When it comes to recreational vehicle brands and manufacturers, this one stands out – Winnebago. This brand is widely known in the camping and traveling industry especially to people who own and want RVs.
Winnebago offers different models of amazing recreational vehicles that suit the different styles and living of many distinct RVers.
If you are curious to know more about Winnebago Industries and their premium products, then we are here to help you with that!
Winnebago Industries Inc.
Winnebago Industries is a company that has been around for more than 50 years. This company started off as a travel trailer company in Forest City, Iowa, in 1958. They incorporated luxurious features like wall-to-wall carpeting, his and her closets, a private entrance, and back double bedrooms in 1968.
Winnebago had five different models of motorhomes, 11 truck campers, and seven different types of travel trailers by the end of the 1960s. Winnebago produced their 100,000th motorhome in 1977.
Winnebago also built licensing arrangements with fashion and camping merchandise in the 1980s, establishing the RV brand as a household brand.
The Travato, which has been released in 2013, is arguably the fastest-selling Winnebago Class B motorhome. With Winnebago’s inception, all of its RVs have had major improvements, and the aim of the company is to remain modern as well as fashionable.
Winnebago continues to introduce new luxury RVs in the 2000s, with the Horizon being the most recent, a half-million-dollar diesel pusher with cutting-edge technologies and a modern and stylish interior.
Furthermore, as they strive to expand and give unique and modern services to RVers, they actually bought RV makers Grand Design RV and Indiana-based luxury motorhome company Newmar.
The Winnebago Class A Motorhomes
Winnebago Intent
The Intent is a Class A motorhome for individuals looking for a stylish and luxury RV at a reasonable price.
The size of the RV varies between 31’10” and 31’10”, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 18,000 lbs and a freshwater capacity of 51 gallons. Tinted windows, LED lighting, USB ports, and vinyl flooring may all be found in the common spaces of this RV.
It also features a pantry, dinette with hi-lo table and storage, microwave oven featuring touch controls, and the double sink are just a few of the characteristics that make this RV’s kitchenette feel spacious and efficient.
Its master bedroom is spacious and comfortable and has plenty of space to rest and sleep when your day of adventure finally comes to end. It has a foam queen mattress and under-bed shelving plus a closet, there is enough storage room. A pet palace, which could be used for pet entrance or storing when not using it, is one of the distinctive aspects.
Winnebago Forza
The Forza has a length of up to 40 feet and a gross vehicle weight of up to 29,410 pounds.
It’s available in five distinct floorplans and is perfect for individuals looking to make the switch to a diesel pusher living. This motorhome’s kitchen has Corian countertops and sinks coverings, as well as a glass bi-fold stove cover.
The basic appliances in the Forza end up making it a fantastic kitchen in which to prepare all of your favorite foods. A household fridge and freezer including an ice maker, a three-burner stovetop, and a microwave convection oven with a range fan are all included.
With the Forza, you can definitely recreate a natural home lifestyle and living environment for you and your companions anywhere you go. With a 50″ HDTV, Blu-ray disc player, and home theater speaker system, this mobile home is ideal for film fans.
This RV’s exterior features two powered awnings with LED lighting and illuminated storage compartments so you can find everything you need, day or night. And it has a KeyOne lock mechanism, which means you need only one key to open all of the storage containers.
Winnebago Adventurer
The Adventurer does have a length of up to 26’10” as well as a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 22,000 pounds, and even a number of user-friendly amenities.
Family members can pick from six different floorplans to find a unit that meets all of their requirements. Automatic entry steps, a porch light, a motorized awning with LED lights, and a premium high-gloss fiberglass shell are included on the outside.
MCD solar/blackout blinds, tinted, dual-pane windows, and Illumination are seen throughout the inside There also is a textured bathroom door and a movable shower head for simple cleaning. A room divider creates a private bedroom section with a queen-size foam mattress and additional storage underneath.
Winnebago Class B Motorhomes
Winnebago Travato
The Travato Class B motorhome provides all of the conveniences of home in a small, practical design.
It has a range of up to 21 feet, a 13-foot awning, and a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,350 pounds. An external speaker system, back and side screen doors, and metal running boards are among the amenities.
LED illumination and Bluetooth monitoring are included in the power awning. Corian countertops, a two-burner range top with such a glass cover and heat shield, cold water filtration, and a kitchen rack are all available in the kitchenette.
A medicine cupboard in the bathroom provides additional storage space for toiletries and other small goods.
Winnebago Revel
The Revel motorhome is the perfect campervan for adventure-seeking nature enthusiasts that crave outdoor experiences all the time.
It has a length of 19’7″ and a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,050 pounds. LED overhead lighting with a dimmer switch, a system monitor screen, and USB chargers are located all throughout the room.
