We are here at the 2016 Hershey RV Show, and will be releasing four extra special podcasts over the course of the show, featuring some of the new and exciting RVs that are being rolled out for the upcoming season.
All of these podcasts are sponsoring by our friends at Progressive, and we are thrilled they sent us to the show to gather great RV intel for our listeners and readers. To learn more, you can visit them at Progressive.com/rv or call 1-800-Progressive!
On this first Hershey RV Show podcast episode, we are discussing the latest tiny trailers to roll into town. Light weight trailers are all the range these days, as many consumers are looking for something that they can tow with the family SUV, yet want something spacious, comfortable, and hard-sided.
There are four models that are causing a splash in 2017: Jayco’s Hummingbird, Little Guy Worldwide’s Serro Scotty, Airstream’s Basecamp, and Hymer’s Touring. On this episode, we give a quick rundown of all four–offering an overview of the floorplans and pricing, as well as our general impressions. Is this the tiny trailer you have been looking for all your life? Tune in to find out!
You will also hear a short interview with Gary Pirschl, the grandson of John Serro. He talks about the fire that wiped out the Serro factory in 1997, and the emotions involved in seeing the product line reemerge almost 20 years later.
The Hummingbird came out of the gate strong. John Fisher, the product line manager, told us that they originally expected to sell about 12,000 in the first model year. Well, they are already over 20,000 units sold, and the orders keep coming in.
There are currently five floor models available in this ultralight line, one offering a rear kitchen with tons of counter space and another offering a large bathroom with lots of elbow room. The MSRP for these units is about $24,000 and the show pricing was at about $18,000 depending on the unit.
Serro Scotty, Little Guy Worldwide
Many people expected Little Guy to unveil a replica of the vintage Scotty trailers, but that is not what we discovered at the Hershey RV Show. Back in the 60s and 70s, Scotties were known as the “Working Man’s Trailer”, in other words…an affordable, family friendly RV.
That RV concept is what Little Guy showed off at the show this week. Out of the five floor plans, two offer bunk options and they can be towed with the family SUV. The MSRP comes in at about $18,000 and the show prices were in the range of $15,000, so this is truly an affordable, entry level RV.
Chris Baum, Chief Branding Officer for Little Guy Worldwide, spoke with me about the release of the Scotty, and the models that will be coming out later this year–the Highlander and the Sportsmen. Stay tuned to hear that interview on a future podcast show.
We all love shiny, pretty things so the release of the Basecamp had everyone in a tizzy. Airstream did not disappoint. This is truly a trailer for two and is built for adventure. The back features a door for easy access and transport of ‘toys’, the wet bath feels surprisingly spacious, and the windows create an amazingly airy feeling even in a small space.
The price point is affordable…in terms of an Airstream at least. MSRP is $34,000 but show pricing was about $40,000 as the unit had upgrades.
This is the new kid on the block, and it won’t even be available until Spring of 2017. In fact, the units on display were shipped in from Germany for the RV show season.
We are told the MSRP will be $20,000ish to $30,000ish, but we will report back as soon as more details and specs on the American version are available. As for the ones on display–they were light and airy and beautiful. The end.
Take a listen to our special Tiny Trailers podcast episode on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or your favorite podcatcher, and make sure to tune in tomorrow for another episode featuring the best of the Hershey RV Show!
