Grand Design

RV PRO has announced its editors' picks for the Best New Models of 2027, comprising 25 models. The selection includes brand-new models, refreshed existing products, and those with innovative updates that caught the attention of RV PRO editors at Open House. The winners will be highlighted in the December 2026 issue. Among the recognized models are Forest River East to West Bravado 35KB, Keystone Sprinter 37FLWC, Tiffin Motorhomes GH2 24FV, Airstream World Traveler, Grand Design Solitude 394RO, Newmar Dutch Star 35th Anniversary, and others.

After Denver7 Investigates reported on court judgments against former RV dealer LazyDays RV, owners nationwide contacted the newsroom with concerns about repairs, warranty disputes and defects. Pete West, founder of the RV Advocacy Network, said the problems extend beyond a single dealership. A federal class-action lawsuit in Indiana alleges frame defects in certain Grand Design RV products and names parent company Winnebago Industries; both deny liability. Federal regulators opened a preliminary evaluation of certain 2017–2023 Grand Design Momentum and Solitude fifth-wheel trailers after 23 complaints alleging excessive frame flex. In a separate case involving certain Keystone Passport trailers, a federal court entered a judgment providing up to approximately $3.1 million in relief for qualifying class members; Keystone did not admit liability.

The 37th annual Fall Detroit RV and Camping Show runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi, Michigan, featuring hundreds of RVs, campers and camping products. Highlights include the return of toy haulers—RVs with a built-in garage for motorcycles and ATVs—and compact adventure vans such as the Grand Design Lineage LVT1 on a Ford Transit all-wheel-drive chassis. Toy hauler prices start at around $33,000, with financing options under $300 per month. Admission is $12 for ages 13 and up, $11 for seniors 55 and older, and free for children 12 and under.

Outpost Outfitters, Maine's newest RV dealership, will make its first appearance at the Cumberland Fair from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3. The display will include an Ember RV Overland, a Kropf Park Home RV Eldorado and a Grand Design Imagine, with sales, customer service and service teams present. The dealership offers service, parts, winterization and storage, focusing on year-round ownership. Visitors can book private tours with Bill Schwarz during the fair.

Four companies control the majority of RV brands in the North American market: REV Group, Forest River, Winnebago, and Thor Industries. REV Group owns Holiday Rambler, Fleetwood, American Coach, and Monaco Coach; Forest River, owned by Warren Buffett, includes Coachmen, Berkshire Luxury Coach, Dynamax, and East To West; Winnebago owns Grand Design and Newmar; Thor Industries owns Airstream, Dutchmen, Jayco, Tiffin, and CrossRoads. Consolidation may lower costs and simplify the supply chain, but can also lead to reduced quality control and cookie-cutter designs.

Winnebago Industries will bring over 150 RVs from Winnebago, Grand Design RV and Newmar to the 57th annual America's Largest RV Show, held Sept. 16-20 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Debuts include the Winnebago ARKA with a 48-volt energy architecture and up to 16.8 kWh of Lithionics lithium battery capacity for up to 14 days of off-grid travel, Grand Design's first gas-powered motorhome Lineage Series E 30DC on a Ford chassis, and its most affordable travel trailer Transcend Lite 121RBL. Newmar will display 18 luxury motorhomes, including the refreshed Essex and New Aire. Select models will be available for on-site test drives.

Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez, a Triple Crown contender, says he's happiest driving the family's Grand Design RV, valued at about $230,000, where he enjoys anonymity and freedom.

Winnebago Industries (WGO) has launched a new brand platform for its Grand Design RV brand, which the company says challenges the RV industry's long-standing focus on destination and adventure by placing human connection at the center of the RV experience. The "All Roads Lead to This" campaign includes an updated Grand Design logo and expanded brand promotion across narrative content, digital experiences, products, and owner and dealer touchpoints. The campaign will be presented at upcoming events, including the Elkhart Dealer Open House and the Hershey RV Show, where the company plans to debut new products.

Grand Design RV unveiled its new brand platform 'All Roads Lead to This,' prioritizing human connection over destinations. The campaign includes an updated logo and ties into the Elkhart and Hershey shows.

