Javillac
The year is 1980, and Bill Collins, one of the figures who had helped John Delorean la Delorean Motor Company, is considering creating his own company dedicated to motorhomes. During a family trip that same year with a GMC Motorhome The first idea of what the future Vixen caravan had to be was born.
Collins loved that GMC, but this vehicle was far from perfect, and He decided to make the best motorhome possible. Some of the problems that were sought to be solved were to improve handling to avoid occupant dizziness, in addition to loading the vehicle with the latest technology, and all this in measured dimensions, which would allow the Vixen to be stored in a garage.
DEVELOPMENT BEGINS
With the future motorhome it had to be achieved a moderate and reasonable fuel consumption of 9,4 liters per hundred kilometers. The vehicle began to be developed in Collins' garage to have a real reference of the space it had to occupy, starting its development from inside the camper.
Shortly after, it was Collins' daughter who had the idea of naming the brand Vixen. In order to achieve the initially set objective of minimum consumption, an aerodynamic video fiber body had to be developed based on the particular shapes that the garage had marked, since the caravan was wider than it was tall. After multiple tests in wind tunnels and various modifications, it was achieved a surprising aerodynamic coefficient of 0,29 cx.
The dimensions of the Vixen were small compared to contemporary motorhomes, with a length of just over 6,3 meters it was more similar to a van. But space was not a problem, as the ceiling could be raised a few centimeters to maximize the height of the interior, and Collins' youngest daughter studied industrial design at university, with her final work being the design of multifunctional furniture, and demonstrating her It was worth designing a large bathroom for the caravan in a very small space.
Regarding the mechanical section, it was decided to place the engine in the rear of the vehicle, initially using the same manual gearboxes as the DMC Delorean. The first prototype mounted a 3,3-liter Isuzu diesel engine, which managed to achieve the proposed consumption.
However, this was not the chosen mechanic, because the deadlines for production were not of interest to either company. After a visit to VM in Bologna, Italy looking for a new engine he saw a block that the Italians manufactured for BMW.
But the most logical thing for Vixen was reach an agreement directly with BMW, something that was finally achieved and they would supply 2,4-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder engines with 115 HP of power. This allowed the caravans to not have to undergo many of the strict environmental tests in the United States, as they shared mechanics with a car that had already been tested, the BMW 524 TD.
THREE DIFFERENT MODELS AND FEW UNITS SOLD
The Vixen were spacious, comfortable, modern, but also They were quite expensive, with a price that varied between 40.000 and 53.000 dollars at the time., although it is worth mentioning that they came equipped with all kinds of comforts present in a house from the eighties.
Between 1986 and 1989 three different models were manufactured, the 21 TD and 21
Finally, There were less than 600 Vixen motorhomes that were manufactured, making them a true rarity today., and revaluating itself almost immediately after the cessation of production, with a very small but very active community of followers of the model, who in many cases modify the front of the Vixen to house the grille of a BMW 5 Series from the eighties .
Photos: Vixen, Vixen Owners Association, G.M
