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Mazda claims new gasoline engine is world's most efficient Nikkei Asian Review / August 8, 2017 TOKYO -- Mazda Motor has developed what it claims is the world's most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered engine, the carmaker said Tuesday. Called the Skyactiv-X, the engine is the first gasoline model that ignites the fuel-air mixture through compression, like a diesel engine. Standard engines use sparks to set off combustion. Diesel fuel self-ignites at high temperatures. The Japanese carmaker said self-ignition enables higher fuel efficiency than spark-ignition, which tends to cause the fuel to burn unevenly inside the combustion chamber. Mazda says the Skyactiv-X is 20-30% more fuel efficient than its current Skyactiv-G engine. Going with gasoline Mazda's focus on diesel and gasoline engines contrasts with its rivals' embrace of electric vehicles. Germany's Volkswagen, for instance, has shifted toward electric cars after it was revealed that the company had manipulated mileage numbers for its diesel engines. Volvo, meanwhile, says it will only sell electric or hybrid cars from 2019. Some governments are moving in the same direction, with the U.K. and France declaring they will ban sales of gasoline and diesel cars by 2040. Mazda argues that a faster way to bring greenhouse gas emissions under control is to make diesel and gasoline cars more efficient. In a press conference on Tuesday, Mazda executives cited a forecast saying that 85% of vehicles sold in 2035 will still use internal combustion engines, as a greater share of car sales will come from developing countries that have little or no infrastructure for electric vehicles, such as charging stations and extensive power networks. Mazda is not ignoring electric cars, however. It plans to develop electric vehicles with Toyota Motor, with which the company announced a comprehensive capital and business partnership last week. On Tuesday, Mazda said it will roll out hybrid and electric vehicles in 2019. For now, however, the company intends to focus on improving on its diesel and gasoline engines. Mazda is looking to develop hybrids, which run on electric motors at slower speeds and on gasoline engines at higher speeds. It says that developing a hybrid will be easier with a more efficient engine, as that would enable the use of a much smaller motor and battery than seen in current hybrids. "I think [the British and French governments] know that electric cars won't be able to replace gasoline cars so soon," said Kiyoshi Fujiwara, Mazda's chief of innovation. Fujiwara added that he thinks "internal combustion engines will continue to play a role" because they incorporate hybrid and other emission-reducing technologies.

We made a mistake and came in too heavy. The specs worked alright in the northeast, but overall we should have come in with a lighter chassis (the rest of the world did and still does carry heavy loads). We built them at the time, for example the T112MC lightweight set-forward axle tractors we sold in New Zealand. We also should have brought over an axle-forward COE like the FK, but again lighter. So to answer your question again, we misjudged the specs for the market. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45692-the-north-american-style-axle-forward-scania-coes/

Did you call Volvo Group's Mack brand customer satisfaction hotline (U.S. and Canada) at +1 (866) 298-6586 and start working this problem from that angle? The old saying, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease", was never truer than today when companies are all trying to be as cheap as possible. You should call Mack as a professional and a gentleman, and introduce your case. And they should become involved in a likewise professional manner. When you spent 13k on a Mack brand repair, you also purchased OEM level after-sales support. Don't ignore that fact......take full advantage of what you paid for.

Navistar International enters into a second amended and restated ABL credit agreement Reuters / August 7, 2017 * On August 4, co-entered into a second amended and restated ABL credit agreement * Amended agreement, among other things, reduces size of revolving credit facility to $125 million from $175 million * Amended agreement also extends maturity date from May 18, 2018 to August 4, 2022

