HymerCar Grand Canyon at Tampa RV Show

[stanw909]

I think he's thinking of the Transit but has it backward. Transit is front drive in Europe but rear drive here.

[bobojay]

Like to see one in person and get details and pricing. The more the merrier....

[bobojay]

A guy over on the Ram Promaster forum posted a couple pics from the show and said he talked to the Hymer folks at length. The unit in the pics listed at $99k, they are being assembled at Spartan motors and their headquarters is in Florida as is their current one dealership.
He said it looks to be very good quality assembly with high quality European sourced components....

[gerrym51]

is the grand canyon they showed the same as this one with the pop up roof


http://www.hymercar.com/en/models/model ... LslbkfF92o

[eurovanman]

Yes! The more the merrier indeed. I wish we could get their sweet 4x4 winterized model. Finally some design in the american market that isn't geared towards the post retirement crowd.

[markopolo]

Originally Posted by bobojay

A guy over on the Ram Promaster forum posted a couple pics from the show and said he talked to the Hymer folks at length. The unit in the pics listed at $99k, they are being assembled at Spartan motors and their headquarters is in Florida as is their current one dealership.
He said it looks to be very good quality assembly with high quality European sourced components....

Link: http://www.promasterforum.com/forum/sho ... ostcount=3

I think it is across the rear sleeping in that model. Anyone know for sure?

[markopolo]

Two more photos of the Class B Hymercar at the 2015 Florida RV SuperShow: http://usa-rvnomads.com/2015-florida...pershow-day-1/

[gator]

I was at the Tampa show on Friday and can provide some additional input.

Hymer has built 3 ProMaster gas prototypes at a Michigan Spartan facility, the 2 units at the show had the following:

Dometic 3 way absorption fridge (with vent cutouts)
Onan generator behind rear axle
Dometic roof ac
Thetford cassette toilet/fold down bath sink
inside water tank
6’2 sleeping across rear, bed folds similar to Travato (but better design) allows for aisle
Truma propane heat/hot water unit
One 12 volt house battery underneath
Dometic skylight
Seitz windows open all around
no microwave/convection or place to mount one

Floorplan similiar to pics posted above. They are soliciting feedback and dealer interest and plan to start production in late summer at their Michigan facility.

Side notes:

Chrysler told Hymer as long as the Pentastar V6 is used, the ProMaster will not get the new Fiat nose treatment due to engine dimensions.

Winnebago will use Truma propane heat/hot water units in the Travato 59K.

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by gator

Chrysler told Hymer as long as the Pentastar V6 is used, the ProMaster will not get the new Fiat nose treatment due to engine dimensions.

That is really interesting. You know, the Roadtrek promotional materials for their Zion van, shows pictures of their van with the Fiat new front end.

On my van, the engine is deep in the engine well, so I really don't understand any space issues. If you look down in there, there's lots of unused space and probably being used by Roadtrek for their extra alternator/generator thingy.

It may really be cooling issues. But it may just be false information too. Maybe the diesel version would get the Fiat nose??

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

That is really interesting. You know, the Roadtrek promotional materials for their Zion van, shows pictures of their van with the Fiat new front end.

On my van, the engine is deep in the engine well, so I really don't understand any space issues. If you look down in there, there's lots of unused space and probably being used by Roadtrek for their extra alternator/generator thingy.

It may really be cooling issues. But it may just be false information too. Maybe the diesel version would get the Fiat nose??

wincrasher-the advertising agency that did the initial zion advertising uses a copy of a fiat ducato. it was a rush jobfor the dealermeeting. theyare not using it in north america

[tgregg]

Originally Posted by gator

I was at the Tampa show on Friday and can provide some additional input.

Hymer has built 3 ProMaster gas prototypes at a Michigan Spartan facility, the 2 units at the show had the following:

Dometic 3 way absorption fridge (with vent cutouts)
Onan generator behind rear axle
Dometic roof ac
Thetford cassette toilet/fold down bath sink
inside water tank
6’2 sleeping across rear, bed folds similar to Travato (but better design) allows for aisle
Truma propane heat/hot water unit
One 12 volt house battery underneath
Dometic skylight
Seitz windows open all around
no microwave/convection or place to mount one

Floorplan similiar to pics posted above. They are soliciting feedback and dealer interest and plan to start production in late summer at their Michigan facility.

Side notes:

Chrysler told Hymer as long as the Pentastar V6 is used, the ProMaster will not get the new Fiat nose treatment due to engine dimensions.

Winnebago will use Truma propane heat/hot water units in the Travato 59K.

