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How Ford finally turned the Trump tide on GM Nick Bunkley, Automotive News / January 3, 2017 For a year and a half now, Donald Trump has made Ford Motor Co. his automotive punching bag, while General Motors, following the conventional advice for encountering a grizzly bear, tried not to make any sudden movements that might attract his attention. Both companies have been investing heavily in Mexico, but Trump kept singling out Ford in his attacks, which consisted more of rhetoric to incite the crowds at his rallies than actual facts. In one day, Ford managed to flip the narrative. Suddenly, Ford has become the American automaker investing in America, while GM is printing up layoff notices that will go out to 2,000 workers in Michigan and Ohio just as Trump is taking office. Ford, after insisting throughout the presidential campaign that its plans for Mexico were set in stone, has now handed Trump two gift-wrapped victories since the election. First was the reversal of plans to move Lincoln MKC production out of Kentucky. Now it canceled an entire $1.6 billion plant, choosing to spend less than half that amount in Michigan instead. And hours before announcing that stunning turn of events, Ford scored a victory for itself when Trump tweeted an attack on its archrival. Trump told his millions of followers that GM was importing Mexican-made Chevrolet Cruzes and threatened a “big border tax” if it didn’t start making them in the U.S. instead. The timing was clearly no coincidence. Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, appearing on CNBC this morning, said the tweet related to “secret information” that Trump had received. And the fact that Trump picked on the Cruze was curious. If he simply wanted to attack GM for importing vehicles from Mexico, why not point out that Chevy sold about 80,000 of its Mexican-made Trax crossovers in the U.S. last year? In contrast, only about 4,500 of the Cruzes sold last year in the U.S. were built in Mexico. GM started importing the Cruze hatchback about five months ago, because demand for it isn’t strong enough to justify installing the tooling for it in Lordstown, Ohio, where the Cruze sedan is produced. The Mexican-built hatches are sold in a number of countries, including the U.S. Through November, GM had made 319,536 Cruze sedans in Ohio last year. All of the Cruze sedans sold in the U.S. since the nameplate’s 2010 debut have been made in Ohio. But the Cruze was ripe for an attack because inventories of them have swelled to the point that GM is cutting the third shift in Lordstown on Jan. 23 -- three days after Trump’s inauguration. It’s easy to make the case that GM is up to something nefarious when it’s cutting American jobs at the same time as imports of the car those workers build are increasing. The truth is that GM can’t just move hatchback production to Ohio at the drop of a hat. With volumes of fewer than 1,000 a month so far, it would make more sense to just stop offering the car than to spend the extra money to build it in Lordstown. And the fact is, Ford still plans to move production of its Cruze competitor, the Focus, to Mexico in 2018. That hasn’t changed. It’s just going to make the car in an existing plant, alongside the Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, rather than build a new plant for that purpose. Ford even says it will save money by canceling the San Luis Potosi plant, which was scheduled to open next year. It’s a win for the company as well as for Trump, who gets to claim credit for creating jobs even before he becomes president. The investment that Ford is making in Michigan, adding 700 jobs here instead of 2,800 in Mexico, is certainly significant. UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles said he cried when told of the gains for his membership. But the biggest result of Ford’s flip flop is a greater potential for Trump to bully other automakers into similar moves.

