Grand Design’s new Foundation destination trailer arrives with a clear purpose: to give campers a place that feels just like home.
As more RVers find permanent or semi-permanent sites they love, the demand for destination trailers has grown. The Foundation meets that need, rounding out Grand Design’s full product portfolio so customers can stay with a brand they trust at every stage of their adventure.
“It’s easy to imagine the path,” according to Matt Eppers, product manager at Grand Design. “Someone discovers camping with a small trailer like a Transcend, upgrades to a fifth wheel like a Reflection as they start traveling more and eventually finds either the perfect seasonal or year-round site they never want to leave. With Foundation, that same customer can stay with a brand they love without compromising on the comfort, design and quality they’ve come to trust.”
For those customers, the team at Grand Design set out to create a destination trailer that feels like a high-end home, with features that directly address customer needs, including some firsts for the segment.
“We asked ourselves, ‘what does the customer want?’ and put an intentional focus on residential features and finishes, as well as comforts and aspects that are different than what you’ll see in the competition,” says Eppers. Feedback from the brand’s dealer network also played a critical role in accelerating the Foundation from concept to reality and underscored the opportunity to bring a Grand Design destination trailer to market. “It was time to enter this space and put our own spin on it,” Eppers says. With a clear directive, the Grand Design team set out to create a destination trailer like no other, with residential comfort a priority.
Innovations cooked up in the kitchen include a pull-out hardwood pantry with an integrated spice rack and paper towel holder, and free-floating and adjustable shelves. Grand Design partnered with GE for a full suite of appliances, including a refrigerator, full-force range burner, residential-sized oven, a large microwave over the range and a dishwasher with a sanitation cycle – a first in the destination trailer segment.
Brass plumbing fittings, residential-sized queen and king beds, and motorized roller shades in the living room will also make users feel like they’re in a luxury home. Other features that put customer convenience front and center include an electronics drawer for storage and charging of devices, as well as three-stage water filtration – a solution directly addressing a common complaint from RV users around water quality at campsites.
Beyond the interior, the Foundation boasts a maintenance-free, full fiberglass, one-piece TekModo roof and a two-level deck with a lofted observation level – features that change the game for destination trailers.
“That observation deck offers our customers a functional space to do a number of things at an elevated surface, from sunbathing to enjoying a beverage while overlooking the campsite to reading away the afternoon,” says Eppers. “We’re offering customers something they can’t find in any other product out in the market, and we’re pretty excited for that.”
Eppers praises the Grand Design crew from plant 10, led by Karl Yoder, for their craftsmanship. “This team typically builds our Solitude and Influence units,” Eppers explains. “Stepping into a destination-style build was a major shift that they’ve embraced fully, achieving the same level of fit, finish and quality Grand Design is known for delivering.
The first Foundation floor plan debuted at the Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa with the second floorplan already in production. And the future is even bigger. While Foundation is launching at the higher end of the market, Grand Design plans to grow it into a full line with options across multiple price points.
With Foundation, Grand Design now covers every major RV segment, making it easier for campers to grow, explore or settle in, all within one trusted brand.