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Transport Engineer / June 10, 2016 Paper and corrugated packaging firm DS Smith is the latest operator to sign up for Michelin solutions’ recently-introduced Effitrailer telematics scheme – fitting its new equipmkent to 40 single-decker trailers. “The system offers a host of services that will help streamline our operations, boost efficiency and cut tyre-related downtime,” asserts Mark Abbey, general manager for UK logistics at DS Smith. “Its real-time data reporting and analysis allows us to proactively spot and alleviate any tyre-related issues before they result in a roadside breakdown, ensuring our logistical operation continues to run like clockwork,” he adds. Abbey says another selling point is the system’s geolocation data which, combined with its schedule-tracking tools, he expects to enable the traffic office to improve fleet routing and efficiency. “The Effitrailer system gives us confidence that trailer tyre-related downtime will continue to be minimised, and that our reputation for excellent customer service remains well-founded,” he says. The system itself involves dedicated trailer telematics equipment installed in each vehicle – including TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system), EBS (electronic braking system) data analysis and an on-board datalink. Together these provide real-time condition monitoring data as well as the geolocation information. Real-time data generated by the on-board telematics is sent to a dedicated fleet manager’s web portal, and details each asset’s mileage, exact location, the length of any periods of abnormal downtime or ‘wait-time’, the ‘unhooked’ or ‘towed’ status of the asset, and whether the trailer is overloaded – and, of course, the current pressure and temperature of every tyre on every axle. However, the programme also includes Michelin solutions commiting to reduce numbers of tyre-related trailer breakdowns by up to 50% – the precise percentage being agreed after diagnosis by a Michelin logistics analyst. For DS Smith, a key benefit, then, is that if Michelin solutions does not achieve the downtime reduction goal, Michelin has to refund the cost of all breakdowns over and above the contractual terms. “Our trailers often sit at our mills and recycling partners, so being able to locate each asset in real time – and ensure when we get there to hook up that the trailer is ready to go, and that all the tyres are at the perfect pressure – offers considerable peace of mind,” sys Abbey. .

Transport Engineer / June 9, 2016 Logistics giant Wincanton has added 12 Renault Trucks Range T460 6x2 tractor units, plated at 44 tonnes, to its 200+ dedicated construction vehicle fleet, as part of a multi-million-pound investment. The tractors were all specified with sleeper cabs, and add to an existing 21 Range T tractors – including two Night and Day cabbed Range T430 6x2s – purchased last year. Wincanton transport manager Dave Rowlands explains that the Range Ts are replacements for the current fleet and have specification enhancement to meet FORS and CLOCS compliance. They are being supplied on an operating lease with R&M support via Wincanton’s in-house maintenance provider Pullman Fleet Services. Rowlands says previously favourable experiences with Renault Premiums, driver acceptance and good operating costs were key to this vehicle selection. “We are dedicated to delivering excellent service to our customers, and the Renault Range T460 trucks are a valuable addition to our fleet, ensuring [they] receive the most efficient and effective delivery process possible.” The new Renault trucks will be used to carry building materials. .

Daimler Trucks to cut more jobs in Brazil Reuters / June 8, 2016 Daimler's truck division is to cut a further 2,000 jobs in Brazil on top of the 1,240 cuts in the United States and Mexico which it announced on Tuesday, as it seeks to cope with weak markets in the region. Daimler Trucks CEO Wolfgang Bernhard told an investors conference near Stuttgart the 2,000 jobs will be axed in Brazil at a cost of about 100 million euros ($114 million) in severance payments, raising the number of jobs it has cut in Latin America's biggest economy to almost 5,000 since last year. He also said he would not rule out further layoffs in the United States should the truck market there shrink by more than the expected 15 percent this year. Daimler Trucks currently employs 13,700 workers in the United States and about 11,500 in Brazil, a spokeswoman said. Daimler last month warned that sales and profits at the trucks division would fall significantly in 2016 due to weaker demand in the United States and Brazil. However, Bernhard denied that his company needed to take more drastic action. "We don't need an additional programme, we can react swiftly and flexibly to changing market conditions," Bernhard said, citing steps to shorten truck assembly times and to reduce its portfolio of heavy-duty vehicles. "If we want to remain competitive, we must build more vehicles with fewer people," said Stefan Buchner, the truck division's regional chief for Europe and Latin America. Daimler Trucks accounted for about a fifth of the group's earnings before interest and tax and about a quarter of total sales last year. The North American heavy-duty trucks market has cooled after a plunge in oil prices and metals-related businesses put a dampener on industrial activity and haulage volumes, prompting rivals like Volvo to warn investors about a downturn. The division's operating profit margin will slip below last year's 7.3 percent, Bernhard said, which was already below the division's 8 percent target. By comparison, Volkswagen's main trucks division MAN last year reported a profit margin of just 0.7 percent although its currently separate Swedish subsidiary Scania's profitability approached 10 percent. "We are a long way from a corporate crisis, this will be a great year in an environment that is not favourable," Bernhard said.