Reuters / January 3, 2017 In a wide-ranging request for documents and analysis, President-elect Donald Trump's transition team asked the Department of Homeland Security last month to assess all assets available for border wall and barrier construction. The team also asked about the department's capacity for expanding immigrant detention and about an aerial surveillance program that was scaled back by the Obama administration but remains popular with immigration hardliners. And, the team asked whether federal workers have altered biographic information kept by the department about immigrants out of concern for their civil liberties. The requests were made in a Dec. 5 meeting between Trump's transition team and Department of Homeland Security officials. In response to the transition team request, U.S. Customs and Border Protection staffers identified more than 400 miles along the U.S.-Mexico border, and about the same distance along the U.S.-Canada border, where new fencing could be erected. It’s unknown whether the Trump team is considering a northern border barrier. During the campaign, Trump pledged to build a wall and expand fencing on parts of the U.S.-Mexico border but said he sees no need to build a wall on the border with Canada. One program the transition team asked about was Operation Phalanx, an aerial surveillance program that authorizes 1,200 Army National Guard airmen to monitor the southern border for drug trafficking and illegal migration. The program once deployed 6,000 airmen under President George W. Bush. The transition team also asked for copies of every executive order and directive sent to immigration agents since Obama took office in 2009. Trump has said he intends to undo Obama's executive actions on immigration, including a 2012 order to allow children brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents to remain in the country on temporary authorizations that allow them to attend college and work. The program, known as DACA, collected information including participants' addresses that could theoretically be used to locate and deport them if the policy is reversed. Another request of the transition team was for information about whether any migrant records have been changed for any reason, including for civil rights or civil liberties concerns. A Department of Homeland Security official, speaking on condition of anonymity [why?], said the agency interpreted the request to mean the transition team wanted to make sure that federal workers were not tampering with information to protect DACA recipients and other migrants from deportation. The internal memo summarizing the meeting between Trump's transition team and U.S. Customs and Border protection said the team had requested a comprehensive picture of border security as well as resources available for walls and barriers. The Department of Homeland Security official said agency representatives who attended the meeting believed the request to include both the northern and southern borders. U.S. Customs and Border Protection then prepared a report on specific locations and costs of building a fence along the U.S.-Canada border. Reuters reviewed a copy of the report, which estimated the cost of building fencing along the northern border fence would be $3.3 billion and cover 452 miles along border of Canada and the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Adding 413 miles of fencing on the southwest border would be more expensive, according to the estimate of $11.37 billion, because it would be aimed at keeping pedestrians as well as vehicles from crossing. Pedestrian fences require more staff and would cost $11.2 million per mile versus $4.1 million per mile to build to build, according to the report. In fiscal year 2015, the latest year for which data is available, border patrol agents apprehended 2,626 illegal migrants on the U.S.-Canada border compared to 331,333 apprehended on the U.S.-Mexico border.

IVECO on the podium of the first stage of the famous Rally Iveco Trucks Press Release / January 3, 2017 The 39th edition of Dakar Rally is underway. The participants started early in the morning in Asunción, Paraguay, and headed to Resistencia, in Argentina. Although just 39 kilometres long, this first stage was a particularly tough timed drive on Paraguayan soil. Ton van Genugten was IVECO's man of the day, finishing the stage just 13 seconds behind the leader, Martin Kolomy with Tatra. The Dutchman, behind the wheel of the IVECO Trakker #507, benefited from the leaders opening the roads ahead of him, and he managed to maintain the pace that led him to the second best time of the day. Gerard de Rooy did exactly what he had said he would, and didn't push his truck 100% on the first day, as the stage was short, the risks very high and the chances of gaining a big advantage were small. "We deflated the tyres because we had a problem in a system, but this was after the special, during the liasion. We didn't lose race time. In the stage we did a great job. We weren't the fastest, but we focused on not losing time," remarked Gerard de Rooy. Gerard de Rooy, Dakar winner in 2012 and 2016, closed the special in the 5th place, 42 seconds behind the leader, placing a second IVECO truck in the Top 5. Wuf van Ginkel had a hard time of the stage between Asunción-Resistencia with the IVECO Trakker #525. The Dutchman lost too much time on the road and finished 20 minutes behind the leader, falling back past the 40th position. This will leave him starting at the back of the field tomorrow and he will not be able to provide quick assistance to his Iveco teammates should they need it. Federico Villagra, with the other IVECO Powerstar, didn't take risks in this first stage and achieved a 9th place, with his sights set on climbing the classification in the coming days. The Argentine driver finished 1m26s behind de leader, placing a third IVECO truck in the top 10 of the day. On Tuesday, the competitors will drive from Resistencia to San Miguel de Tucumán, in the north of Argentina. It will be a long day, with 812 kilometres for Trucks, with 275 of them timed for the special stage. Stage 1 Results – Dakar 2017 1. Martin Kolomy (Tatra) 30m00s 2. Ton van Genugten (IVECO) +13s 3. Martin van den Brink (Renault) +25s 4. Ales Loprais (Tatra) +31s 5. Gerard de Rooy (IVECO) +42s ----------- 9. Federico Villagra (IVECO) +1m26s 42. Wuf van Ginkel (IVECO) +20m02s Follow all the news at www.iveco.com/dakar IVECO will keep its fans up to date throughout the rally on www.iveco.com/dakar, following the race step by step with daily updates from South America. The website narrates a journey through the world's most difficult and demanding off-road race. The website, published in English and Spanish, will be updated every day with Team PETRONAS De Rooy IVECO's results and performance data, plus multimedia content transmitted directly from the course itself. Likewise, the IVECO's social media channels will be updated every day, with all the latest news as well as reports, videos and photos. .