This Class B motorhome’s bedroom boasts a hydraulic lift mattress and 140 cubic feet of storage capacity beneath the bed, as well as six retractable cargo tie-downs. The kitchen and common area were designed to save the area and provide extra storage space.
There is also a pantry, a flip-up countertop expansion, full-extension drawers, and a pull-up dinette table for you and your family or companions to utilize.
Winnebago Class C Motorhomes
Winnebago View
The View Class C is decorated with upmarket accents around to provide a pleasant excursion for every user.
This RV has a length of up to 25’5″ and a gross vehicle weight of up to 11,030 pounds. A 16-foot motorised patio awning with LED lights as well as an automatic entryway doorstep can be seen on the exterior.
Tinted coach windows, vinyl flooring, and LED lights may be found all through the RV’s interior. Laminated countertops, cabinets with accent lighting, soft-close drawers, and a double stainless-steel sink are all included in the kitchen.
A two-burner induction and LP range stovetop, microwave/convection oven featuring touch control, and a double-door refrigerator are included in the View model. Camping is made enjoyable, easy, practical, and elegant at The View.
Winnebago Minnie Winnie
Another great model from the Winnebago company is the Minnie Winnie. It has a length of up to 32’9″ and a 20-foot awning, as well as a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 14,500 pounds.
Each Minnie Winnie Class C motorhome floorplan has a bedroom and a cab-over bunk. In the dinette and bedroom, there is a 32″ HDTV with a DVD player, LED lighting, and USB chargers.
Pleated blinds and a front wraparound drape assist maintain the cabin cool throughout the day by keeping the sun out. You can enjoy your weekend inside your campervan without any worries and just relax all throughout! The RV’s bedroom is located in the back to provide a peaceful getaway at the end of each day.
Winnebago Travel Trailers
Winnebago Micro Minnie
The Micro Minnie travel trailer is a little camper with a lot of amenities. It has a length of up to 25’5″ and a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 7,000 pounds.
The freshwater tank holds 31 gallons, while the black and gray tanks hold 25 gallons. The Micro Minnie is designed for travelers who are well versed with technology. It includes an LED TV, cable TV connection, and AV equipment with AM/FM, CD/DVD, and USB/Bluetooth capabilities.
You may have a party beneath the patio awning with LED lighting and loudspeakers when you step outside. It also has a kitchen with a refrigerator as well as a microwave, and even a private bedroom for you to have all for yourself!
Winnebago Minnie
Throughout this compact, lightweight recreational vehicle, you can go on big excursions.
The Minnie is 32 feet long and has an 8,800-pound gross vehicle weight rating. A freshwater tank with a capacity of 43 gallons, a black tank with a capacity of 28 gallons, and a gray tank with a capacity of approximately 82 gallons are available.
A double fridge and fully adjustable drawer guides are also included in the kitchen, allowing you to make the most out of your storage capacity. Use the three-burner cooktop with the oven or the microwave to prepare your favorite dishes. There’s a carbon monoxide sensor, an LP gas detector, and a smoke detector to keep you safe while you’re camping.
Winnebago Industries from Forest City
John K. Hanson, an entrepreneur from Forest City, Iowa, created the corporation in February 1958. The town, which is situated in Winnebago County, Iowa, was experiencing an economic crisis at the time, so Hanson and a group of community leaders persuaded Modernistic Industries, a California company, to construct a trailer plant in an attempt to boost the local economy.
After a rocky start, the company was bought out by five Midwesterners, with Hanson acting as president. The company’s name was changed to Winnebago Industries in 1960. Winnebago Industries created furniture and other components specifically for their trailers to enhance efficiency and quality. The “Thermo-Panel,” a durable, lightweight sidewall that was a trademark of Winnebago models, was however one breakthrough.
The first mobile home went off the production lines of Winnebago Industries in 1966. These mobile homes were marketed for around half the price of competitors’ models, resulting in their widespread use and recognition in the RV industry. The term has become linked with “motor home,” and it is frequently used as a generic trademark for such vehicles, whether or not they were manufactured by the firm.
Due to labor shortages in the Forest City area, Winnebago stated in March 2015 that it would construct a production site in Waverly, Iowa, to hire 70 people. About 2,400 people work in Forest City, 200 in Charles City, and 60 in Lake Mills, with additional employment in Middlebury, Indiana.
Winnebago built its management offices in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, in 2017, after CEO Mike Happe was hired. The corporation stated in 2021 that its corporate headquarters will be relocated from Forest City, Iowa to Eden Prairie, beginning December 1, but its industrial footprint would remain in Forest City. Winnebago reported in July 2021 that it will pay over $300 million to acquire Barletta Pontoon Boats, a privately owned pontoon boat manufacturer.
About Winnebago Products
If you want to learn more about the products and history of Winnebago Industries then we are here to tell you more about them!