Tow hook, fuel pump issues prompt recalls of 2,500-plus Freightliner, Western Star trucks Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / August 7, 2017 More than 2,500 Freightliner and Western Star trucks, ranging from severe duty to Class 8 long-haul tractors, are included in two separate recalls, according to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The largest of the two recalls affects approximately 2,483 trucks and was prompted by tow hooks that were not manufactured properly. Recall documents state the tow hooks could fail during a recovery, causing the sudden release of the truck. Trucks affected by this recall are: 2018 Freightliner Cascadia 2018 Freightliner 114SD 2018 Freightliner 122SD 2018 Freightliner M2 Business Class 2018 Western Star 5700 2018 Western Star 4700 NHTSA’s recall number for this recall is 17V-452, and Daimler Trucks North America’s recall number is FL-742. Daimler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tow hooks. Depending on the production dates of the tow hooks, dealers may replace them, free of charge. The other recall affects approximately 74 trucks equipped with Cummins ISX15 engines. In these engines, the fuel pump’s drive gear could slip on its drive shaft, resulting in a loss of function, causing the engine to stall. Paccar issued a similar recall last week that affected more than 1,700 trucks. Trucks affected by this recall include: 2017-2018 Freightliner 122SD 2017-2018 Western Star 4900 2017-2018 Western Star 5900 The recall also includes 2017-2018 Freightliner Custom Chassis XCM and XCP, which are used for RVs. Cummins will notify owners of affected trucks, and Cummins dealers will replace the pumps. NHTSA’s recall number is 17V-450, and DTNA’s recall number is FL-744.

German state premier on defensive over close ties with VW Reuters / August 7, 2017 BERLIN -- Stephan Weil, the premier of Germany's Lower Saxony, which owns a fifth of Volkswagen Group's voting rights, rejected as groundless a newspaper report that said he softened a speech critical of the automaker in the diesel-emissions scandal at VW's request. Weil, already facing an unexpected election after the defection of a member of his ruling coalition to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, is under fire for what some see as a too-cozy relationship with the company. The mass circulation newspaper Bild am Sonntag on Sunday quoted a VW employee as saying that the company "rewrote and watered down" an October 2015 speech by Weil to the state legislature about the diesel scandal after Weil shared a draft with the company. "This was no fact check," the paper quoted the employee as saying. Weil, a member of VW's supervisory board, called VW "a pearl of German industry" in the speech, but other passages were removed, the newspaper reported, including one in which he said company officials should be held accountable "regardless of their place in the hierarchy." "The allegations being made are completely unfounded," Weil told reporters on Sunday. "The core of the text remained completely unchanged." Weil said he had asked VW to check the speech for legal and factual issues given the gravity of the situation facing the company, which was in discussions at the time with U.S. officials about rigged emissions tests. He said some suggested changes were adopted, while others were not. His office released two versions of the text that verified his statement. Weil said his speech remained sharply critical of VW leadership for not disclosing the emissions issue until a year after it first began discussions with U.S. officials. His office said there had been no consultation about speeches or remarks with VW for several months because the "situation between VW and the U.S. authorities has now been cleared up." A VW spokesman said it was common practice for supervisory board members to coordinate statements about corporate issues with the company. "Every member of the supervisory board has an obligation with regard to the company's interests and, based on the stock corporation act, has to adhere to the confidentiality interests of the company," the spokesman said in emailed comments. VW executive Oliver Schmidt pleaded guilty last week in a U.S. court in connection with the emissions scandal that has cost the German automaker as much as $25 billion. Close ties The controversy about Weil's speech erupted amid renewed questions about close ties between German politicians and German carmakers, and whether they prevented the German government from acting sooner to address the widening emissions scandal. Critics have also attacked the outcome of last week's diesel summit, saying that the German government should have insisted on harsher steps to rein in diesel emissions, but was swayed by industry to adopt less onerous measures. Bild am Sonntag published thumbnail portraits of six German politicians, including Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who have or have had in the past consulting agreements or other jobs with VW, Daimler or other bodies associated with the car industry. They included Daimler's chief lobbyist Eckart von Klaeden, a conservative politician who worked under Chancellor Angela Merkel in the chancellery until 2013. His abrupt switch to the Mercedes manufacturer prompted an investigation by Berlin prosecutors and new rules on "cooling off" periods. Thomas Steg, now VW's top lobbyist, previously served as spokesman for two German chancellors. Matthias Wissmann, who served as German transport minister from 1993 to 1998, has served as president of the VDA auto industry lobby since 2007. Cem Ozdemir, leader of the pro-environment Greens party, said the "conflation of politics and automotive industry" was damaging to Germany's reputation and posed a "threat to the foundation of our market economy."