Cummins Inc. Press Release / December 14, 2016 For the twelfth straight year, Cummins Inc. has been awarded a perfect score in the 2017 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation. The ratings were announced Dec. 5 by HRC, the largest U.S. civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, which has more than 1.5 million members and supporters. “At Cummins, we have a long legacy of embracing the opportunities created by a diverse organization,” said Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger. “Diversity and inclusion throughout our company allows us to attract and retain the best talent and fuels a more innovative work environment allowing Cummins to be a strong and successful company.” he HRC’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI), introduced in 2002, provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers and their policies and practices related to LGBT employees. Businesses are rated based on their responses to the CEI survey. The 2017 CEI rated 1,043 businesses in the report, which evaluates LGBT-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBT community. Cummins efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria results in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality. .

Renault Trucks Press Release / December 21, 2016 Renault Trucks is furthering its corporation with the Iranian importer Arya Diesel Motors. On 21 December 2016, the parties signed two agreements in Lyon: an import agreement covering vehicules from the T, C and K ranges and an industrial cooperation agreement for the assembly of T range vehicles. On 21 December 2016 in Lyon, Bruno Blin, President of Renault Trucks and Hirbod Jenabzadeh, Board member of Arya Diesel Motors met to sign the two agreements. The first covers the import, distribution and after-sales service of the T, C and K ranges. By signing this agreement, the two parties are furthering the working partnership started in 2006. The second is an industrial cooporation agreement. The manufacturing site of Arya Diesel Motors, located 90 km south-west of Teheran, will therefore start by assembling Renault Trucks T, with industrial operations set to commence in Q3 of 2017. Prior to the 2012 embargo, this unit, which was built in 2009, assembled Renault Premium and Kerax. "Iran is an important, historic market for Renault Trucks. We are now returning to the country with strong, reliable vehicles and a high-quality partner, Arya Diesel Motors. Our ambition is to eventually achieve a 15 % market share", explained Bruno Blin, President of Renault Trucks. Arya Diesel Motors was created in 2006 to represent Renault Trucks in Iran. Arya Diesel Motors started by distributing completed vehicles before investing in a manufacturing site, located 90 km south-west of Teheran, dedicated to the assembly (SKD Semi-Knocked-Down) of Renault Kerax and Premium. The Arya Diesel Motors network has 30 sales outlets, 18 service outlets and an airplane that provides technical assistance throughout Iran. Picture: From left to right, Christophe Martin (SVP Renault Trucks International), Hirbod Jenabzadeh (Board member Arya Diesel Motors), Bruno Blin (president Renault Trucks) .

Bob, they assemble 155 and 195 models (known as the 300 Series in the global market), and unique to the North American market conventional cab mediums (also assembled at the Williamstown, West Virginia plant). They are assembling KD kits. Perhaps the 155/195 are SKD kits and the conventionals are CKD. http://www.hinocanada.com/WDSKmilestone_en.html

Freightliner Trucks Press Release / January 3, 2017 . . . . . . .

Hino Motors Press Release / December 23, 2016 This video is a musical tribute for the employees at their Woodstock, Ontario assembly plant, and a celebration of their commitment and dedication to producing high-quality, defect free trucks for our customers. .

