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Hannah Elliot, Bloomberg / February 7, 2018 Jaguar has revealed its third continuation car, the D-Type. The six-cylinder roadster joins the Jaguar Lightweight E-Type and the Jaguar XKSS continuation cars in the program the company developed in 2014 to re-issue modernized versions of its most iconic models, Jaguar said in a statement. This latest car, although made this year, will look exactly like the original D-type, which won the Le Mans 24 Hours race three times from 1955 to 1957. Tim Hannig, the director of Jaguar Land Rover Classic, characterized the car as a "once-in-a-lifetime" project. The D-Type is likely to cost more than 1 million pounds ($1.4 million), judging from previous continuations. An original D-Type once owned by Bernie Ecclestone, former head of Formula 1, was offered for sale for $12 million last month at a Gooding & Co. auction in Arizona. While that one didn't sell, Sotheby's sold a 1955 D-Type in 2016 for almost $22 million. Against those prices, this new one, for what will likely cost less than $2 million, looks like a bargain. The D-Type is special because of its rarity, racing wins, and body styling. Its shape was heavily influenced by the most advanced aeronautical technology of the time, with a monocoque cockpit fashioned from sheets of aluminum alloy. At the time, designers followed a practice that originated in the field of aviation: putting the fuel in the vehicle's tail. Every aspect of the new version will follow authentic, original specifications, including the sleek hood, wide-angle cylinder heads, quick-change brake calipers, and unmistakable tail fin. The interior will have the same round speedometer dial, thin wooden and metal-perforated steering wheel (right-hand drive, of course), and four-speed manual shifter. The steel on the exterior will also be the alloy. At the time of its original debut, the car had 250 hp and could hit a top speed of 167 mph. Clients can even choose to buy either a 1955-spec shortnose or a 1956-spec longnose version. Deliveries will start later this year. Twenty-five will be made, considerably more than the six Lightweight E-Types Jaguar built in 2014 and the nine XKSS's it built in 2017. A spokesman for Jaguar, owned by Tata Motors, said the increase reflects that only 75 were completed of an original production run that had been intended in 1955 to reach 100, though it's safe to say the company will make a good profit producing these modern historic vehicles. Tata's Jaguar Land Rover has done similar work on a far less-expensive and rarefied scale to much success with its Land Rover Classic and Range Rover Rebuild programs. The Range Rover Rebuild program, for instance, reissues small batches (fewer than a dozen) of 1970s-era Range Rovers to capitalize on the explosion of interest in them on the vintage market. Land Rover said last month it will release a limited-edition run of a high-performance version of its Defender model. Official production of the Defender ended in 2016. The new D-Type will make its first public appearance at the Salon Retromobile on Wednesday in Paris. .

Korea Inc., led by leading Audi and BMW veteran designers like Peter Schreyer, have Detroit and Japan Inc. scared to death.

No word on the engine. I think people are going to be disappointed with Ford at the work truck show.

