The upper end of the RV market is a truly different realm. You can buy motorhomes that have multiple bathrooms, garages for your car, and are appointed like a hotel in Las Vegas. I thought I saw it all until I peeked at the driver seat of a new Foretravel at this year’s Florida RV SuperShow. Nestled in the sea of switches was a Sport button. Yes, this 45-foot motorhome, which weighs over 50,000 pounds when loaded up, has a sport mode just like your car. It works exactly how you think, too. Let’s look at what $1.8 million buys you in motorhomes.
I admit, I usually skip RVs like this. If you’ve been reading my work for long enough, you know that I champion affordability and accessibility. These monster buses are impressive for the levels of engineering put into their drivetrains and their bombastic interiors. However, I also know that these coaches are beyond the reach of so many people, myself and many of our readers included. However, every once in a while, it’s fun to peek into what you can buy when money might not be an option.
One of these jumbo motorhomes stopped me in my tracks during the 2026 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Florida. The 2026 Foretravel Realm Presidential LVBS has so much going on, from one of the ugliest faces I’ve seen on a motorhome and glass-like shine to its body, to its jaw-dropping interior. But then I saw it, right next to the steering wheel, was a button that said ‘Sport.’ Wait, hold on, this thing has a sport mode? Like a car? Oh yes, yes it does.
An Old Innovator
A surprising number of readers have asked me to write about Foretravel Motorcoach. These readers have good reason to ask for this, as Foretravel has a history of being an innovator in the modern motorhome space. Here’s what the company says about its own history:
The business of building motorhomes came about not due to planning by the Fores, but by the traveling they did in their self-built motorhome. From that modest beginning in 1967 with the 29’ “Speedy Marie” motor home produced in the backyard of C.M. & Marie Fore, Foretravel continued to set the standard. Weathering the oil embargo’s of the early 1970s Foretravel introduced the first diesel-powered motorhome in 1974. In addition to the numerous conveniences of a Foretravel, i.e., VCRs, central vacuum cleaners, ice-makers, trash compactors, Foretravel was among the first to use fiberglass instead of aluminum, real hardwood, and a full air ride and air suspension leveling chassis.
Early Foretravels were built on Dodge and Chevrolet chassis before later moving to Oshkosh platforms. Historically, Foretravel has long been ahead of the curve. The company notes that its old coaches had VCRs, vacuum cleaners, and so on, but what Foretravel doesn’t say is that it offered these features during a time when their implementation wasn’t common.
One of the more famous Foretravels is the 1987 Grand Villa Unihome. What made the Unihome a forward-thinking design of its day was its chassis design. The Unihome was built on a unitized monocoque chassis, a little bit similar to how a coach bus is built. This type of design wasn’t exactly novel — Revcon motorhomes had unitized construction since 1968 — but it wasn’t exactly common, either. In fact, most of the Class A motorhomes today, including ones built by Foretravel, utilize frames made by the likes of Spartan, Ford, or Freightliner.
The Unihome, which sported an aerodynamic design, was supposed to be a step forward in motorhome design. It was tight and devoid of squeaks and rattles thanks to the monocoque. Foretravel also gave its Unihomes an air suspension with eight bags, so that while you might have been riding in a big bus-like vehicle, it didn’t ride like one.
Foretravel has built itself a reputation for good build quality over the decades. From what I have found after scouring forums, many Foretravel owners are impressively loyal, with quite a few folks on their third or fourth coach. These people came into Foretravel ownership from different angles. Some people sold their houses and spent the money on a Foretravel. Some people saved money for their entire lives and decided to retire in a Foretravel. Others are well-paid professionals and business owners.
Bombastic
That brings us to 2026 Foretravel Realm Presidential LVBS. The Foretravel Realm was introduced in 2015 to bridge the gap between Foretravel’s flagship IH-45 and cheaper models from the competition. The design of the Realm was the work of Donny O’Banion and his team from Motor Home Specialists of Alvarado, Texas, which is now known as Blue Compass RV.
Today, Foretravel markets only two models, the Realm FS605 and the Realm FS605 Presidential Series. The latter of which is the one I checked out at the RV show because of its list price of $1,845,240. I just had to know what spending nearly $2 million on a motorhome would get you.
