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Bloomberg / September 28, 2016 Volkswagen AG’s heavy-truck business assigned development of components for its largest vehicles to Swedish brand Scania while MAN will be in charge of mid-sized and smaller models to reduce costs by eliminating duplicated work. Scania will take the lead in developing 13-liter engines as well as large exhaust systems and heavy gearboxes while MAN will oversee creation of 5-to-9-liter engines and related emissions and transmissions, the Volkswagen Truck & Bus division said in a statement. All jobs will be secured, and hiring will be needed at some operations. “We will generate synergies that are to everyone’s advantage,” Andreas Renschler, the head of Volkswagen Truck & Bus, said in the statement. “This gives us the necessary financial room to maneuver and create new business areas.” The division, which was decoupled from Volkswagen’s larger passenger-car business last year, is gearing up for a global expansion after hammering out a $256 million deal to buy a 16.6 percent stake in Navistar International Corp. to establish a bridgehead in North America. VW Truck & Bus is largely unaffected by the diesel-emissions scandal that erupted at the Wolfsburg, Germany-based manufacturer’s car brands a year ago. Among other project assignments, Munich-based MAN will be in charge of driven and non-driven axles while Soedertaelje-based Scania will take the lead in engine-management systems. VW has said it’s keeping all options open to expand the commercial-vehicle business, including increasing its stake in Navistar and a possible share sale, even though Renschler said last week that currently there’s no plan in place. Renschler joined VW from rival Daimler AG in 2015 as part of the carmaker’s effort to forge the world’s most profitable heavy-truck producer and push cooperation between recently acquired MAN and Scania. The unit is targeting an average profit margin of 9 percent of revenue across industry cycles.

Navistar comes in with the best looking "SuperTruck" of the bunch. Job well done.

Advanced cruise control system pushes Navistar SuperTruck to double efficiency standards set by DOE Overdrive / September 28, 2016 Navistar on Wednesday announced its SuperTruck demonstration vehicle, CatalIST, achieved a freight efficiency improvement of 104 percent – more than double the 50 percent goal set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for its SuperTruck program. Against a 2009 base line model truck, CatalIST achieved fuel economy of 13 miles per gallon and demonstrated 50.3 percent Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) and a path towards 55 percent BTE, Navistar adds. Mark Stasell, Navistar vice president of product development, says CatalIST demonstrates the potential for reduction in the trucking industry’s consumption of energy. Stasell pointed to Navistar’s predictive cruise control technology as one of the technical innovations the company achieved through the program. Predictive cruise control looks ahead of the vehicle and recognizes the terrain and continuously calculates the most efficient speed and gear for optimal fuel economy in real time. Unlike conventional predictive cruise technology, the company’s predictive cruise control uses preinstalled GPS maps and the latest commercial route data to make adjustments to cruising speed without the need to pre-drive the route. Other improvements over the course of the five year project included: Integration of Navistar N13 Engine utilizing proprietary intelligent controls and high efficiency combustion. Reduction in aerodynamic drag through replacement of cab- and hood-mounted mirrors with a series of cameras and interior-mounted monitors, which also yield equal or better indirect vision for the driver. A new LED headlamp system that reduces lamp size for a more aerodynamic shape and cuts electrical power requirements by greater than 80 percent, while improving luminous output and light color for improved night-time direct driver vision and reduced driver fatigue. An all-new shape with a sloped windshield and wedged cab for improved aerodynamics. Innovative use of lighter-weight carbon-fiber panels in the upper body, roof headers, back panel, and dash panel. A hybrid front suspension and lightweight rear suspension that leverages lightweight alloys with composite materials, reducing weight and enabling an electronic ride height management system, which provides dynamic ride height and pitch control for improved aerodynamics. Aerodynamic improvements that reduce the trailer’s drag coefficient by more than 30 percent.

