App-controlled camper trailer can haul a Smart car

Last week at RVX, the new RV Industry Association trade show, we saw a few innovative campers like the SylvanSport Vast and Winnebago’s new four-wheel-drive Class B van, the Boldt. But when you looked across the sea of RVs in the Salt Lake convention center, you saw a lot of giant white and beige campers with the same—rather boring—exterior styling. Love campers and trailers? Come join our community group.

Chinook Motor Coach offered something different. You might remember the original Chinook brand; the company was a major player in the RV industry for most of the 20th century before it closed in 2005. In 2015, entrepreneur Phil Rizzio bought the Chinook brand and relaunched the company with a focus on luxury Class B vans built on the Mercedes-Benz chassis.

At RVX, Chinook debuted their new Trail Wagon. A mix between a toy hauler and camping trailer, the Trail Wagon is an app-controlled, stylish alternative meant to match the van that tows it. The trailer is constructed using a bonded aluminum skin with wheels, windows, and tires that match the Sprinter, and it’s big enough to fit a smart car.

Inside, the toy-hauling cargo trailer is meant to be a “mother-in-law suite,” made for extra sleep and gear hauling space. The industrial flooring looks a bit like a garage, but the trailer is fully insulated and meant for camping. A power-lowered queen bed can sleep two people or convert into a sofa during the day. If you want to haul adventure toys, tie-down tracks and rings and a 4,500-pound winch make it easy. The camper also boasts LED lights, storage cabinets, a fan, window shades, and a battery electrical system that can integrate solar.

Probably the most interesting feature of the Trail Wagon—beyond its sleek exterior looks—is that the trailer is controlled by a well-designed app system. Touch a few buttons on your phone and you can drop the ramp door, control the TV, lift and lower the bed, and extend the awning. Throw in the available extras (like a rear deck, air conditioning, refrigerator, and an upgraded entertainment system), and you have a high-tech trailer that compliments the Sprinter.

There will be two Trail Wagon models available, one with the squared off front end and another with a rounded, van-like front. Pricing will start around $38,000, and you can head over here for more.