A galactic array of epic proportions awaits you as the 2009 models make their way into dealerships. With creative floorplans complimented by gorgeous new exterior colors and incredible creature comforts, these RVs will take RV living to an entirely new level. Surely, this is one of the most exhilarating times of year! In this review, we explore the exciting options and amenities available in today’s offering of motor homes, fifth wheels and travel trailers.

Monaco
The parent company of Holiday Rambler has an impressive line-up of motor home brands for the 2009 model year. If you are looking for a gas-powered motor home, the 2009 Monarch (photographed above) has a lot of value in a great looking coach. The outside is stunning with 4-color full-body paint and graphics, while its 3-way cameras are now integrated into the chrome head remote heated mirrors. With three full-wall slide floorplan choices at 30’, 33’ and 35’, it is no longer necessary to go big to get a lot of interior livability. And new for 2009 is a 33’ side-aisle floorplan with a mid-ship TV.

At the top of their product offering you will find the Dynasty, Executive and Signature models, which have been Monaco’s most popular coaches for many years. For many, big is still better, and, if you are going to go big, then I say go powerful and really enjoy the ride! The Executive and Signature models now have “power to spare” with the optional 650HP Cummins ISX engine, while the Dynasty has an optional 500HP Cummins ISM. In addition to an optional 15,000-lb. hitch, other options for these three models are tire pressure and temperature monitoring systems as well as Bluetooth technology. The top of the line Signature has a new front dash and optional Black Galaxy décor that is the pinnacle of sophistication.

With the 2009 introductions, the Dynasty continues to grow in stature. The Bishop IV floorplan is a quad-slide adventure machine that provides an abundance of residential amenities. At just under 40’ in length, this coach is sure to be one of the most popular models in the Dynasty family this year.

The Executive has a long standing reputation for luxury and quality, and its new limited luxury edition, the Olympus, is available for 2009. The Olympus is the only Fleetwood motor home to feature luxury edition exterior graphics and paint colors, Radiant Midnight décor, cabinet doors with laminate inserts, flush-floor living room slides and power Vienna shades in the living and dining areas. A mid-ship swivel 37” LCD TV with Blu-Ray package, as well as a wine chiller with decanter and a desk combo in the street-side living room slide add to Olympus’s livability.

At the top of the Monaco line-up is another industry classic, the Signature Series. The incredible Cambridge IV model is a must see! It features a master bath that is almost equal in size to the master bedroom. Located at the rear of the coach, the bath area includes a large sink and vanity area, corner shower, commode, full-width wardrobe with shoe rack plus a washer and dryer. A pocket door opens into the bedroom which includes a queen bed with nightstands and plenty of cabinetry. There is also another half-bath just behind the kitchen area for guests or for quick wash ups.

Holiday Rambler
During the past year, the management team at Holiday Rambler spent a great deal of time performing product research before designing their 2009 line-up. Recognizing that there was a need for change, they proactively sought input from both their customers and dealers to better understand what people were going to be looking for when they purchased their next RV.

They worked extensively to incorporate this input into the engineering of their new models. As a result, most of their 2009 line-up will sport beautiful new exteriors with 4-color and 5-color full-body paint as well as striking new graphics. In addition, the interior décor packages have been spiced up and, in most floorplans, the entertainment center was moved to a mid-ship location opening up the living room and cockpit areas. Also new for 2009 are radius walls, which bring a whole new look and feel to the interior.

The Augusta, Holiday Rambler’s fastest growing model, boasts two new floorplans this year – the 282 and 292. With a queen-size bed, full-width bath and closet area in the master bedroom suite of the 292
floorplan, the efficiency and comfortability they have built into this Class B+ motor home is far beyond what one would expect of a compact coach.

In their Class C motor home line-up, the all new Holiday Rambler Traveler is their first luxury Class C built on the Dodge® Sprinter chassis. With an MPG rating of 15-17, it is powered by a Mercedes Benz® diesel engine and equipped with a diesel generator. You can go anywhere and do anything in this motor home, which is available in two floorplans. My personal favorite, the 24RFS, features a full-width bath across the rear of the coach. The 24RBH offers the bed at the rear street-side with an opposing bathroom.

