Italian B-Van Builder Showing New Model, Approach, in Tampa – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
TAMPA, Fla. – Italian-based B-van builder Wingamm unveiled its eye-catching Oasi 540.1 Wednesday during the Florida RV SuperShow.
What sets the Wingamm USA apart among other things is its dual-layer, one-piece fiberglass monocoque shell, which, the company reports, is completely impervious to water intrusion.
Part of the big news for Wingamm, which has been in the U.S. market for three years now, includes the fact that it’s now available here on a Dodge ProMaster 3500 van showcased at the Tampa Show for an MSRP of $185,000.
Previous versions – as well as all current European models – have been built on the Fiat Ducato chassis. (Both Fiat and Chrysler/Dodge are subsidiaries of global automotive giant Stellantis.)
The front-drive chassis is powered by the Chrysler Pentastar 2.6-litre V6 gas engine. The shell is manufactured in Verona, Italy, and shipped to the U.S. for final assembly.
The diminutive Oasi is 17 feet, 10 inches long and 7 feet, 5 inches tall. The interior appears roomy for the size of the unit with a pull-down bunk in the front, a bath in back and a mid-coach dinette. The design allows for a fairly roomy exterior storage bin in the rear – a relatively unusual Class B feature.
Flooring is two-inch dual layer with polyurethane insulation and warmed with Truma Combi-heated air.
Just as noteworthy, according to Tony Diamond, Wingamm director and CEO, is the company’s new approach to sales here in the States. Wingamm currently has two dealerships in the U.S. – in Salt Lake City and Nashville – plus service centers in Dallas and St. Louis. And more dealerships and service centers, located in city centers, are to be added as market share grows
“We believe we’re starting with motorhomes that are best-in-class and we wanted to extend that to our sales model and dealership network,” Diamond said. “Most dealerships are not in the city center. They’re 30 minutes to an hour outside of city center, so they’re not convenient to get to. And once you get there, you are met by a commission salesperson, which is a process that we believe nobody enjoys.”
He also said the current dealership model involves different models and brands whereas Wingamm offers franchise dealerships with expert staff.
“Once you get there, you’re are immersed in the Wingamm and you’re greeted by a customer specialist, not a commissioned sales person,” he told RVB. “Our display areas are being patterned after Apple stores; we offer an elegant, modern, sophisticated experience at our dealerships.”
In a move taking a page out of the Tesla marketing model, Wingamm also plans to have displays in high-end shopping malls across the U.S.
“That is being done for a number of reasons,” Diamond said. “First, again, it’s about convenience. So these are in city centers, and then it’s also about creating a pleasant experience as opposed to being outside, which is how most stores are. You’re now inside. You can shop. You can have lunch and see a Wingamm, all in the same place and it’s five minutes from your house.”
Diamond also believes there is a much larger, untapped addressable market for the Oasi 540.
“We hope to capture that market,” he said. “We want people who currently drive large SUVs, but all of their daily needs are not being met by those large SUVs. We believe there are a lot of daily pain points that that can’t be solved in a Range Rover, but can be solved in a Wingamm.
“Let’s say you’re a family of four,” he added. “Saturday morning, you’ve got one kid’s soccer game, then another kid’s softball game, and you got grandma’s house at the end of the day, right? So today, it’s hop in the SUV. With a Wingamm, you can, while one kid’s playing soccer, the other kid’s napping. While one kid’s playing softball, the other kid’s doing their homework, and everyone can shower and change and head to grandma’s without ever having to go home.”
Both units on display at Tampa were sold with other potential customers placed on a wait list.