Transport Engineer / June 8, 2016 European transport business Girteka Logistics has ordered 410 reefer semi-trailers and 130 curtainsider semi-trailers from Schmitz Cargobull, to meet increased demand for full load distribution services. The Lithuanian operator transports fresh produce across the continent and the latest additions will join its fleet of almost 3,000 trucks and 3,100 trailers – three-quarters of which are from Schmitz. Mindaugas Raila, Girteka’s chairman (pictured, left, with Andreas Schmitz, chairman of Schmitz Cargobull), says: “Our aim is to provide our European clients with the best possible service, and above-average KPIs. To do this we need the best equipment in the industry: this is why, year after year, we choose Schmitz Cargobull.” Girteka has been specifying Schmitz’s reefer semi-trailers for many years, citing their build quality and reliability. Raila says he’s also delighted with the curtainsiders: “We were particularly impressed with the Genios’s cold-rolled construction method, and the many security features that make the driver’s job easier. “Having galvanised parts is also an important factor in the sustainability and value retention of the vehicle.” Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/44492-largest-fleet-order-from-eastern-europe-in-m-b-history-1000-actros-for-girteka-logistics/#comment-328683 .

Stemco requests exemption from FMCSA Land Line / June 10, 2016 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is requesting public comment on an application for exemption from Stemco regarding a regulation about the location of rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps. FMCSA regulations require rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps to be located “as close as practicable to the top of the vehicle.” Stemco is requesting for commercial motor vehicles equipped with the company’s TrailerTail aerodynamic device, which is mounted lower than currently allowed, to be exempt from the regulation. While the TrailerTail aerodynamic device is currently mounted slightly below the roof of the vehicle, Stemco states that this offset prevents the device from delivering the maximum available fuel economy benefit as opposed to mounting it flush with the top of the vehicle, which may block the visibility of the rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps. Stemco argues that the alternative location will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than what could be achieved without the exemption. In addition to the exemption request, Stemco is petitioning FMCSA to amend the current regulation. The comment period is scheduled to end July 11. Comments may be mailed to Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / June 10, 2016 .

Ford Trucks Press Release / June 10, 2016 Ford’s Advanced Emergency Brake System helps drivers avoid accidents by issuing warnings and ultimately taking corrective action. The system utilizes long-distance radar technology and a forward-facing camera to warn drivers of a potential collision. Information is transmitted to the truck’s central processing unit (CPU) where it is analyzed along with other data including that from the engine control system and speedometer. . Ford Trucks and You – "Sharing the Load" At Ford Trucks, we’re serious about trucking. It's why we designed the new 2016 Cargo heavy truck range from the ground up to meet your needs and expectations. See your authorized Ford heavy truck dealer for details, or visit the global Ford heavy truck website at https://www.fordtrucks.com.tr/ .

DAF Trucks Press Release / June 10, 2016 .