The flagship of their gas-powered Class A fleet, the Admiral, is known for its ingenious floor plans, many incorporating the PANAsuite full-wall slides that open the interior to residential style environments. The compact 30SFS offers a front-to-rear queen bed, a compact galley and open living and dining areas. In the new 33SDD, a large bathroom is located mid-ship, and a street-side slide houses a dinette, sleep sofa and 32” LCD TV.

The Holiday Rambler diesel line-up includes seven outstanding products, far too many to cover here, but all exciting in their own right. The entry-level Vacationer is powered by a 340HP rear-mounted Cummins® engine and features two new floorplans, the 34SDD and 36SFD. In the 36SFD a curb-side slide accommodates a queen-size bed in the master suite plus a wardrobe and optional washer/dryer area in the rear. This floorplan also offers the PANAsuite full-wall slide that houses a 68” sofa, free-standing dinette, pantry and refrigerator as well as additional wardrobes, dressers and a television cabinet in the bedroom.

At the top of the diesel line-up is one of my all-time favorite motor homes, the Navigator. This RV is pure luxury, and in 2009 it is packaged with all new graphics on the exterior, the new RV-C multiplex chassis wiring that we wrote about in our last issue, as well as an optional 15,000 lb. hitch for plenty
of flexibility in tow vehicle selection. Techno buffs will appreciate the collision avoidance system, Bluetooth hands-free link and exterior entertainment system that includes a 26” television on a swing arm with fold-out speakers and attached DVD player.

The Brookstone IV floorplan offers four slide-outs; two in the bedroom and two up front. While the mid-ship bath is spacious and includes a vanity with dual sinks, you and your guests will bask in the ambiance of the game or movie of choice while sitting on the 93” Jacknife sleep sofa and 75”J-Lounge (both leather) to view the wall-mounted 37” LCD TV.

2009 Country Coach Veranda
2009 Country Coach Veranda
Country Coach
Long known for being one of the leading luxury motor coach manufacturers, Country Coach has once again shown their propensity to shake-up the status quo by introducing a feature that is so amazing, your jaw will drop. The new Veranda line-up, which debuted mid-July, opens the interior living space to the outside by creating a 4½’ deep by 13’ wide deck when a section of the coach sidewall is lowered.

The Veranda living area (deck) is separated from the coach’s interior by a 12-ft. expanse of hurricane-rated sliding glass doors that easily slide open to join the spaces. Just imagine savoring a home-cooked breakfast in comfort while enjoying the sound of the birds chirping and the cool morning air. When deployed, this screened-in deck not only provides the pleasure of pure outdoor relaxation, but, with the push of a button, it converts to an outdoor theater with a 42” LCD TV that folds out of the wall. No matter where you go with the Veranda, your coach will be the social gathering place of choice.

Fleetwood
2009 Fleetwood Discovery
2009 Fleetwood Discovery

Most notably, Fleetwood just launched its new Power Bridge Chassis® which will carry the 2009 Bounder, Expedition, Discovery, Excursion and Providence diesel pusher motor homes. This chassis yields approximately 25 percent more overall storage capacity, and by increasing the height of the pass-through storage bays from 10” to 21¾”, it offers 80 percent more pass-through cargo space.

There is no question that the Bounder has developed quite a following of devoted owners since its 1985 debut as the first basement motor home. Still going strong nearly 23 years later, the Bounder Diesel is expected to do just the same in the diesel arena. Powered by a 340HP Cummins ISB engine teamed with an Allison 2500 6-speed electronic transmission, the Bounder Diesel is capable of towing up to 5,000 lbs. New pass-through storage compartments and side-swinging luggage doors give it the appearance of a more expensive motor home. Also new are a 30” entry door, wider interior entry steps and a dash that has been moved forward for easier entry/exit to the coach.

The Expedition has a new full-wall slide floorplan for 2009, the 38R, which features a very large bedroom suite that includes a queen-size bed, full-width wardrobe, dresser lounge chair and overhead TV. Nearby there is a vanity sink and utility cabinet road-side with the shower and commode on the opposite side. To the left of the entry door is the galley which includes a four-door refrigerator, pantry and pull-out galley extension for meal preparation. To the right is a booth dinette, sofa and love seat along with a 32” LCD TV that is overhead in the cockpit.