Defense News / February 7, 2018 WASHINGTON — The Army has chosen Oshkosh Defense to build the next-generation variant of its Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, a primary mover for weapons, sensors and communications platforms. The contract is worth $476.2 million, according to a Feb. 7 Pentagon announcement. Both incumbent Oshkosh — having produced the FMTV A1 variant since 2009 — and AM General submitted bids and the Army entered an evaluation period in May 2017 for its FMTV A2. Both companies touted their offerings at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual convention in October. Oshkosh has manufactured and sustained more than 150,000 tactical wheeled vehicles for the U.S. Defense Department and its allies and has delivered more than 36,000 FMTV trucks and trailers, according to the company. “For decades, the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles has formed the backbone of the Army’s local, line haul, and unit resupply missions in combat, combat support, and combat service support units,” according to a Feb. 7 Army statement. “These trucks, consisting of 15 variants sharing a common chassis and components, play an important role as the prime mover for several weapon, sensor, and communication platforms.” “During recent conflicts, we added more protection to our medium trucks, which added weight, along with high-tech systems that require more power,” Alvin Bing, the Army’s product director for medium tactical vehicles, said in the statement. “That gave the crew the protection they needed and kept them connected to modern battlefield technology, but it also took away from how the vehicles were originally intended to perform. So we launched the A2 effort to restore the performance we had traded, while preparing the fleet to grow with tomorrow’s Army.” The Army used soldier feedback and time with industry to learn what was important and to “maximize value,” Col. Dan Furber, the Army’s project manager for transportation systems, said in the statement. Through industry days and demonstrator vehicle evaluations, the Army “made sure everyone had plenty of time to understand today’s truck and what we wanted to change,” Furber said. “As a result, we’re going to give soldiers a great truck with a stronger chassis, better protection, more power, and new safety features that provide them much better ride quality, while making them safer and more effective.” The Army owns the technical data package for FMTV. As part of the competition, the Army asked vendors to propose a series engineering change proposals to the FMTV design and for plans on how the vehicles would be produced. “Oshkosh’s FMTV A2 design features parts commonality that results in streamlined maintenance, training, sustainment and overall cost efficiency for our customer,” Pat Williams, vice president and general manager of Army and Marine Corps Programs at Oshkosh, said in a company statement. “Oshkosh is ideally positioned, given its engineering, manufacturing and FMTV experience, to execute the next generation FMTV A2 program, running along the same warm production line that has been building FMTV’s for the last eight years.” If all options are exercised during a five-year ordering period plus two additional one year options, Oshkosh could end up producing up to 2,400 vehicles under the contract, according to a Federal Business Opportunities notice. The estimated date of completion is February 2022, according to the DoD contract notice. This isn’t the first time Oshkosh and AM General have gone relatively head-to-head in a recent vehicle competition. Oshkosh beat out both AM General and Lockheed Martin in August 2015 to build the Army’s Humvee replacement, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The JLTV deal could ultimately be worth $6.7 billion in low-rate initial production but could generate up to $30 billion for Oshkosh over the entire program. After the loss, AM General focused its efforts worldwide, recently announcing last year it would develop trucks a la carte for customers around the globe. According to the Army, the new FMTVs will begin rolling off the production line in 2020. .

The Haulmax 3900’s narrow width, low centre of gravity and dual rear axle configuration offers a solution for extended distance hauls and soft & slippery underfoot conditions as a prime mover for service and support mine site equipment. Elphinstone have delivered almost 100 Haulmax trucks via the global Caterpillar Dealer Network to customers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Africa and the United States where they are providing solutions as extended distance haul trucks, service trucks, low bed tow tractors, water trucks, and wet weather / downhill haulers. . . .

Dramis International / November 27, 2017 Dramis International, Simard Suspensions off road department, presents its new mining truck : the D150T. Imagined, designed, manufactured and assembled in our factory, the Dramis D150T meets point by point the specifications imposed by the driving conditions of the truck: load and type of ore, distances, rolling conditions (terrains, slopes, temperatures). Each element has been designed or selected to provide the best performance, maximizing reliability and security. Contact our experts for all your off road heavy loads transportation projects. Simard Suspensions, 80 years of expertise in the increase and load distribution of your heavy trucks. www.dramisintl.com .

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Hydrogen Fuel Cell System - Ballard Power Systems (* Ballard made a lot of noise about fuel cells in the second half of the 1990s but nothing came of it.) Electric Propulsion System - BAE Systems (there's a military dual-use application at work here with discreet government funding) Engine: Ballard Power HC85 Traction Motor: Dual-rotor AC motors, 420 kW or 565 hp Transmission: Automated Eaton 4-speed Brakes: Bendix Air Disc ADB22X Fuel capacity: 30 kg of hydrogen Battery capacity: 100 kW-h Batteries: XALT Xpand 650 VDC * http://wardsauto.com/news-analysis/ballard-battling-break-through-daimler-and-ford-behind-it-vancouver-firm-sets-fuel-cell-agenda

