- Airstream recently introduced a new trailer, its first-ever production fiberglass model.
- The product came from a 2016 acquisition of an Oregon-based startup.
- The Nest by Airstream can be towed by relatively modest vehicles.
- It sells for $49,500, and it weighs 3,400 pounds.
Airstream is famous for its iconic aluminum trailers.
But now the company has launched its first-ever fiberglass production model: Nest by Airstream.
Nest, which can be towed by a compact SUV, makes an attractive investment for both younger buyers looking to get into the outdoor life and for those who want to take to the road without the need of hotels and motels along the way.
Here’s a closer look.
If you know anything about Airstream trailers, it's probably the silver-bullet aluminum models you've seen.
The 85-year-old company manufactures, in the USA, the all-American trailer at its best, crafted from shimmering aluminum and exuding timeless cool.
But Airstream has been shaking up its designs of late. Its modest Basecamp rolled out in 2016.
The Basecamp was a shiny Airstream that evoked the brand's image. The recently launched Nest by Airstream is a different story.
In 2016, under CEO Bob Wheeler (who joined in 2005), Airstream acquired NEST Caravan, an Oregon startup that had produced a prototype trailer that caught Airstream's eye.
Nest is a fiberglass trailer. It sells for $49,500 and it weighs 3,400 pounds.
Airstream had experimented with fiberglass before, but until Nest, it hadn't brought a design to market.
"There's really nothing else like it," CEO Bob Wheeler said in a statement. "Nest acknowledges Airstream's lasting legacy, while anticipating a new potential for outdoor adventure."
The Nest's design came via Robert Johans, who founded the Oregon-based company prior to its acquisition by Ohio-headquartered Airstream.
Johans oversaw the expansion of the Nest prototype for Airstream, and the exterior was designed by Bryan Thompson, who had also worked on Airstream's aforementioned Basecamp, the smallest aluminum trailer in the lineup.
Nest features a relatively roomy bathroom.
Two available floor plans provide a pair of seating setups. The first has a U-shaped dinette that converts into a bed.
In dinette mode, the Nest looks like a nice place to eat breakfast!
The second design has "a permanent bed with a plush Tuft & Needle mattress," the company said.
Don't worry, though. If you crave that classic Airstream experience, the company has no plans to abandon its legendary silver-bullet trailers.