Trump threatens 'big border tax' on GM over Chevy Cruze production Automotive News / January 3, 2017 President-elect Donald Trump today blasted General Motors and threatened to impose a "big border tax" for making its Chevy Cruze model in Mexico. However, the automaker reiterated that Cruzes built there will mostly go to the domestic market and that it will continue to build the compact in the U.S. "General Motors is sending Mexican made model of Chevy Cruze to U.S. car dealers-tax free across border. Make in U.S.A. or pay big border tax!" Trump said in a post this morning on Twitter. GM responded in a statement: "General Motors manufacturers the Chevrolet Cruze sedan in Lordstown, Ohio. All Chevrolet Cruze sedans sold in the U.S. are built in GM's assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio. GM builds the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback for global markets in Mexico, with a small number sold in the U.S." In March, the automaker said it would invest $350 million to produce the next-generation Cruze at its plant in Coahuila, as part of $5 billion investment in its Mexican plants announced in 2014. At the time, GM said it will continue manufacturing the Cruze in Lordstown. However, with demand for the Cruze sedan waning, GM announced in November that the Lordstown, Ohio, plant will lose its third shift on Jan. 23. The cutback affects 1,202 hourly and 43 salaried jobs. Through the first 11 months of 2016, Cruze sales were down 18 percent. Mexico Cruze production began last year; 52,631 models were built vs. 319, 536 in the U.S. Prior to GM's March announcement, the Cruze had been imported to Mexico from the company's plant in South Korea.

