The New Prevost H3-45 Chassis

The new H3-45 chassis from Prevost enables Marathon to deliver on its commitment to “excellence in motion” in more spectacular ways than ever in Coach #1375.

When Show Coach #1375 made its debut at the February 2023 Prevost Motorhome Expo in West Palm Beach, Florida, it was much more than just the unveiling of the latest in Marathon’s long line of world-class luxury motorcoach conversions. Coach #1375 also represented the most innovative, beautiful and customer-centric answer ever given to the inspirational and motivational question Marathon team members ask themselves daily.

That question, says Marathon’s Head of Product Development Jay Graham, is simply, “What can we give drivers that they didn’t have before?”

A simple question, indeed, but never in Marathon’s 40-year history has the team and its trusted partners answered it as comprehensively and effectively as they did with #1375, the first conversion ever completed on Prevost’s new H3-45 chassis.

From its improved comfort, convenience and safety features to its increased fuel efficiency and enhanced interior and exterior design aesthetics, #1375 immediately raised the bar even higher over the standard of excellence customers have always expected in a Marathon luxury motorcoach.

Here’s a look at the exciting changes, in both form and function, the new Prevost H3-45 has helped Marathon bring to life in #1375 and future luxury motorcoaches:

THE NEW PREVOST H3-45 CHASSIS

THE EXISTING PREVOST H3-45 CHASSIS

A BEAUTIFUL LUXURY RV

As impressive as Coach #1375’s new interior enhancement are, its exterior makes a visual statement that will leave a lot of people speechless — but not Marathon Vice President of Design Alan Christianson.

“It’s beautiful,” Christianson says. “The new look of the exterior and the front end are gorgeous. Aesthetically it really takes the design to the next level.”

Next level is a term that applies not only to the front end’s form but also its function.

New features on the New Prevost H3-45 Chassis.

A new grill and low-profile, stainless-steel rub rails, both features added by Marathon.
An LED headlight assembly with integrated daytime running lights and a newly designed, safety-enhancing bumper.
A hatch on the front, affectionately called the “frunk” for “front trunk,” to improve access to dash components during servicing.
A driver service door to facilitate easier maintenance.
A new wiper system for the larger windshield with longer blades and synchronized dual motors for improved visibility in stormy weather.
New E-mirrors that stream to video monitors above the driver’s side dash, increasing visibility and safety, especially for night driving.
The redesign of the nose has shown to increase fuel efficiency by up to 12 percent.

“The E-mirrors offer better nighttime visibility than the standard mirrors,” says Marathon Delivery Technician Dave Bash. “And the wider angle of view makes changing lanes feel so much easier, because the driver can see more of the road.”

A NEW REDESIGNED H3-45 COCKPIT

As its closest partner, Marathon worked with Prevost’s engineers on the design of the new H3-45, both to advocate for our drivers and to prepare for the challenges and opportunities that converting a new chassis presents. Planning began well before the new shell arrived, with Marathon’s team meticulously drafting every change and idea while plotting out the floorplan, interior design and paint. So, by the time the Prevost shell arrived at Marathon Coach World Headquarters in June 2022, the vast majority of the design details were locked down and the team ready to get to work.

Some of the most significant of those details become apparent as soon as #1375’s door opens to reveal the dramatic new cockpit, where Marathon and Prevost deployed a wide range of innovations, features and designs.

“The redesigned cockpit and front end of the H3-45 gave Marathon the opportunity to marry all the great new Prevost features and designs with those that we’ve had on the drawing board to create the ultimate driving experience in a motorhome,” says Graham.

Enhanced or new cockpit features are plentiful and include:

A smaller dash from Prevost, which increased the space available for amenities and facilitated a wider entry staircase with a more ergonomically friendly rise.
A more intuitive dash instrument cluster and a system status screen.
A new system from Marathon partner Valid Manufacturing that works in conjunction with Crestron, the system Marathon has used since 2001 to control many of its coaches’ interior functions such as blinds, HVAC system and audio/video. The Valid system includes a 12-inch Infotainment touchscreen that conveniently integrates many technological features for drivers, including the Sygic Travel GPS navigation and mapping application, Bluetooth radio and hands-free calling. In addition, exterior cameras can be viewed on the screen, enabling drivers to see the perimeter of their coach and check space allowances without leaving the pilot’s seat. “All exterior cameras and the 360 system are rolled into this convenient feature,” says Graham. “There are cameras for viewing the slide room roofs. There are also several optional cameras, so the system is scalable if the owner wants to add cameras.”
An updated steering wheel provides easy access to hands-free calling and other features of Valid system and allows drivers to scroll through readings for the engine and other systems on the Driver Information Display.

In addition to these innovations, for the new H3-45 Prevost removed the drop ceiling from the previous version’s cockpit. This not only created more headroom but also allowed Marathon to increase the size of the cockpit TV from 50 to 55 inches. Additional benefits of the updated ceiling include larger windshields, new window styles and more visual details.

The taller ceiling, smaller dash, new lighted stairs and shifted angles create a roomier feel throughout the coach and a better flow from the entry to the living area, the size of which was increased thanks to the work Prevost did on the chassis.

IMPROVED PREVOST AIR CONDITIONING

Along with the new design enhancements, Prevost also improved the H3-45 cockpit’s air conditioning, reducing the ambient noise significantly to create a quieter environment for conversing or simply relaxing while on the open road.

“I was thrilled with how quiet the driver’s air conditioning system is on the new shell,” says Marathon Delivery Technician Collin Dietz. “I can hardly hear it, and the airflow is greatly increased. It’s no problem keeping cool with the Florida sun beating through the windshields.”

Marathon engineers also improved air circulation throughout the cockpit. Among the new enhancements are adjustable venting that allows the passenger to more easily redirect cool air and fans that heat or cool pilot and copilot chairs.

MARATHON’S NEW MOTORCOACH

In Show Coach #1375, Marathon’s dedicated engineers, designers and craftspeople have again outdone themselves with a huge assist from the remarkable new H3-45 chassis from Prevost, manufacturers of far and away the best riding and driving motorhome in the world.

This shared commitment to excellence has once again led to another remarkable demonstration of Marathon Coach’s belief that we aren’t waiting for the future to come to us. We’re delivering it now.