Spartan Chassis Asks Class 'A' Motorhome Makers: 'What Would You Do With Your Me2'
December 02 2003 - 12:09PM
PR Newswire (US)
Spartan Chassis Asks Class 'A' Motorhome Makers: 'What Would You Do
With Your Me2' CHARLOTTE, Mich., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Spartan Motors Chassis is launching a new marketing campaign at
this year's Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) show
that dares motorhome makers to dream. The Charlotte, Mich.-based
manufacturer of motorhome chassis, and subsidiary of Spartan
Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPAR), is using the RVIA show in Louisville,
which runs December 2-4, to promote its patented mid-engine chassis
-- the Me2. The new marketing campaign uses billboards, advertising
and other marketing promotions to ask motorhome manufacturers the
question: "What would you do with your Me2?" Designed to give RV
owners more living space, storage and improved ride- and-handling,
the Me2 made its commercial debut last year on a luxury coach built
by Travel Supreme. That motorhome -- the first commercial
application of the Me2 -- featured a double-slideout and a 12-foot
deep storage garage, measuring 95.5 inches wide by 56 inches high,
with a hydraulic lift in the rear of the coach. "The Me2 chassis
provides maximum flexibility for a motorhome OEM who wants to
create a unique living environment," said Richard Schalter,
president of Spartan Chassis. "By placing the engine in the middle
of the coach and below the floor, we've opened up more room for
OEMs to add slideouts, vary room designs or add high-end amenities
like sunken tubs, king sized beds or a one-car garage for carrying
toys. With the Me2, the only limitation for OEMs -- and their
customers -- is their own imagination." In addition to moving the
engine to the middle of the chassis, Spartan's engineers also
lowered the engine below the frame rails in the Me2's platform,
enabling motorhome manufacturers to build with lower floors and
increased headroom. With the Me2, OEMs can equip their coaches with
as many as six slideouts, potentially increasing the average living
space by up to 40 percent. The new chassis design also opens up
space in the rear of the coach for up to 30 percent more storage
space, which can be used to haul a small boat, car, snowmobiles,
ATVs, motorcycles, up to six bicycles or other leisure items that
are increasingly being used by RVers. Because Spartan's new Me2
places the heaviest object on the chassis frame -- the engine -- in
the middle of the vehicle, the balance of the coach is much easier
to maintain. The placement also positively impacts engine
maintenance and cooling by moving the engine and radiator ahead of
the rear wheels, which can kick up a great deal of dirt into the
drive train components on rear-engine platforms. "We believe the
Me2 could be the next revolution in RVs, much like the slideout was
in the early 1990s and basement storage was in the 1980s," Schalter
said. Spartan said its focus on bringing to the marketplace
innovative products and features that are difficult to replicate,
such as the Me2, is the foundation for the Company's strategy to
become the most-desired brand in each of the markets Spartan
serves. About Spartan Motors, Inc. Spartan Motors, Inc.
(http://www.spartanmotors.com/ ) designs, engineers and
manufactures custom chassis and vehicles for the recreational
vehicle, fire truck, ambulance and emergency-rescue markets. The
company's brand names -- Spartan(R), Crimson Fire(R) and Road
Rescue(R) -- are known in their market niches for quality, value,
service and being the first to market with innovative products.
Spartan Motors employs approximately 700 at facilities in Michigan,
South Dakota, Alabama, Minnesota and South Carolina and is publicly
traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the ticker symbol SPAR. The
statements contained in this news release include certain
predictions and projections that may be considered "forward-looking
statements" by the securities laws. These forward-looking
statements are identifiable by words or phrases indicating that the
Company or management "expects" that a particular result may occur,
or that its "guidance" or "initial guidance" is that a particular
event may occur. These statements involve many risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially,
including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental
and technological factors affecting the Company's operations,
markets, products, services and prices. Additional information
about these and other factors that may adversely affect these
forward-looking statements are contained in the Company's reports
and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect developments or information
obtained after the date of this news release. DATASOURCE: Spartan
Motors, Inc. CONTACT: Richard Schalter, President of Spartan Motors
Chassis, Spartan Motors, Inc., +1-517-543-6400; Jeff Lambert or
Eric Lubbers, , of Lambert, Edwards & Associates, Inc.,
+1-616-233-0500, for Spartan Motors, Inc. Web site:
http://www.spartanmotors.com/
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