Kenworth Preps Hydrogen-Electric T680 for Drayage at SoCal Ports Transport Topics / February 8, 2018 MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Kenworth Truck Co. is wrapping up tests on a zero-emissions hydrogen-electric Class 8 truck that will be operating in drayage applications in Southern California by the end of March, company executives said. California has set a goal of having 100,000 zero-emissions freight vehicles in operation by 2035, and the Port of Los Angeles and the Port Long Beach, where Kenworth’s Zero Emissions Cargo Transport truck will operate, have included zero-emissions trucks into their latest clean air action plan. “We are developing a path to production” for the truck, whose only emission is water vapor, Stephan Olsen, director of product planning for Kenworth, told Transport Topics Feb. 6 at Paccar’s Technical Center here. The ZECT truck, which produces little engine noise when compared to a diesel, carries 30 kilograms of hydrogen behind the cab in six tanks, each pressurized to 5,000 PSI. Refueling with hydrogen can be done in 15 minutes. Instead of an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell sits under the hood and produces electricity by combining compressed hydrogen and air to generate the current. A battery stack, weighing about 2,200 pounds, is located below the seats and stores the electricity. Related cables, lines and systems add another 1,500 pounds. A dual-rotor electric motor propels the truck with an output the equivalent of 565 horsepower. The truck is capable of carrying 80,000 pounds and uses an automated manual transmission. In all, it weighs in at 22,000 pounds, or 6,000 pounds more than the diesel-powered version of the model T680 truck. The truck has a range of 150 miles and can operate for 30 miles on batteries alone. The system also can recharge the lithium-ion batteries for use later. A hybrid drive setup manages the power from the fuel cell to and from the batteries as well as the traction motors at the wheels and other components, such as the electrified power steering and brake air compressor, according to Kirkland, Wash.-based Kenworth. Total Transportation Services Inc. will lease the prototype ZECT truck from Kenworth and operate it at both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, the two largest ports, respectively, in the nation, Kenworth said. The truck will be fueled at the carrier’s yard. The asset-based logistics provider is located in Rancho Dominguez, Calif., and endorses reducing operational emissions and leaving as small a footprint as possible on the environment. “We want to learn how the truck will interact with the rest of the fleet, the drivers and infrastructure,” Olsen said. Kenworth’s truck is part of a demonstration project managed through Southern California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District. About 60,000 trucks are involved in shorthaul operations in the LA Basin, Brian Lindgren, research and development manager, Kenworth, told TT. The only way to get to zero emissions is either with hydrogen- or battery-electric power, Lindgren said. For heavy-duty trucks, battery electric has some challenges, he said. For instance, the batteries are heavy and expensive. Also, keeping them charged presents challenges. “Either you charge them for a long time or you charge them at a very high power rate. So that hasn’t all been worked out yet,” Lindgren said. Also, Kenworth’s zero-emissions truck has more electronics compared with a diesel or natural gas engine due to all of the systems that require electricity. “We are also controlling the batteries, fuel cell and the cooling systems — all electronics,” Lindgren said. At the same time, many of the components are familiar to what the truck maker specs on a standard T680. These include, among others: the front air disc brakes, the front suspension, the rear axle, rear brakes, rear suspension and tires on the 6X4 truck. The truck will have the ability to go 30 mph on a 6% grade, can reach a top speed of 65 mph and has enough torque to get started on 20% grade with an 80,000-pound load. .

Transport Topics / February 8, 2018 Stephan Olsen, director of product planning at Kenworth Truck Co., talks about the company preparing a hydrogen-electric Class 8 for use in SoCal ports. Olsen spoke February 6, 2018, at Paccar’s Technical Center in Mount Vernon, Washington. .