Bloomberg / June 8, 2016 Daimler AG’s trucks division, seeking to recover from a profit warning last month, aims to boost future earnings with a plan to cut costs by sharing more engines, axles and other components across units in North America, Europe and Asia. Once truck markets return to “a more normal level,” the unit will reach its target of an average 8 percent return on sales, Wolfgang Bernhard, head of Daimler’s commercial-vehicle business, said at a press conference Wednesday in Stuttgart, Germany. A key to boosting profit will be using more vehicle parts worldwide and improve efficiency, he said. “We’ve initiated the right measures to balance short-term swings and reach our long-term goals,” Bernhard said. “We’re not talking about 10 or 15 years; we want to get these things done by the end of this decade, and this will put us in a unique position.” The world’s largest maker of commercial vehicles is seeking to stabilize earnings in the face of fierce price pressure in Europe and intensifying competition, including from Chinese rivals in emerging markets. Declining demand in the U.S. and contracting markets in Brazil, Russia and Indonesia prompted Daimler last month to forecast “significantly lower” 2016 profit at the unit. To better offset such swings, the German manufacturer, which also makes Mercedes-Benz luxury cars, has embarked on an unprecedented push to share truck parts across more vehicles and markets. Delivery Target The division’s Mercedes-Benz trucks brand plans 2,000 job cuts in Brazil, and its North American operations, which include the Freightliner and Western Star nameplates, are laying off a similar number of workers. Daimler is sticking to a target of selling 700,000 trucks a year by 2020 even as global markets are set to remain difficult this year and weigh on profitability, Bernhard said. “With truck earnings down and the product story at Mercedes arguably past peak, we remain on the sidelines,” Arndt Ellinghorst, a London-based analyst at Evercore ISI, said in a report to clients. He estimates full-year profit at Daimler Trucks to drop about 18 percent to 2.26 billion euros ($2.57 billion). Unlike passenger cars, heavy-duty vehicles vary significantly from region to region. The geographical differences and lower volumes in the truck market have limited manufacturers’ investments in common engines, transmissions and other components. Daimler is seeking to buck that trend. Bernhard on Wednesday outlined plans for a single electronics system in Daimler’s trucks worldwide and a single dashboard that can be installed with different exterior designs for each brand. The goal is to rein in costs and win over customers by accelerating the introduction of new technology, including logistics-data services and operating-efficiency gains. Fuel consumption ranks as one of the top criteria when truck buyers choose a model, along with vehicle reliability and maintenance terms. Daimler Trucks “hasn’t proved yet that it can match the level” of profitability of Paccar Inc. or Volkswagen AG’s Scania, Oliver Maslowski, a Zurich-based fund manager at GAM, said in an interview this week. “The profit warning raises the question if they misread the truck cycle in North America and were too late to scale down production.” The Daimler unit’s operating-profit margin was 7.3 percent of revenue from ongoing business in 2015. Bernhard said that, while Scania’s ahead of Daimler Trucks in profitability, “we’re making progress.” The Swedish competitor “is only present in the heavy-duty segment, which is more lucrative in terms of margins than the mid-duty segment.” The Mercedes-Benz trucks unit is revamping its production network to become leaner and improve margins, said Stefan Buchner, the head of the brand. The business will scale back vehicle variants 35 percent by 2018 and cut production hours 25 percent, while it will “tackle material costs aggressively, performing better than target.”

The P89 was actually launched in 2014. I believe that Haldex produces it for SAF-Holland under contract. I like Haldex a lot, but dislike SAF-Holland. https://www.haldex.com/en/Europe/products/air-disc-brakes/modul-t/ Now, SAF has cheapened the P89 in an attempt to be the first to pentrate the US market with disc brakes in a big way. Another heavy truck disc brake manufacturers are Germany’s Knorr-Bremse, which took over America’s Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems in 2002, and has sold Knorr discs under the Bendix name in the US market. Wabco remains a leader in truck disc brakes, with its MAXX 22 product. .

