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New go-anywhere Winnebago Revel 4×4 Sprinter has built-in bike shed

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When the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was first made available in North America in 2001, the cycling world was quick to claim it as their own. Used to haul demo bikes, racing teams, or as a trailhead base camp, the Sprinter is to the modern cyclist what the VW van was to the 1960s surfer.

The 4x4 Rebel will access campsites other campers can't reach

The off-road ready Winnebago Revel has high and low range gearing.

As new as the platform is, it didn’t take long for Sprinter lovers to assemble a laundry list of things they wanted in their vans including a full camper buildout, diesel engine, and a 4×4 drivetrain to permit access to remote campsites and trailheads. When those features were finally made available just a couple of years ago, you could almost hear the collective coo.

It’s taken Winnebago a few attempts to get their 4×4 Sprinter formula just right, but their latest release hit the bullseye. Whereas previous Winnie Sprinters have been decidedly road biased, even the 4×4 Era model, the new Revel has been carefully designed to meet the living and driving needs of adventuresome owners.

The Revel has ample storage for bikes and gear.
All photos c. Winnebago.

Home on the Road

The Revel was built with a simplified interior to optimize storage space and maximize utility. The floor is easily swept or rinsed and the bed quickly elevated with the flick of a switch to convert the back half into a 140 cu.ft gear shed. Other storage options include a full length roof rack to accommodate all the toys that can’t fit within the interior. Winnebago also swapped their standard, if not gaudy, cabinetry and over-stuffed furniture for cleaner, more space efficient designs.

 

The well-appointed interior includes a host of available amenities like a wet bath with shower, 21-gallon fresh water tank, 200-watt roof-mounted solar panels, deep-cycle AGM batteries, and a galley with a refrigerator and glass-top induction burner. Additional upgrades include a diesel heater, extra bed space, and a comprehensive entertainment system. A cassette toilet eliminates the need for a black water tank and can be emptied without wrestling an awful waste water hose.

For alfresco sleeping the doors can be left open with a screen door.

4×4 For More Adventure

As nice as the creature comforts are, it’s the underpinnings which set the Revel apart from the other vans in the Winnebago lineup. Powering the Revel is a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo diesel producing 188-hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. The on-demand 4×4 system includes high and low range gearing as well as advanced traction control and braking features like hill descent assistance. Winnebago even wrapped the wheels with BFGoodrich T/A KO2 all-terrain tires. In an effort to boost the off-highway performance, the Revel is built on the 144” Sprinter chassis and not the longer 170” model.

The Revel has storage space for up to 5 bikes.

At $134,799 the Revel isn’t cheap considering the base vehicle starts at just a hair under $40,000. That price might be too rich for some buyers considering a comparable model Sportsmobile Sprinter can be had for up to $10,000 less. If the 4×4 advantage doesn’t appeal to you, the Winnebago Travato might be your speed.

winnebagoind.com

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26 Comments
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D-con
D-con
6 years ago

So wanted to like this (having bathroom and cooking facilities has tax advantages over an Outside Van or similar for those of us traveling for bike-related business), but the way that the sides of the bed are fixes means that you can sleep or carry bikes- but not both. There just isn’t enough vertical space in the side pods to make it work, which is a bummer.

Fwiw, 4×4 Sprinters start closer to $60k and are in very high demand, so the build out here isn’t quite the $90k implied.

Marc Smith
Marc Smith
6 years ago
Reply to  D-con

You can absolutely have bikes and bed. The bed has veriable height from the roof to about 30 inch of the ground. You can remove wheel and seat. You can do a lot of things. I dont care for this van because these builds are usually pretty cheap but you can sleep and have bikes.

Tom Dunlap
6 years ago
Reply to  D-con

You can raise the bed, stack the flared wall cushions on top of each other in order to build up the height of the bed. This works well if you take the foot cushion and use it near the bed window on top of the bed cushion. I would think you could order more of the flair cushions from Winnebago??