The RV Dealers Association (RVDA) has announced the schedule for seven Partners of Progress (POP) meetings during the 2026 RV Dealers Convention/Expo, taking place Nov. 9-13 at Paris Las Vegas. POP meetings provide dealers with a forum to discuss brand-specific issues with top management from participating manufacturers. Dealer volunteers moderate the meetings, which are held in-person during the convention. Only dealers who carry the designated manufacturer may attend these meetings. The schedule includes sessions with KZ RV, Venture RV, Jayco Motorhomes and Towables, Grand Design, Winnebago Towables, Alliance RV, Keystone RV, and Forest River Motorhomes, Towables and Subsidiaries.

Police in Williams Lake are looking for a white 2016 Grand Design Reflection 27RL RV stolen on Aug. 16 from a storage lot. It was reportedly towed by a dark pickup with a white passenger door.

Blue Compass RV announced the acquisition of Brown’s RV Superstore in South Carolina, a dealership serving northeastern South Carolina for over 40 years. The acquisition brings Blue Compass RV’s total dealership count in the Carolinas to 13. The 12-acre property, located on South Carolina Route 151 in McBee, includes 31,000 square feet of retail and service space with 20 enclosed service bays. The store will be renamed Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast and will continue to offer brands such as Jayco, Forest River, Brinkley, Grand Design RV, and Thor Motor Coach.

A GMC Sierra EV driver completed a 1,000-mile towing trip from Orange County, California, to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks with a 30-foot Grand Design Imagine travel trailer. Efficiency averaged about 0.8 miles per kWh, dropping to 0.7 on the hardest leg. At a Tesla station in Jean, Nevada, only 2 of 100 stalls were pull-through, limiting no-disconnect charging. The driver also used 50-amp campground receptacles for overnight charging, adding roughly 13 miles of range per hour, but Zion River Resort prohibited EV charging, forcing a 25-mile drive to the nearest compatible Tesla charger.

Winnebago Industries announced it will relocate operations from its Winnebago Towables production facility in Middlebury to a nearby campus where Grand Design RV products are manufactured. The move is part of a strategic alignment to streamline production.

A 2026 Toyota Tundra owner weighed his Grand Design Imagine 2970RL at 9,200 pounds, which is 1,920 pounds below the truck's 11,120-pound tow rating. However, the tongue weight could range from 920 to 1,380 pounds, potentially exceeding the truck's payload capacity. Airbags and stronger rear suspension do not increase legal load ratings, so the owner must verify actual tongue weight and door-jamb payload before adding them.

A Georgia owner of a 2025 Toyota Tundra reported highway sway while towing a large Grand Design Imagine travel trailer, despite using a mechanical equalizer hitch. He sought advice from the 2023-2027 Toyota Tundra Owners Facebook group about upgrading to the Lippert CURT True Course electronic anti-sway system. The issue stems from the half-ton truck's coil-spring rear suspension lacking lateral stiffness and the passive nature of friction-based hitches, which cannot counteract sudden lateral forces from crosswinds or passing trucks.

Grand Design RV recalled 448 of its 2026–2027 Lineage travel trailers on July 10, and Winnebago recalled 134 of its 2027 Navion and View motorhomes on July 14. Both recalls stem from a MaxxAir N-Series Maxxfan rooftop ventilation fan whose printed circuit board can overheat and cause a fire. Neither company manufactured the fan; it was sourced from a supplier. The recalls are filed by the vehicle manufacturers as required by federal law.

GEN-Y Hitch announced the launch of the VENTURE Tire Carrier, developed with Grand Design Recreational Vehicles. The carrier features a hydraulic lift system that allows one person to raise and lower tires up to 300 pounds. Integrated MOLLE panels hold up to 45 pounds of gear. The mount fits Grand Design Lineage Series F Units and tires up to 43 inches.

Grand Design RV is recalling 1,111 Reflection fifth-wheel trailers due to a potential defect in shock retaining bolts that may have been over-torqued during assembly. The recall covers 202 model-year 2025 and 909 model-year 2026 units. NHTSA estimates about 3% of the affected trailers actually contain the defect. Owners should check their VIN and contact a dealer for replacement with Grade 8 fasteners and thread-locking compound.

Grand Design RV announced the new Lineage Series E, a Class C motorhome built on the Ford E-450 chassis with a 7.3L V8 engine. First dealer deliveries are expected in mid-July 2026.