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That's a Mack model NB-1 searchlight truck (basically a modified civilian EEU). The US Army purchased 368 units. It was rated at 2.5 tons cross-country and 5.0 tons on-road. They were built in 1939 with 253-cubic inch 77-horsepower Continental "FO" L-head engines. They had a 50mph top speed, 24' 10" overall length , 172" wheelbase, 15,630lb weight fully loaded and rode on 7.00x20 tires. The other two members of the US Army's searchlight trio of the 1939-1940 period were the Federal model 75K131 and GMC model AFWX 354-10A.

DAF Trucks Press Release / November 6, 2018 Stalkers Transport report 'uplift in fuel economy' following the delivery of six DAF XF tractor units. Over 12-months this represents an increase of 8.6%. .

DAF Trucks Press Release / November 5, 2018 At the beginning of the fifties a large part of our production is devoted to military vehicles. .

KrAZ Trucks Press Release / September 18, 2018 Firefighters in Ukraine's Sumy Oblast have taken delivery of a new АC-4-60(5401НЕ) fire tank truck jointly produced by KrAZ Trucks and body builder Pozhmashina. The 9.5 tonne KrAZ model 5401НЕ 4x4 off-road cab & chassis is specifically engineered to the requirements of the State Service for Emergency Situations (SSES). This two-axle cab & chassis cab built to customer’s requirements is unique due to use of two-row four-door six-seat "crew cab". KrAZ engineers adapted this cab for installation on the KrAZ-5401НЕ. Wide tires complimented with a central tire inflation system make it possible to use this vehicle on and off road. An operating range of 600 km is made possible with the fitment of two 165 litre fuel tanks. The АC-4-60 (5401НЕ) tank truck features a 4000 litre water tank and 400 litre foam agent tank. The НВЕ-24 vacuum suction system is independent, semi-automatic. The truck is equipped with the PN-60Б-RR fire centrifugal pump with output of 60 l/s and head of 100 m. Maximum suction head: 7,5 m. Gross vehicle weight is 19 tonnes. A similar truck was delievered to to the Konotop SSES. .

Cummins Press Release / November 2, 2018 Cummins showcases its new structural engine in Italy for the first time at EIMA 2018. Displayed in Hall 15 on Stand A/5, visitors will see the Cummins Stage V B6.7 engine integrated into a structural driveline designed for agricultural tractor use. Fabio Vaiani, Regional Sales Manager, Off-Highway at Cummins, said: “Cummins has been a successful supplier to the agriculture sector since 1919 when our first single cylinder engine was manufactured for farm pumps. However, it has been some years since we have had a structural engine in our power portfolio. Italy is an important market for our business, so EIMA is an ideal location to showcase the engine in the country for the first time.” The structural capability has been designed into the B6.7 engine, the latest version of the renowned Cummins B Series engine. With over 13 million B Series units sold around the world it is proven to deliver high availability in challenging duty cycles. For Stage V it moves up to 326 hp (243 kW) with a peak torque of 1375 Nm - a 30 percent increase over that of Stage IV. Cummins has the capability to tailor engine performance for farm work, with the power bulge and torque back up available ideal for agricultural tractor operation. For Stage V, Cummins has integrated key in-house technologies into the engine to achieve the operational benefits. The B6.7 uses proven variable-geometry turbocharger technology, with the single Holset VGT® achieving exceptional power density and responsiveness with fuel-efficient performance. The B6.7 uses Cummins latest Single ModuleTM aftertreatment technology, which is smaller and lighter than its predecessor at Stage IV. The savings are up to 40% in envelope size and up to 20% in weight. The higher NOx conversion efficiency enables the required level to be met without the use of EGR. The system also removes 99.9% of all PM by weight and count. For an agricultural tractor this technology will be adapted to suit the space requirements without impacting lines of visibility from the cab. The Stage V engines including the B6.7 are designed as global platforms, with a shared installation for domestic and export business. Manufacturers can have increased production flexibility, with common hook-up points wherever the equipment will be sold. The exhaust aftertreatment would be the only key difference between specifications. .

Rebuild Jost. Replace Fontaine and Holland with Jost.

Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / November 5, 2018 More than 5,500 Freightliner and Western Star tractors are being recalled by Daimler Trucks North America for a brake caliper issue, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Daimler’s recall affects 5,534 model year 2018-2019 Freightliner Custom Chassis, Freightliner and Western Star trucks that have brake caliper mounting bolts that may have been insufficiently tightened at the factory, which could cause reduced brake effectiveness. Affected Freightliner Custom Chassis units include: S2C 106CAB, S2G, XBS, XCL, XCM, XCP and XCR. Other trucks included in the recall are: 2018-2019 Freightliner 108SD 2018-2019 Freightliner 114SD 2018-2019 Freightliner Business Class M2 2018-2019 Freightliner Cascadia 2018-2019 Western Star 4700 2018-2019 Western Star 4900 2018-2019 Western Star 5700 DTNA will notify affected truck owners beginning Dec. 3, and dealers will check and tighten brake caliper mounting bolts for free. Owners can contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number FL-794. NHTSA’s recall number is 18V-703.

Jim Park, Today's Trucking / November 5, 2018 .

Today's Trucking / November 5, 2018 .

Nikola "Tre" website - https://nikolamotor.com/tre

Nikola to Expand Into Europe With Hydrogen-Electric “Tre” Transport Topics / November 5, 2018 “Tre” Slated for Production in 2022 to 2023; Will Be Previewed in April in Phoenix Nikola Motor Co. announced it would begin production within five years in Europe of a heavy-duty, hydrogen-electric truck designed to be compatible with full autonomy as it expands its business beyond North America. The Phoenix-based company has begun taking reservations for the vehicle — to be called the Tre, which is Norwegian for three. Tre is slated for production in 2022 to 2023. Nikola will preview the truck April 16-17 in Phoenix alongside its Nikola Two model, which is scheduled for fleet tests in 2019. Tre will be the first European zero-emissions commercial truck to be delivered with redundant braking, redundant steering, redundant 800V DC batteries and a redundant 120 kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell — “all necessary for true Level 5 autonomy,” Nikola founder and CEO Trevor Milton said in a statement. “Redundant means the truck has been designed from the ground up to allow for failure in any one of the systems and still operate safely,” Milton told Transport Topics. “This is especially important with autonomy compatibility.” Level 5 typically is defined as full automation capable of handling any road with no driver needed — or as Milton said, “No driver. Completely autonomous-compatible.” He added: “For instance, the power steering could go out, and the truck would be able to pull itself over, steer itself to the side of the road and safely exit the freeway. It is the only truck ever built that we know of that has the ability to have any one of the main systems or subsystems fail and still continue safely until it can pull over and be serviced,” he said. Model Two will feature the same level of redundancy, according to the company. The Tre will come with 500 to 1,000 horsepower, 6×4 or 6×2 configurations and a range of 500 to 1,200 kilometers (310 to 745 miles) depending on options. The Tre will fit within the current size and length restrictions for Europe. European testing is projected to begin in Norway around 2020. Nikola also is in the preliminary planning stages to identify the proper location for its European manufacturing facility, according to the company. Nikola is working with Oslo, Norway-based Nel Hydrogen to provide hydrogen stations in the United States. “We will work with Nel to secure resources for our European growth strategy. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with the right partners, we can accomplish it,” Nikola Chief Financial Officer Kim Brady said. By 2028, Nikola plans to have more than 700 hydrogen stations across the United States and Canada. Each station is capable of 2,000 to 8,000 kilograms of daily hydrogen production. Nikola’s European stations are planned to come online around 2022 and projected to cover most of the European market by 2030. Meanwhile, at the Nikola World event in Phoenix, attendees will witness the Nikola Two model pulling loaded trailers, along with a prototype display of the Nikola Tre. Hydrogen filling also will be shown at the event at 700 bar or 10,000 pounds per square inch. Nikola’s power sports division will provide customer rides throughout the day and show off pre-production units of the Nikola Nzt off-road 4×4.

