Paris Motor Show: Knaus V-liner
Vive la différence! This Euro-style RV is a cool alternative to its (much) larger North American counterparts.
German travel trailer and recreational vehicle builder Knaus is exhibiting their V-Liner compact RV in Paris, and for his first time seeing the V-Liner up close and personal, John was very impressed. (You may recall that we featured its C-Liner sistership in our "Top 10 ways to motor your home" feature.) Despite the rather baroque front-end styling, the V-Liner is packed with cool features.
Most of the Paris Motor Show press material was in French, so details are scarce, but we do have a translation of the Knaus website's V-Liner description after the jump, with more pics!
Get a WordPress.com Blog_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tom T. 2:27PM (9/28/2006)
All that front end needs is a nose!
Reply
Andrew 2:32PM (9/28/2006)
I love it - even the RV's have manual transmissions! Those Europeans must really love to, and know how to, drive. Don't get me wrong, I love the USA and I'm all in favor of big trucks and wide open spaces. But I do wish we Americans as a whole could be a little more involved with the actual driving and less obsessed with sound systems, laser guided cruise control, cell phones, and automatic everything. Nothing connects you more intimately with what your vehicle is actually doing, and forces you to pay attention, like a stick shifter.
Reply
Andrew 2:53PM (9/28/2006)
Good observation, Tom. They should call it the "Happy Camper"!
Reply
SaveGas 3:06PM (9/28/2006)
I have read serveral reports which stated that drivers of manual vehicles are 40 percent less likely to be involved in an accident than their slush box counterparts. Driving manual does indeed require much more attention, particuarly in congested cities.
Reply
Bill 3:16PM (9/28/2006)
#4, and you're also less likely to yap on the phone while you're shifting, though I've seen it done.
The interior of this is really stylish. I've seen some Airstream RV's that they're building on Sprinter chasises, so would be similar in size and concept.
Anybody remember the Winnebago LeSharo? Built on a Renault platform, with a turbodiesel, and could be had with an auto or a manual shifter.
Reply
mike 3:29PM (9/28/2006)
viva la difference!
if there were RVs like this available here, i might consider one. i've always wished that RVs would strive to be efficient, clean, and comfortable -- not try to be a surburban home on wheels. think Ikea mounted on a rolling chassis.
leave it to the germans, i guess.
Reply
Andrew 3:32PM (9/28/2006)
Savegas, I would love to see those reports if you can provide links for them. I have no trouble believing that's true. I'm interested to see the methodology of the studies. I wonder what the cause is - is it because the act of driving a stick makes you pay attention to your vehicle, or because distractions like phones are difficult to use, or is it simply because better drivers prefer sticks? Probably all of the above. I'd really enjoy seeing the studies first hand if you can give references.
Reply
Erik 4:37PM (9/28/2006)
Really cool!
And #2, I agree 100%!
Reply
Dee Clark 5:14PM (9/28/2006)
Is this this thing running for the "10 most ugly motorhomes"? I would expect this from france, but Germany,I just can't believe any one would by it. It has to look good on the outside first.
Reply
SaveGas 6:46PM (9/28/2006)
Dee Clark: Is this this thing running for the "10 most ugly motorhomes"? I would expect this from france, but Germany,I just can't believe any one would by it. It has to look good on the outside first
This motorhome is far better looking than any 4MPG American monstrosity that's being built on a 30 year old platform. Curious as to what I may be referencing...think Econoline/E series siblings that have been the bread and butter of RV chassis's for the last 1/3 century.
The Knaus attains 20.5 MPG according to the website (9.5 liters per 100 km on Euro cycle) from its 2.5 L Renault sourced CDI diesel. The Knaus is light years ahead of any American RV, sans perhaps the Sprinter sourced Airstream.
Reply
Jeff Banks 1:35AM (9/29/2006)
"I have read serveral reports which stated that drivers of manual vehicles are 40 percent less likely to be involved in an accident than their slush box counterparts. Driving manual does indeed require much more attention, particuarly in congested cities. "
Perhaps its because most manual transmission equipped cars in America are compacts...which as a whole have a lower accident rate.
I had a band teacher in high school who would shave while driving a manual. It was pretty amazing to watch.
Reply
JackOfShadows 9:01AM (9/29/2006)
However, if you have an arthritic left knee and foot, you don't want to have to repeatedly push a clutch in heavy traffic.
I know I sure don't, therefore, an automatic.
Reply
PookieNutz 12:03PM (9/29/2006)
As a kid growing up in 1980's Buenos Aires, Argentina, - now I live in NYC - it always amazed me the dexterity/talents that Buenos Aires bus drivers had in their Mercedes Benz LO 1112/1114 (from 1965 up to mid 90's). They were all manual transmission, when a passenger boarded, they would need to state their destination, pay-up get change along with a numbered receipt of their fare. Just incredible. To this day, I can drive my manual transmission Audi A4, drink coffee, program songs on my iPod, speak on the Treo (speaker phone of course) and enjoy a nice breakfast pastry. All in their honor. Now, it is just like here in NYC mostly, a computerized fare machine, accepts paper money and coins and gives you back change. The buses (or colectivos, as they are called) are mostly all automatic transmission now. A real shame.
Reply