Fleetwood RV's Motor Home Made Worldwide Debut at Louisville RV Show

20 December 1997

           Four-Season Travelers to Benefit from Latest RV Product

    RIVERSIDE, Calif., Dec. 20 -- Marking a page in its history
book, Fleetwood Recreational Vehicles recently introduced a four-
wheel-drive mini motor home concept that will revolutionize the way RVers
travel in snow and icy conditions.  The world's largest RV manufacturer
debuted its latest innovation at the industry's biggest RV show in Louisville
earlier this month.
    The concept vehicle, built on Fleetwood's Tioga mini motor home platform,
utilizes a Ford chassis and Ford's high/low range four-wheel-drive system with
manual-locking hubs.  In addition to offering more mobility in inclement
weather conditions, the added power to all four wheels allows RVers the
flexibility of taking their vehicle to many places previously inaccessible.
    "While we may call this a concept vehicle, it is essentially ready for the
marketplace," said John Weiss, vice president of Fleetwood's Motor Home Group.
"There are numerous RV owners who don't want to get out of their vehicles to
put chains on in the middle of a snow storm.  Now, all they have to do is lock
the hubs."
    The 23-foot Fleetwood Tioga is powered by Ford's potent 6.8-liter Triton
V10 engine, utilizing a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission for ease
of driving.  Providing a comfortable ride in challenging terrain, the Tioga
sits atop Ford's heavy-duty E40 chassis, equipped with coil type springs in
the front and multi-leaf/single stage springs in the rear.
    The new chassis, equipped with a heavier duty front axle (increase in GAWR
from 4,600 to 5,000 lbs.), also increases cargo capacity, a major
consideration for RVers.  In addition, the concept Tioga gains a full four
inches of height over the two-wheel-drive model and capably handles inclement
conditions on its rugged LT225/75Rx16E tires.
    The four-wheel-drive system found on the concept vehicle can also be
applied to Fleetwood's line of Jamboree mini motor homes.
    Fleetwood RV, a publicly traded Fortune 500 company based in
Riverside, Calif., is the world's leading producer of recreational vehicles,
having manufactured nearly one in three RVs on the road today.  Fleetwood's
line of recreational vehicles, which includes motor homes, travel trailers,
fifth wheels, truck campers and folding trailers, can be found at more than
1,200 dealers nationwide.  Established in 1950, Fleetwood employs more than
18,000 associates at its corporate headquarters and 63 North American
facilities.  For more information on Fleetwood RV, visit the company's website
at http://www.fleetwood.com. or call 1-800-444-4905.

SOURCE  Fleetwood Recreational Vehicles