SAF-Holland launches value, premium P89 Air Disc Brake Series Fleet Owner / June 10, 2016 Luxembourg-based SAF-Holland has launched its P89 Air Disc Brake Series. The company says the value and premium-level P89 products are designed with commercial fleets in mind and provide "superior braking performance, extended service intervals, and ease of maintenance." The P89 Series comes in New P89 and P89 Plus models. The base model New P89 can be customized to suit specific fleet needs at a significantly lower price point — around 40% — than previous generation air disc brake systems. Both models are available now for order, and SAF-Holland expects to begin shipping them in late June/early July. "SAF-Holland has leveraged their global supplier network to create economies of scale that drive down the cost of technology. We are able to pass this cost savings to our North American fleet customers and for the first time put air disc brake technology within reach of fleets large and small," said Jeff Talaga, vice president of sales and strategic development, Americas for SAF-Holland, Inc. The P89 Plus is a premium package that includes a 7-year maintenance-free bearing system and premium rotors that the company says will provide a significant reduction in the total cost of ownership. Available on the SAF CBX air ride and ULX spring ride suspensions, the P89 Series "provides advantages of air disc brake performance to nearly all fleet operations, whether high mileage long haul fleets or demanding vocational trailer applications," according to SAF-Holland. New P89 At the heart of the New P89 air disc brake is the proven SAF SBS 2220 caliper and 430mm diameter heavy duty vented rotor. The dual-piston SBS 2220 caliper applies a more even pressure pattern across the brake lining than competitive single piston designs, the company explains, while the 430mm diameter x 45mm thick rotor provides 30% more wear volume than competitive designs. The New P89 features a "robust" 3.5-in. diameter parallel spindle or an optional lightweight taper spindle configuration that reduces weight by 10 lbs. per axle and uses industry standard bearings and wheel seals to reduce maintenance costs. Backed by a 5-year warranty, SAF-Holland says the New P89 sets a new industry standard for value in air disc brakes. P89 Plus The P89 Plus comes with a 7-year maintenance-free bearing system that uses large 89mm front and rear bearings individually sealed and lubricated with high temperature long life grease. SAF notes that the design completely eliminates traditional wheel seals, a common source of premature wheel-end failure. Precision bearing spacers are installed between the inner and outer bearings to precisely control bearing pre-load for maximum life — the company says extensive product testing has shown the P89 Plus bearing system provides four times better bearing life. The unique bi-metallic design of the SAF INTEGRAL rotor included on the P89 Plus allows the rotor to expand and contract in a radial direction that keeps the braking surface flat and eliminates the "umbrella effect" that affects conventional rotors. Backed by an industry-leading 7-year warranty, the P89 Plus "provides the ultimate in braking performance and ease of maintenance for a low total cost of ownership," SAF-Holland states. "With our commitment to design and develop products that better serve our fleet customers with leading technology, SAF-Holland is pleased to introduce the P89 Series that outperforms the competition in superior braking quality and total cost of ownership," said Talaga.

Heavy Duty Trucking / June 9, 2016 SAF-Holland says a new P89 air disc brake for trailers will greatly reduce the price premium compared to drum brakes, and an upgraded P89 Plus will virtually eliminate brake maintenance for seven years. Company executives said they showed the new series to fleet managers at meetings and trade shows earlier this year. They formally announced the brakes at a press conference in Grand Rapids, Mich., June 9. “We firmly believe that disc brakes are superior” to drums because of shorter stopping distances and reduced maintenance, said US market head Steffen Schewerda. “We know that discs have had a prohibitively high premium as trailer builders price these products.” But the P89 base model should cost about $1,500 more than drum brakes now used on trailer tandems, he said. And the P89 Plus, while retaining a more usual $3,500 price premium, will soon pay for itself in superior performance, long life and low maintenance costs. “SAF-Holland has leveraged their global supplier network to create economies of scale that drive down the cost of technology,” said Jeff Talaga, vice president of sales and strategic development for the Americas. “We are able to pass this cost savings to our North American fleet customers and for the first time put air disc brake technology within reach of fleets large and small." In addition to reducing the upcharge, the base P89 will be “weight-neutral” compared to drum brakes, said Roger Jensen, product manager for trailer brakes and axles. The P89 Plus is a premium package that includes a beefier, bi-metal rotor that resists heat distortion and comes with a 7-year maintenance-free bearing system. The Plus weighs 30 pounds more per axle than the P89. At the heart of the P89 is SAF’s SBS 2220 caliper and 430-mm-diameter by 45-mm-thick heavy duty vented rotor. The dual piston SBS 2220 caliper applies a more even pressure pattern across the brake lining and 30% more wear volume than competitive single piston designs, Jensen said. Both feature self-adjustment, quick-change pads and require no greasing, he said. Traditional wheel seals, a common source of premature wheel end failure, are completely eliminated. Precision bearing spacers are installed between the inner and outer bearings to precisely control bearing pre-load for maximum life. Extensive product testing and long experience in Europe has shown the P89 Plus bearing system provides four times better bearing life. Available on the SAF CBX air ride and ULX spring ride suspensions, the P89 Series provides advantages of air disc brake performance to nearly all fleet operations, whether high mileage long-haul or demanding vocational trailer applications, Schewerda said. The disc brakes go into production in July and should be available on new trailers soon after.

