Motorhomes are known for a lot of things from poor quality to outrageous prices. One thing a motorhome isn’t known for is good driving dynamics, but that hasn’t stopped some people from trying. This Vixen 21 is the work of Bill Collins, the engineer with a portfolio that includes the Pontiac GTO and the DeLorean DMC-12. Collins wanted to build the sports car of RVs, and this Vixen 21 SE is a rare beast with its fixed roof and power by way of the nearly bulletproof GM 3800 V6 with a supercharger. Meet “the Driver’s RV.”
All versions of the Vixen 21 are really rare, but the Vixen 21 SE is something special. Approximately 587 Vixens of all types were built. Of those, just 172 examples of the Vixen 21 are the SE with a fixed roof and a 3800 V6 instead of a BMW diesel. That makes this motorhome rarer than many supercars. I’ve been searching for a Vixen 21 SE to write about for a while, but the only ones I found for sale had comically tiny photos and no descriptions.
The Vixen 21 is already a bit of a Holy Grail for RV fans. The SE version takes it a step further.
The Man Who Wanted To Have Fun Driving An RV
The Vixen 21 is the brainchild of William “Bill” Collins Jr., a man with a stacked resume of incredible cars. Collins joined General Motors in 1954 at just 22 years old and with a mechanical engineering degree in his hand.
As Hemmings writes, Collins started his career at GM as a road test project engineer at Pontiac. In this position, Collins accelerated new cars to 60 mph, tested how well they started in cold weather, and measured their fuel economy. According to Hemmings, Collins spent two years doing this at GM before he left the automaker to join the Army. There, Collins evaluated the T-60 amphibious cargo carrier prototype.
Collins would find himself back at General Motors in 1958. His contributions to the General included the flexible steel driveshaft and the transaxle for the 1961 Tempest, the Pontiac GTO, and the XP-833 Banshee designed under the direction of John Z. DeLorean and Elliott M. “Pete” Estes. Collins’ career at GM led him to taking on the role of Director of Advanced Engineering in 1964. Reportedly, Collins was the one who discovered that a 389 cubic inch V8 fit in the Tempest. In theory, without Collins there might not have been a GTO. Collins also had his hands on the 1973 Pontiac Grand Am and GM’s downsizing efforts that would debut in 1977.
Collins left GM in 1974, following DeLorean to the company of the same name. While there, Collins would have a huge hand in engineering the DMC-12. While the team Collins led didn’t pen the design, they were responsible for the vehicle’s packaging and layout.
Eventually, Collins bowed out of DeLorean and landed a gig at AMC, where he grew to have an appreciation for front-wheel-drive through the Renault and AMC marriage. The newfound fondness for front-wheel-drive resulted in Collins coming up with an idea. Could front-wheel-drive be used to make a better RV?
He sought to answer that question when he founded Vixen Motor Company in Pontiac, Michigan in 1981. There, Collins would use his decades of automotive engineering experience to make a better RV. At the same time, he learned lessons from his old boss and wanted to avoid making the same mistakes as DeLorean. Hemmings continues:
“I look at Vixen as the culmination of all my experiences from starting with a clean sheet of paper and building a car from the ground up,” Bill proclaims. “I possessed an overview of how to build a whole car that I would never have gotten had I been a spark plug engineer for Chevrolet. I also learned from John DeLorean what to do and what not to do to raise money to launch a company. I didn’t call it the Collins Motor Company. I’m a behind-the-scenes guy who gets things done–I didn’t need my name on it.”
The RV Collins would design had two inspirations. In 1973, Collins took a road trip in a new GMC Motorhome and while the GMC Motorhome is an RV icon, Collins believed it didn’t solve everything wrong with motorhomes of the era. Collins also found out through DeLorean that it was possible to build something entirely new from a blank piece of paper.
Thus, Collins set out to build the driver’s RV. His RV would have better efficiency and comfort than a standard Class A motorhome. It would also be aerodynamic, ride close to the ground, and park in a regular garage. You’d get a whole self-contained RV for just $35,000, too.
An RV Trying To Be A Sports Car
Production of the Vixen 21 TD began in 1986 after a serious development period, from my retrospective:
Collins was so serious about aero that he put a 1:5 scale clay model of his RV into a wind tunnel. While your typical Class A has an abysmal drag coefficient, the Vixen 21 TD has a drag coefficient of just .295 in part thanks to Collins making the RV slick with a flat undertray. Hemmings notes that a 1982 Z28 had to work with .369. For a modern example, my beloved 2012 Smart Fortwo has a drag coefficient of .35.
Collins further helped the Vixen 21 TD achieve sporting characteristics by giving his RV a wide stance and a low center of gravity. Backing up its sporty looks and the low ride is a rear-mounted 2.4-liter inline-six turbodiesel sourced from BMW. This engine was good for 115 horsepower and it is bolted to a five-speed manual transaxle from Renault. The whole RV rides on a four-wheel independent suspension. That engine was used in diesel versions of the BMW E30, the Lincoln Continental, Bertone Freeclimber, and other vehicles.
