Sports

Ultimate tailgater RV turns parking lot into party with sports bars, patios and hot tub

Ultimate tailgater RV turns parking lot into party with sports bars, patios and hot tub
Thor Industries brand Heartland presents the Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV, which took home the award in the "Team Tailgate" category
Thor Industries brand Heartland presents the Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV, which took home the award in the "Team Tailgate" category
View 25 Images
Thor Industries brand Heartland presents the Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV, which took home the award in the "Team Tailgate" category
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Thor Industries brand Heartland presents the Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV, which took home the award in the "Team Tailgate" category
One of the highlights of the Ultimate Tailgate trailer is the rear and side decks, which are offered on the standard Cyclone 4270
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One of the highlights of the Ultimate Tailgate trailer is the rear and side decks, which are offered on the standard Cyclone 4270
The Cyclone tailgate concept trailer doesn't have quite as much outdoor cooking power as you'd expect from a huge tailgater RV, but it does have this Blackstone griddle
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The Cyclone tailgate concept trailer doesn't have quite as much outdoor cooking power as you'd expect from a huge tailgater RV, but it does have this Blackstone griddle
One of the concept's features that other RV owners could add to their own vehicles, the Coleman SaluSpa is a US$400 inflatable hot tub
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One of the concept's features that other RV owners could add to their own vehicles, the Coleman SaluSpa is a US$400 inflatable hot tub
We're not sure that a Can-Am side-by-side is a necessary tailgate accessory, but the Cyclone does have a toy garage, so why not ...
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We're not sure that a Can-Am side-by-side is a necessary tailgate accessory, but the Cyclone does have a toy garage, so why not ... 
The Cyclone's side deck sets up at the push of a button
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The Cyclone's side deck sets up at the push of a button
Heartland packs the living room with a five-seat couch, included on the base trailer and not just a concept add-on
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Heartland packs the living room with a five-seat couch, included on the base trailer and not just a concept add-on
A look at the little cocktail bar and kitchen
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A look at the little cocktail bar and kitchen
Triple-burner stove and convection oven
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Triple-burner stove and convection oven
The custom audio system includes 18 speakers and eight subwoofers
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The custom audio system includes 18 speakers and eight subwoofers
A keg fridge in the garage puts beer on tap
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A keg fridge in the garage puts beer on tap
With the keg fridge, wall-mounted TV and this picnic set, the garage/rear deck become a breezy indoor/outdoor bar
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With the keg fridge, wall-mounted TV and this picnic set, the garage/rear deck become a breezy indoor/outdoor bar
Unlike your average indoor/outdoor bar, the Cyclone garage bar comes with beds to crash on
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Unlike your average indoor/outdoor bar, the Cyclone garage bar comes with beds to crash on
A better look at the kitchen/living area layout
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A better look at the kitchen/living area layout
That refrigerator would look nice in virtually any home's kitchen, let alone a party trailer's
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That refrigerator would look nice in virtually any home's kitchen, let alone a party trailer's
Serious speaker power requires serious amplification
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Serious speaker power requires serious amplification
A look at the master bed bathroom — you know someone is curling up in that tub-like shower floor for a nap, missing the entire game
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A look at the master bed bathroom — you know someone is curling up in that tub-like shower floor for a nap, missing the entire game
Master bedroom with adjustable king-size bed
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Master bedroom with adjustable king-size bed
Inside the Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV
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Inside the Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV
One of the highlights of this tailgate-specific show trailer is the sports-bar-like row of HD TVs
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One of the highlights of this tailgate-specific show trailer is the sports-bar-like row of HD TVs
The side deck has a swing-out TV of its own, an option on the Cyclone 4720 production trailer
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The side deck has a swing-out TV of its own, an option on the Cyclone 4720 production trailer
One outdoor TV just isn't enough on an over-the-top trailer like this, so Heartland adds a second
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One outdoor TV just isn't enough on an over-the-top trailer like this, so Heartland adds a second
The tailgater concept is based on the 44-foot 4270 floor plan
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The tailgater concept is based on the 44-foot 4270 floor plan
Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV
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 Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV
Inside the Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV
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Inside the Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV
View gallery - 25 images

Thor Industries used the inaugural RVX show to get serious about production and potential production RVs like the Sequence camper van and Tuscany Lithium concept motorhome. But it also kicked back and had some fun ... a lot of fun. Its custom-designed Heartland Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate trailer pulls up stadium-side, screens all the biggest games of the day on more than half a dozen TVs, keeps the beer flowing with a built-in keg fridge, and provides plenty of space to relax with dual decks, an indoor/outdoor hot tub and a garage bar. Forget going into the stadium; the real entertainment is hitched to the truck.