Green Car Congress / June 10, 2016 The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) has issued a request for information (RFI) (DE-FOA-0001600) to obtain feedback and opinions from truck operators, truck and storage tank manufacturers, fuel cell manufacturers, station equipment designers, and other related stakeholders on issues related to medium- and heavy-duty (MD and HD) fuel cell electric truck targets. The MD/HD market spans multiple weight classes (i.e. class 3-8 or 10,000-80,000+ lbs.) and vocational uses (i.e. delivery van, tractor trailer, flatbed, etc.). Today, MD/HD trucks account for 28% of petroleum use in the US transportation sector, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). A key activity within FCTO, with industry input, is setting technology targets for future years (e.g., 2020) based on what is required to be competitive with incumbent or other advanced technologies. These can then be used by stakeholders to help track performance and set technology benchmarks. Currently, FCTO has targets in several areas, including hydrogen production, delivery, storage, and fuel cells for light-duty vehicles. FCTO developed a set of basic vehicle specification by Class and by vocational application, rangin from a Class 2 Van (135 kW motor continuous power, 155 kW fuel cell power with 7 kh H2 stored on board and a range of 150 miles) to a Class 8 Tractor Trailer (260 kW motor continuous power, 265 kW fuel cell power, 62 kg H2 onboard and a range of 400 miles. FCTO set fuel economy targets for each weight class to reduce the confusion of one normalized target that would span all weight classes. Power system cost is normalized based on the fuel cell stack size required for each vehicle. The vehicle range target suggested is comparable to light duty vehicles at 300 miles, however, some truck designs may require more or less range depending on vocational use. Lifetime targets and maintenance costs suggested are based on fuel cell bus targets. Proposed targets for the fuel cell trucks are: Proposed Fuel Economy Target (miles/kg H2) for 2025 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 26 20 18 16 14 12 Proposed 2025 Targets for MD/HD Fuel Cell Electric Trucks, Class 3 - Class 8 Vehicle operation Vehicle Lifetime [years/miles] 12/500,000 Power Plant Lifetime [hours] 25,000 Power System Cost [$/kW] 160 Scheduled and Unscheduled Maintenance Cost5 [$/mile] 0.4 Vehicle Range [miles] 300 Fuel cell system FC System Power Density [W/L] 850 FC System Specific Power [W/kg] 650 Hydrogen storage Storage Tank Gravimetric Capacity [kg H2/kg storage tank] 5 Storage Tank Volumetric Capacity [kg H2/100 L] 700 bar/350 bar 3.8/2.2 Hydrogen Storage System Cost [$/kg H2 stored] 266 Operation Cycle Life (1/4 tank to full) [cycles] 2,500 System Fill Rate [kg H2/min] 5

There’s that old saying, “you reap what you sow” (you eventually have to face up to the consequences of your actions). The only reason the Shah came to power in 1953 was the CIA. And they acknowledge that fact. It was US-orchestrated regime change. (when we do it, it’s okay.......what other’s do it, it’s bad) While the Shah was in, US businesses made a lot of money there......that was the idea. But installed governments have a habit of eventually failing, caused by greed and corruption running at particularly high levels.

If you could buy a Ford F-Series pickup incorporating the Dodge's Cummins 6.7L ISB and Chevy/GMC's Allison 1000 transmission, and Dana axles, you'd have a nice pickup.

They didn't spend much.......the horrible looking NV1500/2500/3500 is based on the Titan pickup platform. They're produced together in Canton, Mississippi. Both are terrible sellers, and that NV has no diesel option. Nissan sold just 12,527 Titans in 2014, about the number of F-series pickups that Ford produces every 5 days.

Any educated, ordinarily prudent individual couldn't possibly believe that either one of these dysfunctional and over-age primadonnas would actually be allowed to head the United States of America. If one believes that it's all real, then its amusing to see two people who surely despise each other working together "for the sake of the party". The party system is highly overrated (but it's a key pillar of the "show").

And, with Smokey and the Bandit having been mentioned, I should add that "new" Trans Ams are awaiting your order. Website - http://www.transamworldwide.com/ .

