Winnebago does make both aesthetic and mechanical changes throughout the model year. When we were in the process of ordering a 2013 Adventurer we found out first hand that changes are made without necessarily notifying anyone. We started the process early in 2013. We got all the published information and visited several dealers. However it was November before we nailed down all the details.
Just to make sure we had everything in place before making the order we went online to check things out. Much to our surprise the 2013 Adventurers we saw were appreciably different than the ones we saw in July and August. As it turned out Winnebago had changed the look of the front end. Those made before Oct. 1 2012 looked like the 2012 models. Those built after Oct. 1 2012 looked like the 2014 models.
No changes were reflected in any published or online materials. When we called to ask about the styling change we were told Winnebago orders all printed material for a given model year before the release of the products. They never make a second order or revise either online or printed material.
They do however keep track of the date and the serial numbers at the time of change. If you have a serial number they can tell you exactly what changes have been incorporated since the beginning of the model year.
As for rebadging from one year to the next the federal government controls the model year designation. A motorhome is assigned a model year designation when it is completed and ready for sale. There are many instances where a motorhome has a build year designation different than the build year of the chassis. It's quite common for a builder to order more chassis in a year than they can build into completed units. The chassis that aren't used go on the following model year motorhomes.
