Airstream, Inc. has partnered with design firm Studio F. A. Porsche on a concept travel trailer showcased at the SXSW Conference and Festivals in Austin, TX beginning today, with a panel discussion on March 13th.

For the Airstream Studio F. A. Porsche Concept Travel Trailer (a mouthful!), the Studio F. A. Porsche team was charged with envisioning a next-generation Airstream trailer that incorporates design elements from both brands. Studio F. A. Porsche designers in Zell am See, Austria, and Los Angeles, worked with designers and engineers at Airstream’s headquarters and manufacturing facility in Jackson Center, OH.

“Our collaboration with Studio F. A. Porsche brought talented new eyes and minds to our never-ending process of improving the Airstream experience,” said Airstream President and CEO Bob Wheeler. “It’s a fresh design approach aimed at reaching a broader, more diverse base of potential customers.”

The concept is being showcased at Porsche‘s SXSW exhibit, where Airstream and Porsche Lifestyle Group executives will unveil a 1/3-scale model of the trailer and a Porsche Macan tow vehicle. Porsche’s 2023 SXSW theme is “Porsche X,” which emphasizes collaboration. The automotive brand is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023.

Studio F. A. Porsche, a subsidiary of the Porsche Lifestyle Group, is one of the leading design studios worldwide for product, mobility, and interior design. Founded by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in 1972, the studio says it has stayed true to its values of functionality, purism, perfection, relevance, and passion. It creates products for clients worldwide and its own brand—Porsche Design.

“Our design team has long wanted to partner with Airstream,” said Roland Heiler, Managing Director of Studio F. A. Porsche and Chief Design Officer of the Porsche Lifestyle Group. “More than 20 years ago, when my family lived in Southern California, we owned a 1964 Airstream Overlander. That’s when I met Bob Wheeler for the first time at a vintage trailer show in Newport Beach. For me, Airstream has always been an iconic brand that has thrived by evolving its products while remaining true to its design DNA—an approach very similar to the philosophy of Studio F. A. Porsche. So, it is not difficult to imagine that we were more than excited when the idea to develop a new iteration of Airstream’s travel trailers finally became reality.”

In addition to improved aerodynamic performance as a result of the low ride height made possible by the pop-up roof design, lighter weight was achieved with composite materials like carbon fiber. The intended result of these design modifications is a better towing experience optimized for towing with electric vehicles (EVs).

The concept is the first “garage-able” Airstream design in the company’s 90-year history. This capability makes ownership much easier for a broader range of customers.

“While our concept projects don’t always reach the marketplace, the resulting lessons and innovations often influence present and future designs as they make their way into our main product lines,” said Wheeler.

The project resulted in a conceptual evolution to Airstream’s iconic riveted aluminum look brought to life through photorealistic renderings, a 1/3-scale model, and computer-assisted aerodynamic testing. Among the concept’s many innovative ideas, the design addresses changing demographics in the RV market by using a pop-up roof for additional interior headroom and a lowering suspension that allows city dwellers to store the trailer in a standard residential garage.

The concept integrates numerous aerodynamic improvements including a new rear shape, a flush underside with reduced drag-creating projections, the first-ever lowering suspension in an Airstream travel trailer design, and the first insulated pop-up roof in Airstream’s history. Essential systems are incorporated inside the concept’s chassis and interior, resulting in a sleek exterior intended to reduce protrusions that create aerodynamic drag.

Several systems are tucked inside the 10-inch-deep space below the floor, including the hot water and heating components, spare wheel, holding tanks, and lithium battery. The ducted air conditioning, a prominent feature of many RV rooftops, is located above the concept’s floor. The concept is designed for a variety of camping destinations, from a campground with full hookups to the off-grid wilderness where integrated rooftop solar panels and a lithium battery system store energy for later use.

As conceived, this small-footprint concept travel trailer is intended to have improved aerodynamic characteristics from other Airstream travel trailers currently in production. These improved aerodynamic characteristics were validated by a third-party aerodynamics research firm using CFD (computer fluid dynamics) testing from the concept vehicle’s 3D data. This was compared to the 3D data from an Airstream 28RB travel trailer and Basecamp 20X.

The concept’s innovative design extends to its interior, where the team collaborated to maximize the use of space and dramatically enhance the owner’s experience. The extensive use of windows and skylights creates a spacious interior feel and connects owners with their surroundings.

Building on the current popularity of the rear hatch option in some Airstream travel trailers, the concept trailer’s redesigned rear hatch features a new two-piece design, with a hinge-up hatch and a drop-down tailgate. Awnings can be attached to the hatch to create a shady place to relax. This conceptual design extends the interior living space, connecting travelers with their surroundings and allowing for easy loading of adventure gear.

The concept travel trailer features a floor plan, unlike other Airstreams, including a rear seating area that transforms from dining to working to relaxing space. The versatile seating area quickly converts from dinette seating to a large 82 x 61 in (2080 x 1550 mm) sleeping area. Reclining seat options allow owners to enjoy the views through the open hatch.

The wet bath, incorporated into the front roadside corner, features a door that creates an enclosed, private area and swings freely to hide the toilet when it’s not in use. This opens up more space in the adjacent galley, where a hinge-up counter extends in front of the main entry door to expand the available counter space. These design elements create a sizable L-shaped workspace that is said to rival what’s found in many larger travel trailers.