Pressure on NAFTA talks to hit deadlines Automotive News / August 7, 2017 WASHINGTON — Two decades into a treaty that ignited fierce passions and rhetoric on the 2016 campaign trail, negotiations will begin this month between the U.S., Canada and Mexico to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), with potentially huge ramifications for the auto industry. Trade negotiations usually take years of detailed work to hash out agreements covering multiple industries and products. In this case, the three governments will race to finalize a deal before other events complicate matters. Details about the structure of the talks have been limited so far. Automotive News got a sense of how the process will unfold, and how external factors might influence the negotiation timetable, from trade experts who based their comments on experience with previous agreements and conversations with officials participating in the coming talks. The initial session, Aug. 16-20, will be a feeling-out process, with Canadian and Mexican officials mostly in listening mode and discussions focused on establishing procedures for subsequent rounds. It will be closed to outside stakeholders. The U.S. Trade Representative's office announced that John Melle, a 29-year veteran of the office who heads Western Hemisphere trade policy, will serve as chief negotiator. He will manage day-to-day negotiations conducted by technical leads for each subject area. Personnel assigned to each chapter of the agreement, such as rules of origin for goods that receive tariff-free treatment, will work through text line by line with the assistance of subject-matter experts from other agencies, such as the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration for the auto sector. Mexico's lead negotiator is Kenneth Smith, a Ministry of Economy representative who runs the Mexican Embassy's NAFTA section in Washington, according to Antonio Ortiz-Mena, a senior adviser with the Albright Stonebridge Group and a former head of economic affairs at the embassy. According to Canadian media reports, Steve Verheul, who led negotiations for Canada during its trade talks with the European Union, is expected to lead the NAFTA negotiations. The federal government has also put together a 13-member NAFTA advisory council that includes Linamar CEO Linda Hasenfratz. All issues will be on the table at each session, with parallel negotiations taking place, said Les Glick, an international trade and customs attorney with the law firm Butzel Long. This format creates the opportunity for trade-offs in different subject areas, said Eric Miller, president of Rideau Potomac Strategy Group and a former vice president at the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. Mexican officials are keen to quickly conclude talks so their legislature can ratify an agreement before the Mexican presidential campaign season kicks into gear. President Enrique Peña Nieto will become a lame duck in the spring as the July election nears, which will make it more difficult for the government to implement any NAFTA concessions, said Scott Miller, a senior adviser on international business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. If the talks don't end by mid-February 2018, they couldn't restart until January 2019, after the new Mexican president takes office, he added. Eric Miller, who visited Mexico in June and met with advisers for leftist candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador, said NAFTA appears to have receded as a top campaign issue and that López Obrador is generally supportive of NAFTA if certain modifications can be made. But anti-American, nationalist sentiment could reignite if the U.S. pushes Mexico too hard for concessions, or if President Donald Trump again makes disparaging comments about Mexico or talks about a border wall, Doreen Edelman, a trade attorney at Baker Donelson, said. Driving the schedule on the U.S. side is the July expiration of Trade Promotion Authority, which gives the president authority to conduct negotiations on a fast track and then bring the pact to Congress for a straight up-or-down vote. Any extension of the authority would have to be approved by Congress, which is questionable given free-trade skepticism in the electoral bases of both parties. Experts question whether the ambitious negotiating schedule can be achieved, but former Obama administration deputy trade representative Robert Holleyman and Ortiz-Mena were cautiously optimistic. "The U.S., Canada and Mexico largely concluded a NAFTA renegotiation through the conclusion in 2015 of the Trans-Pacific Partnership," Holleyman said, referring to the pact advanced by the Bush and Obama administrations and ultimately scuttled by Trump. "If you look at U.S. negotiating objectives, many of them track things concluded in TPP. So they are beginning with a high level of knowledge of each other's markets and understand where they can reach agreements." Deep benches of seasoned negotiators on all sides, the absence of negotiations over duties or quotas, and the fact that Mexico's industry and government have been coordinating their position for months also augur well for a fast conclusion, Ortiz-Mena said.