The Vixen motorhomes were parts bin specials, with the suspension noted as coming from GMC G20 vans, a leveling system from Cadillac, a GM automotive HVAC system, GM bumpers, and Pontiac T-100 taillights. Vixen advertised the motorhome as being able to hit 100 mph or return 30 mpg at 55 mph. Many motorhomes of today struggle to stay above 10 mpg and you can forget about doing 100 mph. Coupled to a 5,100-lb empty weight and molded fiberglass body, the Vixen 21 TD was essentially a motorhome dressed up as a sports car.
A Vixen 21 measures 21 feet long and 7 feet tall. It’s a bit too long to fit into most garages, but it has the right height. Yet, you aren’t stuck with a low roof. Punch a button and the pneumatic roof pops open to provide 6 feet, 6 inches of headroom. Collins also managed to fit a full bathroom, a galley kitchen, and a primary bedroom with a full-size bed. In other words, a Vixen 21 is as well-equipped as a high-end camper van, but is designed to drive better than any Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or Ford Transit.
Some of the Vixen’s equipment is better than you’d get in a van, too. There’s a 25-gallon fresh tank, a 13-gallon black tank (no “shitcase” here), and a 20-gallon gray tank. Also notable is the coach’s 23.5-gallon fuel tank. Paired with the BMW diesel engine, that means potentially more than 700 miles between refueling stops.
The Vixen Lands With A Resounding Thud
The Vixen 21 launched at the Detroit Auto Show to immediate critical acclaim. The Industrial Design Society of America awarded the Vixen 21 with its Industrial Design Excellence Award. Design News magazine issued Vixen its own Excellence in Design nomination.
Car and Driver tested a Vixen 21 for its October 1986 issue and while I could not find the text, Car and Driver summarizes it as:
The Vixen motorhome was fairly radical for a rolling residence—low, wide, and streamlined. It was powered by a 114-hp BMW-Steyr diesel mated to a Renault-sourced five-speed manual transaxle, and weighed just 5880 pounds. Performance wasn’t sparkling by car standards—it reached 60 mph in 21.8 seconds—but the Vixen was quick for an RV and achieved an astounding 21 mpg in our hands (the manufacturer rated it at 33 mpg at a steady 55-mph cruise).
By all accounts, the Vixen 21 seems to be the best-handling and best-driving RV ever built. Vixen even came close to the target price and landed at a starting price of around $40,000 ($114,662 today). Prices rose to around $53,000 ($151,927 today) after options. However, Collins and his Vixen company found out the hard way that the circles of people who like RVs and people who like to drive have little overlap. Just 298 were built in 1986 followed by 78 in 1987.
This Vixen SE
Vixen didn’t leave the Vixen 21 line with just the diesel version. There was also the Vixen 21 XC limousine and this, the Vixen 21 SE.
The Vixen 21 SE was largely the same as the TD, but with a few major changes. The biggest change is in the rear, where the BMW diesel engine was tossed out for a 3.8-liter GM-sourced V6 making 165 HP. That’s a 55 HP gain over the BMW diesel version. The SE also got a four-speed automatic transmission whereas the other versions of the Vixen had five-speed manuals.
The other big change happened with the roof. The Vixen 21 TD had a pop-top which allowed up to 6 feet, 6 inches of headroom. The Vixen 21 SE has a fixed fiberglass roof offering the same room. Unfortunately, the fixed roof means a Vixen 21 SE cannot be stored in a typical garage. What you lose in the ability to store the coach in the garage you gain in comfort as Vixen was able to mount a 13,500 BTU air-conditioner to the fixed roof version.
The Vixen 21 SE for sale on Facebook today has seen further improvements. The 3.8 V6 has been removed for a newer and more powerful 3800 Supercharged V6. That should pump power up to a healthy 240 HP if it’s a Series II or 260 HP if it’s a Series III. Either way, these are known to be rock-hard reliable engines, which is great for an RV!
The seller says the entire RV has been rewired to support this new engine and a new transmission was installed for this engine as well. Other new parts include springs, brakes, shocks, sway bar, and tires. Some modern kit comes from solar panels, a 3000W inverter, and LED lighting.
Sadly, the Vixen Motor Company folded up after building coaches in 1989. As great as a driver’s RV sounds, Vixen just never found enough buyers. It’s a shame because it seems Vixen’s coaches have found a ton of fans in the modern day. Vixen coaches tend to disappear from the marketplace quickly and there’s even a newer company, Vixen Motorcoach, dedicated to keeping the fleet of Vixens alive.
If you’re interested in this Vixen 21 SE, you can grab it for $20,000 from the seller in Hancock, Wisconsin. Then, hit the road and maybe some curves in one of the few RVs built to be driven.
Top graphic: screenshot, Larry Gillam/YouTube
The Vixen 21 is a lighter BMW-powered vehicle than the current M5.
And probably features less parts-sharing.
I <3 that you have a post on the Vixen, truly a unique and capable small rv.
and Pontiac T-100 taillights
Did you mean to say “Pontiac T-1000 taillights”?
