More American Winnebago RVs coming

Brisbane-based Apollo Motorhome Holidays is planning to roll out a number of US-built Winnebago caravans and motorhomes in Australia over the next 18 months, including the possibility of supersized, ‘A-class' coach-based motorhomes the iconic American RV manufacturer is famous for.

Apollo, which announced in July a licencing deal with Iowa-based Winnebago Industries to sell Winnebago-branded products in Australia, expects the first batch of brightly-painted, US-built Minnie caravans to arrive down under before the end of the year.

Apollo CEO Luke Trouchet, who recently travelled to the USA to see the first Australian-bound Minnie caravans roll off the production line, said additional US-built Winnebago caravans are expected to join the model mix over the next 12-18 months.

“It's early days but we have exciting plans to expand the range of fully imported caravans, possibly making US-built motorised Winnebago RVs available according to market demand,” Trouchet said.

As well as bigger-than-Texas A and B-class motorhomes, some measuring over 40ft in length, Winnebago also sells in the US a range of smaller ‘B class' campervans, including a Mercedes Sprinter based Era model more familiar to Australian campervan buyers.

Under the licencing agreement, Apollo is also designing and manufacturing a range of Winnebago-branded motorhomes at its Northgate, Brisbane facility, based on Fiat Ducato and Sprinter vans and cab-chassis.

As well as the four tandem-axle Minnie caravan models available initially in Australia, which range from 19 to 26ft long and are available in red, yellow, green, orange and pink exterior colours, Winnebago's ‘towable' range in the US includes a number of big fifth-wheelers as well as a massive Ultralite caravan that stretches to 37ft long.

Winnebago also markets a smaller, cheaper version of the Minnie called the Micro Minnie, that could be on the cards for Australia.

“Our pledge is to ensure these new Winnebago RV's – whether Australian built motorhomes or US-built caravans – meet Australian market expectations, suit local consumer tastes and perform beautifully in local conditions,” Trouchet said.

Apollo is the official Winnebago licencee in Australia as well as New Zealand but has yet to officially announce any Winnebago dealerships other than an outlet at Apollo's Brisbane headquarters.

Prices are expected to start at around $40,000 for the Winnebago caravans, rising to $170,000 for the range-topping, Aussie-built motorhomes.