Winnebago Industries hinted during the Q&A segment of its quarterly investor call that Winnebago-branded fifth wheels could return to the market in the future.
The company previously sold fifth wheels for a short period under the Voyage, Spyder, and Minnie Plus nameplates, but those models were discontinued around the 2020 and 2021 model years.
What is Driving the Possible Change?
The comment came as CEO Michael Happe responded to a question about pressure on Grand Design, Winnebago Industries’ towable RV subsidiary and a major player in the fifth-wheel segment.
“What is driving the pressure on Grand Design?” Happe was asked during the call.
In response, Happe said, “We have seen some Grand Design unit retail share pressure in the last year. A good chunk of that comes from the intense competition we are seeing from fifth-wheels in the market…”
He then added, “We have plans in the future to expand the Winnebago towables line into fifth-wheels at some point, so we will compete even differently in the future with two towable brands, not just one primary large one.”
Is This a Product Announcement?
That does not amount to a formal product announcement, and Winnebago did not offer a timeline, model details, or any other specifics. But the comment does appear to signal that the company is considering another move into the fifth-wheel market under the Winnebago brand.
For Winnebago Industries, it would mark a notable shift in strategy. The company already competes in the towables space through Grand Design, but Happe’s remarks suggest it sees an opportunity to broaden its position in fifth wheels with the Winnebago name as well.
This story was part of the March 30th RV and Camping News Roundup.
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