In effect, nothing has changed. Ford is still going to shift production of the Focus and C-Max from Wayne, Michigan to Mexico. It will now be built in an existing plant at Hermosillo rather than a new $1.6bn plant in San Luis Potosi. No Trump success story here. High volume light vehicles for the world’s second largest market should all be built in the United States, to the benefit of “our” country’s economy. Trump has threatened to slap Ford with a 35 percent tariff on any vehicles it imports from Mexico. Now Ford is still going to produce the cars in Mexico, as planned, to the benefit of Mexico’s economy, and you can safely bet that Ford will never be forced to pay a 35 percent tariff to import the cars into the United States. Rather than build the new Mexican plant, Ford said it would now invest some of that $1.6bn sum in Flat Rock, creating 700 jobs building a range of electric cars. In fact, the Flat Rock investment was already planned several years ago. Wayne is still expected to produce the global Ford Ranger and an SUV based on the Ford Everest, allegedly safeguarding 3,500 US jobs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ford, following Trump criticism, cancels plans for $1.6 billion Mexico plant Automotive News / January 3, 2017 Ford Motor Co., following months of withering criticism from President-elect Donald Trump for expanding operations in Mexico, said today it will cancel its $1.6 billion assembly plant in the early stages of construction in Mexico, instead investing $700 million in Michigan to bring to market autonomous and electrified vehicles. Ford planned to build its Focus sedan in the new plant following 2018, but will instead build it at an existing Mexico plant in Hermosillo. The $700 million investment will help transform Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant, which currently builds the Mustang and Lincoln Continental, into a high-tech hub capable of building a yet-to-be-determined autonomous hybrid and fully electric SUV with a 300-mile electric range. Those new vehicles are among seven new electrified vehicles Ford detailed today, including hybrid versions of its F-150 and Mustang. (Ford is two years behind its competitors in hydrid and electric vehicle design) The reversal, which came less than a year after Ford announced construction of the new plant, was hailed by lawmakers Tuesday, while Mexican officials expressed disappointment and vowed to make Ford pay back any money spent on the now-canceled plant site. Ford CEO Mark Fields called the decision a “vote of confidence” in Trump and his pro-growth policies, although he told CNBC “the main reason for not building and canceling the plant is just due to market demand.” “We’ve made this decision independently on what’s right for Ford, but we look at all the factors,” Fields told reporters at the announcement. “Our view, we see a more positive U.S. manufacturing business environment under President-elect Trump and the pro-growth policies and proposals he’s talking about.” Ford in December 2015 announced plans to invest $4.5 billion in electric car research and add 13 electrified vehicles to its lineup by 2020. Today it announced details about seven of the 13. The new fully electric small SUV will be coming by 2020 and will be built south of Detroit in Flat Rock, Michigan. It, alongside a high-volume autonomous hybrid and the hybrid version of the Mustang, will be built in Flat Rock. A Transit Custom plug-in hybrid, available in 2019, will be built in Europe; and two new pursuit-rated hybrid police vehicles will be built in Chicago. To support this, Ford plans to invest $700 million and add 700 direct new jobs in Flat Rock over the next four years. Part of that money will go to create a new Manufacturing Innovation Center in Flat Rock. Fields said the plant will become “one of the world’s most flexible and high-tech manufacturing centers." Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, in a statement, cited the state’s push to become a national leader in mobility. He thanked Ford for its “continued confidence in our state and our people.” UAW-Ford Vice President Jimmy Settles called the investment “the equivalent of a new assembly plant.” Settles said that an unspecified number of UAW workers will move from temporary status to full-time. He expects Ford to add a third shift to Flat Rock. "It’s very significant," Settles said. "I’ve seen a lot, many peaks and valleys. This is at the top, because I know what it will mean for people at this plant and also in America." Settles said Ford chose to make its investments in Flat Rock for a combination of reasons. “It’s had very successful launches of the Mustang and Continental, and they have acreage here and they’re not at full capacity,” he said. Hiring for the 700 new jobs will begin in 2018, Fields said. Fields said Ford was “encouraged” by “pro-growth policies” Trump and the new Republican Congress are likely to pursue, citing them as one of several factors in the company’s decision to invest in the U.S. and cancel the Mexico plant. “We believe that these tax and regulatory reforms are critically important to boost U.S. competitiveness and of course drive a resurgence in American manufacturing and high-tech innovation,” Fields said. Fields cited changing market demands and slower sales of small cars as the decision to keep the Focus in Mexico. Trump has threatened to slap Ford with a 35 percent tariff on any vehicles it imports from Mexico, as well as renegotiate or pull out of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “Obviously, there was some disappointment [in Mexico],” Fields said. “But we’ve been in Mexico over 90 years, and we’re moving our Focus down to Hermosillo, so we’ll be safeguarding the 2,900 [Mexican] jobs that are there, plus we’ll probably add about 200 jobs when we add Focus there.” Mexico’s Economy Ministry said it regretted Ford’s decision to pull its investment from San Luis Potosi. The federal government has guaranteed that the automaker will reimburse the state government for its expenses on the project, the ministry said in a statement. It made no mention of Trump. “The growth of Ford Motor Company in North America, and particularly in Mexico, has been the result of a strategy of competitiveness based on global value chains in which North America competes with other regions of the world,” the ministry said. “The jobs generated in Mexico have contributed to maintaining manufacturing jobs in the United States [BS] that otherwise would have disappeared due to Asian competition.” The now-canceled plant was supposed to employ about 2,800 workers, Ford said when it announced the news. Fields said ground-clearing at the site began around May, but a spokeswoman said no actual construction had taken place. “Where we’re at in the construction of the plant, any assets -- and there aren’t many -- can be redeployed throughout the Ford system,” Fields said. It’s unclear how much Ford is investing in Hermosillo to add the 200 workers to build the Focus.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48150-titan-to-be-discontinued/?page=4#comment-356922

Published on December 15th, Contran (Conselho Nacional de Trânsito / National Traffic Council) Resolution 640 now authorizes the use of A-double combinations up to 91 metric tons (200,621 lb). The resolution was born from requests from the sugarcane and grain sectors. The previous rule limited A-double combinations 74 metric tons (163,142 lb). The A-double combinations will utilize two three-axle semi-trailers and a two-axle dolly. Maximum allowed overall length is to be 30 meters (98.4 feet). .

