An exclusive interview with Michel Vuillermoz, Head of Product Management at Laika Caravans S.p.A.
When did Laika start renewing its motorhome range and what was the goal in this process?
We started renewing the range in 2020 – it was a very long process because it was not only a renewal of the product but also the idea of the brand and its positioning on the market. Laika has always been a premium motorhome brand and the first aim was to bring back the top values of the brand, while exploiting the new technologies and partnerships available.
The first product we wanted to launch was the flagship, from a top-down logic. To introduce the latest materials and style, the best way to do it is with something totally new, with no limits to express the power of your company. To show the vision of our future we started with the Kreos. It has been a great adventure because we did it in a true Italian way, a very dynamic and emotional way. We focused on the new values for the very important relaunch of the brand.
Now that the whole range has been updated, what are you most proud of?
Honestly, I am proud of what the company is expressing now through the vehicles, because we have 23 models in our range and all of them, in different levels and for different customers, express the ideas of the company. There is a common family feeling and when you see them you are not just seeing another white motorhome but something different with a common image.
We have the same family feeling throughout but we balance it with different technical content and different price levels. All the vehicles represent in a unique way the vision we have to build iconic motorhomes. We want to differentiate them from our competitors and bring something new outside and inside, with new solutions – even hidden new solutions – and a very strong identity. A vehicle has to represent you; it’s something into which you’re putting your work and your reputation, your affection and skills. It’s not just done with aluminium and wood; it has to be part of you.
Clearly, GFG Style played a significant role in the renewal of the Laika range, but why were external consultants brought in?
If you want to bring excellence to the product you have to work with excellent partners. In the past, too many times the motorhome industry used a nautical approach but the two worlds are totally different for regulations and the size of vehicl
