Keystone to Launch Cougar Sport, Montana Front Office

RV Business

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At a time when the industry is adjusting to what many describe as more “normal” market conditions, the engineering and product teams at Keystone RV Company have been hard at work. Set to launch at the Florida RV SuperShow next week, Keystone will unveil a new Cougar sub-brand and the first of its kind Montana floorplan.

Company officials noted that Cougar and Montana are perennial top sellers, and introducing all-new products for these brands at this time will enable dealers to attract new and repeat buyers.

RVBusiness was recently invited to Keystone’s Goshen, Ind., campus for a sneak peek at these new offerings.

Cougar Sport 2700BH

Cougar Sport

The Cougar brand includes half-ton travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and premium fifth-wheels – all told over 40 floorplans. The limited-edition Cougar Sport, scheduled for production in February, will add to this with two lighter-weight, lower-priced floorplans.

“When we look at Cougar owners, we see people buying into the brand, again and again,” noted Keystone Marketing and Communications Director Christy Spencer. “This new Sport will make it possible for people to enter the Cougar sooner, at a lower price point.”

According to Spencer, the MRSP will start at about $45,000 – $20,000 less than comparable Cougar Half-Ton fifth-wheel models and less than Cougar Half-Ton travel trailers. The Sport will also be thousands of pounds lighter, with the 2100RK weighing about 6,500 pounds and the 2700BH about 7,400 pounds.

The interior of the Sport showcases the brand’s popular Amy Gray décor, tweaked slightly to make it a little more modern and streamlined, as Spencer describes it.

Cougar Sport 2100RK

Other features include:

Sport Appearance Package consisting of new graphics, frameless windows, tempered glass entry door, and wheel package.
Solid Step Entry stairs
Power stabilizer jacks
Power awning
Girard on-demand water heater
HyperDeck water-resistant floor
Furrion appliances with 10.4 cubic foot 12-volt refrigerator, 15K BTU AC
40” TV
SolarFlex 200 Solar Power System

Strategically, Keystone sees Cougar Sport as creating an opportunity for its dealers. Explained Keystone President Jeff Runels, “One of the big reasons for this isn’t just to hit a new buyer, but to go out and get the buyers that have existed for years with mid-priced half-ton units. Over the past few years, prices have increased by 25% to 45% on certain parts, impacting overall costs. So our job was to go back and find a way to reduce cost and weight without sacrificing anything for the customer, the coach’s integrity, or the brand.”

Both new Cougar Sport floorplans, the 2100RK and the 2700BH, will be displayed at the Florida RV SuperSuper.

Montana 3941FO

Montana 3941FO

“It’s like having an office with a big window. Not just any window, but the best view in the house,” is how Keystone General Manager Colin Dechant described the new Montana 3941 front office/front living room floorplan.

Although Keystone’s flagship brand has been building luxury fifth wheels for decades, this is the first time Montana has offered a dedicated office.

Exclusive office space is a sought-after feature for a growing market of RV owners working from the road. In the 3941 Montana, the office is located forward of the front living room, separated by a solid wall and solid sliding door. The area includes an L-shaped desk, storage, filing cabinets, space for a printer, a corkboard, an opening side window, and, of course, the panoramic front windshield.

According to Montana Product Manger Nick Ebenroth, the team’s goal with this new model was to create a comfortable, inviting front office without sacrificing the living areas. This floorplan measures about 43 feet in length, at the top of the Montana line, but offers the same front living room as other Montana models.

To accommodate the front office and the living room, Ebenroth says they shaved a few feet off the kitchen area. “One of the things we did was to remove the kitchen island. Although this eliminated some countertop areas, we made up for it by including two large pullout drawers opposite each other, adding more counter space back in. So in effect, you have the same prep space, storage, and a more open kitchen area.” In addition, customers can choose from an 18 cubic-foot residential refrigerator or a 20 cubic-foot 12-volt refrigerator.

Another noteworthy feature, said Ebenroth, is the raised rear deck beneath the bath and rear bedroom, creating maximum storage. “For our owners, storage is king. We’ve incorporated a huge, pullout rear storage tray making it easy to take advantage of all the storage space. Also, this is one of the few Montana floorplans with an outside kitchen and includes a 24-inch griddle and 12-volt refrigerator.

The Montana 3941FO front-office front Living room floorplan carries an MSRP of around $137,00, weighs about 15,000 pounds, and is 43 feet long.

The RVBusiness Capitol Talk series is sponsored by Dicor Products.

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Source: https://rvbusiness.com/keystone-to-launch-cougar-sport-montana-front-office/