I saw the vents on the side of the HymerCar, but the brochure indicated a 12 volt compressor refrigerator.

[markopolo]

More Hymercar photos. These give you a good look at a unit that was at the RV show. https://www.facebook.com/snowmads/posts/405130629662476

[booster]

Was that a Plexiglas window?

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by booster

Was that a Plexiglas window?

The earlier video that was posted here shows a person operating it. It is slick. There is a pull-up screen and a pull down pleated blind built in.

[wincrasher]

I've had a trailer with these kind of windows (see Crickettrailer.com). Little Guy trailers also use them and I have them on a T@G I also own.

They are actually acrylic. There are two panes, an inner and an outer, so it's essentially a thermo-pane window. They have levered handles so you always get a tight seal. When opened, they are tip out, so you can leave them open in the rain. The blind/screen mechanism is part of the window interior assembly - the whole thing is sold as a unit, so if you get that type of window, you also get the screen/shade. They are very popular it seems on the eurovans. Since they often don't have air conditioning, they are big on tip-out windows.

What is nice about them, is that at night, you can close the shade part with the window open, so you can have some ventilation, but also complete privacy.

[bobojay]

The whole unit is slick looking. I like that front dinette setup. The front seats in the Promaster have a much better designed mechanism for turning the seats than the Sprinter. Also the seat belts are seat mounted, which is an overall better design, & more comfortable setup than post mounted....

[mlts22]

Looks like the vid is on their YT channel. They also pointed to the website at hymer-usa.com

A few of my off the cuff observations:

1: They went with a cassette toilet. Not surprising.
2: Built in 2.8 Onan generator. As a Texan, having the need for A/C for a good chunk of the year, this addressed.
3: Truma Combi furnace/water heater. Am glad of this.
4: 26.4 gallon FW tank, 26.4 gray. No black tank, due to #1 above.
5: One sleeps transversely. With the PM's wide body, this is doable.
6: Definitely built for bicyclists, with the ability to store at least one inside.

All and all, not a bad layout. Only thing I'd be doing is taking a cargo holder behind me and bringing along 1-2 extra cartridges for the toilet. The amount of gray water available is definitely a plus.

[markopolo]

Great!

Video
[youtube:1ziabpkf]Wzi1rqL80zg[/youtube:1ziabpkf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzi1rqL80zg

Website: http://hymer-usa.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HymerUSA

[markopolo]

That's a good product launch

Major show appearance - check
Full website details - check
Flashy YouTube video - check
Full brochure download - check
Facebook page - check

[mlts22]

The way the storage is done reminds me of the Westie which had cubbies/nooks/crannies galore, and in modern rigs, the only thing I've seen that comes close is Davydd's ARV. I like the fact that one can stash a LCD TV in more than one place.

Now for some questions. I am not intending to bash/insult Hymer on this vehicle, but these are just honest consumer questions from someone who is shopping around:

I wonder what the "real" price tag on this rig will be. In Europe, there isn't as much haggling over a vehicle as is done here, so I am unsure if the price is MSRP, or if it is the true price, take it or leave it. Sportsmobile does not do the MSRP game... the price they list is the price you pay, end or story, so I don't know if Hymer is doing the typical US mode, or the model of SMB.

If the price is $99k, no negotiation, then they are trying to compete against the Roadtrek SS Agile or the Pleasure Way Ascent. For ProMaster rigs, Comparing MSRP to MSRP, a Travato's is $85,476, making about a $15,000 price difference between the two models, at the minimum, and with a 20% discount on a Travato, I'm looking at a $30,000 price difference.

So, with the price difference so much above the Travato, here is what one seems to get (and please correct me if wrong... I'm trying to be objective and do apples to apples) as features. For grins, I'll compare it to the 59k:

1: The Hymer model has more ergonomic storage. The cabinet fit/finish and knobs appear to be the same grade as the Travato.
2: The Grand Canyon has bigger gray water tank, due to the cassette toilet.
3: A 26.4 gallon fresh water tank is bigger as well.
4: Maybe an edge on batteries on the GC.
5: The windows are true, Euro windows that add a lot for insulation. I understand the US thing for sleek looks in "B"s, but I personally prefer windows that are dual-paned, as it not just gives insulation, but dampens noise.

Maybe someone can elaborate on other features. I am very glad Hymer is in the market... but Winnebago is going to give them a run for their money with the Travato's price point, especially with the fact that the core appliances like the water heater/furnace are the same. I just hope Hymer didn't price themselves too high, especially with Roadtrek's Zion in the market at a fairly competitive price point as well.