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Phenix 40Q2

Originally Published in MotorHome Magazine

The high-end diesel-pusher market is loaded with many of the same accouterments and
equipment found in some of the country’s more expensive homes. Granite countertops. Marble
flooring. Flat-screen televisions with surround sound. Sometimes, it seems that what you’re
paying for is a lot of bells and whistles — not necessarily a superior-quality coach. At
Foretravel, accessories are indeed part of the picture — but the company’s main focus is
on quality construction, attention to detail and superior ride and handling. “The fact of
the matter is, most of the coaches in this segment have all got about the same features,”
said Terry Nabours, Foretravel’s marketing manager. “So we place more importance on the the
coach itself.” That’s not to say that Foretravel’s newest diesel-pusher line, the Phenix,
doesn’t have some interesting features of its own. For example, the front and rear caps are
seamless, the slideout rooms have flangeless, radius edges that fit flush when the rooms
are retracted, and the awnings are located in fiberglass cowlings on the roof — design
details that help achieve a cleaner appearance. Moreover, the Phenix is taller (inside and
out) than preceding products, but it still fits underneath most 12-foot doors, “provided
the air bags are lowered slightly,” Nabours pointed out. The unit shown here, the 40Q2,
features four slideouts and what Foretravel calls a “dual-access bath”: Two doors from the
bedroom are separated by a linen closet; the streetside door leads to the large neo-angle
shower and lav, the curbside directly to the private toilet/lav room. In the master suite,
a queen-size bed is housed within a streetside slideout, while a large wardrobe and 20-inch
LCD television is housed in an opposing slideout. Work your way up front, and you’ll find
details like handcrafted cabinetry (maple, walnut or cherry), tile flooring and engineered
stone countertops. Housed in the curbside slide is the kitchen, featuring a two-burner
range, GE Advantium oven and a 14-cubic-foot Dometic refrigerator with in-door icemaker. On
the street side, there’s a booth dinette and sleeper sofa and, up front, a 32-inch LCD
television. The driver’s area, meanwhile, features a tilt-and-telescoping Smart Wheel,
satellite-ready AM/FM stereo with six-disc CD player and Villa six-way power-adjustable
driver and front passenger seating. Other features include an Aqua-Hot hydronic heating
system, 10.2kW diesel AC generator, 3,000-watt inverter and 50-amp service. Because
Foretravel builds its own chassis, more latitude is afforded in floorplan design and
availability. In total, there are 15 floorplans in two lengths (40 and 42 feet) in the
Phenix lineup — but if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, Foretravel can
customize it further. “The Phenix was built for people who want a coach that suits their
specific needs, but don’t want to spend $1.5 million to $2 million for a bus conversion,”
commented Nabours. “The Phenix is around half the cost, and you can still get everything
you want.” Foretravel Motorcoach, (800) 955-6226, foretravel.com

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