Yep
Jumping back to the original topic of basic campervan conversions in the Moab area here's an update from recent trips:
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What's interesting has been the industry response. Large Class B manufacturers haven't addressed the basic adventure campervan market, although Winnebago released the well-received 4wd Revel at the upper end of the market. But a plethora of smaller regional van conversion outfits have sprung up including Tourig, VanDoIt, Wanderer, Titan Vans, Cardiff, Vanlife Customs, Wafarer, etc.
It feels like the early days of the American automotive industry where every region had a local builder, before the consolidation into the big three. It will be interesting to see where this vanlife / adventure van trend goes - whether the traditional RV manufacturers step up to address the market or whether the smaller converters will battle it out to see who has the most staying power...
I have posted about this very topic quite a lot on other threads. I am 100% with you on this. Right now the demand for adventure type vans is off the charts. Eight month to one year wait for any Sprinter based 4X4.
There will be a consolidation and shaking out, especially when the economy turns - which of course it will. There will always be a demand for local/regional custom builders but how many of the large manufacturers are going to make it? Surprisingly, at least to me, Winnebago is on it with the outdoorsy Travato G & K and the adventure/extreme sports Revel. I keep wishing there was a "love child" of a Travato and Revel. Pleasure-Way has outstanding quality and that will probably allow them to grow and be successful but they will need to look at adding an adventure entry or give up that segment to the others.
Airstream has the design, history and niche to make it long term - plus vans are an aside to their wildly profitable travel trailer business. Hymer, had they been smart, would have made a play for ARV instead of Roadtrek to "own" an "innovation segment" - which they have a reputation for in Europe. Roadtrek is a cash cow, hoping they don't have to change too much and can keep selling units to older baby boomers but that is obviously not sustainable long term.
Safari Condo. Wish they had more U.S.A. presence. Seems like they get it. Sportsmobile. They seem sort of in-between a large manufacturer and a custom shop. Probably a good market position but they will have to thread the needle carefully and watch costs and pricing.
Coachman, Midwest Auto seem to be going after the luxury buyer which is fine and good as long as their quality and the economy holds.
All the major manufacturers will need to figure out what their strengths are and what kind of positioning they want for their company and products. The smart and fleet companies will survive and many will disappear.
Younger Boomers and Gen X are here and want a different kind of van than one that looks like a living room and drives nicely from one RV Park to the next. Millennials are as big in numbers as Boomers and the vanlife movement speaks to them - at least for now. So they are a target, one likely different than the Younger Boomer/Gen X target. Older Boomer have high disposable income so they will continue to be a target.
Said another way, I think eventually there will be about five van segments shaking out. Extreme vans to support extreme sports, adventure vans to facilitate outdoor activities, RV vans and luxury van for RV parks and mobile offices, Full Timer Vans, and finally minimal/low complexity and low cost vans. Of course there will be vans and manufacturers that straddle segments.
It will be very interesting to watch and/or be a part of.
How do the rest of you think this will fall out?