The Realm starts with what sounds like a solid build. It rides on a Spartan K4 chassis and is powered by a Cummins X15, a 15-liter inline-six diesel good for 605 HP and 1,950 lb-ft of torque. It’s backed by an Allison MH4000R six-speed automatic. This unit is a far cry from the vintage stuff that I normally write about. I mean, the power alone is more than healthy for anywhere you’d drive in America. The platform also sports traction control, ABS, air disc brakes on all wheels, an automatic air reservoir dump, and a Tyron bead-lock tire blowout protection system. This thing even has a collision avoidance system and adaptive cruise control.
None of that is new if you’re used to high-end motorhomes, but it can be a bit surprising if you haven’t checked any spec sheets recently.
The body of the coach features a steel superstructure, a one-piece Cosmo-Lite roof, and fiberglass caps. What is Cosmo-Lite? Foretravel explains:
Cosmo-Lite is a thermoplastic substrate comprised of polypropylene resin reinforced with continuous bidirectional glass fibers. It resists scratches, rot, corrosion, and mildew and is not affected by cleaning related chemicals, or environmental exposure. Cosmo-Lite roofs provide significant energy absorption over traditional roof substrates and exhibits thermal expansion similar to aluminum.
That sounds pretty neat!
Much of this exterior was impressive. The body felt like a clean sheet of glass, and it reflected like glass, too. Foretravel’s reps told me that this look is due to the production process, which utilizes multiple layers of clear coat. The exterior of the FS605 was also very loud. I’m not talking about noise, either. My photos don’t really show just how bold this exterior was. The blue accents in the paint and the matching underglow were in your face. If you’re looking for stealth, this is the exact wrong coach for that.
I also find it neat how, at least for the Realm Presidential Series, Foretravel didn’t just steal some poor car’s headlights and taillights. Though the new Realm FS605 (without the Presidential naming) does have car headlights. The Presidential Series instead has an array of LEDs and Xenon low beam headlamps. But, golly, these lights are so overwrought.
Let’s just count all of the lights on the front of this thing.
There are three LED strips on each side in addition to the fog lights, turn indicators, and headlights. These LEDs aren’t even solid strips, either, but little individual dots, like a car from 2012 might have. In this case, I think a set of car headlights would have been an improvement.
Into The Realm
The interior is where things crank up to 11. To Foretravel’s credit, the designers largely resisted making this one look and feel like a casino inside. There’s still some ridiculousness going on here, like that weird blue infinite mirror in the center of the living room, something that feels like it would be at home in a nightclub or a limo.
The primary bedroom also has one of those ceiling mirrors in it. I wonder how many people enjoy looking at themselves from the ceiling over their bed?
The bill of materials includes laminate cabinetry, quartz countertops, and leather seating surfaces. The equipment list is too long to list, but expect residential appliances, a floor tile heating system, three roof air-conditioners with heat pumps, an Onan 12.5 kW diesel generator, a UV light sanitation system for the holding tanks, and two full bathrooms with sizable showers.
To say this thing is fully-loaded would be an understatement. Though I did find that some of the public who toured this coach were unimpressed. A few people scoffed at the idea of paying over a million dollars and getting laminate cabinets and not real wood.
The entertainment list is honestly hilarious. Depending on the exact floor plan, Foretravel says you can get up to six 4K TVs in your Realm and seven TVs in total (the last one is 1080P only). There’s also a 5.1 surround sound system, a sound bar in the bedroom, a StarLink on the roof, a 360-degree camera system, and more.
Oh yeah, the tanks are pretty awesome, too. The Foretravel sucks up 120 gallons of water, 160 gallons of waste, and 200 gallons of diesel. Diesel is about $3.40 a gallon near me. That’s $680 to fill this big boy’s tank! The coach also has a 20,000-pound towing capacity and a 54,000-pound gross weight.
It Has A Sport Mode
I sat in the driver’s seat after I finished my tour and was a bit unimpressed with the blind spots caused by the A-pillar. But then I looked down and saw a button labeled “Touring” and “Sport.” Wait, what?
According to Foretravel, these modes are a part of what it calls the Performance Choice system. This system consists of an anti-roll bar, 60mm racing-inspired Bilstein shocks, two auxiliary air-spring ping tanks, and an independent front suspension.