Nikola Plans Electric Road Tractor for Europe Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / November 5, 2018 Nikola Motor Company announced it is developing the Nikola Tre, a fully electric hydrogen-powered day cab tractor aimed at markets in Europe. The Tre (“tre” is Norwegian for “three”) was designed “in response to widespread interest from European customers,” but the truck maker noted that this high-cabover model will also be made available in Asia and Australia. “This truck is a real stunner and long overdue for Europe,” said Nikola Motor Company CEO Trevor Milton. “It will be the first European zero-emission commercial truck to be delivered with redundant braking, redundant steering, redundant 800Vdc batteries, and a redundant 120 kW hydrogen fuel cell, all necessary for true Level 5 autonomy. “Expect our production to begin around the same time as our U.S.A version in 2022-2023,” he added. According to the company, the Nikola Tre will offer 500 to 1,000 hp, a 6x4 or 6x2 configuration, and a range of 500 to 1,200 kilometers, depending on options. The Tre will fit within current size and length restrictions for Europe. European testing is projected to begin in Norway around 2020. Nikola also said it is in the preliminary planning stages to identify the “proper” location for its European manufacturing facility. The company said attendees of its Nikola World event, to be held April 16 to 17 in Phoenix, will get to view a prototype display of the Nikola Tre, along with other new zero-emission products from Nikola, “including the production intent Nikola Two.” And just as with the already introduced North American-oriented Nikola One sleeper and Nikola Two day cab tractors, order reservations can be made online for the Nikola Tre. In addition, Nikola said it is currently working with Nel Hydrogen of Oslo to provide hydrogen stations for the United States market. “Nel has been good to work with for our U.S.A. station design and rollout, said Kim Brady, Nikola Motor Company CFO. “We will work with Nel to secure resources for our European growth strategy,” Brady added. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with the right partners, we can accomplish it.” By 2028, Nikola said it is planning on having more than 700 hydrogen stations across the U.S. and Canada. The company said each station will be capable of 2,000 to 8,000 kgs of daily hydrogen production. Nikola’s European stations are planned to come online around 2022 and are projected to cover most of the European market by 2030. Registration for next spring’s Nikola World event in Phoenix will open on December 3 at www.nikolamotor.com. .

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / November 5, 2018 Peterbilt announced a new warranty option for Red Oval Certified Pre-Owned truck customers. The new warranty option provides customers the ability to extend Peterbilt’s factory-backed comprehensive pre-owned warranty to two years/250,000 miles. This warranty is offered and administered through Peterbilt’s more than 370 dealers and Paccar Financial Used Truck Centers. Peterbilt currently provides a standard one-year/125,000 mile Paccar Engine Pre-Owned Warranty for the MX engine and aftertreatment system with the purchase of a Peterbilt Red Oval Certified vehicle. Peterbilt Red Oval Certified vehicles pass a 150-point factory certified inspection performed by factory-trained service technicians. All Red Oval certified trucks are reconditioned and serviced, including DPF cleaning and an oil and filter change. Additionally, every Red Oval truck is DOT certified. All Peterbilt Red Oval certified vehicles come with a 90-day buyer assurance plan covering major chassis components.