It is a fact. I hear at least one such story a week. But what do you expect from the group of non-truck people who has been running the Mack brand?

The 10.6-litre DC 11 was last offered in Euro-3 emissions at 340 (DC11 08 340) and 380 (DC11 09 380) horsepower. When Scania offered the 2-Series (and later 3-Series) conventionals in the US market, they were powered by the 308 horsepower (DSC11 06) and 341 horsepower (DSC11 03).

As any distributor principal can tell you, Kenworth has been leading the vocational segment in a massive way, from coast-to-coast, over the last two years. Western Star would have better numbers if it went after the fleet business. However Daimler wants to reserve that for Freightliner.

The Mack purchase, alike White/Autocar and GMC, was all about buying market share. And with Mack, it was about "hedging their bets" for a period of time. But all along, the spotlight in their world is principally shown on Volvo. Mack has no meaningful overseas presence anymore aside from the long time Australia/New Zealand and Venezuelan plant markets (some "rogue" US dealers export a few trucks globally), and Renault has to fight the pro-Volvo theme to retain the global presence it has (Volvo assumes that Renault and the Mack Distributor Council couldn't possibly have anyone who knows something about trucks and the markets they've long covered).

The MAN concept is in the same vein as the Mercedes-Benz Arocs agricultural variant. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33484-mercedes-benz-introduces-agricultural-variant-of-“arocs”-tractor/ The KrAZ, and of course the Unimog, do. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/50199-kraz-gets-gold-medal-at-agro-2017/#comment-372462 https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47208-the-mercedes-benz-unimog-is-turning-70/

Goodyear G367 drive tires. Years ago, there was no better combination than Bridgestone R290 steer tires and Goodyear G367 drive tires.

Agritechnica: MAN Engines Presenting Global Innovations for Agricultural Machinery and Cogeneration MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / August 4, 2017 Newly developed 9 litre class diesel engine for tractors and harvesters; new gas engine based on E32 bridges performance gap in cogeneration engines At Agritechnica 2017 – the largest agricultural equipment trade fair in the world hosted in Hanover, Germany – MAN Engines will be presenting a diesel engine with nine-litre displacement to the international public for the first time. From the outset, the straight-six engine was designed and constructed as a completely new conception, especially for off-road uses. This allows the latest unit in MAN Engines’ portfolio to close a gap in performance between the existing D08 and D26 engine series. Conventional applications for the 9 litre unit are agricultural, such as in tractors or harvesters. For the first time, MAN Engines is also exhibiting an E32 series-based gas engine with 450 kWmech. The twelve-cylinder gas engine achieves this performance level in 50 Hz operation at 1,500 rpm, as well as in the 60 Hz variant at 1,800 rpm. The E3262 LE2x2 is designed for operation with biogas or special gases. The possible applications also include the very wide field of cogeneration for the industrial, commercial, municipal and leisure sectors. This also sees MAN Engines bridge a gap in the existing range of gas engines. At the same time, customers will receive a modern unit with improved efficiency levels. Both new products can be viewed at Agritechnica between 12 and 18 November at the exhibition centre in Hanover at the MAN Truck & Bus booth (C45 in Hall 16). .

MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / August 4, 2017 A variety of transport tasks are arising in agricultural business and for contracted hauliers. Thanks to their high payload at a gross train weight of 40 or 38 tonnes, low fuel consumption and typical high driving speed of 89 km/h, trucks are gaining ground in the transport chain between farm, field and warehouse. At this year's AGRITECHNICA trade fair, taking place from 12 to 18 November in Hannover, MAN will be presenting an agricultural truck, based on a MAN TGS semitrailer tractor, alongside the engines for installations developed by MAN Engines, at Stand C45 in Hall 16. The 500 hp all-wheel drive tractor unit will win over potential customers with its industry-tailored configuration: approval for use as an agricultural or forestry tractor unit, load-sensing hydraulic system on the PTO on the flywheel side, various trailer couplings and wide, soil-friendly agricultural tyres (445/65R22.5 at the front and 600/50R22.5 at the rear). The advantage of the MAN agricultural semitrailer tractor concept lies in the combined street and field use as well as the fact that it can be used all year round. Once farming operations and harvest time have come to an end, you need only exchange the semitrailer and the tyres to be able to use this MAN truck for construction transportation and as a snow-plough vehicle during the winter. Reminiscing about days gone by: tractor production ended at MAN in 1963. The MAN TGS 18500 4x4 BL trade fair exhibit bears the original MAN green (MAN-GRUEN - M107) paint and light ivory-coloured rims that were typical of MAN tractors. .