The Minnie Winnie, a new unit based on the Dodge B-series van chassis, was released in 1973. It was around 19-1/2 feet (5.9 meters) in length (despite the name, it is considered longer than the contemporary Brave model which is the shortest one). Over time, longer models have been added. This model was developed into the twenty-first century (having Chevrolet or Ford chassis after 1980). As gas prices increased, the business continued to provide smaller models, including the low-profile “Winnie Wagon” with such a pop-top.
Winnebago additionally made light- and medium-duty utility automobiles in the 1980s and 1990s, using motorhome manufacturing processes and technology. Their “Route Van” was a step-through type of vehicle with an aluminum body and front-wheel drive. Cummins 4BTA diesel four-cylinder engines of 105 to 120 horsepower were used (78 and 89 kW). Varying on the weight rating, the model codes were W650, W750, W850, and W950.
The Winnebago Industries also created a range of smaller vehicles that were substantially bigger than a passenger van and were made utilizing various bodywork and engines from two European car and truck companies.
The “Rialta” had a Volkswagen Transporter (T4) (a.k.a. “EuroVan”) chassis, the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, 2.8-liter VR6 with 140 BHP or 2.8 V6 engine with 201 BHP, and the LeSharo was built on the Renault Trafic van with a 2.2 L 4-cylinder motor. Unlike the “Rialta,” Volkswagen chose Winnebago Industries to perform the T4 camper conversions, a significant break from the Westfalia firm in Germany, which had been famous for making the VW Type 2 camp mobile vehicles from the 1950s until 1991.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Engine is in a Winnebago?
In RVs, there are indeed two types of motors being used. Diesel engines have higher power and can last longer than ordinary gasoline engines. And then there is the regular gas engine, which is intended exclusively for RVs.
The engine size is determined by the frame and also the RV’s size. A Class B RV will also have a smaller engine than that of a Class C or A RV, with cylinder sizes ranging from four to ten, based on the RV as well as the manufacturer.
Winnebago Industries used Renault to manufacture a few of its engines, which were built of aluminum and featured four cylinders. Several companies designed engines with extra cylinders, up to ten, to ensure that the RV had enough power to tow the total weight of the trailer.
Who Makes Winnebago Engines?
This company has already been active for a long period, and that they have outsourced the construction of its engines to certain other companies in the past. Renault, Volkswagen, Chrysler, Chevrolet, and Ford have all signed contracts.
Cummins appears to be the manufacturer of several of Winnebago’s diesel engines. The 340 HP ISB 6.7 liter engine is one of their versions. That engine is used in one of Winnebago’s Class A RVs.
The easiest method to learn more about the RV you’re fascinated in is to inquire with the dealership or individual who is selling it. Another explanation for this is that different sizes of RVs will have various motors from different firms, dependent on the agreements in effect at the time. In the 1970s, Chrysler built several of the bigger engines for the then-modern RVs, although Winnebago had agreements with both Renault and Volkswagon. The engine in an RV is determined by the year it was constructed.
What’re the Sizes of Winnebago Engines?
The size of the engine will differ considerably on the frame it is mounted on and the RV’s layout. There have been some tiny four-cylinder engines a few years ago, but today, many companies, such as Winnebago, prefer the V10s manufactured by various engine manufacturers. These engines will have varied horsepower, as the Chrysler 440 of the 1970s had around 225 HP. The current 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine has only 188 horsepower and a 3.0-liter displacement.
The 2020 Class A diesel RVs are powered by a 6.7 liter Cummins engine, but the engine capacity will vary greatly depending on the RV model. A conversation with an RV mechanic would provide more comprehensive motor size specifications as well as an assessment of the motor’s performance. This information could have an impact on your decision to purchase. Making sure you have the correct powertrain for your RV is critical to a happy RV lifestyle.
Wrap Up: Is Winnebago Industries Inc. Good?
When it comes to manufacturing great recreational vehicles, specifically motorhomes, it is not undeniable that Winnebago is not just good but is among the top manufacturers in the industry. Their manufacturing facilities were once opened for a tour so people were able to see more of the company’s line and their innovation. This was a good way for the company to let the clients and more potential followers get to know them more. The visit to the factory was held for months and many people are sure willing to see Winnebago’s way of creating recreation through their vehicles again.
That being said, opening the factory for a tour is a part of their great services for the customers. Other than that, they are no doubt able to make each of their vehicle line suitable for many people and users that live life differently. They have Class A, B, and C motorhomes as well as towable trailers. All of them also come in great features and amenities that will provide what people need the most when traveling or camping or when living in a mobile home.
If you choose a model wisely on what you need for you and your family, or even just for yourself, you will definitely find the investment for the Winnebago recreational vehicle worth the price. They are very innovative in their manufactured products so even if you want a few changes or modifications on your chosen campervan, they will most likely accommodate you like a good company they are. Winnebago isn’t loved by many people in the RV community for no reason in the first place!