VW wants more U.S. production capacity; could trade platforms with Ford Larry Vellequette, Automotive News / November 5, 2018 HERNDON, Va. — The global head of Volkswagen Group says the German automaker is actively looking to add U.S. manufacturing capacity — by enlarging its sole U.S. assembly plant in Tennessee or building new — to make electric vehicles and otherwise expand its offerings to American consumers. In an expansive, hourlong exclusive interview, Herbert Diess, who took over as CEO of Volkswagen Group in April, also said his company's ongoing discussions with Ford Motor Co. center on small commercial vehicles for Europe. But Diess said the talks between the two on-again, off-again global partners could go much further, including the possible sharing of VW's flexible EV platform and the potential use of Ford's midsize Ranger platform to replace the aging VW Amarok pickup sold outside the U.S. Diess visited Volkswagen Group of America headquarters last week, in part for a town hall meeting with employees to welcome longtime Audi boss Scott Keogh to his new role as VW's North American CEO. Keogh succeeded Hinrich Woebcken on Nov. 1. During the interview, Diess, 60, repeatedly stressed Keogh's autonomy and decision-making power. That authority includes deciding how best to increase VW's U.S. manufacturing footprint, Diess said, as well as how to improve U.S. dealer profitability and expand VW sales in the market, as he did during his 12 years with Audi of America. "We set up the plant in Chattanooga always with the idea to be able to grow it, to mirror it," Diess told Automotive News. "The plant is still too small, and we are considering different options — it might be electric cars, it might be a different derivative of the Atlas — it's still open. Scott will decide. We have opportunities there, and also economies of scale because it is still a bit underutilized as a facility." VW opened its 3.4 million square-foot Tennessee plant in 2011 to initially build the Passat, then expanded it when adding production of the Atlas three-row crossover. The plant has about 3,500 workers today. VW plans to start making a two-row version of the Atlas — the Atlas Cross Sport — there in 2019. Ford talks Diess confirmed discussions with Ford, which has been an occasional partner in past decades, and spoke glowingly of strategies on which the automakers could collaborate, but he dismissed any notion of VW growing bigger through consolidations or mergers. The VW board of supervisors will consider its strategic relationship with Ford on Nov. 16, Reuters reported. "There's nothing signed yet with Ford. We are in talks," Diess said. "Most of the talks have been centered around our light-duty vehicles — our small commercial vehicles business in Europe, where we found huge synergies. We are both relatively small in size against our peers, so what we're talking about is sharing a few platforms and manufacturing sites there, which makes sense. And within the dialogue, we are also touching other options, but this will be the main focus if we come to a conclusion." Ford is "a strong American company," Diess said. "We have been working together already many years, in Europe and Latin America. It was a good experience for both companies when we worked together. We split up afterwards, and now there is another new business case in Europe, which makes sense for both companies. It feels good, and I hope we can conclude a case." Former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne, convinced that industry consolidation was necessary to make more efficient use of capital, had aggressively pursued a tie-up with VW well into 2017, only to be rebuffed. Ford officials have made clear that they are not looking at any alliance with VW that would involve equity stakes. "I wouldn't agree with Marchionne that the right step forward is to have the biggest company," Diess said, "because in such kind of uncertainty, you have to be profitable, you have to be fast, and the new scales are different from the old scales. It doesn't help you if you have as many as possible gearboxes, etc. ... It doesn't help you." The former BMW executive, who joined VW in 2015, said VW is "open" to licensing its modular EV platform, known as MEB, to other global automakers, including Ford. Diess said VW plans to build 50 million EVs globally across its brands, beginning in 2020, and has battery sourcing agreements for them. He said licensing MEB to other automakers would lead to further economies of scale. "Today we have hundreds of different drivetrains in our industry, and there's a lot of differentiation in the drivetrain. I think this will become less, because the battery cells will become very similar on the basis of the same chemistry inside," Diess said. "It will be more about the economies of scale. Still, the battery pack, for the foreseeable future, will be more expensive than a combustion powertrain, so I think it makes a lot of sense to make more volume and generate economies of scale." Coming pickup Diess said Ford could provide VW with a global successor to its Amarok pickup, the only body-on-frame light vehicle left among the German automaker's 300-plus nameplates. But he said it would be up to Keogh to decide whether to give U.S. dealerships a small body-on-frame pickup based on the Ford Ranger or a unibody pickup that would closely follow the Tanoak concept VW unveiled in March at the New York auto show. "It's up to Scott," Diess said. "If the Ford relationship works out well, we would have an Amarok successor, which would be then appropriate for sales worldwide — potentially as well for the United States. The other option is a unibody pickup, which is something for America, which is probably still a bit risky. On the other hand, you have to see that most of the SUVs have been transitioned in the last 20 years" to unibody construction. "I think, at some stage in the [midsize] pickups, the same thing will happen. ... I think unibody might make sense." .

Beautiful mezzanine parts department in the video. Bob, I'm not sure what percentage of Iveco stores are factory-owned.

Bharat-Benz Press Release / November 1, 2018

"No matter what challenges we face, we are accountable for how we run our business, both in the day-to-day and in anticipating the road ahead." Is Hackett listening?

