F53 Motorhome Chassis underpins RVs
like the 2008 Bounder (below).
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DEARBORN - Nov. 27, 2007 -- Fueled by baby boomers retiring in droves, the recreational vehicle (RV) industry is in a dynamic business and Ford intends to keep its market-leading role by introducing its most capable Class A gas-powered motorhome chassis ever - the 2008 Ford F53 Super Duty.
Premiering at the National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Kent., the F53 chassis borrows heavily from the new 2008 F-Series Super Duty heavy-duty trucks and E-Series full-size vans, and has been fully re-engineered for best-in-class capability, better driving dynamics and more diverse offerings.
“Ford's new heavy-duty F53 Super Duty chassis allows customers to continue bringing more of their home to their home on wheels,” said Shelly Smith, marketing manager, Ford F53 Super Duty motorhome chassis. “Motorhome builders are adding more luxurious amenities such as granite countertops so we met the challenge with the most capable RV chassis ever.”
Class A motorhomes have the living accommodations built on as an integral part of the vehicle. According to Smith, Ford has a 65 percent market share in the Class A gasoline segment. Since 2004, Ford's share of the industry has grown from 36 percent to 65 percent as of August 2007.
"We've increased our market share by bringing to motorhomes our long-standing tradition of building the toughest, most capable and most dependable trucks and vans," Smith said.
The new 26,000-pound GVWR (gross-vehicle weight rating) F53 package sets a new best-in-class marker for motorhome chassis. The GVWR rating means the chassis can handle a motorhome up to 26,000 pounds. In addition, the chassis can tow up to an additional 4,000 pounds - important for the 75 percent of RVers who two passenger vehicles - giving the F53 a combined weight rating of 30,000 pounds.
Brand new is the 24,000-pound GVWR F53 Super Duty, giving Ford a lineup of six different Class A motorhome chassis. Ford is also the leader in the smaller Class C motorhome chassis based on the E-Series chassis.
“We engineered the top-of-the-line F-53 models to provide the same steering precision, ride comfort and quietness as the rest of the lineup - just at much higher loads,” said Laurie Call, chief engineer, F53 Super Duty.
Ford plans to capitalize on the improved driving dynamics and comfort with a strategic shift in marketing emphasis away from motorhome dealers and builders to retail customers. The goal is not to actually sell the chassis to retail customers, but to promote the product innovations and quality heritage to customers who then would hopefully request a Ford chassis from dealers.
Customers should be impressed by the Ford chassis quality. According to a research study done in July at Ford's behest, the Ford chassis has a 26 percent quality advantage over its only competitor, the Workhorse. The study, Morpace 2007, measured quality in terms of Things Gone Wrong (TGW.)
While it may seem counterintuitive, recreational vehicle (RV) sales have actually risen even with higher gas prices. Dr. Richard Curtin, director of consumer surveys at the University of Michigan, predicts that RV sales will rise 3.5 percent in 2008.
Over the past four years, RV sales have increased by 15 percent. According to the Recreation Industry Vehicle Association (RVIA), one in every 12 U.S. vehicle-owning households now own at least one RV.While fuel costs are a component of the overall vacation cost, fluctuations in fuel prices aren't significant enough to affect a family's decision of whether or not to take RV trips over other types of vacations, according to RVIA. Fuel costs can be tolerated when compared to the cost of airline tickets and motel rooms.
Those RV fans should be impressed by the F53's features, including:
- 6.8-liter Triton™ V-10 engine's best-in-class 362 horsepower and 457 foot-pounds of torque
- TorqShift® automatic overdrive transmission.,/li>
- New heavy-duty steering system with a new steering gear
- Class-leading Dana rear axle and suspension
- Increased capacity front axle and suspension
- 50-degree wheel cut (increased from 42 degrees) for a tighter turning radius.
- Specially tuned stabilizer bars
- Bilstein shocks and higher-capability front and rear springs.