Transport Topics / February 8, 2018 The California Air Resources Board on Feb. 8 unanimously approved plans to retain two Obama administration Phase 2 greenhouse gas emissions rule provisions for medium- and heavy-duty trucks that would regulate glider kits and trailer emissions. The board’s action was taken in defiance of a proposal announced by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to repeal the glider kit provision and a plan to review the rule’s requirement that regulates trailers. EPA said that under its proposed interpretation of the Clean Air Act, it lacks the authority to regulate glider vehicles, glider engines and glider kits. The trailer provision, also under review by EPA, is in limbo after being stayed by a federal judge in connection with a lawsuit filed by the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association. “The glider rule is a no-brainer,” said CARB board member Daniel Sperling. “It’s embarrassing what’s happening in Washington with the glider program.” In taking the action, the board approved a tweak to the federal version of the 2016 federal glider kit rule that would allow only glider kits to be manufactured in California with engines that are 2010 or newer emissions-compliant. California already requires that heavy trucks be at least 2007 compliant, said Mike Tunnell, director of environmental affairs for American Trucking Associations. It also extended by two years the effective date of the federal trailer GHG rule requirements to 2020 from 2018. The CARB plan substantially harmonizes with the federal Phase 2 standards some minor differences, said Richard Corey, CARB’s executive officer. “The Phase 2 proposal includes restrictions on the production of high emitting glider vehicles that staff believes are crucial to protecting public health,” Corey said at the CARB meeting. “If the federal glider requirements are repealed, it will allow unlimited numbers of old, remanufactured engines with little or no emission controls to be placed in new truck bodies and sold as new trucks.” Corey added, “Such uncontrolled glider vehicles can emit up to 40 times the NOx and up to 450 times particulate matter compared to compliant new trucks.” In a presentation to the board outlining the staff recommendations, Mitzi Magtoto, a CARB resources engineer, said regulating heavy duty trucks is important because they are a “significant and fast-growing” part of the total greenhouse gas emissions inventory in California. Magtoto said that CARB staff has been working closely with Obama administration EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration staff for several years to help formulate the 2016 joint phase 2 GHG rule. “As part of the Phase 2 standard, U.S. EPA closed a loophole that allowed glider vehicles to circumvent emissions standards,” Magtoto told the board. “...Phase 2 also introduced trailer standards for the first time.” “Staff is very concerned with both of these issues and believes the reasons for revisiting these standards are unfounded and arguably illegal,” Magtoto added. Glider vehicles are those manufactured with new truck bodies but remanufactured engines. Magtoto said that a repeal of the glider kit rule would spell a large increase in the number of the trucks on U.S. highways, from roughly 10,000 to up to 128,000 glider vehicles. ATA’s Tunnell told the board that ATA supports CARB’s action. However, he said that the board should be aware that the extra cost that truckers will face to comply with the CARB regulation will be substantial.

Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / February 8, 2018 E-commerce and driver demands are encouraging more fleets to order daycab tractor models, Kenworth says. MT. VERNON, WA. As truck orders reach new record heights, manufacturers such as Kenworth Truck Co. are starting to see a shift in the types of models selected by motor carriers – with more of them adding daycabs to their fleet mix. At a macro level, the impact of e-commerce is currently sparking a higher percentage of daycab orders than in the past,” said Stephan Olsen, Kenworth’s director of product planning, during an interview here at a test drive event held at the PACCAR Technical Center. The event provided editors with a chance to get behind the wheel of the company’s $7 million prototype Zero Emission Cargo Transporter (ZCET) a hybrid T680 daycab modified to run on electricity provided by both a lithium-ion battery back and hydrogen-powered fuel cell. Olsen explained that changes in distribution patterns being spurred by the “just-in-time” or “JIT” demands of e-commerce is leading fleets to order more daycab tractors than before, though he stressed that “this is certainly not the end” of demand for long-haul highway sleeper tractors. “We don’t see that long-haul coast-to-coast market going away,” Olsen noted. The other influence he sees driving demand for more daycab tractors is the desire for more home time by the incoming generation of drivers. “Fleets are trying to leverage the daycab model as a way to attract more new entrants into the driver profession,” Olsen said. “On the driver side, more and more of them want more home time.” In terms of powertrain spec’ing, however, he does not see the “sleeper versus daycab” decision changing altering engine displacement selection all that much. Olsen does think there will be more demand for automated transmissions and does think deployment of daycabs into more regional and short-haul applications will lower average speeds over a truck’s life cycle and requiring different gearing parameters. “But regardless of whether the fleet wants daycabs or sleepers, the focus remains on fuel economy,” Olsen said. “They will choose packages that deliver the best fuel economy possible.” .