GM sounds the alarm, in advance Michael Wayland, Automotive News / November 4, 2018 DETROIT — Is it the best of times or the worst of times? General Motors is broadcasting a seemingly bipolar message, reporting a $2.5 billion third-quarter profit and a 25 percent rise in pretax earnings last week, and then following up with news of voluntary buyouts, an inkling of layoffs and a warning about the need to control costs before they overwhelm the company. But the underlying message to Wall Street and the rest of the industry is more cohesive: The "new" GM, tempered by a brush with death nearly a decade ago, is determined to keep investing in strategic, but costly, programs such as electrification and autonomous driving technology. And it's determined to ensure it has enough money to sustain those investments during an "eventual downturn" in the economy. "To achieve what this company is truly capable of — and to win — we need to be even more agile and faster to market," GM CEO Mary Barra wrote in an email to employees last week addressing the buyouts and cost cuts. "We need to get ahead of headwinds, rather than let them happen to us." The headwinds, Barra and Wall Street analysts note, already are swirling. GM's global sales are weakening, especially in China and the U.S., the company's remaining strongholds. In her message, obtained by Automotive News, Barra detailed internal and external factors, such as trade policy and global economic conditions, that the company cannot control but must be prepared to address. She said the company needs to increase free cash flow by cutting structural costs and nonessential investments, such as building renovations that were expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. 'A different company' The actions and tone were typical of a time of operational and financial chaos for the 110-year-old automaker. This time, though, they are being framed as proactive steps for GM to be able to weather a downturn without shortchanging its future. Barra and her executive team know well how financial strains can threaten forward thinking. One of GM's technological breakthroughs, the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, emerged in production form amid an internal financial crunch and a global credit crisis that put the project's viability in question ahead of GM's 2009 bankruptcy. "We're working hard to prove every day that we're a different company," Barra said last week during a televised interview. She was comparing present-day GM with its past. But she may as well have been speaking of rival Ford Motor Co., which in October announced the outlines of an $11 billion global restructuring that would include unspecified salaried job cuts, even as it committed $740 million for an office campus in Detroit. Bank of America Merrill Lynch research analyst John Murphy wrote in a research note that Ford is "struggling to perform amid a more challenging operating environment." GM, he said in a separate note, "has already taken material actions to get ahead of the curve and is now well positioned to perform amid the storm that is wreaking havoc for others." 'Intense focus on cost' Third-quarter results back up Murphy's assessment. While Ford experienced a 37 percent drop in earnings due to poor results in China and other markets, GM significantly outperformed Wall Street's expectations on strong profits in China and North America, despite lower sales. As Ford pushed back its target of 8 percent global profit margins — currently at 4.4 percent — by 2020, GM reported an 8.8 percent margin for the third quarter. GM's cost cutting isn't over. "We're going to have an intense focus on cost, and we'll find more opportunities to take cost out of the system and maintain a low break-even point," CFO Dhivya Suryadevara said last week. She said GM will achieve its previously announced goal of realizing $6.5 billion in cost efficiencies from 2015 to 2018. Additional goals or cost-cutting measures could come when the company announces its guidance for 2019, she said. Those measures could include layoffs of salaried employees if not enough workers take the buyouts. The buyouts will be available to roughly 18,000 salaried employees in North America and "most" global executives who have 12 years or more of experience. They have until Nov. 19 to make a decision. GM's willingness to cut costs at headquarters could help the company make a more convincing case for trimming production capacity when it negotiates new contracts with the UAW next year. GM's capacity utilization rates in the U.S. are the lowest of all automakers. Of its 12 U.S. assembly plants, five are operating on three shifts; three are on two shifts; and four are on a single shift. __________________________________________________________________________ Bean counting As global sales declined 15 percent, GM's cost discipline paid off in its third-quarter results: Net income: $2.5 billion vs. a nearly $3 billion loss due to sale of its European operations) Pretax profit: $3.2 billion, up 25% Revenue: $35.8 billion, up 6.4% Profit margin: 8.8% globally, 10.2% in North America GM Financial: $498 million, up 61% __________________________________________________________________________ Pointed talking points GM CEO Mary Barra's lengthy message to employees explained the need to cut costs despite solid 3rd-quarter profits. Highlights of the letter: " ... there is still much more to do in transforming General Motors into the automotive company of the future. Our industry is subject to significant technological, economic and regulatory disruption." "No matter what challenges we face, we are accountable for how we run our business, both in the day-to-day and in anticipating the road ahead." " ... those outside our company are skeptical of our ability to manage through an eventual downturn in the economy — skepticism we see in our stock price." "I understand that what I shared today may be difficult news to hear. In keeping with our values, the [senior leadership team] and I commit to provide updates as we move forward in a transparent and respectful way."

Exactly. Sell your truck that lacks the spec's you desire, and purchase another truck that is spec'd out like you want. In modifying your existing engine, you're going to damage it (not if....but when), and repair will not be "cheap". Back in the day, a 300 paired with a 9-speed was perfectly acceptable, with adequate power and impressive fuel savings.......and in my view still is. I assume money-saving fuel economy is important to you, and max GCW remains 80,000lb. If money was no object, you wouldn't be looking for a cheap option.

Volvo Trucks Press Release / October 31, 2018 . . .

Daimler Press Release / October 23, 2018 At the IAA 2016, Mercedes-Benz Trucks was the first manufacturer in the world to show a heavy-duty electric truck. The technology leader has now moved on a step with its comprehensively refined Mercedes-Benz eActros, which celebrated its world premiere in February this year: its deployment with customers began a short while ago. By the end of the year, the customer innovation fleet will comprise ten eActros vehicles. The key features of the eActros are eleven battery packs in the frame area and underneath the vehicle, with a total usable capacity of 240 kWh, and a drive system involving wheel hub-mounted electric motors with a maximum output of 2 x 126 kW. .