Airstream International Serenity 762

We liked:
>> stunning looks
>> classy interior
>> tows like a dream

Not so much:
>> It’s heavy
>> It’s pricey
>> I can’t afford one!

You don’t need a degree in industrial design – or even an interest in caravans – to appreciate the timeless beauty of an American-built Airstream. 

Conceived in the 1930s, the latest versions combine aviation-inspired, retro styling with modern, funky interior designs, sturdy construction and the latest technology.

With about 1450 hand-built at Airstream’s Ohio factory each year, it’s no surprise these stylish, sausage-shaped, polished aluminium ‘travel trailers’ remain firm favourites of the Hollywood set, not to mention collectors, commercial operators or just those who enjoy the finer things in life.

Now part of Thor Industries, the world’s largest RV manufacturer, the 80-year old Airstream brand has a long and colourful history, one that’s been the subject of many books and numerous articles.

Suffice to say, like other long-lived, iconic American brands including Jeep and Harley Davidson, Airstream has managed to ride the economic waves and remain relevant, thanks to regular updates and improvements, while remaining true to what made the original such a success.

READY FOR TAKE-OFF

After introducing the brand to Europe, UK, China and Japan in recent years, Airstream recently decided to set up shop in Australia, appointing A & A Industries in Batemans Bay, NSW as the official distributor Down Under.

Just two Airstream ‘International’ models will be available initially: the 20ft 9in (6.24m long) 624 model and 25ft (7.62m) 762 (reviewed here), priced from $115,000 and $135,000 respectively.

Layouts and decor choice are limited at this point, but there are plans to offer more models as well as a range of options including solar panels.

The Australian-delivered Airstreams are factory modified to comply with local regulations including 240V wiring, gas, plumbing, and appliances. 

Compared to to equivalent US models, they’re slightly shorter and narrower to fit on our roads, and feature bigger wheels, 50mm ball hitches and, in the case of early examples at least, two entry doors – one on each side.

RIVETTING READING

Airstream likes to boast that of the tens of thousands of caravans it’s built over the decades, 70 per cent remain in active use today. While this could be partly attributable to their collectable status, the company says it’s also due to the “care and craftsmanship that goes into the making of every Airstream”.

While you could hardly call the production process state-of-the-art, it’s certainly painstaking and laborious. Each van takes approximately 280 man hours – or two weeks – to build, with much of that time taken up by two workers attaching the sheets of aircraft-grade aluminium to the steel frame using up to 3000 rivets.

Before it’s attached to the painted, box channel steel chassis, the ‘semi monocoque’ superstructure is tested for leaks in a booth that “simulates hurricane-strength rain”. Inside, a 6cm layer of fibreglass batt insulation is covered in more aluminium sheeting, which like the exterior features a clear coat protective finish.

The end result is a curvaceous, streamlined appearance, inside and out (it was originally inspired by an airplane fuselage) that Airstream claims is 20 percent more aerodynamic than your typical boxy caravan, while the low centre of gravity aids stability on the road.

Hooked up to our Mazda BT-50 tow vehicle, the 25ft Airstream certainly behaved well, tracking confidently at speeds up to 95km/h over mostly twisting, undulating sections of bitumen around Batemans Bay.

With a gutsy 147kW/470Nm five-cylinder turbodiesel engine and impressive 3350kg towing capacity, the BT-50 ute had no problem maintaining speed up some serious inclines.

It also recorded a respectable 15.6L/100km (as opposed to 8.5L/100km solo); which wasn’t bad considering the challenging towing conditions and the bulk of the Airstream, which has a Tare of 2720kg, ATM of 3447kg and ball weight of 349kg.

LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

Whether it’s the sun glistening off its rounded flanks in the midday sun as it flashes by, or the cool deep reflections from its mirror-like panels in fading evening light, the Airstream is probably the closest any caravan gets to being an ornament on wheels. It’s no surprise an example sits permanently in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Looking over some more practical details though, the 762 rides on a twin axle rubber torsion suspension, 15in forged alloy wheels and 12in electric brakes.

Getting down on hands and knees reveals more smooth aluminium sheeting underneath, protecting the plywood floor as well as neatly hiding most of the piping and wiring. The spare wheel is also neatly tucked away in the underbody, as is a storage tube for the 5m long sullage hose.

Atop the short drawbar is an enclosed, stainless steel box containing two, 9kg gas bottles, and another metal box for the two, 105aH deep cycle batteries.

There’s a separate gas connection for a BBQ, tiny handbrake lever, and a permanently attached, 12V-powered Leverlite electric jack, that turns a normally fiddly exercise into an effortless, push-button job.

While there’s a large boot up front, access is limited by a small hatch awkwardly located behind the gas bottles, restricting the size and shape of items that can be stored here.

We liked the ‘hidden’ storage compartment that forms part of the steel rear bumper though, which holds slender items like the wind-out pole for the extra large, Zip Dee patio awning.

Externally, there’s also a separate locker for the hot/cold shower hose, 240V sockets and a connector for the roof-mounted Winegard aerial.

Another criticism I have of the external design, has more to do with aesthetics. The Dometic rooftop air-con ‘pod’ mounted on the rooftop sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb, and in my opinion spoils the clean, sleek profile.

The van also sits fairly low to the ground, so it’s probably not something you’ll want to take too far off the blacktop.

