Car manufacturers tend to stay out of the RV market. They’ll happily provide cutaways, powertrains, and chassis to the RV industry, but will largely stay out of building motorhomes themselves. But what if automakers dared to explore? What automaker would make a great RV?
In decades past, America’s automakers loved to build vehicles that weren’t cars. Each of the Big Three used to build semi-tractors and other non-cars. General Motors used to dominate at building locomotives and buses, while Chrysler famously built air raid sirens. All of the Big Three used to flirt with aviation, with the most famous example being the Ford Tri-Motor. Yet, America’s automotive might hasn’t often flirted with RVs.
If you’re a reader of this website, you’re almost certainly about to mention the iconic GMC MotorHome (the ‘H’ was capitalized in advertising). This is an excellent example of what Detroit could do with RVs. The MotorHome of the 1970s was decades ahead of its time as a coach that was built to last, easy to drive, insanely comfortable, and low-slung for an RV. The GMC MotorHome is so legendary that instead of spending $500,000 on a brand-new Class A motorhome, some people spend that money updating old GMC MotorHomes into the modern day. The GMC MotorHome was such a great and aerodynamic coach, that when someone wanted to break the motorhome land speed record, they modified a GMC!
Honestly, the GMC MotorHome was probably the apex of motorhomes, period, which is amazing because it wasn’t built by an RV company. Sadly, GM’s peers didn’t build anything close to the MotorHome. Sure, Ford once slapped its brand onto a fiberglass truck camper called the American Road, but this wasn’t an in-house build. Instead, Ford partnered with Starcraft RV to bring it to market.
The most famous Dodge RV is the Dodge Motor Home, but this wasn’t the work of Dodge’s team. Instead, it was Dodge’s name slapped on a creation by RV pioneer Raymond C. Frank.
Even when Toyota was slinging motorhomes in America, its coach bodies were designed and built by someone else. That makes the GMC MotorHome unique. GMC didn’t just slap its name on someone else’s work, but saw the RV industry and used its brilliant in-house team to do better.
So, that makes me think. If a car manufacturer were to get into making RVs again, which manufacturers would make great ones? General Motors is an obvious pick here – the General could just make a 21st-century version of the MotorHome. But let’s get more creative here.
I’d be interested in seeing a motorhome from Dodge or SRT. I’m not talking about farming out the body to someone else, either, but totally in-house. Knowing the brand’s current image, this coach would probably be all blacked-out or purple with racetrack-style taillights, halo headlights, a front splitter, and at least Hellcat power. But the cool thing is that since Ram is in bed with Cummins, boom, the 6.7 Cummins is right within reach.
I’m not sure what kind of interior a Dodge Hellcat motorhome would have, but I would imagine it would be black with red accents, maybe some red lighting, and of course, Hellcat logos all over the place. In true Dodge fashion, the motorhome would be surprisingly affordable for what you get and the motorhome would ride on an old platform like the medium-duty truck platform that Dodge sold in Mexico. Okay, I’m only joking about that last one.
Would a Hellcat motorhome be silly? Absolutely! But I love it when RV manufacturers don’t take themselves super seriously and build something fun. Alright, so now I turn it to you: What car manufacturer would make a great RV?
My immediate thought was an EV company, but then figured range is a big deal for motorhomes so an EREV would be almost mandatory. Then I wondered whether such a thing existed and found an answer right here, from just 20 days ago: https://www.theautopian.com/a-big-rv-company-just-launched-an-extended-range-500-mile-electric-motorhome-that-makes-a-ton-of-sense/
A lot of the comments on that piece rightfully questioned the marketability of a small half-million dollar motorhome, largely because the poor quality of most RVs makes the idea a bad value. But what if it was a Rivian? They already make a van and have shown proficiency with plush customizable interiors, clever storage areas, and seem to be able to offer a well-made vehicle at a competitive price point. So maybe a stretched Amazon delivery van with a range extender?
It’s only natural that Honda would enter the scene to go with their car, motorcycle, lawnmower, generator, and jet offerings.
Just watched Anchorman 2 with the GM motorhome scene where Ron thinks cruise control drives it… then they crash it hard. Poor motorhome!
I second the Hellcat motorhome…hell yeah! Or any by Dodge…I like their classic RV’s. Also, I love the classic Toyota RV’s like the Dolphin (even though they are expensive) so it would be cool if Toyota made a new RV like those (and not mess it up, make it very similar to the original)
Another cool one would be the Dodge Roadtrek RV vans (I think the name is still around but it would be cool to see them make new ones like the old ones)
I’d pick Lucid. They don’t build motor homes but they’re unusually well-set up to nail one.
• Relentless efficiency = real range in a brick. A motor home is an aerodynamic potato. Lucid’s whole brand is squeezing miles from kWh.
• Compact, power-dense motors = more living space.
• High-voltage fast charging = less time at the plug.
• Thermal management. Efficient heat pumps and smart cooling.
• Lucid can do light, airy, modern spaces that won’t age like faux-marble laminate. Think boutique hotel, not airport food court.
• Software/OTA competence. An RV is an energy and comfort OS: HVAC, battery, solar, gray/black water, leveling, shades, security. Again, part of their engineering culture.
Agree, even if an ERV makes no sense it would still be better than what anyone else would come up with.
Brightdrop, Rivian, Li , Xpeng , Toyota
What car manufacturer would make a great RV?
Jeffries Automotive, literally made for the apocalypse:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmaster
The Paperboy 2000!
Bentley.
They already have a powertrain which is more than capable of pushing 45’ of luxury motorcoach around – There was even a diesel, briefly available in the Bentayga.
They also have their home furnishings business, which can be found in Bentley-branded luxury condos and aboard yachts from Dynamiq and Contest.
A super-luxury motorcoach is kind of a no-brainer.
There was also a Ford branded “Livin Lite” aluminum camper. I put mine on a Ram 3500 🙂
https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/tcm-exclusive-2016-ford-8-6-and-6-8-truck-campers/
Mercedes Sprinter-based motorhomes are pretty nice, though of course Mercedes doesn’t do the interiors of them. If they did, I am not sure they would be much different than what the European RV makers put in them already.
VW and Westphalia obviously had/have a tight relationship too.
Now how about Prevost making their own interiors? But again, probably wouldn’t be much different than what ends up in them anyway. A bit too gin palace for me, but I suppose when you have a few million to spend they will make it any way your want it.
SLATE, INEOS, Rivian, Morgan, FIAT, Mahindra