The new 40K floorplan in the Discovery features the newest amenity appreciated by veteran RVers—the bath and a half. The full bath is at the rear of the coach and the half-bath is located just forward of the bedroom area, which can be separated from the rest of the coach with a sliding pocket door. The also popular front kitchen is located behind the co-pilot, and the mid-ship living room features an entertainment center that is easily viewed from the sofa and dinette.

The new 40G floorplan in the Discovery features the newest amenity appreciated and asked for by RVers—the bunk bed option. The bunk area actually closes off to make an entire separate room with its own bathroom entry door, making this a true 2-bedroom coach! With a pull-out sofa bed, a king bed option in the bedroom, a U-shape dinette that converts into a bed and the bunk beds, this coach offers sleeping area for eight people. Additionally, the curb-side, full-wall slide enables you to better utilize your entire outside patio area because the awning is mounted to the slide.

The 40T Excursion floorplan, also new this year, features a street-side full-wall slide and two additional curb-side slides. Exterior appointments include new front and rear docking lights, exterior mirrors with integrated side view cameras, chrome entry and luggage door handles and even a chrome spotlight with remote control from the cockpit. Inside, it boasts a restyled dash with a smart wheel that has integrated cruise, wiper and horn controls. A new Pioneer radio with a GPS navigation system will be appreciated as will the large 32” LCD HDTV, radius corner cockpit overhead cabinets and indirect cabinet lighting.

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American Coach
The luxury division of Fleetwood recently introduced the spectacular 42P floorplan to their 2009 Eagle and Tradition models. This floorplan, resulting from customer feedback sought at rallies and through their dealers in 2008, offers numerous improvements for 2009.  

In the 42P, the street-side, full-wall slide extends from behind the pilot’s cockpit chair to just in front of the full bath, which spans the width of the rear of the coach. Two additional slides are found curb-side, one in the bedroom for the standard queen or optional king-size bed with two nightstands, a computer desk and 26” flat panel TV that can be upgraded to 32”.  

The other slide extends the galley and 65” leather sleep sofa a full 30”. In the galley, the optional dishwasher minimizes the tedious job of cleaning up after preparing and serving a gourmet meal. Now you can also opt for a 14-c.f. Dometic side-by-side four-door refrigerator with ice maker rather than the standard 120v residential refrigerator.

With power privacy curtains in the cockpit, you can now block out outside light with the push of a button. A unique work space has also been built into the dinette area to provide a comfortable workspace while traveling. In the American Eagle line-up, both living area slides travel a full 30” and are flush floor for a spacious, residential feel. They have also incorporated the refrigerator into the slide which makes a huge difference in the hallway space.

This layout is so inviting you will find yourself looking for reasons to host more social get-togethers! Another item worth noting is that Michelin will be the tire on which all 2009 American Coach models will ride.  

Tiffin
The Tiffin tradition of quality and creativity continues with the introduction of the 2009 Allegro Bus 36QSP. Known for outstanding customer service and the personal touch of Bob Tiffin and his entire family, the company is sure to get a lot of attention this year with this exquisite 36’ motor home.

The well thought out interior of this coach features four slides with no less than six seating options in the street-side slide located behind the pilot. In the galley, you can opt for a 72” booth dinette, a freestanding dinette and cabinet, or a freestanding dinette and computer workstation combination. In the living room, the standard 74” sleep sofa can be replaced with a Euro recliner and computer desk, a luxurious ultra-leather U-shaped dinette and sleeper sofa, or two Euro recliners with matching ottomans.

At the rear of the coach there is a queen bed and plenty of wardrobe and drawer storage in addition to an optional washer/dryer. Forward of the bedroom is a split bath with a 41” shower curb-side and a commode and vanity across the aisle. A large curb-side slide includes the straight-line galley and a comfortable 62” sofa bed. In addition to the standard 32” LCD TV in the mid-ship entertainment center, there is an optional 32” LCD TV in the exterior sidewall of the passenger side slide-out.

