There’s certainly nothing prehistoric about the 2009 Rexhall Aerbus T-Rex, and judging by
the positive responses and appreciative glances cast our way during our test, Bill Rex and
his design team have developed a unique coach that turns heads. Based on a streamlined
37-foot, 6-inch body design that rides on the equally innovative Workhorse UFO gas-pusher
chassis, the T-Rex incorporates the first use of twin full-wall fiberglass slide rooms.
As
one of seven possible floor-plan choices in this length, the 375 SS rear one-bath plan
caters to the couple that doesn’t require the more traditional amidships bath floor-plan.
Inside the coach, rows of raised-panel overhead storage cabinets, in the handsome dark wood
“Splendid” cabinetry scheme, above the dual-pane windows line the slides, presenting a
sophisticated look and coordinating with the “Earth” interior décor.
A dividing wall with
leaded glass entry door separates the living area from the owner’s suite and rear-wall
bath. The bedroom suite uses the remaining length of both slides. The flat floor, which
benefits from the lowered powerplant of the UFO chassis, really shines in this motorhome by creating a full 8-foot-wide bath with spacious shower and furniture-style storage vanity
with a contemporary raised-glass basin.
On the Road
The Workhorse UFO
gas-pushing chassis is a pleasure to drive, period. The smooth idling V-8 coupled with
excellent soundproofing required a glance at the tachometer to ensure it was actually
running, and allowed normal conversation levels and hands-free cell phone use.
The Death
Valley-proven Cool Pack cooling system developed specifically for this gas application
maintained even operating temperatures – even on a long 5-percent grade, where speed was
reduced to 40 mph in second gear at 4,000 rpm, cutting into our fuel mileage. Seven-percent
downhill grade speeds were kept solidly in control with the Allison transmission in third
gear and modest applications of the service brakes to keep speeds slower than 50 mph.
The
Rexhall T-Rex represents an excellent example of cutting-edge body
design, chassis selection and construction methods, creating innovative floor-plans with a
long list of standard equipment tailor-made to a wide variety of motorhome lifestyles.
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