If you’ve been RVing for any length of time, you’re likely familiar with the name Grand Design.
You might even own a towable RV made by this brand. It’s a well-known company in the travel trailer, fifth wheel, and toy hauler market.
Recently, Grand Design announced it will be entering the motorized RV industry. Motorhomes are on the way, and other big changes are coming to Grand Design.
Let’s learn more!
About Grand Design RV
Grand Design RV manufactures travel trailers, fifth wheels, and toy haulers. With its wide range of offerings, this company appeals to travelers of all budgets, styles, and experiences.
They currently have the Imagine, Transcend, and Reflection travel trailer lines, with the Transcend as the most affordable option starting at $29,922.
The fifth wheel lines include the Reflection, Influence, and Solitude, with the new Reflection 100 Series starting at $50,987 and the luxury-living Solitudes starting at $118,410.
Finally, there are four Momentum toy hauler lines, beginning with the smaller Momentum MAV travel trailer at $39,300 and ending with the beastly Momentum luxury line at $148,185.
Like many RV brands, Grand Design is located in Middlebury, Indiana. Along with nearby Goshen and Elkhart, this area produces approximately 80% of the world’s RVs. Don Clark is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Grand Design RV.
Who Owns Grand Design RV?
Winnebago Industries acquired Grand Design RV in 2016 for $500 million. Two years later, Winnebago purchased Chris-Craft, a premium boat-building company.
In 2019, the company added Newmar to its family, and in 2021, Barletta became the newest addition.
Along with its own lineup of Winnebago travel trailers, Class As, Class Cs, and camper vans, Winnebago Industries is one of the leading companies in the RV industry.
HOT TIP
While Grand Design is known for customer service, is how they treat their Ambassadors another story? Read Brand Ambassadors Ditch (Not So) Grand Design RV to find out more!
What Types Of RVs Does Grand Design Make?
As we mentioned, Grand Design RV has always been a leader in the towable RV market. The company has never produced a motorized RV.
Grand Design manufactures entry-level travel trailers like the Transcend and Imagine, as well as luxury fifth wheels with all of the amenities of a home.
The toy haulers allow owners to bring ATVs, motorcycles, or golf carts or provide additional sleeping spaces for larger families.
You’ll find simple, basic floorplans with just the necessities and floorplans with 13-foot garages, washer and dryer prep lines, double vanities, kitchen islands, and more.
Why Is Grand Design Entering the Motorized RV Industry?
So why is Grand Design choosing to enter the motorized RV market in late 2024? One reason is how well the Winnebago and Newmar units sell.
Between those two brands, Winnebago Industries has around 20% of the market share in the motorized RV segment.
With the addition of a third brand and the intentionality of producing products that appeal to different RVers than the Winnebago and Newmar lines, Winnebago Industries will likely see a significant increase in market share.
And with conversations among the three brands, each one can focus on developing innovative motorized RVs to meet the needs of different RVers. Grand Design isn’t just out on a limb by itself.
As members of a family of brands, developers will be conversing with each other to ensure they aren’t competing for the same customers.
Grand Design’s new lineup will be differentiated and complementary to Winnebago and Newmar’s offerings.
Grand Design has a loyal customer base and a solid reputation. So, the team hopes this loyalty and appeal will bleed over into the motorized RV market.
What Other New Products Is Grand Design Launching in 2024?
This announcement is just the latest in a string of reports from Grand Design RV. The team debuted the Reflection 100 and Influence lines at the company’s most recent Open House.
The Reflection 100 line will offer one of the market’s lightest and smallest fifth wheels. The 22RK model measures 26 feet 11 inches long and has a dry weight of 6,930 pounds.
With a hitch weight of 1,086 pounds, this makes the 22RK towable by some ½-ton trucks.
The Influence line seeks to bridge the gap between the Reflection and Solitude lines. With the most expensive Reflection starting at $96,675 and the lowest-priced Solitude at $118,410, the Influence line will offer products in between those two price ranges.
Starting at $96,073, the Influence fifth wheels offer some of the luxurious amenities of the Solitudes but at a slightly lower price point.
Grand Design also made headlines when it revealed its sleek Serenova travel trailer. This single-axle travel trailer features a panoramic windshield, a front dinette, a tankless water heater, a 200-watt solar panel, Goodyear Endurance tires, and European polyvision windows.
Where Is the Grand Design-Exclusive Camping World?
Another announcement from Winnebago President and CEO Mike Happe was the Grand Design-exclusive Camping World location. Although Winnebago and Camping World have done business for years, Grand Design hasn’t yet.
The exclusive Grand Design Camping World store is in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Its grand opening was in mid-October 2023.
Grand Design RV Is Drawing Attention for 2024
With all of these headlines, Grand Design is shaking things up in 2024. Will all of the new products create an increase in sales?
Or will they result in the traditional Grand Design products being pushed to the side? Is Grand Design spreading itself too thin, trying to appeal to too many types of RVers? Or will these moves propel the company forward into the next tier of brands?
Time will tell. But we’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date as new products are released and details shared.
Are you interested in any of the latest offerings by Grand Design?
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