Ford's 2019 [US market] Transit Connect Wagon adds tech, new diesel engine Michael Martinez, Automotive News / February 8, 2018 DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. wants to position the third-generation Transit Connect Wagon as a less expensive, more capable minivan alternative to help further expand its dominant share in the commercial vehicle market. The seven-seat wagon variant of the segment-leading Transit Connect, introduced Thursday ahead of the Chicago Auto Show, comes with a new front end, new powertrain and a host of new driver-assist features. It's scheduled to go on sale this fall and will be the first U.S. vehicle with Ford's new 1.5-liter EcoBlue diesel engine that's expected to get at least 30 mpg. Ford owned about a 45 percent share of the compact van segment in 2017and hopes to grow that number by targeting active baby boomers who might not be able to afford a traditional minivan or large crossover. "It's an entry-level product that brings customers into the fold for the first time," said John Ruppert, Ford's commercial vehicle sales and marketing manager. "Small vans have turned into a really big business for us." Ford introduced the Transit Connect to the U.S. in 2010 and last redesigned it in 2014. In 2017, Ford sold 34,473 Transit Connects, nearly double the sales of the second-place Nissan NV200. To date, officials say, about 97 percent of the roughly 300,000 small vans sold since its introduction are still on the road. The midcycle retooling for the 2019 model year focuses heavily on new driver-assist technology. It will come with automatic emergency braking standard, as Ford rolls out that feature across its lineup. It's part of a pre-collision and pedestrian-detection assist package the automaker says is segment-exclusive. Available technologies include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot information system with cross-traffic alert and a lane-keeping assist. It will feature a standard embedded 4G LTE modem that provides Wi-Fi for up to 10 devices, part of a companywide initiative to connect every vehicle by 2019. The Sync 3 infotainment system is an available feature. The Transit Connect Wagon will come standard with a 2-liter four-cylinder gas engine mated to an eight-speed transmission. The 1.5-liter diesel, also paired with the eight-speed gearbox, is an available option. Officials say the vehicle will offer a class-leading towing capacity of 2,000 pounds when equipped with an available trailer tow package. The interior includes a redesigned instrument panel and center console with an available 6.5-inch touch screen. The second- and third-row seats can fold flat, and the floor is 2 feet above the ground for easy loading and unloading of items. "From being easy to get in and out of, plus flexible seating and cargo space, Transit Connect Wagon makes it easy for Boomers to keep enjoying family time or explore new hobbies and careers," Mark LaNeve, Ford's head of U.S. marketing, sales and service, said in a statement. The Transit Connect Wagon comes in two wheelbases and three trim levels: XL, XLT and Titanium. The automaker also offers a cargo van variant of the Transit Connect; a freshened version also is expected to be unveiled this year. Officials say the wagon accounts for about 15 percent of Transit Connect volume, but Ford hopes to grow that to 20 to 25 percent. The vehicle is part of Ford's dominant lineup of commercial vehicles, including the F-series pickup and Transit large van. The automaker held a 43 percent market share of all commercial vehicles through November 2017, according to the most recent Polk registration data. .