Automotive News / June 11, 2016 Charlie Watson was up late one night watching the old Burt Reynolds classic Smokey and the Bandit. His employer, Lebanon Ford in Ohio, was planning to screen the film for its performance customers, and Watson wanted to give it a preview. Watching Reynolds' character wheel his 1977 Pontiac Trans Am during wild chases took Watson back to a time when old-school muscle cars were powerful without a lot of added flash or technology. "Back in the day, it was just a man and his car," Watson said. "It had a big engine, it had tons of power and it was all fun. It wasn't about the fancy body kits, the heated seats and the touch screens and all this other craziness. It was just a lot of power and a lot of fun." That night, as he lay awake in bed, a thought struck him, an idea for a marketing promotion that would end up turning a small dealership in southwestern Ohio into a destination for performance enthusiasts around the country. The deal, announced in a Jan. 30 blog post, was simple: a base 2016 Mustang GT -- fitted with a Roush Phase 2 supercharger that gives its 5.0-liter V-8 727 hp -- for $39,995. Yes, including the car. "The idea came to me in the middle of the night after watching the movie," says Watson, Lebanon Ford's Roush Performance manager. "I sat down and started doing the math. I didn't believe it." He could hardly believe what happened next, either. News of the $39,995 deal went viral online. The online publication The Drive posted a story on May 9 detailing the offer. The news was quickly picked up that day by Yahoo and Road & Track. And now, Lebanon Ford, a dealership that was once happy getting 20 sales calls a day from its territory between Dayton and Cincinnati, isn't surprised to get 1,000 calls a day, and is shipping supercharged pony cars to buyers as far away as Florida and Texas. The deal has helped diversify Lebanon's clientele demographically as well. Before the promotion, Watson said the store's performance shop dealt mainly with retirement-age consumers looking at Shelby and Roush Stage 3-supercharged Mustangs in the $65,000 to $85,000 price range. The $39,995 offer has widened the net considerably by bringing in clients in their mid-20s. The store is selling around three to five 727-hp Mustangs per day. Watson said the store had to discount the vehicle and labor to get the package under $40,000. The deal without the price cuts, he said, would've cost about $44,000. Shipping, title and license fees are extra. "The fact we can build this into the car and they can leave with one affordable car payment at top-tier rates is just the perfect storm to get these people to buy something they never would've been able to buy," Watson said. He said Lebanon Ford has had to work closely with Ford and Roush Performance on parts allocations to make sure it can keep up with demand. The store is also selling Mustang GTs with Roush Phase 1 superchargers, which churn out 670 hp, for the same price. The sales mix is around 60/40 in favor of the Phase 2 package. Watson, who credits store owner Lisa Cryder for supporting the idea, said the promotion has resonated because there's a contingent out there that is still drawn to the idea of powerful vehicles in more subtle wrappings. Justin Schroeder, vice president of product for Roush Performance, said he's never seen a store garner so much attention as quickly as Lebanon Ford did. The firestorm trickled over to Roush's internal sales team, which took a "bunch" of calls even though the company had nothing to do with the offer, Schroeder said. "Lebanon did some nice positioning to get that under the $40,000 target," Schroeder said. And Lebanon Ford has had to do some repositioning since. When the blog about the promotion was posted, the store was getting about seven to eight calls each day about it -- a "phenomenal" number, Watson said, but manageable. But within three weeks, the blog post had drawn 280,000 impressions. The onslaught of calls began last month, which forced the store to bring in more bodies to staff an internal call center. The store also enlisted an outside call center to assist. Watson said the promotion had been slated to last one month, but now the end date is undecided. The Mustang GTs are selling at such a consistent clip that the store can't keep track of how many units it has moved so far. "We keep trying to get the number," Phil Sies, Lebanon Ford's marketing manager, told Automotive News, adding: "We know we sold three this day and five this day. Then everybody gets blown away [and] nobody ever counts them up. We keep joking we need to count them, but everybody keeps selling." Watson said the Mustang GT deal isn't the most profitable promotion the store has ever done, but it's helping the dealership develop a national following. "We had a guy drive 16 hours from Fort Worth, Texas. When he's picking up his car, he shook my hand and said, "Man, you made my dream come true,'" Watson recalled. "At that second, that's when we knew we were on to something big here." Photo gallery - http://www.autonews.com/article/20160611/RETAIL03/306139995/bold-bet-on-a-727-hp-mustang