Once upon a time, Endeavor was Holiday Rambler’s entry-level pusher diesel and its best-selling nameplate. Today there are three lines that are less expensive—Ambassador, Neptune and Vacationer—but Endeavor has maintained its fan-favorite status by not standing on the status quo.

As football coaches are fond of saying, if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. Endeavor has definitely gotten better than ever with the 2008 lineup, a lineup that features four new floorplans and no old ones.

Endeavor’s update starts on the outside, though. The new front end is kind of racy for a motorhome. Its contours and break lines blend beautifully with the new graphics, which flow around the front and stream down the sides like smoke in a wind tunnel. The full-body paint design now includes four colors, with bands that fade from light to dark.

The streamlined front end is further enhanced by the huge Panaview windshield. Holiday Rambler designers have done a nice job of exploiting the aesthetics of this one-piece wrap-around windshield, in addition to its practical aspects.

Also, before talking about the new floorplans, we probably ought to review a few hardware items. There’s nothing new about Endeavor’s drive train. With a 400-horsepower Cummins, it’s still one of the most powerful coaches in its price range, a real value leader in this respect.

The chassis is a Roadmaster RR8R, custom-designed for each floorplan. There are eight shocks and eight airbags mounted outboard, in line with the wheels, for wide-stance stability. The air ride is computer-controlled so it instantaneously compensates for weight shifts due to cornering, side winds and so forth, for even greater roll stability. It also keeps the coach level under heavy braking and dampens porpoising on the highway. Body construction is the aircraft-style Holiday Rambler Alumaframe, with interlocking C-channels and a steel-cage cockpit—and the great insulating qualities of a nine-layer roof and five-layer sidewalls. The body is married to the chassis via Holiday Rambler’s special truss system, which transfers dynamic stresses throughout the coach, again providing a more stable, level ride.

Handling is further enhanced by full air brakes with anti-lock system, automatic traction control and an exhaust brake.

Okay, on to the floorplans.

36PDQ

The only 36-foot Endeavor, this is a great choice for anyone who wants a little less length for extra maneuverability, or a little more cargo-weight capacity. Compared to the 40-foot Endeavors, the missing space is mostly up front, in the salon and kitchen. So this model is probably a bit more suited to a couple that prefer to sometimes take a pair of guests with them rather than those who like to host tailgate parties or crowds of children and grandchildren.

Still, with its four slideouts, the 36PDQ has plenty of room. Up front are facing sofas—one 68-inch sofa behind the driver’s seat and a 54-inch love seat on the passenger side. The galley isn’t the largest you’ll ever see, but the solid-surface covers for the dual sink and range leave you with good options for workspace.

The dinette is opposite the kitchen, and next to it, on the back wall, is a nice hutch. This coach incorporates a lot of storage in its slightly abbreviated space.

The bath is split, another reason I kind of like this coach for a couple as opposed to a gang. This design does allow for a lot of dressing room. Although the presence of the washer-dryer closet in the bedroom is another squeeze, there is still plenty of wardrobe and dresser storage, due to the quad-slide design. This includes a stepped system of drawers opposite the bed, with two tiers of solid-surface countertops.

40SFT

This is the Endeavor with the full-wall slideout on the driver side. That single slideout houses an 80-inch sofa, the dinette and fridge, then a huge wardrobe-cabinet unit in the hallway, followed by the tiered dresser unit opposite the foot of the bed. There is a privacy door just aft of the refrigerator.

The salon features facing sofas—the 80-incher mentioned plus a 68-inch one opposite. It’s really possible to sleep three adult couples comfortably in this coach.

The kitchen has the most work area of any Endeavor. It is one of two models with a roll-out drawer unit at the forward end. This increases counter space tremendously—probably to three or four times what you get with a folding counter extension—and still makes it easy for you to get into the drawers below the counter.

The hutch-pantry cabinet is aft of the kitchen in this model. The fridge is across the room, but close enough at hand.

