I hope it comes true, Perry, but don't hold your breath. Airstream is just testing the waters with its announcements this week. There are still major barriers:
- the weight of Airstreams versus the tow vehicles commonly available in UK (relatively few people own trucks & SUVs compared to the US)
- the width of some models (8.5 feet is too wide)
- much higher fuel prices in the UK than the US
- the fact that weight distributing hitches are illegal in most (all?) of western Europe
- the need to get European certifications and design a UK-standard model (240 volt electric, etc.)
- the poor exchange rate between the US $ and the British pound.
My guess is that Airstream might sell a handful to a few wealthy people in the UK, but no more than that. It will probably still be more cost effective to buy a vintage model through an importer and convert it yourself.
-- RL