Winnebago
With the new model year comes several new floorplans exclusive to the Winnebago brand with the most notable innovation being the standard king-size bed. The Journey will feature the 34Y floorplan whose full-wall slide makes way for an abundantly spacious layout in the front of the coach. In this area, the dining table and chairs are positioned in a street-side slide and include a buffet featuring a 37” LCD TV in addition to a 75” Rest Easy sofa and Euro chair with ottoman in a curb-side slide. This model also features a large bath mid-ship as well as a king bed in the rear bedroom.

The Adventurer, one of the most popular models in the Winnebago fleet, showcases a new 35Z floorplan. With its three large slides, this model features a king bed, sofa (yes, I said sofa!) and night stand in the bedroom, a wardrobe with drawers just outside the bedroom and a substantial bathroom. Families will appreciate an optional configuration in which the area containing the wardrobe with drawers can accommodate bunk beds for the children.

Also in the Adventurer line-up is the new 38N floorplan which, at 38’ long, may become the most popular of the new floorplans given the vast amount of space it offers. A buffet and dining room table with chairs are nestled in the expansive living area at the front of the coach. A television is angled just behind the driver, and a lounge chair, Rest Easy sofa and space for an optional fireplace can also be found in this area. It’s residential living at its best!

The U-shaped dinette is located mid-ship and features a pull-out table and pantry in addition to the appliances, which include the optional four-door refrigerator/freezer combination. In the rear of the coach, the super-sized bathroom is split with the shower and vanity located street-side and a private commode area curb-side. A sliding door separates the bathroom from the kitchen area and a swing door allows access to the large rear bedroom with yes, a king-size bed!  

The Aspect’s new 28B floorplan features a U-shaped dinette in a street side slide, cabover entertainment center and Euro chair with ottoman. In the bedroom is a queen bed with vanity, and the commode and shower are just ahead near the galley on the other side of the coach.

With opposing slides up front, the longer 30C floorplan has a comfortable galley while the split bathroom is located mid-ship. In the rear, the queen bed is positioned street-side in a third slide and is accompanied by plenty of wardrobe and storage space.

Carriage
The luxurious Domani fifth wheel was an instant success upon its launch in 2006 which is why Carriage has decided to celebrate its 40th anniversary with the introduction of a new line of Domani travel trailers. Light enough to be towed behind a half-ton pick-up, these units mirror the luxury previously only found in fifth wheels carrying the same nameplate. This new line-up offers three creative floorplans, furniture selections and top-of-line cabinetry and fixtures.

The 36’ Cameo fifth wheel is equipped with a full-wall slide in addition to an opposing flush-floor slide that further expands the galley. Remarkably this is a fully functional coach when all of the slides are in, meaning you can use the bathroom, bedroom, refrigerator and the residential washer/dryer while en route. The Cameo 37KS3 floorplan is a 38’ triple slide fifth wheel that has an 84-s.f. walk-through bathroom with solid wood pocket doors, a kitchen island with bar seating, queen-size bed with an option for king as well as washer/dryer capabilities.

KZ
2009 KZ Sportster
2009 KZ Sportster

There are great things on the horizon for the toy hauler RVer too! With its bold presentation of luxury living, modern design and unique functionality, the KZ Inferno fifth wheel has quickly become legendary in the RV industry. Loaded with amenities such as hydraulic slides and front landing gear, a Trail-Air hitch, the ToyLok™ system and a Sony external sound system, active families can combine convenience with camping.

The rear cargo area easily converts into an additional entertainment space with a flip-up table, bar stools and refrigerated beverage dispenser. Additionally, the rear power beds feature lower flip sofas that, when utilized, add extra space to the entertainment area of the cargo. For 2009, KZ will introduce the Inferno Monster fifth wheel, which features even bolder graphics on the front fiberglass cap in addition to a bath and a half, with the full bath offering a sunken tub/shower combination. Does life get any better than this? Possibly! We just found out that KZ will also be introducing their first Inferno travel trailer for 2009!

Quite honestly, there is so much to talk about this year that we just couldn’t fit it all in.