Helping to prevent stone chips at the front are wrap-around, stainless steel shields and heavily tinted plastic covers for the panorama-style curved front windows.

Handily, these body-hugging guards can be hinged back and cleaned on the inside without having to remove them from the van. Like most Airstream accessories, they’ve been designed as much for looks as practicality.

FIRST-CLASS CABIN

With such a jaw-dropping exterior, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the interior design and layout was a letdown, but fortunately this wasn’t the case.

Described as 'east meets west', this ‘Serenity’ edition boasts an appealing decor theme that blends contemporary beige, brown and metallic hues with Japanese influences including bamboo-look laminate flooring, textured Corian benchtops, burnt orange splashbacks and lemongrass/rice paper-look perspex highlights.

Contributing to the swish, Sydney Harbourside apartment feel is a super-soft leatherette lounge, but if you don’t like this look there are a couple of other options available.

The lavish, candy-cane shaped lounge occupying the rear incorporates a four-person dinette, with drop-down table that converts to another double bed. All up, there’s seating for about eight people, with the straight section of lounge also doubling as a single bed.

Entertainment wise, there’s an LG Blu-ray player and CD/AM/FM unit hidden in an overhead locker, hooked up to two LED TVs (in the lounge and bedroom) and internal speakers.

The kitchen is equipped with a 185 litre Dometic fridge/freezer, Omega two-burner gas cooktop, De Longhi convection microwave, and Baraldi rangehood.

Washing up shouldn’t be a problem in the deep, round stainless steel sink which features a Moen one-touch tap with built-in purifier. There's also a plastic cover/cutting board for the sink that should come in handy as kitchen benchspace is limited.

SHOOTING THE BREEZE

Another thing I noticed was the narrow, somewhat tight passageway that leads past the separate shower and toilet/bathroom to the front bedroom. One explanation for this is that due to Aussie Airstreams being 12.5cm narrower than US models, there's been a loss of floorspace in this area.

While it’s not a major issue, it does mean the shower and bathroom doors won’t completely open.

The shower is the usual moulded one piece unit with shower hose and a small, sit down bench, while the bathroom opposite is well-equipped with a vanity and stainless steel sink, overhead locker with mirror, two towel racks, Dometic toilet and cupboards for storage.

While a novelty, the extra door (retained from the American version) on the rear offside is a welcome addition. Not only does it provide separate entry to the bedroom but also contributes to a refreshing, cross-flow breeze through the van when both doors are open.

There’s not much in the way of storage (or walking) space in the bedroom, apart from an overhead cabinet, two side tables and the usual slot under the north/south, innerspring double bed.

Most storage is in the central kitchen area, and includes a massive wardrobe, some large cabinets, cutlery drawers and generous shelving area under the circular sink which also hides the bin. 

Dimmable downlights mounted flush in the metal ceiling are LED, as are the stylish reading lights, while automatic Fan-Tastic skylight vents are fitted in the bedroom and living areas. The controls for the gas air heater are in the bedroom, with floor vents spread throughout the van.

It's also worth mentioning the aviation (and maritime) inspired windows, which are mechanical masterpieces in their own right. As well as robust locking pins, built-in flyscreens, and pull-down blinds, they wind out to almost 90 degrees to allow plenty of air in.

The narrower ‘porthole’ windows that run into the curved roof section also act as extra skylights during the day, adding to the airy, fishbowl feel.

VERDICT

More than most boxy white caravans, buying an Airstream will involve the emotional rather than rational parts of the brain. If it’s value for money you’re after, best to look elsewhere.

At $135,000 (towaway NSW), the Airstream 762 is priced at the upper end of the on-road caravan market. In fact, its cost is comparable to full-size, fully optioned off-road vans designed to keep you off the beaten track for days on end.

On first impressions though, the built-quality appears first-rate (the doors feel as weighty and solid as a Boeing 747's!). Airstream’s claims about on-road stability and aerodynamics also held up during our brief tow test.

Aside from its jaw-dropping looks, you can also appreciate some of the more unique features, like the two entry doors (with fold-down steps) and powered jack. The 147 litre black water tank seems a bit overkill for our market however.

As well as targeting discerning travellers, Airstream Australia is also hoping to entice businesses looking for a stylish marketing ‘prop’, with orders already in the pipeline from Harley Davidson motorcycles and Ben and Jerry’s icecream.

One thing’s for sure. Whoever buys one will have to be prepared to field constant enquiries from stickybeaks and fellow travellers, who are instantly attracted to this streamlined, silver bullet.

AIRSTREAM INTERNATIONAL SERENITY 762

Travel length: 8.53m (28ft)
Body length: 7.62m (25ft)
Exterior width: 2.44m (8ft)
Interior width: 2.31m (7ft 7in)
Height interior (excl. air-con): 2.0m (6ft 7in)
Height exterior (incl. air-con): 2.92m (7ft 9in)
Tare: 2720kg
ATM: 3447kg
Ball weight: 349kg
Fresh water: 147 litres
Grey water: 140 litres
Black water: 147 litres
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Berths: 5
Cooktop: two-burner gas
Fridge: 185 Dometic fridge/freezer
Microwave: convection
Air-con/gas heater: Yes
Price: $135,000 (tow-away NSW)
Supplied by: Airstream Australia, Batemans Bay, NSW