Navistar's SuperTruck Concept, CatalIST, Demonstrates Engine and Fuel Efficiency Transport Topics / September 28, 2016 Navistar Inc. is the fourth and final original equipment manufacturer to produce a SuperTruck concept vehicle as part of a Department of Energy vehicle research program. Known as CatalIST, with the last three letters standing for International SuperTruck, the experimental Class 8 hit 50.3% for brake thermal efficiency, up from 42% in the 2009 baseline. BTE measures actual work done by an engine as a percentage of the potential for work. CatalIST is a modified ProStar tractor hooked to an altered 53-foot Wabash National Corp. trailer. Freight efficiency, measured in ton-miles transported per gallon of fuel used, more than doubled, gaining 104%, Navistar said in a Sept. 28 statement. “CatalIST’s significant improvements in freight efficiency, achieved with the support of DOE’s SuperTruck program, demonstrate tremendous potential for reduction in the trucking industry’s consumption of energy,” said Mark Stasell, Navistar vice president of product development. He said some of the new systems, such as predictive cruise control, are already used on current production vehicles. SuperTruck provided four OEMs with grant money for research and development that had to be matched equally by the manufacturer. Volvo Trucks North America was the most recent OEM to demonstrate a SuperTruck, rolling out its version Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C., at DOE headquarters. Daimler Trucks North America and a combination of Cummins Inc. and Peterbilt Motors Co. have also demonstrated SuperTruck vehicles. In August, DOE announced details on SuperTruck II, which will feature the same four participants. Navistar used one of its N13 engines to power CatalIST. The N13 is based on a MAN SE European truck engine (D2676). Navistar said CatalIST’s miles per gallon rating was 13, but declined to release a 2009 baseline level. Technologies used by Navistar, parent of International trucks, include: intelligent controls and high-efficiency combustion for the engine; reducing aerodynamic drag by replacing exterior, side-view mirrors with cameras; greater use of light-emitting diodes, or LEDs; a new cab shape that incorporates carbon-fiber panels; and a suspension made of lightweight alloys.

Navistar SuperTruck Beats DOE Efficiency Goals, Hits 13 MPG Heavy Duty Trucking / September 28, 2016 Navistar has revealed that its SuperTruck program demonstration vehicle, CatalIST, exceeded the improvement goals set by the Department of Energy for the SuperTruck program. CatalIST achieved a freight efficiency improvement of 104% compared to the DOE’s control vehicle, sipping diesel at 13 mpg. The vehicle also demonstrated 50.5% Brake Thermal Efficiency and Navistar said it is on the path towards 55% BTE. "The CatalIST's significant improvements in freight efficiency, achieved with the support of DOE's SuperTruck program, demonstrate tremendous potential for reduction in the trucking industry's consumption of energy," said Mark Stasell, vice president, product development. "In addition, a number of the technology innovations we have achieved through the program are already being implemented in production vehicles today." The vehicle was named CatalIST because it will serve as the catalyst for significant improvements in future commercial trucks. The last three letters of CatalIST stand for International SuperTruck, referencing the vehicle’s International Trucks branding. Through the program, the company was able to make improvements to its own vehicle technology. One innovation from the program was Navistar’s predictive cruise control, which looks ahead of the vehicle and recognizes terrain, continuously calculating the most efficient speed and gear for better fuel economy in real time. Other improvements included: Advanced integration of Navistar N13 Engine utilizing proprietary intelligent controls and high-efficiency combustion. Reduction in aerodynamic drag through replacement of cab- and hood-mounted mirrors with a series of cameras and interior-mounted monitors, which also yield equal or better indirect vision for the driver. A new LED headlamp system that reduces lamp size for a more aerodynamic shape and cuts electrical power requirements by greater than 80%, while improving luminous output and light color for improved night-time direct driver vision and reduced driver fatigue. An all-new shape with a sloped windshield and wedged cab for improved aerodynamics. Innovative use of lighter-weight carbon-fiber panels in the upper body, roof headers, back panel, and dash panel. A hybrid front suspension and lightweight rear suspension that leverages lightweight alloys with composite materials, reducing weight and enabling an electronic ride height management system, which provides dynamic ride height and pitch control for improved aerodynamics. Aerodynamic improvements that reduce the trailer's drag coefficient by more than 30%. The vehicle is part of the DOE’s SuperTruck program – a five-year research and development initiative aimed at improving freight efficiency, based in the measure of the payload carried while burning less fuel. Its objective is to develop and demonstrate a 50% improvement in overall freight efficiency on a Class 8 tractor-trailer vehicle as measured in ton-miles per gallon of diesel fuel. .

When you called Virginia Truck Center (now called Excel Truck Group) in Richmond (Chester) at 804-597-7009, or Watt's Mack (provider of the BMT website at 1-888-304-6225, with your F-model's model and serial number located on the driver's door-mounted vehicle identification plate, what did they say?

