Wally Byam, the founder of Airstream, Inc., once said, “Let’s not make any changes—let’s make only improvements.” This philosophy has been one of the main reasons these iconic “Silver Bullet” trailers have become part of the American vernacular, and why they have cultivated a brand loyalty no other RV company can claim. Airstreamers, as the trailer owners call themselves, are deeply passionate about their silver beauties and do not look kindly on change. So, how did this company recently infuse its product line with a fresh vitality while maintaining the brand it’s spent 75 years cultivating? By combining hints of the past with a bold vision for the future, and focusing on high design.

This strategy, which is a vast departure from that of any other RV manufacturer, has resulted in the new BaseCamp, a multifunctional unit that not only serves as a trailer with a modest kitchen, fold-down bunks, and a detachable Kelty tent, but also as a toyhauler that can accommodate an ATV, dirt bikes, mountain bikes, or whatever gear its adventurous owner can cram in. With aggressive styling and cutting-edge innovation, this unit has achieved the ultimate sweet spot between stripped-down utilitarian and ultra-cool gadget. There is nothing extraneous, nothing gratuitous, just the essential elements in a compact configuration that’s built to last.

Because the true roots of Airstream lay deep in the soil of adventure and exploration, this dynamic new design is a natural addition to its line of products and a perfect expression of the Airstream brand. In the ’50s and ’60s, Byam led caravans of trailers the length of Africa, as well as on a trip traversing Europe, Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Thailand, Singapore, and China, to name just a few destinations. These intrepid adventurers were not only visiting wild, exotic places long before it was the thing to do, they were towing trailers through the Congo and over the desert with cars such as the Ford Falcon. But as the years went by, the recreational vehicle industry gradually shifted to accommodate an older and more sedate audience that had become their largest market by designing trailers that were less about conquering the world, and more about creating living rooms on wheels.

FRESH EYES BRING NEW PERSPECTIVES

As Airstream rolled into the 21st century, the RV market was beginning to soften and many of Airstream’s longtime employees were retiring. A younger set was faced with new challenges, but with deep respect for the brand and its history, they were able to instill a fresh vitality and an aggressive vision for the future.

When Dicky Riegel, a 35-year-old employee of Thor (Airstream’s parent company) took the helm as president in 2002, he came across a letter that Bryan Thompson, a young designer at Nissan Design America (NDA), had written two years previous. Thompson, a longtime Airstream enthusiast, had proposed the two companies join forces and collaborate on a project. The letter, however, had gone unanswered because what he was proposing was a drastic departure from the formula the company had always relied on. But with a new goal of reaching out to different lifestyle segments, the time was right, and Riegel contacted Thompson.

A coincidental trip to Beverly Hills allowed the two to meet and Thompson to present Riegel with sketches and a concept model of what would one day become the BaseCamp trailer. Impressed with Thompson’s passion, Riegel toured the NDA studios the following day. During his visit, designer Brenda Parkin lamented that the NDA team would have to temporarily move off-site while their offices were renovated, so Riegel suggested they convert Airstream trailer shells into interim office spaces. He offered to sell them at a discount in return for NDA’s help designing a “radically new line of trailers.” The design team loved the idea but Thompson still had to convince NDA to take this unprecedented opportunity. Perseverance paid off, and several months later Thompson and seven other members of the design team, all in their 20s and 30s, made the 4,961-mile trek across country to pick up the shells at the Airstream factory in Ohio.