Winnebago Announces Industry-First Motorhomes for 2009 & 2010

LOUISVILLE, KY, Dec 02, 2008 -- Winnebago Industries, Inc., the nation's top-selling manufacturer of motor homes, unveiled three exciting new motor home designs at the 46th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, KY: the new 2010 Winnebago Via, the most fuel efficient Class A motor home, a full-size Class A hybrid concept RV under the Winnebago Adventurer nameplate and a 32-foot Itasca Sunstar front engine diesel motor home.

"We are pleased to introduce the most revolutionary product concepts this industry has ever seen with the new 2010 Winnebago Via, the Winnebago Adventurer hybrid, and the Itasca Sunstar front engine diesel motor home," said Winnebago Industries Chairman of the Board, CEO and President Bob Olson. "Winnebago Industries has long been a leader in this industry, and with the introduction of these new vehicles, we continue to set the bar with the most innovative and unique products on the market today."

Winnebago Via - First Class A-based Sprinter

Built on the fuel-efficient 11,030-lb. GVWR Dodge Sprinter chassis with a Mercedes Benz diesel engine, the new Winnebago Via is the first of its kind, and is sure to revolutionize the industry thanks to its fuel economy. The Via features an industry-leading fuel efficiency that's estimated at 15+ miles per gallon. Factor in the Via's use of space utilization and contemporary design and it's a complete package.

"Winnebago Industries was the first manufacturer to introduce products built on the Dodge Sprinter Class C chassis and now we are the first to bring a Class A motor home built on the Dodge Sprinter chassis to the market," said Winnebago Industries' Chairman of the Board, CEO and President Bob Olson. "The new Via, and its Itasca counterpart, the Reyo, are innovative Class A coaches that combine design, space, efficiency and drivability into one compact 25-foot package. You won't find another motor home like it in the market place, and I'm proud to say Winnebago Industries did it first."

The Via showcases the new 25T at Louisville. Despite its compact 25-foot length, the Via offers impressive roominess with a front slideout room, a private bathroom area, fully equipped galley, and sleeping accommodations that are truly unique. In the rear, twin beds offer a flex bed concept that is easily converted into a queen bed for a larger continuous sleeping space. Additional sleeping space is also found up front with the new Studio Loft. This new "spare" bed system neatly tucks into the ceiling of the coach when not in use and conveniently pulls down to create a second bedroom area. Other highlights include the new Intellisense monitor panel that incorporates a LCD panel readout with touch screen technology, and the new Threshold RV Door. The exclusive Threshold door design is unique in that it has dual latching points and does not break the seal plane for the latch and hinge connection points. This creates a more secure and quieter door. It also features a unique residential style window with built-in screen than eliminates the need for a separate screen door. The Winnebago Via and Itasca Reyo will be available in the market in summer 2009.

Hybrid Concept Adventurer

Winnebago Industries also unveiled a full-size Class A hybrid concept RV with the new 2009 Winnebago Adventurer. The Adventurer hybrid concept vehicle features a Freightliner ecoFRED chassis with Eaton hybrid power system components. This is a full hybrid system in that it utilizes two independent power sources (a diesel engine and an electric motor) that work in conjunction to optimally power the vehicle.

The Adventurer Hybrid also is the first hybrid motor home to feature an Auxiliary Power Generation (APG) unit that senses hybrid battery power levels and automatically engages the coach's engine to charge the batteries. Because this hybrid system also supplies power to the 120-volt coach system, and on-board generator is not required. The Adventurer Hybrid concept vehicle explores new horizons in RV efficiency and functionality and is just one more example of Winnebago Industries tradition of industry leading innovation.

"Winnebago Industries is on the cutting edge of RV hybrid technology with this concept vehicle that explores the viability of advanced hybrid systems in motor home applications," said Olson. "We are pleased to bring this type of advancement to the market."

Sunstar - Front Engine Diesel Concept

A new Itasca Sunstar 32K concept vehicle featuring a 20,500 lb. GVWR Workhorse front engine diesel chassis with a MaxxForce 7 V8 diesel engine was also unveiled in Louisville. Built on the new Workhorse W20D front engine diesel chassis specifically designed for this RV application, this coach offers an estimated 10-12 MPG and features real towing capacity -- 5,000 lbs.; a Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,000 lbs. and sleeping for six. The Itasca Sunstar and Winnebago Vista will be available with this new chassis in summer 2009.