Page 23...................http://www.chevrolet.com/content/dam/Chevrolet/northamerica/usa/nscwebsite/en/Home/Vehicles/Trucks and Vans/2016-express-cutaway/Model_Overview/01_PDFs/MY16 Commercial Vehicle eBrochure.pdf LCF Brochure.........http://www.chevrolet.com/content/dam/Chevrolet/northamerica/usa/nscwebsite/en/Home/Vehicles/Trucks and Vans/2016_DIMSUM/Model_Overview/02_pdf/2016-low-cab-forward-hero-card-FINAL.pdf . . .

Fed challenged over governor’s Clinton ties The Financial Times / September 28, 2016 Republicans raise new questions over independence of central bank Janet Yellen was forced to fend off new questions about the Federal Reserve’s political independence on Tuesday as a Republican lawmaker asked her if one of the central bank’s governors was too close to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. The Fed chair was challenged by Scott Garrett, a Republican from New Jersey, over donations that Fed governor Lael Brainard has made to the Clinton campaign and over unconfirmed media reports that Ms Brainard is a contender for a senior job in a potential Clinton administration. The exchanges came only two days after Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, claimed in his debate with Mrs Clinton that the Fed has been keeping short-term interest rates low to help the Obama administration and was sustaining a “big, fat, ugly bubble” in the stock market. Ms Yellen has categorically denied the Fed is doing anything to suit the White House’s political objectives, saying earlier this month that “partisan politics play no role in our decisions.” Some analysts argue the Fed is vulnerable at a time of intense pressure from both sides of the partisan divide, however, with some lawmakers seeking to impose tighter legislative constraints on its policy freedoms. Ms Yellen was testifying on regulatory matters to the House Committee on Financial Services. Mr Garrett asked: “A Fed governor can be in direct negotiations with a political campaign looking for a future job and that is not a conflict as far as you’re concerned?” His words referred to Ms Brainard, a former Treasury official who is often listed in media reports as a potential candidate to be Treasury secretary in a Clinton administration. After a false start and cross talk between lawmakers seeking to end Mr Garrett’s questioning, the Fed chair said: “I would have to consult my counsel. I’m not aware that that’s a conflict, but I would …” Then she was herself cut off by the committee chair. Shortly beforehand Ms Yellen said she had “absolutely no awareness” of Ms Brainard being in touch with the Clinton camp about a job. A Fed spokesperson said Ms Brainard had not been in conversations with either political campaign. Mr Garrett did not put forward any evidence to support his claims about the governor angling for a job. Pressed on $2,700 in disclosed donations that Ms Brainard has made to Mrs Clinton’s campaign, the maximum permitted for individual contributions in a primary election cycle, Ms Yellen noted that the Hatch Act does not prohibit political contributions by Fed governors. Ms Yellen has been asked about those donations in the past and has said that legal political campaign donations by central bank employees do not undermine its standing as a non-partisan agency. Mr Garrett told the Fed chair: “As the saying goes, perception is reality. Whether you like it or not, the public increasingly believes that Fed independence is nothing more than a myth. The Fed has an unacceptable cosy relationship with the Obama administration and with higher ups in the Democratic party.” Asked if she had ever asked Ms Brainard to recuse herself from monetary policymaking due to her “close involvement” with the campaign, Ms Yellen said: “She’s acting in a way that is permitted by the rules we are subject to. Each one of us has to decide for ourselves.” Responding later to a separate question from Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a Democratic lawmaker from Ohio, Ms Yellen said she had “never been pressured in any way by the [Obama] administration” over interest rates. “The administration in my experience … greatly respects the Fed’s independence to make decisions in accordance with our Congressional mandate.”

Philippines Leader to End Joint Military Exercises, Naval Patrols With U.S. The Wall Street Journal / September 28, 2016 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said joint military exercises scheduled next month between the Philippines and the U.S. will be the last for the longtime allies, as he seeks to avoid upsetting China, with which he hopes to build stronger trade and investment ties. He also said he would end routine joint naval patrols in the South China Sea. “I will serve notice to you now that this will be the last military exercise,” Duterte said The Philippine leader did reaffirm that his country’s cooperation with the U.S. stands. “I will maintain the military alliance—the RP-US pact, which our countries signed in the early 50s,” Duterte said. The military treaty with the U.S. was recently updated to allow more American troops to stay in the country for an extended period. Duterte said he was ending the routine joint patrols in the South China Sea because they, too, risk military confrontation between China and U.S., with the Philippines caught in the middle. “If the battleground will be in San Francisco, or China, then I’m OK with that,” he said. Duterte said holding war games with the U.S. might undermine his efforts to improve relations with Beijing, which have soured in recent years as Manila tried to strengthen its claims to part of the South China Sea. China has increasingly asserted sovereignty over that body of water, which is also claimed in part by Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. The Philippine military earlier this month invited U.S. troops to joint exercises in October, shortly after Mr. Duterte’s called for the Americans to withdraw their remaining military advisers from the southern island of Mindanao. Duterte had said their presence hurt efforts to find a peace with Muslim rebels. Earlier this week, Duterte said he plans to establish trade alliance with China and Russia. He previously had ordered his defense secretary to seek military equipment from suppliers in China and Russia to fight drug traffickers and insurgents.

