Two Tone Airstream?

[bbandeddie]

Spotted this photo in a Car&Driver article about feature deletes in the auto industry due to chip shortages. Is this an accidentally released image of a new Airstream? A creative render?
Interesting things: twin axle, so at least 23'; awning windows - so Bambi trim levels? That’s a really long side window. There’s a black-out patch overlaid on the black end cap where there should be an Airstream logo. And, with zero roof adornments - I’m leaning towards it being a creative render.


Here’s an Apple News link to the story:

https://apple.news/AzZ9HCnPdSeKuVrlf5Um6Uw

Cheers!
Mick

[ModernVista]

It’s definitely a render (CG- computer graphics) I bet the artist took creative license or couldn’t get the reflections to look right so just made the areas dark grey/black.

[Rich W]

I agree, a render to avoid using the Airstream name. That's a very big window. I don't know how that would work, structurally or aesthetically. There are food service AS with big cutouts so I guess that would be possible.

The angle of the picture is also a clue, I believe. You'd need a helicopter or quad-copter to get that. The slope of the ground is pretty steep and clean as well.

There are painted AS but usually with a silver color or some type of commercial paint job for a food service AS. Just my 2¢

[XCountry]

While certainly a render, I wouldn’t be so sure that isn’t a concept Airstream is considering. Those look like carbon fiber panels, which could be part of a lighter trailer.

There is significant interest around EV towing, and weight is a big factor. I’ve done a user research call for Lightship and they are optimizing weight hard. I would imagine Airstream has to think about this too.

[Hittenstiehl]

Looks more like a rendering. The curves look manipulated and the windows are wrong
Has more of an Argosy look. Maybe they didn't have Airstreams permission.

[XCountry]

Reverse image search shows that this image originates from Ford marketing materials.

Scroll down here:

https://www.ford.ca/suvs/expedition/

[azflycaster]

A little photo editing from an earlier picture

https://www.trucks.com/wp-content/up...=ng:webp/ngcb1

[Foiled Again]

Airstream "placements" of their product have increased drastically since I bought my first one in 2004. I doubt they'd hate this. I like the idea of carbon fiber panels for weight reduction, lack of corrosion and resiliency from Dings. Proposed model name "Hail - NO"
The lack of ANY vents on the roof, (especially black tank) seems improbable so yes, this is a rendering or possibly a road test aerodynamic model. A split system a/c could be hidden behind the propane tanks, and fans could be.integrated into the front and rear windows. The big side window is not compatible with anything Airstream currently does, but is certainly possible - I would expect to see a roll bar type brace inside though. Not having panoramic windows in the front is actually practical and much less costly. Just losing the big clumsy window guard would save 50 lbs. Maybe they could make one almost completely out of carbon fiber and call it a "Darkstream". Or Add an aluminum panel down the sides and resurrect the name "Silver Streak"
I would actually be intrigued by an option like this, especially as an entry level model. Sure not upgrading for $150-200 K.

[Tim A.]

Adding to azflycaster's post, note that there is no air conditioner nor anything else on the roof and that the trailer is awfully close to the tow vehicle. Probably not a total rendering, but "photoshopping" was surely part of the process of producing the image.

Tim

[mefly2]

Ford really likes to feature a 23+ foot AS in their marketing videos for the F150 with generator features... but try as we would, we could not order one with adequate payload capacity (for a 25 FB 1000# hitch weight) and the hybrid / electric capability!