Forty-one years ago, Marathon Coach was founded for the purpose of bringing a bold vision to reality.
In 1983, few luxury RV conversion companies existed, and Marathon’s co-founders saw an opportunity. Their plan was to put the small industry on notice that there was a new player out in Oregon, one that was building a motorcoach unlike any before it.
It was a coach that would redefine the meaning of luxury living on the road, something more akin to a yacht on wheels than the standard RV. A coach that would elevate to soaring new heights the industry standards and consumer expectations of what a luxury motorcoach could and should be.
Since those early days, Marathon has proudly produced nearly 1,400 luxury coaches. But it all started with 101, the first coach to roll out of the warehouse in Eugene, Oregon that had been converted into a facility capable of producing the then state-of-the-art RV envisioned by Marathon’s founders and built by its talented craftspeople, some of whom are still with the company today.
By the end of 1983, Marathon Coach 101 was ready for the road. Its many innovative features included full-size furniture and residential appliances, a clear upgrade from the lower-quality amenities found in other motorhomes. Fitting home-sized furnishings into the unique dimensions and spatial limitations of an RV required specialized expertise that Marathon found in Avon Kauffman and John Farley of Superior Upholstery & Furniture Co. Their skill in producing Marathon Coach 101’s handcrafted, custom furniture was so impressive, Marathon’s founders wound up asking Kauffman and Farley to join the Marathon team. Their furniture-building and upholstery expertise has been critical to the company’s success in the years since.
The entire Marathon crew worked tirelessly on that first revolutionary coach. As happened with Kauffman and Farley, when expertise was needed that was not yet available in-house, the best specialty contractors available were brought in. For example, since Marathon Coach 101 was one of the first all-electric luxury conversions, specialized electricians were hired to ensure all wiring met housing standards and that the 17.5-kilowatt generator that powered the coach’s appliances and lighting worked steadfastly throughout every future journey.
Marathon’s in-house woodworkers hand-carved and installed all of Marathon Coach 101’s warm Koa trim and features. The richly colored, rare wood from Hawaii filled every inch of the interior, creating a luxury lakeside cabin feeling. Marathon’s builders used matching laminate on the cabinets to complement the sleek dash and real-wood accents.
Though Marathon now builds exclusively on Prevost bus shells, the first coach was constructed on a Greyhound-style MCI chassis. Because the standard MCI featured a sloped floor for easy cleaning of the bus company’s seated passenger coaches, there was a three-inch difference between the back and front of the bus. That meant the cabinets in Marathon Coach 101 needed to be expertly crafted to match the angle while eliminating any awkward gaps.
Outside, Marathon Coach 101’s eye-catching exterior was painted by a well-known local artist. With warm yellows, browns and oranges, the sides featured a beautiful sunset mural, while the rest of the exterior was enhanced with shades of browns above a sleek stainless-steel base.
Just as our founders envisioned, Marathon Coach 101 set new standards in the RV industry. More than 40 years later, what was once state-of-the art is now considered retro. But Marathon Coach 101, with its nose, body style and warm interior, was a one-of-a-kind industry standard-setter and remains a true head-turner as today’s Marathon team experienced a few years ago when the groundbreaking luxury bus made a return visit to Marathon’s Coburg headquarters.
Nearly as old as the company itself, Marathon Coach 101 started Marathon on the path to the status it holds today as the industry leader in motorcoach luxury, quality and visionary innovation.
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