Bowlus Trailer

[Mike G]

Inefficient body shape? Compared to a stickie, nope. Compared to an Escape, not sure... looks like maybe 6 and a half dozen to me.

A sloped rear is more aero than a sloped front.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

I guess you have to bring along some servants, but then where do the servants sleep?

There are large yachts that are accompanied by a tender, which services the main yacht; the most ridiculous of them are "mega-yacht" size themselves and have their own accommodations for staff (and lesser guests), plus the second helicopter. The equivalent here would be motorhome (with crew bunks)... following at a discrete distance, of course.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Mike G

Inefficient body shape? Compared to a stickie, nope. Compared to an Escape, not sure... looks like maybe 6 and a half dozen to me.

A sloped rear is more aero than a sloped front.

A tapered tail is good if the taper is gentle enough. If is tapers too quickly, it is worse than a cleanly cut off tail end. It would be interesting to see a Bowlus in a wind tunnel - it's probably not so pretty there.

The Escape shape - which is copied from classic moulded fiberglass trailers of half a century ago - has more to do with structure and getting the shell out of the mould than with aerodynamics. Moderately rounded on both ends, the front will be okay and the rear will be lousy for aerodynamics. The unfinished bottom and the random pile of stuff stuck on top of the roof are both bad, aerodynamically... like most RVs.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by Centex

The Bowlus is a lovely (approaching stunning) bit of "art", and the only purchase appeal is for those who desire and can afford art for art's sake - not to be confused with a tool for recreational camping as practiced by the overwhelming majority of folks who enjoy that activity (not too unlike many comparably-priced automobiles when talking transportation).

Not being in the former category I can't help but look at the functional specs and features, and find them wanting in many respects.

Notwithstanding token suggestions by Bowlus that their products are "designed ... for the solitude of off-grid camping ... (and the) ... thrill of exploration", that's not their market and I suspect they know that full-well. Much more likely to be seen at the paddock of the Palm Beach Concours methinks, the 3.1 cuft refrigerator packed with Champaign.

Yep, nifty art, punches the retro-aesthetic button, and the odd mix of features along with the price doubtless will ensure the exclusivity and cache that the few buyers in that market demand. Nothing wrong with that, but it fails to inspire even vicarious interest in me.

IMO, YMMV.

What he said

[waltkaren]

We attended a car show last weekend and came across this unusual entry. The present owner says it was a barn find near St Louis MI. Story is the builder was going to start production but died from a heart attack. Not sure what decade. Only one in existence.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by waltkaren

We attended a car show last weekend and came across this unusual entry. The present owner says it was a barn find near St Louis MI. Story is the builder was going to start production but died from a heart attack. Not sure what decade. Only one in existence.

Looks a lot like the German motorcycle built to break the land speed record in the 30’s I think

[WillyB]

I believe I will have my staff place one at the chateau down by the lake next to our vintage Chris Craft so we could enjoy the outdoors with a nice bottle from the cellar while watching a round of polo.

It would be a quite charming afternoon.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by waltkaren

We attended a car show last weekend and came across this unusual entry. The present owner says it was a barn find near St Louis MI. Story is the builder was going to start production but died from a heart attack. Not sure what decade. Only one in existence.
Attachment 58281
...

It looks like the world narrowly escaped some true stupidity, from a functional standpoint.

Perhaps the builder was fan of both Airstreams and the Wienermobile?

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

It looks like the world narrowly escaped some true stupidity, from a functional standpoint.

Perhaps the builder was fan of both Airstreams and the Wienermobile?

Brian, Brian, Brian.......

The Weinermobile was based out of Madison, Wisconsin. Was. Kraft Foods shut it all down, but the Weinermobile lives on!

The current Weinermobile has been vastly updated, modernized, refitted and refurbished. It now has impulse and warp drive and is on tour of the outer reaches of the Andromeda Galaxy, shucking and selling weiners to the hungry aliens.

Shirley, you've read or heard of this neat meat feat.

HOT DOG! ENGAGE! And please pass the mustard.

