The Bowlus Road Chief: Luxury Land Travel Is Here To Stay
The Bowlus Road Chief is proof that you don't need an airplane, yacht, or stay in a fancy hotel to travel in the utmost comfort and style. And let's face it, our concept of air travel is not what it used to be. The widespread Coronavirus pandemic has led to worldwide travel bans, border closures, and flight cancellations – all reasons why luxury land travel is booming as I speak.
However, the Bowlus Road Chief is an excellent alternative, particularly its Endless Highways Edition travel trailer. It has exclusive luxury features and accessories to make it stand out from other RVs. For instance, the Road Chief is configurable with a true king-size bed that converts into a pair of twin mattresses.
It has a large, hotel-like shower with continuous hot water and Italian marine-grade accouterments. And of course, no luxury RV is complete without a spacious main cabin with genuine stainless steel counters and storage cabinets. Standard on the Road Chief is GPS tracking, LED exterior and interior lighting, polycarbonate windows, and a 110V outlet to charge your electric vehicle.
The Bowlus Road Chief was originally conceived by aircraft builder, designer, and engineer Hawley Bowlus in 1934. If the name sounds familiar, Bowlus is best known for building the Spirit of St. Louis, a single-seat, custom-built, high-wing monoplane flown by Charles Lindbergh. The aircraft is the first to fly nonstop from Long Island, New York, to Paris, France on May 20-21, 1927.
The original Road Chief travel was the first aluminum riveted travel trailer and tipped the scales at 1,100 pounds. In fact, the original Airstream by Wally Byam was inspired by Bowlus' Road Chief. Back then, the Road Chief was a marvel of advanced engineering and design, but it primarily became notorious for its astonishing build-quality. Over half of the original 1930s Bowlus Road Chiefs are still in existence.
In addition, the Bowlus Road Chief has the lowest center of gravity among the competition to deliver better handling. Featuring an all-aluminum monocoque exterior skin and a very low hitch weight, the Road Chief's aerodynamic shape is hard to miss.
According to Bowlus, product inquiries for the Road Chief are up 4.5 times the average in 2020 as luxury travelers are shifting their attention to ultra-premium RVs. And with standard heated floors and a lithium power supply, winter travelers can spend an entire week on the road without an external power source. If you think about it, winter is a sluggish time for RV sales, but Bowlus is breaking the trend with a 100-percent increase in deliveries for the cold season.
The newest Bowlus Road Chief is available in two models. The standard Endless Highways Edition starts at $190,000 while the larger and more luxurious Performance Edition starts at $225,000. Meanwhile, Bowlus is also offering two customization options for the Road Chief. The Personalization Program starts at $20,000 while the One of One Program starts at $40,000.
Both options are personally overseen by Geneva Long, Bowlus Chief Designer and CEO. Buyers can personalize every aspect of their Road Chief by choosing from over fifty-six million material combinations.