving this chassis is a dream come true,” said Pat Carroll, Monaco vice president of product development.
Compared to existing diesels, the gas Workhorse UFO™ is much more affordable. This will be especially true in 2007 when all diesel platforms will experience upward cost pressure as they incorporate changes to meet new, more stringent emissions standards.
A Game Changer
”The Workhorse UFO™ is a game-changing breakthrough. It creates an entirely new category of motor home,” said Walmsley. “We consider ourselves the customer’s advocate for more and better motor home choices. Those choices have just multiplied with this single chassis. The Workhorse UFO™ is a new category of motor home chassis that gives many new and veteran RVers what they’re looking for.”
Workhorse Custom Chassis is ISO 9001 certified and a leader in the manufacture of chassis for motor homes, walk-in trucks and buses. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Truck and Engine Corporation. International produces IC brand school buses, school bus chassis, mid-range diesel engines, International brand medium and heavy trucks, and severe service vehicles. International also provides parts and service sold under the International® brand. Both Workhorse and International are subsidiaries of Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV). For additional information call 877-294-6773 or visit Workhorse.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Workhorse UFO™ Chassis Brings A Wave Of New Choices To Motorhome Buyers
Test drives offered to public at Florida RV show; early Web sign-up encouraged.
Visitors to the Florida RV Supershow Jan. 17 to 21 will have an opportunity to test drive a Class A (bus-style) motor home built on the unique new motor home chassis that’s been drawing rave reviews in test drives across the country.
Workhorse Custom Chassis, a leading manufacturer of motor home chassis, will display its all-new rear-engine Workhorse UFO™ platform during the show at the Florida State Fairgrounds (Booth 145). Those wishing to take a test drive of a 36-foot Forest River Georgetown model built on the Workhorse UFO™ can reserve a time now by going to Test Drives In Tampa.
Visitors to the Workhorse booth can also sign up during the show. However, two public test drives at fall RV shows saw most times booked well in advance, as interest in the new chassis is high.
More than 400 RV dealer representatives have also driven the new chassis at dealer events and individual dealerships throughout the fall, with post-drive surveys exceptionally positive.
“Our other chassis drew positive comments when they were introduced, but nothing like this,” noted Bill Walmsley, Workhorse RV marketing manager. “Whether it’s the quietness of the rear gas engine, the sharp turning radius, the lack of roll, the brakes, the acceleration — across the board it’s drawn extremely positive comments from anyone who has driven it.”
“Because of the Workhorse UFO™, 2007 will see significant changes in motor home floor plans and in the way RVers think about front- and rear-engine Class A motor homes,” said Walmsley. “The Workhorse UFO™ chassis is generating a wave of new choices for RV consumers.”
Presently, the majority of front-engine Class A chassis are gasoline-powered, while rear-engine chassis are all diesel-powered. In both cases, the engines protrude above the floor line. This creates a hump between the passenger and driver seats to crawl over in a front-engine motor home, and protrusions that are usually covered by a high-off-the-floor bed and cabinets in a rear-engine motor home.
The Workhorse UFO™ provides motor home buyers a choice of a gas or diesel rear engine (UFO = Universal Fuel Option) with the same coach floorplan. In addition, the configuration of the Workhorse UFO™ also enables coach builders to use a completely flat floor with either enginr, thus eliminating the need to build around a protruding engine and creating a greater variety of floorplan options, such as a rear living area, previously unavailable on rear-engine chassis (UFO = Universal Floorplan Option).
The initial Workhorse UFO™ model has a gas engine, which many find attractive because it is less expensive than a diesel while providing the benefits of a rear-engine configuration. These benefits include less cabin noise, less cabin heat, and, without the front-to-back drive shaft, less vibration and more pass through storage underneath the floor.
However, what test drivers are raving about is the exceptional ride, handling and performance of the chassis. “We wanted to make a chassis that was easier to drive and which felt safer to drive,” said Walmsley. “The Workhorse UFO™ eliminates most of the roll people experience turning corners in a big motor home. It combines great acceleration, maneuverability and stopping power with a very stable and comfortable ride.”
Test Drives Bring Praise
Typical post-drive comments vouch for that assessment:
“I’m very impressed with the way it steers, the way it handles, the way it rides. It’s not just rear engine. I especially liked the rear coil springs. I’ll classify it as rocket. ... I was greatly impressed in a tight spot in the parking lot. I can’t believe I made that turn in the front row. I really think they’ve made a wonderful chassis.”
Ted Trostle, State College, Pa
“The first thing that impressed me was the handling of the coach. You can actually take your hand off the steering wheel and still go straight. The handling through the turns was unbelievable, no body lean whatsoever. The quietness of having the engine in the back was great. Overall, a Workhorse chassis with a rear-engine gas is just unbelievable.”