Scania Group Press Release / August 4, 2017 Scania set an unofficial world record at the recent Convoy in the Park truck festival at the Donington Park race circuit in England. An amazing 421 Scania trucks gathered in and around the Scania Village area of the circuit, making it the largest gathering of a single make of truck in one place. The huge array of trucks made for an impressive sight, and ranged from vintage-era 110s through 140s to the New Truck Generation. The prize for Best Scania truck in the village went to the V8 customised T-cab driven by Coles & Sons, and this truck also won the overall prize for best in show. The record was just one of the activities Scania Great Britain had organised for the weekend. There was a Scania Driver Competition, face painting for the kids, caricaturists on hand to draw adults and kids and two very special Scania trucks that had been customised by Svempa – the Red Pearl and the Chimera. Oh, and we shouldn’t forget the very popular Scania rubber ducks (a nod to the 70s film Convoy) that were given to those who tweeted a photo of themselves beside a Scania truck. The event was a great success, and yet more proof of truck enthusiasts’ enduring interest in all things Scania. .

We've changed the designation system quite a bit. This PDF link shows what BC is speaking of..............https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjpzdTGnv_RAhUF04MKHfsxD54QFggaMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftil.scania.com%2Fidcplg%3FIdcService%3DGET_FILE%26dID%3D229035%26dDocName%3DDIS_0000087_18%26allowInterrupt%3D1&usg=AFQjCNEczAahURKW-znx_i8BeD1BSe_3Ew&bvm=bv.146496531,bs.2,d.eWE&cad=rjt

Volkswagen Group launches trade-in incentive for Euro 1 - Euro 4 diesels; pan-European software update for Euro 5 and some Euro 6 diesels Green car Congress / August 5, 2017 Embracing the outcome of the German National Diesel Forum earlier this week (earlier post), the Volkswagen Group announced that it will offer a trade-in incentive for Euro 1 - Euro 4 diesel models which will apply across all brands in the Group. In addition, the software update for Euro 5 and some Euro 6 diesel vehicles will be available throughout Europe and not just in Germany. The incentive is currently being prepared by the Group’s Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Porsche and Volkswagen Commercial vehicles brands and will be on offer soon. With the incentive to trade in their vehicles we are giving our customers strong motivation to switch to a modern, more environmentally compatible vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine or an alternative drivetrain technology. This incentive can be implemented quickly and will have a swift, quantifiable and sustained effect on significantly reducing NOx emissions and significantly improving air quality. —Matthias Müller, Volkswagen AG CEO In Germany, the Volkswagen Group will install a software update on approximately four million Euro 5 and some Euro 6 diesel vehicles in total as agreed in order to reduce NOx emission levels. This figure also includes the approximately 2.5 million vehicles already being recalled, of which more than 70% have already been refitted. In addition, the Volkswagen Group will be offering the software update to its diesel customers throughout Europe. As a result, NOx emissions from Euro 5 and some Euro 6 diesel vehicles currently on the market can be reduced by an average 25 to 30%. Furthermore, the Volkswagen Group will contribute to the €500 million “sustainable mobility fund for cities”. The auto industry and the Federal government will each contribute €250 million. The Volkswagen Group’s contribution to the fund will be proportionate to its market share in Germany and will therefore represent a substantial amount.