[HABBERDABBER]

One lunch hour I went to the post office to do some package sending. And there, in all its tubular sausage glory was the Weinermobile. I had a camera along in my Honda Fit, and took some shots. Here's 2. This was prior to the galaxy class Weinermobile being built and hitting the galactic stars sales route.

[huskersteffy]

Weinermobile posts cracked me up. There is no financial logic to a middle to upper-middle class person / couple purchasing a a Bowlus or even an Airstream for that matter.

Too many folks thinking emotionally versus logically about money (thank you Spock). On the other hand, please keep spending so my IRA goes up!

[Doug & Betty]

Fun to read everyone's comments on the Bowlus, and I can't disagree with any of them. If you ever get the opportunity to look around one do take the time. It was very interesting. One definitely does not acquire one just to be a touring/camping trailer. The rolling piece of art fits much better. I liked the thoughts on the staff following, at a discrete distance of course, in a motorhome. The Bowlus owners on the one we looked at could easily fit into this stereotype. Although they were driving their own Lexus LX as a TV. No chauffeur. I had thoughts of towing it with a Ferrari 308, or even better a classic coachwork Rolls.

[Vermilye]

I met a couple in Tennessee that was out on their first trip with their Bowlus Endless Highways:

[bborzell]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

I met a couple in Tennessee that was out on their first trip with their Bowlus Endless Highways:

Quite the cozy front porch. Interior appears a bit cramped and spartan.

[Small but Sweet]

I wonder if anyone has ever taken a Bowlus to Burning Man. Somehow I think it would be perfect for the pseudo-apocalyptic arty festival where Silicon Valley meets Mad Max (I'm describing it as tastefully as I can).

[dfandrews]

I am surprised that Bowlus is even being mentioned on the Escape Forum.


I was the Fire Dept rep. at the City Planning meeting when Bowlus came to the City of Oxnard to build their factory. (I think I had more questions than any other staff member, and they weren't all Fire Code related!!).
When someone asked about retail prices, and they started talking six figures, I got really quiet. Whew!

[LarryLSB]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

I am surprised that Bowlus is even being mentioned on the Escape Forum.


I was the Fire Dept rep. at the City Planning meeting when Bowlus came to the City of Oxnard to build their factory. (I think I had more questions than any other staff member, and they weren't all Fire Code related!!).
When someone asked about retail prices, and they started talking six figures, I got really quiet. Whew!

Yeah, just saw this on the Wed. email! Saw one down at Agua Caliente County Park, by Anza Borrego a few years back, had no idea what it was, didn't see anyone with it to ask, but wrote down the name of the trailer and looked it up when we got home, I was shocked at the price, but they are made in SoCal, so that explains it! Moving ahead a couple of years, our niece's in-laws bought one. First time trailer owners, apparently they have the $$. Their son just shakes his head...

[Heatherhab]

Looked great and for sustainable travel or boondocking seemed to match our needs. However a few red flags emerged! For such a huge investment, can’t see a model in person. Large 100,000 deposit! Also, sales contact referred to the CEO in such glowing, cultish reverence no less than six times! Such irrelevance too-I.e., her youth, her Wharton education, her choice in vehicles(Porsche Panamera), her parents who also owned and sold a tech company! Wow-how is this related to me? Sounds like mommy & daddy set her up in her own company so she and her 20 something friends could pretend to glamp and admire each other! Not putting that kind of money down with just a teleconference for our “safety”

[stratos175]

Sorry but to me the trailer for a person with more money then sense. Even if I had that kind of money to throw around would not spend it on one of these.


Enjoy the journey,

Steve

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by stratos175

Sorry but to me the trailer for a person with more money then sense. Even if I had that kind of money to throw around would not spend it on one of these.


Enjoy the journey,

Steve

I agree. With a long association with aluminum aircraft I find the way the front end is done nothing short of hideous. It looks like someone bought a front end damaged Airstream and cobbled together a front wall. Reminds me of a flexible vent elbow.

To each their own.

Ron