Ronald Seyfried. Jim Thorpe, Pa.,
“Interesting drive. I think my regular car takes the corner worse than this did due to the roll. I have to go back to one of the manufacturers and see if they are signing up for this.
This particular coach you don’t have the step up to the engine cover that you usually see. You don’t have to climb over something to get into the seat anymore.
The power and the pick up on the gas unit that we tried was excellent.”
Lee Hulbert. Johnstown. N.Y.
“I think this is a great idea. The driving and handling was great. The responsiveness of the chassis was amazing. I haven’t seen a better driving coach in a long time. I compared it to some of the biggest names in diesels and, to be honest with you, it outperformed a lot of the entry level diesels.”
Dealer representative Marc Ferry, Stoltzfus RV’s and Marine, West Chester, Pa.
Since its introduction in late summer, three coach manufacturers have announced plans to build models on the Workhorse UFO™, including two all-new offerings from Winnebago Industries — the Winnebago Destination and the Itasca Latitude. Forest River is also currently building its Georgetown model on the chassis and Monaco Coach Corporation will be soon building its Monaco LaPalma and Holiday Rambler Vactioner models on it. Other unannounced manufacturers are in various stages of integrating the chassis into their motor home lines.
Dealers On The Bandwagon
Dealers across the country have been clamoring to know more about the Workhorse UFO™ and Workhorse is expecting significant orders from those affiliated with the coach builders who have announced their intentions so far. The gas version of the new chassis has been steadily rolling off the Workhorse assembly line since early September. The diesel version will be introduced in late spring.
More than 210 dealers this fall requested sales training from Workhorse regarding the Workhorse UFO™ and Workhorse conducted an additional 400 to 450 test drives at these dealerships, said Andrew Brengman, Workhorse director of dealer sales.
“They’ve been eating it up,” said Brengman of the dealer reaction to the Workhorse UFO™. “Everyone’s looking for a new edge to generate sales, and they really like this concept. Also, everyone’s impressed with how well the chassis performs.”
Beats Air Brakes
Part of that performance, alluded to in test drive comments, is the extra-responsive brakes. They are Quadraulic™ four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes that outperformed the competition’s air brakes in recent tests. Head-to-head comparisons of the rear-gas 26,000 lb. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) Workhorse UFO™ to a 28,000 lb. GVWR diesel pusher chassis also loaded to 26,000 lbs. showed the Workhorse UFO™ achieving a complete stop from 60 mph a full 49 feet sooner than the diesel pusher with air brakes.
Product Advantages
At 26,000 lb. GVWR, the gas powered Workhorse UFO™ is 2,000 pounds lighter than existing 28,000 lb. GVWR diesel chassis, giving the Workhorse UFO™ the same carrying capacity as the latter at a significantly lower price tag. What’s more, gas engines provide savings in maintenance costs versus diesels. With less mass to move, the 8.1L GM Vortec™ gas powerplant can also outperform equivalent diesel engines. The diesel Workhorse UFO™ will also have more carrying capacity than existing 26,000 lb. GVWR diesel platforms.
Another of the significant advantages mentioned by everyone who has test driven the gas-powered Workhorse UFO™ is how much quieter it is in than comparable front gas motor homes. “Because of the rear-engine configuration, the quietness when driving this chassis is a dream come true,” said Pat Carroll, Monaco vice president of product development.
Compared to existing diesels, the gas Workhorse UFO™ is much more affordable. This will be especially true in 2007 when all diesel platforms will experience upward cost pressure as they incorporate changes to meet new, more stringent emissions standards.
A Game Changer
”The Workhorse UFO™ is a game-changing breakthrough. It creates an entirely new category of motor home,” said Walmsley. “We consider ourselves the customer’s advocate for more and better motor home choices. Those choices have just multiplied with this single chassis. The Workhorse UFO™ is a new category of motor home chassis that gives many new and veteran RVers what they’re looking for.”
Workhorse Custom Chassis is ISO 9001 certified and a leader in the manufacture of chassis for motor homes, walk-in trucks and buses. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Truck and Engine Corporation. International produces IC brand school buses, school bus chassis, mid-range diesel engines, International brand medium and heavy trucks, and severe service vehicles. International also provides parts and service sold under the International® brand. Both Workhorse and International are subsidiaries of Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV). For additional information call 877-294-6773 or visit Workhorse.com.
12/12/06 - RVupgrades.com adds RV SureStep, RV EZLevel & RV AwningClamp
December 12, 2006, 4:54 pm
RV SureStep is your first step towards RV safety. The new RV SureStep, which mounts on top of your existing RV step in minutes, illuminates your step at night protecting you and your guest from dangerous accidents when entering and exiting the motorhome.
Say goodbye to old fashioned bubble levels! Easiest to use level ever with new standards of accuracy and convenience.
The adjustable links of the Rv AwningClamp ensures a perfect fit on any awning. With a great look and easy installation, Rv AwningClamp allows you to travel without any worries.