Big Rigs / February 8, 2018 IT'S mid-morning the eve of Australia day and the temperature is climbing, dust and a mix of hay surround a convoy of trucks lined up in southern New South Wales as they are loaded for the Burrumbuttock Hay Run. A pure act of Aussie mateship this, the 13th run, is charged with the task of delivering donations of hay and feed to drought-stricken farmers, with the 2018 run heading to Cunnamulla in southwest Queensland. Under the cloudless sky and slowly intensifying sun, Burrumbuttock's Geoffro Amarant is operating a JCB telehandler, deftly picking up large square bales of straw and loading them, with the yard a flurry of activity as trucks are shifted and straps thrown and tightened. Matt Reeve is doing his first hay run and has come down from Sydney in his Mercedes Benz and flat-top trailer to take part and pulls his truck out to strap down, with the final truck to be loaded pulling into his place. Within 20 minutes the job is done and a mini-convoy of five trucks is assembled in the paddock, including Geoffro's Kenworth T401, and BHR organiser Brendan Farrell's Kenworth T600, which will be driven to Cunnamulla by Jessica Edwards, better known to all and sundry as Jillaroo Jess. All the other trucks except Geoffro's head out to the meet up with the rest of the convoy at Darlington Point, whilst Geoffro loads the telehandler and another tractor on his quad float which will be pulled by his Kenworth T909. With the late afternoon arrival of driver Paul Betts who will steer the T401, the two Amarant Trucking vehicles head off into the twilight, pulling into Darlington Point around 10pm and the overnight stop at the golf club. Pre-dawn on Australia Day and the parking area is a hive of activity as trucks are prepared to head out the gates and onto the Kidman Way for the 816 kilometre trip to Cunnamulla. Almost every vehicle is adorned with an Australian flag, green and gold banner and in some cases an inflatable boxing kangaroo has been affixed to the bullbar or tailgate - a magnificent sight. Walking around it is a truck-spotter's delight, with trucks varying from current model Western Stars, Freightliners and Mercedes Benz through to older classic International Transtars, W-Model Kenworths and R-Model Macks, with trucks ranging from rigids through to B-Triples and double road trains loaded high with round and square bales of hay and straw. With traffic stopped, the convoy of 150 trucks and 200 trailers slowly pulls out onto the Kidman Way, farewelled by a large crowd of well-wishers lining the roadside. Over the Murrumbidgee River into Griffith, the convoy makes its way through irrigated orchards and pasture, with large puddles of water on the roadside from an overnight storm, then onto Hillston. The convoy weaves its way through Hillston through another crowd of well-wishers, and the pace picks up out on the open road. Paul Betts works his way through the 13-speed Roadranger in our T401 and we are soon cruising along at 90 kilometres an hour, about halfway along the line of trucks which is stretched out over a few kilometres. There is plenty of good- natured banter over the radio as the kilometres tick by and before long we are slowing down to wind through the settlement of Mount Hope, which consists of a Pub and a phone box by the side of the road. About 30 kilometres south of Cobar the call goes out that the convoy will pull up to have lunch on the side of the road (given the complexities of parking 150 trucks in town), and as we step out of the truck the shimmering heat is rising off the blacktop with the lineup of vehicles extending into the heat haze as far as the eye can see. Tyres are checked and straps are tightened on trailers as a number of utes work their way up and down the road distributing lunch and drinks. Moving again, the Cat C-12 in the Kenworth is purring along nicely as we make good time into Cobar. The UHF crackles into life reporting a kangaroo on the side of the road - in this case an errant yellow inflatable boxing boomer which has come adrift - within minutes one of the support crew has rounded him up for safe keeping. We pull up for a drink and truck check in Bourke, with the temperature at 40.4 degrees a bit of a shock after getting out of the air-conditioned cabin. Just beyond the Darling River at North Bourke the call comes over the radio that a couple of bales have shifted on a truck ahead. Within a couple of minutes three trucks have pulled up to help and extra straps are thrown to get the load to Cunnamulla safely. Rolling again we are in a group of five, with Jillaroo Jess heading our mini-convoy, however a rising temperature gauge has caused her some concern. Nearing the border the temperature has stabilised and once again the pace picks up with the kilometre peg showing that we are only 140 kilometres from our destination. Crossing into Queensland at Barringun, storm clouds are brewing and within 10 minutes the wipers are on as we pass through a brief shower, unfortunately not the solid, steady rain that is so desperately needed out here. As we near Cunnamulla the convoy is spread out over 19 kilometres and half an hour later we are pulling into town to a huge welcome at the showgrounds as the trucks line up to park in two lines. The ramps are dropped on Geoffro's trailer, the chains undone and machinery is unloaded for the morning before the hay runners head for an evening meal, a few beers and stories. Already over 30 degrees at 8am the following morning, the Cunnamulla Showgrounds are a hive of activity with trucks being unloaded for hay to be collected or sent to outlying properties. Over 100 trailer loads are being delivered direct, with some trucks travelling up to 260 kilometres beyond Cunnamulla, whilst back at the showgrounds Paul and Geoffro, along with a number of other tractor and telehandler drivers are buzzing around shifting bales between trucks and stacking hay for collection. With the temperatures at 42.5 degrees, the support crews are vital. By early afternoon over 2000 bales of hay have been unloaded or sent out, and the trucks are starting to come back in after making their deliveries. Upon completion of the delivery runs, the truck drivers who are staying in town for the Saturday night concert head over to cool down and relax and swap stories with a few hard-earned beers. Unfortunately trucks rarely stay still, and a number of drivers have to leave on the Saturday to get back to their regular duties, having donated their trucks and time for the cause, with trucks having come from as far as Tasmania to take part in the run at considerable personal expense. Such is the case for Paul Betts, who has to return to work on the Monday, and with Geoffro having secured a backload south, the tractor and telehandler are quickly loaded and secured on Paul's T401 before the return trip to Burrumbuttock begins. Back down into New South Wales via a quick photo stop at the border and into Bourke we make good time before pulling into the Caltex at Cobar around 9pm for a meal break. Another 110 kilometres down the Kidman Way, camp is made for the night at the Gilgunnia Goldfields, with the swag rolled out on top of the trailer in the cooler night air. From there it is a relatively short day via a brunch stop at Narranderra before the truck rolls into Burrumbuttock around 1.30pm. Paul was also undertaking his first hay run and, like a number of others, is keen to volunteer his time and services for the next one. From a personal perspective the BHR shows the generosity of people donating hay, stock feed, trucks, fuel, supplies and most importantly time to help others. A pleasant end after bearing witness to Australians at their finest. .