We've seen a few unique party RVs in the past, including a rolling bachelor pad with remote-controlled beer cooler and outdoor movie theater and a concert-hopping VW bus with "upper deck" seating and slide-out mini-keg. But Thor brand Heartland takes the concept of go-anywhere partying to a new level with its absolutely huge Cyclone Ultimate Tailgate RV.

When the RVIA announced that "Team Tailgate" would be one of the contest categories at the Reveal event of RVX, Heartland didn't have to work quite as hard as the competition to get nominated. Its range-topping 44-foot (13.4-m) Cyclone 4270 fifth-wheel toy-hauler was born to be a rolling party space, coming straight from the factory with a 13-foot (4-m) garage, available rear and side patios, cocktail bar-style kitchen counter, and plenty of standard and available audio/video equipment.

The Cyclone's side deck sets up at the push of a button
The Cyclone's side deck sets up at the push of a button

In fact, Heartland probably could have competed for the title by tacking a couple of optional extras onto a 4270, but instead it decided to throw the kitchen sink in. Inside, it turned the kitchen and living area into a functional sports bar, mounting four 55-in HD TVs in a row opposite the five-seat recliner couch and above the bar area. The wall at the end of that TV lineup houses the heart of the massive audio system, which includes 18 powered speakers and eight subwoofers in total.

A better look at the kitchen/living area layout
A better look at the kitchen/living area layout

Walking past the fully equipped kitchen with French door fridge and residential-grade stovetop and convection oven, one gets to the garage, finding a beer fridge below yet another TV and a beer hall-like picnic table set just ahead of the large doorway to the rear deck. The inflatable hot tub sets up in the garage or outside in the fresh air and should be easy to position in line with the best view (or perhaps in the best spot for enticing members of the opposite sex to hop in).

A keg fridge in the garage puts beer on tap
A keg fridge in the garage puts beer on tap

Tailgaters who prefer to combine fresh air and game-viewing will want to wander around to the side deck, where they can watch the swing-out TV. And if the deck itself is too crowded, there's a second outdoor TV on the side of the trailer to handle the overflow.

Underbody lighting and a vibrant paint job with loads of swirling bright orange give the Cyclone trailer the proper look of a rolling party. Accessories include an outdoor Blackstone griddle with independent propane tank and a Can-Am side-by-side to add a little fun at events and fill up the rear garage on the way to and from.

We're not sure that a Can-Am side-by-side is a necessary tailgate accessory, but the Cyclone does have a toy garage, so why not ...
We're not sure that a Can-Am side-by-side is a necessary tailgate accessory, but the Cyclone does have a toy garage, so why not ... 

Not so surprisingly, this Cyclone party wagon won the Team Tailgate category handily. We reached out to the Thor folks to see if there's even the tiniest possibility of launching a Cyclone tailgater package inspired by this award-winning show trailer, but we take the lack of a response as an indication that there's nothing like that in the works.

Product page: Heartland Cyclone 4270

View gallery - 25 images
4 comments
4 comments
Gizmowiz
Just a huge polluting hulk of junk as its powered by diesel
Wolf0579
Why bother to go out of the city, if you're going to haul the city with all it's distractions and noise along with you?!? Do the wildlife a favor and Stay Home.
heartland_rvs
We designed the Team Tailgate Cyclone as a “concept” for the REVEAL competition at RVX. This specific floor plan is available currently and can be ordered at any Cyclone dealer. However, we wanted to introduce a few unique items to gauge the response(s) of consumers - similar to what auto manufacturers do at major auto shows. As of now, the Team Tailgate unit is not an option, but we are listening to customer feedback to see if it’s a viable option in the future.
BrianK56
For those with too much and nothing to spend it on.