The “P chassis” are leaving and the “W’s” will now reign across the
Workhorse gas chassis landscape. Workhorse Custom Chassis will soon
begin producing two entirely new chassis for the entry-level and smaller
Class A motorhome buyer. The new chassis will extend customer-driven
features from Workhorse’s successful W Series platforms into all-new
16,000- and 18,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) models.
Starting in mid-July, the two new W Series models, the W16 and
W18, will replace the current P Series models that have gvwrs of 15,000,
17,000 and 18,000 pounds.
“This is a watershed moment,” said Bob Wert, Workhorse vice
president of sales, marketing and product planning. “Our last link to
the old GM chassis is gone. We have nothing but W Series gas chassis now
— all designed from the ground up specifically for the needs of
today’s motorhome buyers.”
The W16 and W18 models will have wider and more robust frames,
50,000-psi steel vs. the competition’s 36,000-psi steel, to better
accommodate smaller motorhomes with slideouts. The engine will be lower
to the ground in the same fashion as the heavier-duty W20, W22 and W24
chassis in order to minimize the engine doghouse — what has proved to
be a popular aid to cockpit access. The lower engine also aids stability
and reduces noise, according to the company.
Both models will feature the big-block GM Vortec 8100 8.1L
gasoline engine used with all W Series models; however, an optional GM
Vortec 6000 6.0L engine also will be available. Both engines are mated
to Hydra-matic four-speed automatic transmissions. The new W Series
models will feature an industry-best 50-degree wheel cut for better
maneuverability and will sport high-performance Brembo brakes with
four-corner anti-lock capability.
The chassis will also have an I-Beam front suspension rather
than the independent front suspension used by the P Series. “Many RVers
like the stability of the I-Beam,” said Wert. “By adding the Stabil-Ride
suspension, Bilstein shocks and other improvements our W Series is
noted for, we think we’ve hit an excellent balance of ride and control
that the motorhome driver will appreciate.”
“For gasoline motorhomes, we now cover gvwrs from 16,000 to
24,000 pounds with a wealth of high-performance features,” Wert said.
“Add our R Series diesel platform and our collaboration with General
Motors on the new Chevy Workhorse Class C chassis, and you can see we’ve
brought many new choices to motorhome buyers. And there’s more on the
way.”
