TRAVEL - New Motorhomes & RV Resources - Thor Motor Coach

TRAVEL:
Discover
Mexican Adventure
RV TESTS:
L r t

TheA .C.E. is available in a basic white model with accent stripes, and two new
2012 optional exteri or full -body paint schemes - "Twili ght Dawn" and Summer
Breeze" - shown here .
The 29 .111oor plan is compact and eflicient, with part
of the galley and the dinette in the slide-out .
32 RV Ulestyle I VcMre 41 Nurrt)er 1
The rear bedroom in both models features easy
access and a lair amount 01 closet space .
• ..
Ultra -leather upholstery adds a touch of luxury
to the vehicle .
Thor Motor Coach
• II!!, . • • •
II!!, . • • •
II!!, . • •
29' EVa
Dawn of a New Era!
RV Lifestyle Road Test by Norm Rosen
O
ne of the most exciting new developments in the RV indusll)'
is roll ing onto RV dealer lots throughout North America. It
is the logical evolution of the state-of-the-art in motorhome
design - a melding of the best altributes of the class A motorhome
concept with with with the compact affordability of the class C models. It is, as
the engineers at Thor Motor Coach describe, the ideal combination of
the drivability. interior space, and fuel economy of a compact class A
motomome, with with with the interior features and maneuverability of the class
C design. That is why the units are called A.CE. - an acronym for A
and C Evolution.
One aspect of the veh icle that has been misunderstood is the med ia
references to the A.C.E. as a "hybrid" True, it is a hybridization of
class A and class C motorhome des ign, but in today's automotive
environment, the term hybrid generally refers to the propulsion system
- as in the new wave of hybrid gas I electric vehicles. The A.C.E. is a
gasoline-powered vehicle - we have not heard of any plans to develop
a hybrid-powered version, although the concept is quite tantalizing.
On the road, the A.C.E. is a pure pleasure. Stable, peppy, and fun

Road Test THOR A.C.E.
to dri ve, it is very easy to get llsed to.
YOll can cruise all day long in perfect
comfort. and your passengers enjoy a
ride ride ride that is smoother and qu ieter than a
class C motorhome. but not as yacht ­
like as the larger class A motorhomes.
T he A.C.E. has a 5,000 lb. towing
capacity - ideal for boat.
ATV , and motorcycle
enthusi asLS ... you could
of cou rse, pull a car for
--
convenience touring at
your dest inat ion, but
the A.C .E . is compact
enough for comfortable
d riv i ng i n and around
most cities.
Mode129.1
Some o f the best
design features of the
class C category arc
incorporated into th is
_.-
ver y clever new spe -
c ies ies ies o f motorhome .
For For For example. the wind ­
sh ield is contoured so
that there is a bit of an
overhang from the roof Model 29.2
profi le - th is provides
a natural sun shade. without diminishing
the view from the cockpit.
The aerodynamics of the front end of
the motorhome direct the airflow lO
the sides of the vehicle, cutting the
wind wind wind much more effectively than the
class C designs. Ins ide the A.C. E ..
the most obvious des ign ign ign element that
has evolved from the c lass C un i LS
is the electric fold-away front overhead
bunk - a very popula r feature of
all class C models. In the A.C. E. the
- .....
front bunk is mounted on an electri ­
call y powered frame that can be raised
or lowered at the touch of a switch .
O uts ide, ide, ide, the features that you
would expect to see on a larger class A
A view from the dinette toward the rear oflhe 29.1- note the shower stall on the passenger side oflhe vehicle .
34 RV Lifestyl e I VoI LrrOe 4 1 NUrrOef I
motorhome are av ai lable - cavernous
exterior exterior exterior storage compartmenLS. including
a rear pass-through that can hold
items up to 8 feet long. The re is even
a window at "pet level"' so your dog or
cat can lie on the floor in front of the
navigator's navigator's navigator's seat and enjoy the view.
Construction
The A.c.E. is built to
last with with with a fully welded tubular
floor. wall and roof structure.
The 13.5K BTU roof air
cond itioner is ducted for
qu iet comfo rt , and there
is a standard standard standard 3600-watt
generator for "boondocking"
convenience. Popular
options include leveli ng
jacks. a second auxili ary
batte ry, back-up camera
system. a 15K BTU roof air
un it. and a 4000-watt generator.
Our test veh icle icle icle was
one of the standard exterior
designs, bas ically a wh ite
model with accent decals.
but the two optional fullbody
paint sc hemes are beautiful. and
well worth the extra investment in
terms of pride pride pride of ownersh ip and resale
value down the road .
Ins Ins Ins ide the veh icle. the standard
With the electrical IV operated front overhead bunk in the lowered position , the A.C .E. is the
place for vour kids to spend the night.
Touch a switch and in a few seconds the bunk raises to ceiling level for another daV on the RV
roads to adventure .
leatherette captain's chairs and sofa EVa 29.2. While both models handle
and dinette seating are very comfort- exactly the same, the difference in
able. and the selection of components components components the interior floor plan is qu ite differand
materials is qu ite appropriate for a ent. We spent some time at the recent
vehicle in this price range. We like the ToronlO RV Show lalk ing to visitors
res idential idential idential linoleum fl ooring. and the who we re touring the motorhomes.
easy-clean vinyl ceiling. The cabinetry because we could not decide wh ich
is cherry, with with with nickel hardware, and all floor plan we prefe rred. T he EVa
of the drawers and cabinets are well 29.1 has a dinette and stove in the
built and nicely fi nished. slide-out. and a compact L-shaped
galley counter aga inst the bu lk head ;
Interior Design
the 29.2 has a longer slide-out slide-out slide-out with
When we visited The Hi tch 1·louse. a larger galley countertop beside the
in Shanty Bay, Ontario, Ontario, Ontario, to test-drive dinette ... th is gives you a wider aisle
the A.C.E ., the re were two mod­ for easier access to the rear bedroom.
els ava ilable. the EVa 29.1 and the Which floor plan is preferred by the
people we spoke to? Sorry, they liked
both!
In The Campground
One of the best features of the class
A category is the use of ded icated exteriorriorrior
compartments for the RV system
hook-ups. The A.C.E. features features features th is
convenience. with with with a special compartment
where you can store your sewer
hose. instead of try ing to stuff stuff stuff it into
the rear bumper. bumper. bumper. There is a very large
rear "mega-storage" compartment on
the passenger side side side of the veh icle that
should accommodate most of your
gear. Other storage compartments on
the curb side of the motorhome are
conven ient, and sized appropri ately
for a compact class A unit. All of the
RV system hookups, and major appli -
Vduma 4 1 Numt;er I I RV Lifestyle 35