Tom
Tom
6 years ago

Winebago does beautiful stuff, but I think at these price points, I’d sure talk to Outside Van first, since you can make a LOT of choices on the details without really impacting costs much.

I’m getting very curious about the next-gen Sprinter. Mercedes is the master of contain info leaks, but it’s got to be coming soon, and should be engineered from the start for 4WD.

Mr. P
6 years ago

More 4×4 capable, with a vehicle that tall? Is it more parking lot posing?

Am I off base with this assessment?

gringo
gringo
6 years ago

I assume Mr.P was referring to a high center of gravity and the real threat of tipping over if taken on off camber or twisting trails.
Personally, I wouldn’t worry about it if this is used as an access vehicle and not a trail toy.

TheKaiser
TheKaiser
6 years ago
Reply to  Mr. P

I think the 4×4 is intended for loose terrain more than for rock crawling, like some of those old desert roads in the western US, so traction is the issue and the high COG wouldn’t be much of a problem. Or were you concerned with clearance with low hanging branches in forested areas?

Chris
Chris
6 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

I drive a Sprinter daily. The 2wd is the worst work truck I’ve ever had in snow or even loose sand or gravel. I’ve been stuck countless number of times. I would pay the premium for the 4×4 if I just wanted to get out into the wilds a bit.

Cameron Lloyd
Cameron Lloyd
6 years ago

Sync vans make a van in the $90k range that are as nicely appointed as this Winnie.

Steve
Steve
6 years ago

I have one on order for $100,400 fully optioned. From reading various forums, it seems a lot of people are getting these for under $110k.

Quin
Quin
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve

where did you order one for under $110k? can you please share?

ascarlarkinyar
ascarlarkinyar
6 years ago

100,00.00 and no bed to sleep on?

spotswood
spotswood
6 years ago

$135,000 van? Sweet! Maybe you guys at BikeRumor should start reviewing luxury yachts, private jets, and trophy homes.

tylerbenedict
tylerbenedict
6 years ago
Reply to  spotswood

Probably, there’s more money in that…

Keith
Keith
6 years ago

Show me ANY stock sprinter for $40k! You might want to update that. More like $50k

FFM
FFM
6 years ago

You can get a lot of sweet bikes, a pickup, and a the nicest tent they make for 135k.

joshort
6 years ago

Blue Ridge Adventure Vans in Asheville, NC does better and cheaper conversions. I had a 2005 sprinter done up by sportsmobile, and it was great for 250k miles. Got a cargo version 2017 4wd this year and BRAV made it an ideal bike and family rig. Can’t recommend them enough. The van’s power and stability are impressive. Needs a subwoofer, though.

Edd
Edd
6 years ago

Very nice and also pricey.

tylerbenedict
tylerbenedict
6 years ago
Reply to  Edd

FWIW, you can generally get a home loan on an RV if it has a bathroom, which means (if you wanted to) you could stretch payments over 30 years, which would bring the monthly payment on this to about $650-$700 or so, depending on credit worthiness and down payment. As a side note, extrapolate that to the $20k pull-behind camper trailers and you’re looking at payments around $200 or less per month. Only mentioning because a lot of friends I’ve mentioned this to didn’t know how cheap it can be if you don’t go big.

i
i
6 years ago

writing or editing a bike news web site must be a lot more lucrative than I had supposed if they’re even talking about this.

Mike Williams
Mike Williams
6 years ago

If you are interested in this type of RV, “The Fit RV” couple (avid cyclists) do lots of reviews…check out their YT channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPSwn42fcQlQdp8DTQGRUA) in particular this 2016 preview of the Revel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6FQ-FD1Ma0

Mike Williams
Mike Williams
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike Williams

And this review of the actual Revel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDDZHt09SIY

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
6 years ago

Sprinters…. pffft.

Ford E350 7.3L with a U-Joint conversion.

joshort
6 years ago

Identity politics are bad. All vans with bikes and booze in them are good. Be you ford, chevy, or Nissan, I will share a trailhead and an CO2 inflater with you.

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