For the upper echelon, there's an almost limitless number of collector's vehicles to purchase that epitomize a level of status and achievement few among us will ever experience. One can obtain an exotic $9 million dollar Lamborghini Veneno for instance. How many of our favorite celebrities enjoy owning their own planes and helicopters?
Regardless, it takes an extra special type of person to covet the eleMMent Palazzo. This otherworldly RV caters to the type that would want to maintain their first-class lavish lifestyle, while simultaneously hitting the open road and touring the country. This takes 'glamping' to a whole different stratosphere, and there are only a select few vehicles on earth qualified to do what this does.
Palazzo is Italian for ‘Palace’, which is fitting because Austria-based Marchi Mobile has created a true palace on wheels. It’s a rolling ‘land-yacht’ with 732 sq.ft. of living space. For comparison, the average 1-bedroom rental apartment in the U.S. in 2018 was 714 sq.ft. This engineering marvel spans 45 feet from stem to stern, while the average Class A RV is 33 feet long. It tips the scales at a modest 26 tonnes and measures 13 feet high and 8.4 feet wide while driving.
Putting aside the obvious enormity of the Palazzo, what other features does it offer to warrant a $3 million dollar price-tag, and how can such a vehicle even exist in today’s eco-friendly conscience world?
Palazzo Interior
Above we see the king-sized master bedroom suite found not at the Waldorf Astoria, but inside the top-of-the-line Palazzo Superior. In case you were wondering, it's one of the most comfortable beds in the world. The manufacturer is Hypnos Beds, also known as the official supplier for the entire British Royal Family.
Adjoining the master suite (but also accessible from the lounge area) is a 16 sq.ft. spa area equipped with a glazed rainfall shower and light therapy, along with a generously sized, mirrored vanity space and towel dryer. The entire room has ample closet space with a dressing table and 42-inch LED TV in case you want to relax after your spa. Electronic sliding doors separate this expanse from the rest of the RV.
Palazzo Extensions
An additional benefit comes from two almost full-wall electronically-powered extensions that expand the living space considerably. When extended, the lounge measures 13 feet wide and features a wall-to-wall couch that expands with the room. Included are your regular camping amenities such as another 42-inch LED TV, wine cabinet, ice maker, Steinway & Lyngdorf audio system, and wet bar.
One of the truly unique and amazing features of this vehicle is the Sky Lounge. Located in the rear section, an automatic lift system raises the rooftop deck right out of the RV, to create an open-air nightclub with integrated lounge furniture, radiant floor heating, wet bar, and mood-lit canopy.
Palazzo Design Cues
When the BBC reviewed this engineering marvel, they wrote it was “a heroic attempt at making a brick appear aerodynamic.” A perfect example of this is the panoramic three-section windshield that's crafted to mimic the cockpit of a helicopter. Since sun-visors simply won't do the job here, there are two stages of automatic darkening for sun protection and a unique three-blade windshield wiper system.
President of Marchi Mobile Mario Marchi told reporters he was very proud of his company's aerodynamic design,"...because this allows us to have the best track co-efficiency currently available for a street-legal truck." In fact, the eleMMent series has a drag coefficient comparable to a sports car (Cd 0.36), which actually bests the reported Cd for the 2015 Corvette C7.
Despite the enormous interior living space, the Palazzo also boasts otherworldly water capacity. It stores 211.4 gallons of fresh water and an equal amount of wastewater. For comparison the $2 million Prevost H3-45 VIP diesel pusher stores 88 gallons of both, which is within the normal range of 75-100 gallons for other Class-A RVs.
Palazzo Go Green Initiative
Marchi Mobile is quite invested in a better future for our planet, and has paired with several clean initiatives to offset their carbon footprint, as well as that of their clientele. The company's CCF (corporate carbon footprint) is offset across their entire supply chain with reforestation investments. To address their PCF (product carbon footprint) during manufacturing, they measure greenhouse gas emissions and carefully source all materials used, then calculate a yearly figure. Customers are also offered the chance to use these systems to calculate their personal emissions as well.
The eleMMent Palazzo may be an enormous and very exclusive land-yacht, but Marchi Mobile intends to help preserve the key outdoor markets that might accommodate such a vehicle. Considering their potential buyers will likely look to travel long-distances across all the incredible examples of bio-diversity found in the North American outdoors, Marchi chose to support the Darkwoods Forest Carbon Project in conjunction with the NCC (Nature Conservancy of Canada). Using 'Carbon Finance,' 55K hectares of B.C. Darkwoods is under permanent protection, providing habitat for more than 200 animal and 219 plant species.