Foretravel says that when you put the Realm into Sport mode, the air suspension stiffens up, reducing roll by 13 percent. When you drop it down into Touring, the suspension softens by 18 percent.
Amazingly, Foretravel’s sport mode doesn’t even go as far as the competition. Newell also has a sport mode, and this mode stiffens and lowers the suspension while also changing shift points and responsiveness. In other words, both of these companies offer the kind of Sport modes that you’d find in a car, and I can’t stop laughing at that.
I’m not laughing because I think this is stupid. Quite the opposite. I can see choosing Foretravel’s sport mode when you’re driving your motorhome on a twisty road. But the naming of it as “Sport Mode” has me picturing myself driving a 45-foot, nearly 50,000-pound motorhome around a racetrack. I’m also giggling at the thought of pulling up to a red light, seeing someone in a Ford Mustang, and putting the motorhome into sport mode for a stoplight drag. I know, I’m silly. Hey, Foretravel, I’ll do it, let me take one of these around a track!
Ignoring that hilarity, it’s honestly remarkable how much motorhome you can get for over a million dollars. The wildest part is that the 2026 Foretravel Realm Presidential LVBS isn’t even as crazy as things get. Prevost motorhomes get more expensive and more elegant. There are motorhomes out there with garages for a car, or that look like they came from space. So, the Foretravel is weirdly tame. Well, except for the headlights, anyway.
Top graphic image: Mercedes Streeter
If Foretravel ever takes you up on that offer to track track their motor home, I’d be more than curious to see what the traction control and collison avoidance systems are capable of. It’s hard to imagine this thing accomplishing anything even remotely resembling athletic or sporty and would likely roll before the systems could make any real difference.
Proof that money can’t buy taste.
I really miss the Foretravel Unihomes. I did love those when they were current. I honestly didn’t know the company was still around, but now I see why… just another cookie cutter luxury motorhome that looks like all the others.
Do we really not have a heated leather steering wheel in that?? I liked the outside okay, but that interior is not good.
Obviously they spent their money on the exterior, including the roof, the driveline and all the fancy driver’s aids, and then some of the interior options. 7 TVs?!
The interior will not age well; it still looks a little bit like a Vegas hotel.
Mercedes, I’m surprised you haven’t done a story on Volkner Motorhomes…..talk about high end and expensive – and they have that cool party trick!
A “Sport” button don’t repeal the laws of physics, it’s still a high CG pig with only 24 HP/Ton and even fleet vans can beat it!
Despite what everyone talks about – HP isn’t what moves motorhomes and semis.
It’s torque – of which these have over 1000 lb/ft.
Torque vs HP: It will do 65mph straight up a cliff, but going from 65 to 75 will take a few minutes.
Not that anyone driving one of these and towing another vehicle is in any sort of a hurry.
Appropriate that they should call the camper with such an ugly face Presidential in these times.
Back end looks like the back of a bus too.
Surprised the only “gold” was on the dashboard.
Yes, and old computers had a Turbo button. I can’t see a reason why you’d not have it engaged all the time either.
But what I’d actually like to know: what license do you need to drive this.
In most states, nothing other than an ordinary/class D driver license assuming it’s for private/non-commerical use.
Oddly enough, the “Turbo” button on older PCs actually slowed the processor clock down as a sort of compatibility mode with older software that would run too fast on newer/faster hardware. “Turbo” mode was always on by default, so pressing it “disengaged” turbo and imposed a limit. But I guess “Turbo Mode” was a gimmick and sounded cooler than “one touch 8088 compatibility mode button”
Would you not need, at least, DZ since it’s equipped with airbrakes?
I don’t think an ordinary driver’s license is good enough for something this big and heavy, capable of inflicting a lot of injury and property damage.
The turbo button on old computers was a bit of a misnomer. Having it on made the processor run at its full speed. You would turn it off to get back to a slower clock speed as a lot of early IBM PC software used the clock speed as a timer (and/or had programmed games to utilize it at 100% as a frame limiter) and certain pieces of software ran very oddly or not at all if you were using a faster processor. The original IBM PC hardware was sort of treated as universal and programming was a bit different back then.
I can see using the sport mode on this bus in certain situations. I have a 1996 Toyota HiAce that has a similar button that gives a bit more power and holds the gears lower. It’s nice on windy mountain roads, but does seem silly in a full-sized van. This feels much sillier, but may have its uses.