CBS / September 25, 2016 Dozens of African Americans attacked a California Highway Patrol vehicle in Fresno, California on Sunday afternoon around 3:40, at the intersection of North and Orange Avenues. Police say a group of about 40 people were putting on a sideshow, driving around recklessly and doing tricks and “burnouts” in their cars. The group's “show” blocked off the intersection, illegally halting traffic. When the officers tried to break up the event, the crowd violently turned on them and targeted a police vehicle, shouting: 'F*** the police, n****. We run the streets, motherf*****.' . .

Associated Press / September 28, 2016 A 14-year-old gunman has been arrested after opening fire on the playground of Townville Elementary School in South Carolina around 1:45pm on Wednesday, just after murdering his 47-year-old father. The South Carolina boy shot and killed his father, then drove to an elementary school where he opened fire with a handgun, wounding two six-year-old children and first grade teacher Meghan Hollingsworth before being tackled by an off-duty firefighter who held him for police. One of the students, Jacob Hall, is in critical condition at Greenville Memorial Hospital. State Rep. Alan Clemmons, who is a friend of the family said: “He died twice, and was revived, during medical transport and again during surgery. He's in ICU now where a team of doctors are working to stabilize him. Once stabilized, he will face yet another surgery.” Jacob lost 75 percent of his blood and has suffered brain trauma. The boy shot dead his 47-year-old father, Jeffrey DeWitt Osborne, at their home. Then, he drove a pickup truck about 2 miles to Townville Elementary School where he crashed into a fence surrounding the playground. After the teenager began shooting, Townville volunteer firefighter Jamie Brock pinned him down while staff led children to safety inside the building. A witness heard the boy yelling 'I hate my life! I hate my life! I hate my life!' The boy was being home schooled because he was expelled from his school last year for bringing a machete and hatchet to school and attacking a child. The boy's father, Jeffrey DeWitt Osborne, was a convicted criminal. In April 1991, he was convicted of a marijuana offense in South Carolina. In December 1995, he was found guilty of criminal domestic violence. In March 1996, he was convicted of property damage. The father has also been declared bankrupt with three separate companies filing liens against him dating back to 2005. Update: Jacob Hall, the 6-year-old boy who was critically wounded in a school shooting died Saturday, days after a 14-year-old boy opened fire on a school playground. Jacob Hall had been fighting for his life at a hospital after a bullet struck him in a main artery in his leg, causing him a major brain injury due to the loss of blood. Jacob died about 1 p.m. Saturday, .

Bob, the media gave electric and autonomous a lot of coverage. I've no problem with that, but that was just one pillar of this massive show. The show was extremely busy. This is a professional show where you can rub shoulders with engineers, sales people and senior management, asking questions and getting direct answers from the source. People were thrilled with the new Scania. Though you won't read about it yet, Eaton is working on a next generation transmission architecture to replace their current platform.

If they are incorporated in the United States of America, they are considered to be a U.S. company. Personally, I'm proud of the remaining U.S. companies, like Hendrickson, that have the savvy to compete successfully in the global market.

A V-6 isn't necessary. The Ranger and Everest are available with a new 2.0-liter turbocharged (twin-scroll) EcoBoost with high pressure direct injection that has the power and torque of a 3.5-liter V-6 (per Ford). I've heard 250hp and 270 lb/ft. That 4-cylinder is all you need.

It is indeed a global show. Paccar, GM, and Ford were there, as well as Hendrickson, Cummins, Modine, CVG, jacobs and many orhers. Saying this show is massive would be an understatement.

Bob, that's a medium-duty Hino 500 Series (with the logo covered). The Cargo isn't marketed in Australia. http://www.hino.com.au/500/

CAT Trucks Australia / Navistar Auspac Press Release / September 26, 2016 .