Ford Trucks Press Release / December 30, 2016 How do you move the world’s longest and heaviest parade float and deliver the reliability needed for one of America’s storied parades? With a highly proven truck engine known for its hauling and towing capability – Ford’s legendary 6.8-liter V10 gasoline engine. Measuring more than 125 feet long and weighing more than 137,000 pounds, the Lucy Pet Products 2017 Rose Parade float is the longest and heaviest in parade history. It features eight dogs surfing on waves generated by a one-of-a-kind mobile wave machine in a 5,000-gallon water tank. Underneath its flower-coated exterior, this record-breaking float is powered by Ford’s 6.8-liter V10 gasoline engine and heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission found in the company’s F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks. “When we set out to break the longest and heaviest single-chassis parade float GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title, we knew we needed a bulletproof powertrain we could count on to reliably carry it down Colorado Boulevard for the Rose Parade,” says Joey Herrick, president and founder, Lucy Pet Products. “We’re confident that our surfing dogs, dancer JoJo Siwa, and all of our special guests are in for a smooth ride with the Built Ford Tough engine at the heart of our float.” The theme of Lucy Pet’s Gnarly Crankin’ K9 Wave Maker 2017 Rose Parade float is “beachside paradise.” Built by Fiesta Parade Floats, its centerpiece is a 5,000-gallon water tank. A portable surf machine will generate waves continuously along the parade route for eight dogs to surf. The dogs were chosen earlier this year in nationwide auditions. The float features a tiki hut, vibrant tropical fish and palm trees. A functional lifeguard stand on deck houses an actual lifeguard to direct the float driver, who is operating blind underneath it all. “Ford is proud to power the world’s longest and heaviest parade float,” says Kevin Koester, Ford medium-duty truck and Super Duty fleet marketing manager. “As the U.S. commercial vehicle sales leader for 31 years, we’ve seen a lot of applications for our vehicles – but hauling the world’s longest, heaviest parade float certainly stands out. With the broadest line of commercial vehicles available, Ford has you covered, whether you need a truck to haul soda, sand or surfing dogs.” The 6.8-liter V10 gas engine powering the Lucy Pet float came from a Ford F-650 truck. Ford is the only vehicle manufacturer to offer a gasoline-powered engine in the medium-duty truck segment. With 320 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, the 6.8-liter V10 is available for F-650 and F-750, the biggest trucks Ford makes. Other hardworking applications for this tough powertrain include trucks used for construction, utilities, towing, beverage delivery and garbage collection. The V10 is available with a CNG/propane gaseous engine prep package for conversion to compressed natural gas or propane autogas. The Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbo diesel is also available for F-650 and F-750. It delivers a standard best-in-class 270 horsepower and 675 lb.-ft. of torque, as well as available outputs of 300 horsepower with 700 lb.-ft. of torque and 330 horsepower with 725 lb.-ft. Ford proudly builds F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks at Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, Ohio. Sales of the all-new trucks are up 59 percent year-to-date through November. .

Ford Trucks Brazil Press Release / December 16, 2016 . . .

Big Rigs / December 29, 2016 Australian Mercedes-Benz truck operators have gotten a nice surprise to coincide with the release of the company's new range of trucks. The company has dropped the price on more than 10,000 parts, with some price tags coming down by 30%. Its range of remanufactured parts has also been expanded, and the price on remanufactured engines and transmissions have been reduced by 30%. Mercedes-Benz hopes the price reduction on spare parts will make the new generation Actros that much more attractive to truckies looking for a new vehicle. "We want to make the business case for our truck even better by reducing the cost of our quality parts," says Mercedes-Benz Truck & Bus Australia director Michael May.

This video shows the Mack LR refuse chassis being retrofitted with Wrightspeed's "Route 1000" powertrain for WasteExpo 2016. Also shown is the retrofitted Ratto Group Freightliner Condor now working in Sonoma County, California. .

Scania Australia Press Release / December 21, 2016 Seaham, NSW-located Farragher Logistics focuses on refrigerated and fragile freight distribution, with a fleet of 15 modern Scanias ranging from a P310 rigid local delivery truck to the flagship R730 V8 prime mover, hooked up to a B-double set that covers 1100 km daily. Owner Rory Farragher is continuing the family tradition of Scania ownership, passed down from his grandfather. His devotion to Scania is not emotional: Fuel savings of $400 per week, per Scania, over his American trucks drives his bottom line profitability, and high torque engines cut trip times, leaving his drivers fresher at the end of a shift. .