IVECO Trucks Australia / December 12, 2017 .

IVECO Trucks Australia / February 1, 2018 A pair of new INTERNATIONAL® ProStar® prime movers have joined leading Supercars race team, Tickford Racing, charged with the vital role of transporting the race cars piloted by popular drivers Mark Winterbottom, Cam Waters, Chaz Mostert and Richie Stanaway. The partnership will see the ProStars – one sleeper cab, the second an extended cab – hauling the team’s B-Double transporters holding precious cargo including race cars, spare parts and the vital garage tools to keep the cars on track at race meets around the country. Both of the trucks feature powerful Cummins X15 engines producing 550 horsepower (410 kW) / 1,850 lb.ft variant (2,508 Nm) and are coupled to Eaton’s sophisticated UltraShift Plus’ 18-speed automated manual transmission. One of the vehicles also features the ‘ADEPT’ package – this system is an option with the ‘UltraShift Plus’ and utilises load, speed and grade sensing software, making minor adjustments to speed, power and transmission gear selection to take advantage of vehicle momentum for better fuel economy. The ADEPT package also includes ‘SmartTorque2’ and ‘SmartCoast’ technology. SmartTorque2 is the next generation of torque management technology from Cummins. The system senses both the selected gear and overall engine load as a result of the gross vehicle weight, aerodynamic drag and road grade. To flex their visual muscles when on the road and in the race paddock, both trucks are dressed with additional chrome, checker plate and polished alloy trimmings along with additional auxiliary lighting. On the inside the trucks benefit from the ProStar’s high levels of standard finishes including ergonomically designed 10-gauge instrument cluster with chrome bezels, a curbed dashboard, leather driver and passenger air suspension seat and 6.1” touch screen multimedia system with satellite navigation. Visibility in the ProStar® is excellent thanks to the cabin’s sloping hood, swept-back design, wrap around windshield and set-back A pillars, allowing for easier memorability while the design also provides best-in-class aerodynamic performance. When stopped, a generous standing roof height of 1922mm (sleeper cab variant) allows for comfortable movement between the driver and passenger side of the cabin and into the sleeper area. Tickford Racing co-owner, Rod Nash, said the team was excited to partner with INTERNATIONAL®. “There is a freshness about INTERNATIONAL® that’s very appealing, and they have been very keen to work with us. We are very much looking forward to having their ProStar® vehicles leading us from race to race this season and beyond,” Mr Nash said. “What IVECO is doing with INTERNATIONAL is similar to what we have been doing with Tickford and now Tickford Racing, in bringing a beloved brand back into the Australian market. “That common mentality should make it a very positive partnership for both parties.” IVECO Australia Marketing Manager, Darren Swenson, said he was also thrilled about the new partnership. “There are some very strong synergies between the Tickford Racing and INTERNATIONAL® brands,” he said “INTERNATIONAL® was relaunched into the Australian market in 2017 after a hiatus of several years. Similarly Tickford was once a household name in motorsports – both were much loved brands and are now back and ready to perform. “Our partnership with Tickford Racing will go a long way to rekindling Australia’s interest and passion in INTERNATIONAL® trucks and in particular the new ProStar® range. And as they’ll be transporting cars driven by Frosty, Cam, Chaz and Richie, I’m sure we’ll also be attracting a younger generation of followers.” Both INTERNATIONAL® ProStars will be seen at the ‘Adelaide 500’ from March 1, the first round of this year’s Supercars Championship. .