German party hit by ‘dieselgate’ whitewash The Financial Times / Regional SPD leader checked with VW before speech on emissions scandal Germany’s main centre-left party has suffered a political setback ahead of next month’s challenge to Chancellor Angela Merkel in parliamentary elections after one of its senior members admitted consulting Volkswagen over a planned speech when the “dieselgate” scandal first broke. Stephan Weil, the Social Democrat chief minister of Lower Saxony, one of Germany’s largest states, showed the draft of a parliamentary address in October 2015 to Volkswagen management. He said he only sought to “check legal matters and the accuracy of facts” regarding allegations that VW had intentionally manipulated emissions tests in its diesel engines. Weil denied a report in the Bild newspaper that the speech had been whitewashed by Volkswagen executives, saying he had stuck by his “hard criticism of VW’s behaviour”. Weil is closely tied to VW, which is based in Lower Saxony and one-fifth owned by the regional government. He sits on the company’s supervisory board, as have most of his predecessors in office. When the CDU was in power in the region from 2003-13, its representatives sat on the VW supervisory board, including David McAllister, a close ally of Ms Merkel, and Christian Wulff, later Germany’s president.

Chicago Tribune / July 20, 1990 Navistar International Corp. said Thursday that it might bid competitively for financially ailing Mack Trucks Inc. Navistar said it might exceed the $6-a-share tender offer for Mack made July 6 by Renault Vehicules Industriels (RVI) that expires August 8. Renault owns 44.5 percent of Mack’s 29.7 million shares. A Navistar spokesman said it would not make a firm offer for Mack until it completed a due diligence review, which would take about 10 days. The spokesman acknowledged that “it would not be possible to effectively proceed with the offer without the approval of . . . Mack’s board of directors and a decision of the Renault Group to dispose of its investment in Mack.” In a statement, Mack said that Renault has advised Mack’s board that it “has no interest in disposing of its investment in Mack.” The developments come at a troubled time for U.S. truckmakers. Allentown, Pa.-based Mack Thursday reported a loss of $63.3 million on sales of $400.9 million in its second quarter. Mack Trucks, which controls 13 percent of the U.S. truck market, also had to request an extension to December 31 of Friday’s maturity of its revolving credit agreement with a syndicate of banks led by Citibank and Credit Lyonnais` New York branch. The company said its latest financial results violated the terms of the agreement and, without the extension, its banks could force the firm to repay the entire amount due. Navistar, which sells 24 percent of all trucks bought in the U.S., also has been hit by the downturn in truck sales, which are off about 16 percent from a year ago. The truckmaker lost $10 million on $1.9 billion in sales in the first half of its fiscal year, which began Nov. 1. Some analysts questioned the wisdom of a Navistar bid for Mack. “There’s some logic to it, but it doesn’t give them the diversification they’ve talked about now for three years,” said Steven Colbert, analyst for Prudential-Bache Securities Inc. “What are they going to do with all that Mack capacity? They’ve got too much,” he said. Mack makes over-the-road freight-hauling trucks in Winnsboro, S.C., and off-highway construction and garbage trucks, or vocational vehicles, in Macungie, Pa. The firm also has a small truck manufacturing facility in Oakville, Ontario. Navistar, though based in Chicago, does all its assembly at a Springfield, Ohio, plant. It makes only over-the-road trucks. Antitrust approval of a deal with Navistar could be a problem. The combined firms would have nearly 40 percent of the U.S. truck market. “Maybe they could get the Justice Department to let them take just the Macungie plant,” said Colbert. “Mack is making money there and has a dominant share of the (vocational vehicle) market.” Ralph E. Reins, Mack chairman, said that a special committee of the board appointed to evaluate the Renault offer also would study a Navistar offer and report back “in due course.”

I'm not altogether clear what you're asking, but I can tell you the DC12 and DT12 in most markets have been replaced by the DC13.

No, not at all. The Australian Granite tractor (it's also available for vocational), and a spectacular truck it is, is a rather unique product. It's their R-model in year 2017. Whereas the US market Granite uses the VHD chassis, the Australian Granite uses the VN chassis. http://img06.en25.com/Web/VolvoAUS/{23b2ee29-64e1-48d0-8b50-d52a1ffefcc2}_granite_distribution.pdf https://www.macktrucks.com.au/trucks/