Airstream and Porsche brainstorm visionary travel trailer concept

The simple question “What if?” More specifically, that question reads, “What if the next generation Airstream trailer incorporated design cues from Porsche?” The answer is the Airstream Studio FA Porsche Concept Travel Trailer, a gorgeous design study with style and more effective and to the point than its nondescript name tag. Designed to be aerodynamic, off-grid-capable and easily garageable in the off-season, the two-person pop-up concept offers a very attractive direction for future Silver Bullets.

We’d love to see an Airstream trailer with a rear roofline worthy of a classic 911 or 356, but Studio FA Porsche and Airstream decided to go about things more subtly. They’ve worked on optimizing the aerodynamics, as well as giving the concept trailer a fresh, futuristic look that’s undeniably Airstream… with a touch of Porsche.

The biggest departure from traditional Airstream design comes at the rear, where a longer, wider wall replaces the usual curved bulge in an effort to improve aerodynamics. The reimagined rear-end also features a split tailgate that opens into a deck and awning combination that’s clearly inspired by the Airstream’s European cousin Hymer’s new Vision S camper van.

The aero optimization continues with the minimized frontal area, flush underbody and clean rooftop. Hardware that would otherwise stick out from the roof or underbody, such as the air conditioner and holding tank, are sandwiched inside the body and chassis, ensuring that air isn’t hanging over any protrusions.

The sweep of the roof also allows for a pop-up design that ensures the trailer sits down while riding but provides plenty of headroom when camping. In another nod to the Hymer Vision S, the pop-up is untouched.

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Also bringing the 16.4-foot (5-meter) concept Airstream to the ground is the first adjustable-height suspension in Airstream history … at least its concept history. Not only does the suspension allow the trailer to adjust for lower, more efficient highway travel and high-clearance off-road towing, it also lowers the concept low enough to slide neatly into home garages, some average The Airstream can’t quite do that.

All that aero optimization helps the concept trailer outperform its contemporaries in CFD aerodynamics performance. Airstream says third-party verification has confirmed improvements in aerodynamic characteristics compared to the Airstream 28RB and Basecamp 20X. That, coupled with the low theoretical weight afforded by the lightweight overall design, ensures that the trailer can be easily towed by electric vehicles including the Porsche Macan and the smaller ICEs and hybrids with which it has become.

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The floor plan is similar to the Airstream Basecamp, with seating for the trailer’s two occupants and a dual-bench rear dining lounge that drops into an 82 x 61-in (208 x 155-cm) super-queen bed and reconfigures It happens. The front kitchen area takes advantage of the large panoramic windows, allowing campers to enjoy cooking outside even when inside the Airstream sheet metal. A flip-up countertop connects the front kitchen to the console next to the dining bench, creating a large L-shaped cooking space before folding up to clear access to the entryway.

A wet bathroom compartment fits comfortably in the front corner next to the kitchen block. The dual-position door can close the toilet while leaving the shower floor open to add a little extra elbow room and spaciousness, swinging back to open the toilet and shower into a wet shower space .

Designed with an eye toward off-grid camping, the Concept Airstream features lithium battery power and roof-mounted solar. The cooktop in the kitchen appears to be an induction design, indicating the possibility of a completely gas-free, all-electric appliance setup.

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Airstream and Porsche Lifestyle Group officials will reveal a 1/3-scale model of the Airstream Studio FA Porsche Concept Travel Trailer behind the Macan at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas this weekend. The model will appear at Porsche’s booth, where the theme will be the “Porsche X” collaboration. It will join the Lightship L1 prototype as futuristic-looking trailers debuted at the concept event.

Airstream notes that while not all of its concepts make it to market, they often end up making production trailers. The aforementioned Basecamp was an example of a collaborative concept that eventually made it to market, first revealed in 2005 in collaboration with Nissan before launching a decade later. However, the Ford Airstream fuel cell crossover didn’t go very far.

The 8.5-minute video dives into the cross-Atlantic collaborative process and design choices behind the concept trailer.

Source: Airstream