You’ll like the private bath in this coach. It includes nice counter space, a beautiful, rounded, fluted shower enclosure, a linen closet and two entry doors—one accessible from the kitchen area, the other from the bedroom.

The washer-dryer closet is in the bedroom, but even if you order that option, you’re going to have a ton of storage space for clothing. This coach is a great choice for a couple or family who enjoy taking long trips or are full-timing it.

40PDQ

The front half of this coach is very similar to the 40SFT. The major difference is that it is a quad-slide, and so narrows at the waist. There is a bit less total floor space, but a lot of it is devoted to a very roomy split bath area. This includes a private water closet with its own sink and a lot of counter space. Across the hall is the shower—again the beautiful rounded one with the fluted door—and a second sink. That would be a very big deal in my household, where one of us—I am not saying which one—tends to monopolize the bathroom sink for a couple of hours a day.

The washer-dryer closet is also in the bath area, so the entire back wall of the coach is devoted to wardrobe and closet space. There is also an extra-long tiered dresser unit across from the bed.

Up front, you have facing 68-inch sofas. Opt for a king-width sofa bed for one of them or both. The kitchen has the same cool, roll-out drawer-counter unit as the 40SFT and nearly as much counter space.

This is another great all-around coach that full-timers, families and tailgaters will all love.

40SKQ

We all have our subjective, personal favorites. This is mine. People will see this as a great design for snowbirding or family vacations, but I have seldom seen a layout I liked better for entertaining and tailgating.

The genius of this plan originates in a simple technological development: the flat-panel television. The 40SKQ has a big one, a 37-inch LCD, mounted on the rear wall of the salon rather than over the cockpit. You can do that with a flat-panel. (The other coaches have 32-inch LCDs in the cockpits.)

This reversal of sightlines changes a lot. The galley sits just aft of the cockpit, on the curbside, with the dinette opposite. This means the fridge is just inside the door, which is very handy for patio life. It’s also nice for grabbing a drink while you’re on the road.

In fact, I’d favor the cockpit chairs for TV watching—you can swivel those babies around and power-recline to your heart’s content. And not have to get out of the passenger seat to grab a cold one.

There are facing sofas just aft of the kitchen-dinette area—an 80-inch and a 60—so there is plenty of sleeping accommodation for up to six adults. People sitting here have a bit of an angle for TV watching, but that’s another advantage of LCD—it looks great at oblique angles. You could seat 11 people pretty comfortably in this coach, all with a good view of the big game, should rain drive your party from the stadium back to your motorhome.

And speaking of coming in out of the rain and cold—the 40SKQ has an option for a gas fireplace. It goes right under the TV. I’d be happy to go tailgating in this coach without tickets to the game.

The bath is completely private and contains the washer-dryer cabinet. In the hallway next to it is another of this coach’s unique features—a pair of huge picture windows that let in plenty of light and afford a great view.

The roomy bedroom has a wardrobe across the entire back wall.

New Stuff

I should list a few more of the features new for 2008 on all Endeavor models.

The cabinet doors have a nice new design with a gently arched raised panel. The hardware throughout the coach is oil-rubbed bronze, which is currently very trendy in residential interior décor.

There’s a new central water filtration system standard. The flat-panel TVs are new standards, and that includes 20-inch ones in the bedrooms, too.

A new option is that all the furniture can be ordered with Ultraleather upholstery. This material is so much like soft calfskin, people won’t believe it isn’t leather. It’s easier to care for than the real thing, and you’ll never have to apologize to your friends who pay dues to PETA.

The same upholstery is now the standard for the cockpit seats, both of which feature six-way power. The passenger seat has a power footrest.

In 2008, Endeavor maintains its high standard of on-the-road performance while breaking new ground in innovative interior design. I think you should endeavor to see these coaches as soon as you can.

Dave Bessmer is a freelance writer living in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has spent over 25 years in or around the RV business. He has authored several features for Holidays magazine.