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Airstream-Porsche collaboration looks at the future of travel trailers

Tony Barthel

Today’s RV review is actually a look at a concept put together by Airstream and Porsche Design. The Airstream Studio F. A. Porsche Concept Travel Trailer is the result of a "what if" collaboration between two expert teams with decades of combined design experience. The Studio F. A. Porsche team was charged with envisioning a next-generation Airstream trailer that incorporated elements from the design playbooks of both brands. The process engaged Studio F. A. Porsche designers in Zell am See, Austria, and Los Angeles

More or less Airstream

The idea is to make an Airstream trailer that pushes the boundaries of aerodynamics but one that is also garageable. Further, with a nod to the number of electric vehicles that are being promised by automakers, this also will also be less of a reduction in driving distance which would also mean better fuel milage in a traditional vehicle.

It’s clear that Airstream has this on their minds as we’ve already looked at the concept eStream travel trailer.

Working with Porsche design, the idea is to make something look as much like an Airstream as possible but also work within the design considerations set forth - garage ability and reduced aerodynamic drag.

To that end one of the biggest changes to what we might be used to is the tail end of the trailer, which is designed more to reduce drag. But it holds some nifty features, too.

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Back that thang up

The rear of the trailer is a large, vertical flat surface but holds a secret - a hatchback design not unlike what some might remember in the Chevrolet Nomad station wagon of the 1950s. In other words, there’s a top section that flips up and a lower section that flips down.

This provides a large opening to the rear which is great for those inside. At the back of this concept is a dinette but that’s also the bedroom. In some ways this is not dissimilar to the Airstream BaseCamp. In fact, the interior layout is very similar to that model. But this has more technology.

Garage friendly

One of the things that intrigued me is the suspension of this trailer. While this is just a concept and not something you can go touch, there are some interesting ideas here. The first of those is the suspension which incorporates a lift mechanism in it.

We’ve seen this sort of thing in the Rockwood GeoPro 19FBTH where the suspension can be raised for going down the road but lowered to snick this trailer into a garage.

To further make the trailer fit into a garage, it has a lower ceiling height when in drive mode. But almost the entire roof can be raised up to facilitate a higher ceiling. While I’ve seen things like the Meerkat with a section of the roof that raises, this isn’t something that’s common in trailers sold in the US.

Slippery

In addition to a unique rear design, necessitated by aerodynamic principals, this concept is notably devoid of any protruding things on the roof. While RV companies love to hang aerodynamically disruptive things on the roofs of RVs, this is very different.

Our goal was to make a trailer that’s “Sleek, easy to tow, lightweight easy to tow garageable,” said Airstream President Bob Wheeler. But it also should incorporate, “everything Airstream promises.”

Another thing the company looked at was the underside of this trailer, which is also smooth. If you look at the underside of modern vehicles they are surprisingly smooth and that’s something that was incorporated into this design as well.

“Every bit of aerodynamics we can incorporate into our products reduces it’s carbon footprint,” said Wheeler.

Multipurpose Vehicle

In a trailer that’s relatively compact, again like the BaseCamp, everything you use has to incorporate multiple purposes. I actually like this idea. So, again, this trailer’s design incorporates things that do more than one thing.

“Every square inch serves two purposes, some three,” said Wheeler.

Something new

One of the things the design team at Porsche looked at was how many windows are in a traditional Airstream. To this end, there is a large window along each side of the trailer. This window stretches almost the full length of each side.

The trailer is also built differently as a monocoque type design where the entire structure is part of the build rather than a heavy chassis on which the rest of the trailer is loaded, essentially. Monocoque design results in a stronger and lighter build and it’s not unusual for anyone familiar with how airplanes are built, but not something you often see in RVs.

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My thoughts

Whether you’re towing with an electric vehicle or a traditional gas or diesel vehicle, there’s no denying that towing an RV reduces the efficiency remarkably. Often I have looked at RVs that are less harmful to your fuel mileage which typically means those that aren’t as tall, quite frankly.

This concept really shows that there are some in the industry whose vision aligns with my own and this concept is absolutely that.

The concept will be showcased at Porsche’s SXSW exhibit where Airstream and Porsche Lifestyle Group executives will unveil a 1/3 scale model of the trailer and a Porsche Macan tow vehicle. Porsche’s 2023 SXSW theme is 'Porsche X,' which emphasizes collaboration. The legendary automotive brand is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023.

I’m curious what you think of this concept - does it maintain enough Airstream style to make you happy? How different is this than something like the Base Camp? I know there were comments on the video that the material that would be used in a pop top design might not be ideal, but there have been pop-top campers and folding models since the 1950s.

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