Those would have been easy to come by.
I did not know that these existed. Kudos to Mr. Collins for making something really great. Too bad Ma and Pa Kettle kept going to the Winnebago dealership.
Is that bulletproof supercharged 3800 attached to the typical glass 4T60E? Because I dunno about that chief, pulling something that weighs 2000 more pounds than a Grand Prix.
I’d recommend a big oil to air cooler to start, and after it pukes you can replace with a TripleEdge rebuilt for 3500 bucks that should last pretty well.
There was a Vixen in wonderful shape (at least the exterior) by my house in Calgary.
It was on a sort of backroad behind a gas station that I frequented and there was a very small for sale sign in the window for $24,000, I think?
Way out of my budget, but boy did I pine for it every time I’d fill up; I’d loop around that way even out of my way to scope it out.
One day, it was gone and my heart a bit broken, but I guess someone thought that was a good price or the owners moved.
They look amaaaaazing in person, completely futuristic and just sleek and slick.
Some vehicles that are future pointing stylisticly dont “age well”, this ain’t one of them.
Oh, my. Shut up and take someone else’s money at interest in my name.
Don’t let my wife see this, she’s been wanting a small RV or van and I keep telling her they’re too expensive for what they are, but this price is a bargain! If you have money to do some projects, this would be sweet.
Honestly I’d be all over this but we have no place to store it. Wait, if I sold off the cars, we could use this as a daily driver! It might get better mileage than one of them. Really enjoyed the article.
weighed just 5880 pounds
That’s kind of incredible, considering your garden-variety F250 weighs more.
What’s weird, though, is that your garden-variety F250 will likely measure the about the same length as a Vixen 21..
I know the 3800 is famously(for some reason) reliable, but do we think there is any chance it would retain any above average reliability when boosted and run flat out pushing a motorhome 24/7? Not to mention that the PCV system won’t work even a little.
I think a lot depends on the specific motor used in this. If it’s a Pick a Part pull with 150,000 miles, yeah it’s well out there on the life curve. If it’s a fresh rebuild with some decent pistons, bearings, and valve train, no reason to be worried. Same thing with the transmission, a junkyard one is probably suspect but they can be rebuilt to a decent standard using upgrade parts developed over the years.
This would go well with the 5 3800 SC cars I have, so cool! What a find! I knew of them existing but didn’t know so much detail about them.
I think I see a Vixen RV in Mercedes future. Great article!
When you think of what it would take to gather all the resources and suddenly be building a vehicle like this at better than one per weekday, the quantity sold is actually quite an achievement IMO. There may have been other issues, such as supplier matters and perhaps just not making any money at it.
Holy crap, this is the first time I’ve ever wanted an RV…
No shit, great article and RV…$20k seems like a steal.
They usually sell for somewhere between $20k and $50k. Which, even on the high end is pretty attainable considering what you’d pay for a similarly optioned and inferior Winnebago.
The problem is that they usually sell within a day so even if you can afford it, your timing has to be perfect or you’re not getting one.
Same. This would be absolutely perfect for my girlfriend and I to do all our future road trips in. Wish I had the space and that much spare cash.
I hope someone rescues this Vixen: we spied it just outside Woodstock NY a week ago on our way to a The Lemon Twigs concert.
Someone should DO something!
Etc.
https://imgur.com/gallery/sad-vixen-rv-woodstock-ny-LvmUC0c
Oh, that’s just criminal, I hope it’s not too far gone.
Had a chance to buy one, couldn’t talk my wife into owning one. Ah well.
You know, with GPS now, you probably COULD drive this EM-50 up into the Alps with a couple of girls for the weekend, with almost no danger of wandering into Czechia by mistake and getting captured by the Soviets.
Maybe if you air down the tires you could still squeeze a Vixen SE into a standard garage.
Always liked these. Right size, handsome design, mechanically sound. Love to have one as I enter my dotage with an eye toward a lemmingesque sojourn around the country.
I parked next to a Vixen two weeks ago at a state park. I didn’t realize a fixed roof became standard and assumed it was a tilt-top version that had been modified aftermarket. After almost 40 years they’re still exceptionally good looking compared to similar vehicles of that era.
I don’t really have any knowledge to support this, but $20k seems like a *screaming* deal for this. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t sold by Monday.
This. It makes me wonder if there might be something wrong that they’re not mentioning. “Too good to be true” and all that….
It sucks to have to wonder about things like that.
The want is so bad for this thing. But just feels too nice to be true?
Given it’s in Wisconsin, I’d check underneath thoroughly. 35 years in the Rust Belt is a concern, even for a “summer only” vehicle. When was it actually driven, and how was it stored?
I do, and yes it is. One like this with some modern updates to the amenities and proper mechanical maintenance is groovy enough, but with a transplanted 3800 under it all? I mean, name an engine you would trust more on a long road trip. Not to mention, that’s a great power-to-weight ratio to keep it from being a “dragonfly” in the highway – “draggin’ uphill, flyin’ downhill.”