Virginia could allow trucks up to 11K pounds heavier than it does now if these bills pass Katherine Hafner, The Virginian-Pilot / February 6, 2018 Trucks traveling Virginia’s roads could get about 10,000 pounds heavier if legislation gets the OK from the General Assembly. Virginia would be able to take part in a potential federal pilot program that allows for six-axle, 91,000-pound trucks. That’s up from the current weight limit of 80,000 pounds in the commonwealth, though exceptions in many industries like logging have allowed for more. HB1276 and companion bill SB504 have pitted community organizations, the railroad industry and some truckers against companies that want to load more products into each truck they send out. “This is incredibly alarming for Virginia motorists,” said Shane Reese with the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks, which is based in Alexandria. “These heavier trucks endanger motorists on the highway, damage Virginia’s infrastructure and cost taxpayers money.” The federal pilot program the bills reference does not yet exist. So far, attempts to create such a program have failed in Congress. But if the federal government started one, the bills’ proponents argue, Virginia should be able to to vie to participate for up to 15 years. “We are not here asking you to endorse heavier truck policy today,” an Anheuser Busch representative said at a recent Senate Transportation Committee meeting. “We have nothing to fear from a data-driven process that would evaluate pros and cons.” The brewing company, along with other corporate entities including WestRock and the Agribusiness Council that represents Smithfield Foods, told lawmakers last week that raising weight limits on trucks would allow them to be more competitive in their industries. And, they add, more products in each truck would lead to fewer vehicles total. “Common sense would suggest that if we’re efficiently loading our trucks, there are going to be fewer trucks on the road, enhancing public safety,” said the Anheuser Busch spokesman. Reese strongly disagreed. “Heavier trucks do not mean fewer. It means more trucks on the highway,” he said. “There’s a handful of special interests pushing this, but the vast majority of the motoring public and taxpayers will end up holding the bags.” Dale Bennett, president of the Virginia Trucking Association, said the organization’s membership is split 50-50 on the matter, but the main concern is “pure economics.” “This would require retrofitting of existing trailers or new trailers,” he told Senate committee members. “The experiment’s going to be conducted at our cost without any benefit.” The House bill’s patron, Del. T. Scott Garrett, R-Lynchburg, said he would like the Virginia Department of Transportation to study the issue, but the department’s policy division administrator, Jo Anne Perry Maxwell, said it would be “very difficult to study a federal pilot we don’t know the parameters for.” Those for and against the legislation have both cited a 2016 U.S. Department of Transportation report that looked into the issue. Advocates point to a statistic that the 91,000-pound trucks reduce pavement costs. Objectors highlight a 47 percent increase in crash rates that the federal Transportation Department found during limited testing in Washington state. Ultimately, the report concluded officials needed more data “to fully understand the impacts of heavier and larger trucks on the transportation system” and advised against making policy changes until those data are collected. Many in the railroad industry also fear such a change could take away from their own lines of transportation. Tim Bentley, a government relations specialist for Norfolk Southern Corp., said at the Senate committee meeting that Virginia should not be a “guinea pig” to test whether heavier trucks are beneficial. He pointed to Norfolk’s Hampton and Terminal boulevards as examples of non-interstate roads that would be affected by more weight. “That’s ultimately where these heavy trucks would have to go.”

Get a Bull Terrier (like Meatball of Baa Baa Blacksheep fame) and you'll witness some serious chewing.

You had something with the old cast iron Kohlers. They lasted forever and delivered real horsepower. Briggs & Stratton has always been disposable garbage, and the large v-twins carry on that heritage.

And, today’s 300hp engine is less powerful than yesterday’s 300hp Maxidyne “Cool Power” engine. This trend is everywhere. When we were young, your Cub Cadet, John Deere, Bolens or Sears (not Craftsman) lawn tractor was 7 to 14 horsepower. It had abundant power. Now, the little $1500-1900 John Deere D- and E-Series sold at Home Depot and Lowe’s are a seemingly ridiculous 17.5 to 22 horsepower. And yet, to me, they don’t feel more powerful.

We all need to bear in mind that today’s smaller engines, with Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) engine blocks, ultra-high pressure common rail injection and other are not comparable to yesterday’s engines. They can crank out far more horsepower, lug heavy loads......and live.

I despise these ratings, because I can't realistically guarantee B50 life in varying operating and maintenance conditions. http://www.ttnews.com/articles/gauging-engines-life-expectancy-starts-b-life-rating

You're not mistaken. That was my impression too. But off the top of my head, I'm not sure which 11L engines they're referring to. For whatever reason, they purposely didn't name them.

The Mercedes-Benz 12.8L OM471 (DD13), 14.8L OM472 (DD15) and 15.6L OM473 (DD16) all claim B50 life.