How so, you ask? Allow me to explain. I’ll start with exterior design options – not only are there three new décors (Plumwood, Hazelnut and Wedgewood with Topaz as the carry over), but there is a fifth décor package and it’s a very special one at that. It’s the Holiday Rambler 50th Anniversary Edition package, an elegant beige, brown and white coach with complementary designs inside. Both the special edition graphics on the outside and the interior package are included for the anniversary, and the one-of-a-kind 50th anniversary emblem adorns the front cap.

Other design enhancements include crown molding in the living room and bedroom, polished 12" by 12" floor tile in the kitchen and entry, new decorative etched mirrors on the wardrobe closet, redesigned lighting, including rope lighting in the bath area, cosmetic light with mirror-backed plate in the vanity, halogen lighting in the living area, and new decorative lighting in the living and dinette areas. The new lighting is brass decorative, which is also the theme of the all-new brass cabinetry and shower faucet.

In addition to more design options, the ’04 Imperial offers substantial gains in other departments. It is beefier all around. The floor is thicker, with 5/8-inch structurewood employed this year, and this increase provides a quieter ride and a sturdier foundation. The Imperial’s freshwater and LP tank capacities have gone up, a five-gallon increase in freshwater capacity and a 12-gallon increase to the LP tank.

New standards that improve utility have not been overlooked in the 2004 Imperial. Starting in the galley, the redesigned kitchen base pantry takes countertop extensions to the next level. Available in all but three floorplans, it is not only a pull-out pantry for extra storage, but with a Corian top and side splash it is also a good sized extension for slicing, dicing and extra elbow room.

The redesigned cooktop box with radius corners for easier cleaning, built-in storage for the Corian sink covers and the slideout storage tray below the stove are the other functional additions to the galley.

In the cockpit, pilot’s cup holders and the co-pilot side console have been redesigned for practicality, with an integrated map holder, cup holder and fire extinguisher. The overhead map lights have been replaced with 18-inch snake lights that can more accurately direct light to reading material. Also, the entry step cover has been tweaked to assure it is completely flush with the rest of the floor.

In the rear of the coach, some cool upgrades include the hardwood clothes hamper, the bedroom ceiling speakers wired through the TV and in the bathroom, the low-profile toilet has been replaced with one that sits at full height.

Some of the new standard features add to the aesthetics and the utility of the 2004 Imperial, like the new fascia cabinet with Corian top in the living room, the tile backsplash in the kitchen and the reel light in the engine compartment, which replaces the pancake light and allows the user to illuminate the darkest crannies.

Another nice change on the outside of the coach is the redesigned distribution panel in the front, which is easier to understand and provides increased fusing and relay capacities.

In the area of electronics, the Imperial has been heavily blessed for 2004. Maybe the greatest of the new electronics is the Aladdin Video Coach System with monitors and joysticks on the dash and in the bedroom. This allows owners to keep an eye on crucial coach functions at just about any time. The next electronics change to report is the switch to Kenwood. The dash stereo, remote radio pod in the bedroom and the optional 10-disc changer are now Kenwood products. This change creates compatibility with the Sirius satellite radio, a $12.95 subscription option that can provide travelers with over 100 radio channels uninterrupted from coast to coast.

The 30-inch Sharp LCD flat screen TV is a new option for the living area and a color rear vision system is one of last year’s options that has become standard this year. Other options-to-standard include the leather-faced recliner, solid surface kitchen sink, remote transmission fill and the pilot and co-pilot window sunscreens. Dash fans are optional this year, but maybe they’ll make the standard list next year.

“Okay,” you say, “there are a lot of new additions, but these wouldn’t count toward upsizing if any of last year’s great standards had been cut.” Well they haven’t. The great things about last year’s Imperial have all carried over to this year. It’s still an extremely smooth ride on the Roadmaster RR8S Series chassis and an extremely powerful engine with the Cummins 400 HP diesel. There is still pass-through storage with trays that slide out, still a bath-and-a-half floorplan, and there are still the same great options like the GPS system with color monitor and the exterior pull-out freezer/refrigerator, which is the envy of all tailgaters.

Truly, this coach embodies upsizing, and while super-sizing your fastfood will lead to plus-sizing in the department store, the only thing that an upsized Imperial leads to is more comfort, an improved ride and lots of luxury.

The 2004 Imperial debuted recently at the FMCA show in Pomona, California and bowed to great reviews. Look for it at your nearest Holiday Rambler dealer.

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