What do towering professional athletes like Shaquille O’Neil and Randy Johnson have to do with the 2006 Windsor? Both hovering around seven feet tall, these giants of sport would feel much more comfortable in this year’s version of the popular coach, which has had its interior ceiling raised three inches to that exact height.

Although most of us don’t reach altitudes even close to seven feet, it doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the new, more spacious interior of the 2006 Windsor, or all of the sweeping changes that have been made to improve form and function.

“The Windsor has gone through a lot of changes this year, some quite extensive interior upgrades,” said Monaco Motorized Product Manager Melanie Marsh. “The graphics are also very, very different from last year.”

It is still in a malleable stage of development, planned to debut in August, but after looking at the 2006 Windsor specifications on paper, “very different” is almost an understatement.

Each one of the five floorplans (three quad slides and two triples) is new, with a host of upgrades and redesign to go with them. We’re not talking only details here, either, although quite a few of those have been refined as well. Besides more headroom and bolder color schemes, some of the most noticeable enhancements include standard automatic patio and front door awnings, a standard stainless steel, four-door refrigerator with 12 cubic feet of storage, and a standard color rear vision system with an adjustable camera and audio.

A standard, fully automatic leveling system is also new to the cockpit. This will allow owners to simply push one button, one time to level their coach. “So they won’t have to monkey with it,” as Marsh put it.

Another big feature that will cut down on the monkey-ing is the universal remote from Mito Corporation. This programmable device will allow Windsor owners to deal with only one remote for their electronics instead of juggling several of them just to watch a movie on the DVD/VCR Home Theater System.

Monaco engineers and designers seemed to have a “make life easier” theme for 2006, because so many updates will do just that. Heading up the list are the redesigned side-hinge baggage doors with new latch locations. “The bay doors have all been streamlined,” Marsh said. “They’re very symmetrical with a cleaner application of the side-swing hinge.”

Not only that, but the storage bay slideout tray is now standard, and the resulting complete pass-through bay should help make loading and unloading a breeze.

The labeling on all the dash rocker switches has been improved and the addition of a Multi-Point Switching System allows several electrical operations to occur at the touch of a single button. For example, you could program one button to switch off all interior lights and prepare the stereo system and 24-inch flatscreen television for a night of entertainment.

Other convenience related improvements include optional auto-generator start, a standard automatic power cord reel, and a new-style engine cover for easier access. One standard feature that should excite those who head straight for the pilot’s seat is the pre-wire for a supplemental tow braking system that can be added aftermarket without affecting the warranty.

The 2006 Windsor does not slack in the interior design and decorative categories either. There will be all new decorative hardwood and fabric valances throughout, new designer carpeting, ceramic tiled floors in the kitchen, bath and entry areas, and additional wallboard applications in the bathroom. The kitchen gets some love as well with new covers for the one-piece Corian sinks. These will interlock with the galley countertop to provide a virtually seamless surface when in place.

A new slate of options is available, including an air leveling system, dual (air/hydraulic) leveling systems efficiently combined into one control panel, a three camera upgrade to the rear vision system, and a larger, 14 cubic foot refrigerator with a stainless steel face and an ice dispenser in the door. There’s even a bedroom an optional bedroom clock radio with CD/DVD player and two speakers — just one less thing to pack.

Windsor fans will have the option to purchase a “standard run savings package” for ’06 models, which includes the most popular options from last year, bundled together at a discount. They are the air leveling system, three-camera rear vision system, a 32-inch LCD TV, auto generator start, a power water hose reel and the RV Sani-con tank drainage system.

Yes, the 2006 Windsor has grown in more ways than one, but picking up on the “make life easy” theme behind the changes, it’s clear that this is not growth without regard to quality — and that’s no tall tale.