ZF and Ford Trucks ZF Press Release / September 21, 2016 TraXon in Turkey: The ZF transmission system is installed at Ford Trucks as a standard component in the truck product lines with a Euro-6 driveline. .

ZF TraXon Hybrid ZF Press Release / September 26, 2016 Built into heavy trucks like the ZF Innovation Truck, the TraXon Hybrid fulfills all of the requirements of an electric driveline. In addition to considerably lower fuel consumption, functions like recuperation, electric maneuvering, start-stop and boosting are included. Pioneer in the field: The TraXon Hybrid is ZF’s first hybrid solution for heavy-duty trucks. .

Tata Trucks Press Release / September 27, 2016 . . .

ZF Reinforces Electrification of Commercial Vehicles to Achieve Zero Emissions in the City ZF Press Release / September 22, 2016 New all-electric central drive designed particularly for city buses and delivery trucks. AVE 130 electric portal axle is already a volume-production solution for low-floor buses; its modified concept excels in the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck. TraXon Hybrid enables heavy trucks to maneuver electrically. Friedrichshafen/Hanover. ZF Friedrichshafen AG offers a broad product and services portfolio for the electrification of commercial vehicles. It focuses on all-electric drive solutions for urban vehicles and hybrid applications for use in long-distance transport. The company’s latest products include an all-electric central drive for buses, coaches and delivery trucks intended for urban transport. Derived from the technology of the AVE 130 electric portal axle for city buses, a close-to- wheel electric drive for heavy delivery trucks is also part of this new portfolio. Now, it has been introduced for the first time in the Urban eTruck concept from Mercedes-Benz. In addition to the above, ZF offers hybrid solutions such as the TraXon Hybrid for heavy trucks. The commercial vehicle sector is also benefiting from close dovetailing with e-mobility solutions for passenger cars. As an example, ZF modified its all-electric axle drive, originally engineered for passenger cars, for use in light commercial vehicles. High-torque, powerful diesel engines remain critical components for many commercial vehicle applications. Nevertheless, the electrification of commercial vehicles has strong potential because for some applications and market regions, the hybrid or the all-electric drive is a better alternative. “Many commercial vehicles with limited daily mileage can already be operated using all-electric drives,” says Fredrik Staedtler, head of the Commercial Vehicle Technology Division at ZF. These systems are even mandatory in many large metropolitan cities in Europe and Asia that already have strict emissions regulations. Fleet vehicles are often used in a return-to-base operation which means that delivery trucks and buses can return to the fleet lot or bus depot overnight and be easily re-charged. All-electric buses and delivery trucks for getting around town As the newest addition to its broad e-mobility solution portfolio, ZF has now developed an all-electric central drive that brings city buses and delivery trucks one step closer to zero-emission driving. The central drive is ideal for vehicles with driveline configurations similar to those currently in use in conventional vehicles, thus making it easy to integrate into existing vehicle concepts. The fact that the central drive can be combined with both single rear drive axles and conventional low-floor axles means it can be installed in low-entry buses and all kinds of low-floor buses. The popular AVE130 electric portal axle is another ideal solution for low-floor buses because it provides weight benefits in the vehicle and accommodates flexible vehicle architectures with open interior designs. Hybrid drives for trucks and buses ZF has developed yet another product for hybrid use in heavy commercial vehicles. Its TraXon Hybrid features an electric motor installed between the combustion engine and the transmission. This parallel hybrid design allows all hybrid functionalities to be realized in a 40-ton truck. One feature particularly attractive for many applications is that in generator mode, the hybrid module can also supply power to other units, during refrigerated transports, for example. In thinking about future needs at the truck terminal or bus depot, ZF has equipped its Innovation Truck 2016 with the TraXon Hybrid which can maneuver autonomously and purely electrically. Apart from being installed in truck applications, TraXon Hybrid is also suitable for coaches, where the hybrid drive boasts the same advantages. Light commercial vehicles benefit from synergies with passenger car solutions ZF’s e-mobility solutions for light commercial vehicles benefit from the company’s expertise in the passenger car sector. For example, ZF has taken a central axle drive, originally designed for passenger cars, and applied it to light commercial vehicles and delivery trucks. It will go into volume production in 2018. It combines an electric motor with a two-stage single-speed transmission, differential and power electronics to form a highly-integrated, extremely compact unit. When it comes to performance, at 150 kW, the system also works perfectly in light commercial vehicles. “Identifying synergies between passenger cars and commercial vehicles has always been an asset of ZF and this also holds true for our electrification strategy,” emphasizes Staedtler.