I imagine you just need a regular driver’s license, which seems insane, but the reason is ‘MERICA!
Yeah, there was definitely a time or two where you had to disable the turbo function in order for old games to work correctly. Or at least I did.
Yeah I had a stack of arcade games ported to PC (Robtoron, Moon Patrol, Battlezone, etc.) that required me to disable Turbo for them to run right on my 286.
Nearly $2MM for cheap-ass cabinetry & hardware, house-flipper floor tile, and a television right above where you’re sitting?
I think I’d rather have a KingAire at just over half the price.
https://www.newmarcorp.com/models/king-aire/2026-king-aire
It’s just as obnoxiously big as well.
How is 1.7 million half of 1.8 million?
You’re right –
Pricewise I was thinking of the Essex – with similar floorplans & features and exact same drivetrain.
https://www.newmarcorp.com/models/essex/2026-essex
But does it have a Maximum Overdrive button?
https://media.tenor.com/I8ewyS-rQioAAAAM/overdrive-maximum-overdrive.gif
“Hey, Foretravel, I’ll do it, let me take one of these around a track!”
Do it, Foretravel! What are ya, chicken?!?
And to thnk Joe and Jane anybody can just hop right in and drive. No CDL! No training requirements!
The retiree crowd would really struggle to get a CDL. This way makes a lot more sense.
I mean, I absolutely want a CDL (or at least a non-commercial class A) for myself, but it’s extremely difficult. The four-figure schooling is basically required for a CDL, and even for a non-commercial class A (at least in Pennsylvania) it appears I’d need to befriend someone else with a class A (commercial or not) who owns their own vehicle of that class, practice with it, and use it for the test.
I just want it for fun! “Class A” sounds and looks cooler than “Class C” and it has pun opportunities, too! But it seems exceptionally unlikely.
Me too! My comment was tongue-and-cheek, in the sense that you absolutely ought to need advanced training to drive one of these things and that the average operator likely could not qualify. Which is absurd/terrifying.
Can’t say I blame them. I’m way too poor to know what should be in a near-$2mil coach but greige laminate doesn’t seem to be it.
Agreed – both from a durability and an aesthetic standpoint. Finished wood cabinets would look and feel nicer. But then people might go and pay someone a $80k to update their motorhome’s interior in a few years rather than go out and buy a new one. A lot harder to replace cabinets than refinish them.
See, this is what inflation does. For $2 million, I figured the cabinets wouldn’t just be wood, but the wood would be from Mallorn Trees that used to be lived in by Elves.
Instead now it’s just laminate. Next thing you know I fill find out the leather isn’t from White Rhinos and unicorns.
Like the article said, you go to Prevost for unicorn leather.
I prefer my leather to be made from whale penis.
It’s a national disgrace our government has not lifted the import ban on it.
Don’t forget that high tech Cosmolite roof which is… Fibreglass.
Ha. But Fiberglass would be fine for a roof, no? I get they have to give it a silly name to sound fancy…
When I see stuff like this I keep picturing some small old man, who has never driven anything bigger that a Camry, white-knuckling one of these on some guardrail-less mountain road. I would hope that states require additional licensing for something this big.
In my state, (Massachusetts) anything 26,001 and over requires a Class B – CDL (Commercial Driver’s Licence) thanksfully. If they want to tow anything larger than 10,000 with this monster it would move up to a Class A – CDL.
I know a lot of guys that get an RV in their 60s and 70s as sort of a mobile retirement home. I can’t imagine being 70+ years old and thinking a F-150 is a big vehicle and suddenly be in charge of this beast.
That was my Dad.
When my parents retired they sold their houses and bought a 40′ DutchStar, which they traveled the continent in for 20 year – towing a Saturn, then later a Ford Focus.
When they hit their early 80’s, Mom said it was time to buy a house to live in again.
Having driven a Uhaul towing a car cross country, I remember thinking how insane it was that what I was doing was legal. I know professional truck drivers would laugh, but to an average driver, piloting something like that through construction with jersey barriers on each side, making turns, staying centered….it was terrifying. Good on them but that’s not the relaxing retirement I’d want.
It wasn’t that relaxing.
Which is probably why they’re in such good mental and physical health.
Ricky Bobby called, he want’s his RV back.