Iveco confirms ProStar arrival Trade Trucks AU / December 21, 2016 Iveco Australia has officially confirmed it will be bringing the International ProStar to Australia next year in a range of specifications. The news follows ongoing speculation, including from Trade Truck’s Steve Brooks, as to what Iveco’s parent company CNH Industrial had planned for the International brand after taking over the rights from Navistar in October. While confirming the arrival date, Iveco says the new range will include a day cab, extended cab and integrated full size sleeper cab variants and a choice of five wheelbases. "All models will be powered by an E5 Cummins X15 SCR engine producing 550hp (410kW) and 1850 lb-ft (2,508Nm) of torque, and operators will be able to select from either manual or fully automatic EATON transmissions," Iveco says. "The model mix will see the ProStar well placed to handle applications including tipper and dog work, single trailer line-haul and 34 pallet B-Double duties." While the dealer network for the brand will be unveiled in the new year, Iveco says the ProStar model range will be available in the first quarter of 2017 alongside the truck maker’s Powerstar lineup.

Iveco Australia / December 21, 2016 The International ProStar will make its way down under in 2017, and be available in a number of different specification choices to suit a variety of local applications. On offer will be day cab, extended cab and integrated full size sleeper cab variants and a choice of five wheelbases. All models will be powered by an Euro-5 Cummins X15 SCR engine producing 550 horsepower (410 kW) and 1850 Lb Ft (2,508 Nm) of torque, and operators will be able to select from either manual or fully automatic Eaton transmissions. The model mix will see the ProStar well placed to handle applications including tipper and dog work, single trailer line-haul and 34 pallet B-Double duties. Among the options list available in the trucks will be a full multimedia system and slim line bullbar to maximise trailer set length for B-Double applications. The ProStar is expected to go on sale in the first quarter of 2017.

Hyundai Commercial Vehicle Press Release / December 25, 2016 .

Ford Trucks Press Release / December 29, 2016 Ford Trucks displayed its 2017 vocational heavy truck range at the Big 5 construction exhibition in Dubai from November 21-24. Trucks on display included model 4143M and 3543M mixers and an 1843T tractor. Powered by the new Ford Ecotorq engine family, the 2017 Construction Series now comes with greater power and more efficiency than ever to ensure customers can continue with their daunting tasks. With over fifty-five years of manufacturing expertise, Ford Trucks are tailored to meet the specific requirements of the Middle East market. Having an ambitious growth strategy and team, Ford has also announced plans for establishing a new office in Riyadh to further strengthen its presence in the region. Currently, the headquarters of Ford Trucks for the Middle East region is based in Dubai. “Offering a balanced blend of features, Ford Trucks Construction Series lands on construction sites with a single purpose; to make your project more durable and efficient,” said Emrah Duman, International Markets Director, Ford Trucks. “As a first step to expand our network with focus on retaining facility investments, we are thrilled about our upcoming office in Riyadh which will help us in further improving our service, and reduce response time to our customers.” .

Ford Trucks Press Release / December 20, 2016 .

Ford Trucks Press Release / December 20, 2016 .

Ford Trucks Press Release / December 20, 2016 After producing Turkey's first domestic diesel truck engine in 1986, Ford Otosan launched the 7.3-liter Ecotorq in-line six-cylinder engine in 2003. The Euro-5 emissions 9.0-liter Ecotorq was introduced in 2009. In 2016, Ford Otosan added to its Ecotorq powertrain range with a new 12.7-liter offering. Today, Ford Otosan’s 330 horsepower 9.0- and 420/480/500 horsepower 12.7-liter Ecotorq engine offerings with high pressure 2,500 bar common rail fuel injection are Euro-6 rated and Euro-7 capable. Euro-3 and Euro-5 emissions ratings are also available for country markets with lower requirements. With up to 50,000 hours of dynamometer testing, durable Ecotorq engines have a life span of over 1.5 million kilometers. .