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Here's an example of the International T-Line T2670. Sleep cab versions used the Atkinson F4870 cab, which was a lengthened version (by 400mm/13") of the ever-versatile Acco C-Series cab. Of course, the best looking International ever sold down under was the Transtar 4670 - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/30957-those-magnificent-aussie-international-transtar-4670s/ .

Owner/Driver / August 10, 2015 Scott Congram has been on the road for 25 years, and an owner-driver for 20 of those years. However, it’s only recently that Scott bought his first new truck — a Kenworth C509 (http://www.kenworth.com.au/trucks/C5SERIES/). It was worth the wait, especially as it is a stunning rig with years of experience put into its specification. The new C509 has a 6.4m wheelbase and 60-inch (152cm) sleeper. It’s a world away from the family farm truck that Scott inherited, an International T2670. Importantly, Scott wanted the new truck to look "old school", with the paint scheme based on a traditional Kenworth design. "I chose the colours and they were altered with the help of some family members," he says. "The painter, Barry Dixon Paint & Panel, and signwriter Dean Laws pulled it all together and made it into what you see today – the traditional old colour scheme." Under the skin, however, the Kenworth is ultra-modern with a Cummins Signature ISXe5 set at 600hp (447kW). The Cummins is bolted to an 18-speed Eaton Fuller gearbox that delivers power down to Meritor diffs, riding on Kenworth six-rod suspension. The cab’s 60-inch bunk design, modifications and air-conditioning were the work of CustomAir in Melbourne. Scott says he expects to get 10 years work out of the new Kenworth. "It is quite a basic truck but that’s the best way to have it. For where we go and what we do, we were after a strong truck," Scott says. Along with his brother and business partner, Craig Congram, Scott specialises in livestock transport. "I have always hung around stock; it’s all I know. Walk on, walk off freight…it’s pretty good," he says. The Congrams cart sheep and cattle and while they go anywhere in Australia, they mainly cart in and out of the Riverina in New South Wales. Based in Finley in southern NSW, they usually find themselves down in Melbourne weekly or, at some stages, twice a day. "It is a great community here in Finley and the locals support us," Scott says. "One family in particular in town here got me through for three or four months while I waited for my new truck. "They supplied me with a truck and if it wasn’t for them, it would have been very hard." Photo gallery - http://www.ownerdriver.com.au/industry-news/1508/owner-driver-takes-the-plunge-with-new-kenworth/

Diesel News Australia / August 6, 2015 A new form of energy storage technology, popular in applications ranging from spacecraft to race cars, is beginning to move into the trucking space. Ultracapacitors may have the potential to eliminate the downtime truck drivers and fleet operators often experience as a result of dead batteries. European-based manufacturer Skeleton Technologies has announced the availability of a new 24 V Engine Start Module (SkelStart ESM), which uses high-performance ultracapacitor technology to ensure engine start at any time, in any conditions. The SkelStart ESM is the only unit of its kind to be designed in way to fit heavy trucks and can be fitted into the D02 box types commonly used by battery manufacturers. Ultracapacitors are highly efficient and able to provide much higher currents of power than lead acid batteries. They can also charge and discharge millions of times, offering lifetimes up to 500 times longer than batteries. With this technology, the ultracapacitors, not the batteries, provide the power required to start the truck engine. The batteries are then only required to provide low power loads once the engine is up and running. This effectively eradicates the problem of an engine not starting due to cold, depletion or periods of inactivity. Start failures often occur when trucks are not used for periods of time or when lifting systems consume too much energy from the battery. “Since installing the SkelStart ESM we have had no starting problems whatsoever,” explains Priit Tamme, Fleet Manager for Mareen, a Baltic freight company. “The unit is particularly useful when the engine cannot be kept idling because of local restrictions and when the batteries have been drained from using the tail-lift.” “Previously we were changing the batteries every two years but we expect much longer battery life using the SkelStart ESM. We are now looking at installing the technology across our fleet.” Ultracapacitors have proven to be a useful technology for heavy transportation and are used in a range of applications including regenerative braking in hybrid buses and trucks, cold starting of diesel engines for trucks and trains, and backup power for industrial machinery. Related reading - http://skeletontech.com/products/engine-start-module/ .

Hendrickson does terrific work. Extremely professional organization. The AR2 is one way. http://www.hendrickson-intl.com/Truck/Vocational/AR2 But a more maintenance-free severe service alternative, with decent ride but significantly less weight than AR2, would be the Haulmaax. http://www.hendrickson-intl.com/Truck/Vocational/HAULMAAX (Or the similarly construction Ultimaax for ratings over 46,000lb) http://www.hendrickson-intl.com/Truck/Vocational/ULTIMAAX#tabs If you want air suspension for a severe service application, it's hard to beat the Primaax EX (my preference for a tractor). http://www.hendrickson-intl.com/Truck/Vocational/Primaax-EX

Take your model and serial number to your Mack distributor. They can view the slave assembly, break it down for serviceable components and determine if the ball end joints are still available.

Yes, you would assume the former Allentown factory branch would know that..........unless Volvo has terminated that decades old Mack procedure. For future parts orders, you would need to keep track of the retrofitted part numbers by archiving your parts purchase receipt.

Glow-in-the-dark trucks use plasma to reduce drag and save fuel New Scientist / July 22, 2015 You’re driving down the motorway at night when you pass a truck that’s glowing purple. Don’t worry, it isn’t leaking toxic chemicals: it just has a clever way of reducing drag by using plasma. Trucks are sometimes fitted with devices such as spoilers to reduce drag. Panels underneath the body are known as “side skirts”, while “rear tail fairings” are fitted to the back. Billions of dollars in fuel could be saved annually if they were fitted to every truck in the US alone, but the devices have drawbacks. They sometimes need to be removed for loading, for example. “They are only good for one speed range and they might contribute to drag in other speed ranges,” says Pranay Bajjuri, co-founder of Plasma Stream Technologies in Bettendorf, Iowa. “They are bulky and the additional weight directly impacts on fuel efficiency.” So he and his colleagues are working on making trucks more aerodynamic by using plasma actuators, which would be fitted in place of spoilers and fairings. These are essentially two copper plates separated by a layer of Teflon, developed at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, where researchers have been working on trying to reduce drag on aeroplanes. When a current is passed through the actuators, they produce charged plasma, which affects airflow. This delays flow separation, where the airflow detaches from the vehicle’s surface and becomes turbulent, producing drag. The actuators would turn on and off as needed, controlled by a speed sensor. Bajjuri claims that a plasma actuator system for a truck would cost about $2500 and should give fuel savings of around 15 per cent, paying for itself in months. Actuators don’t need to be removed every time the truck is loaded and unloaded and can even be painted. The only side effect is the faint purple glow. The aerodynamics of trucks is bad, says Hyeok-bin Kwon of the Korea National University of Transportation in Chungju, whose own work uses plasma to streamline high-speed trains. Fortunately it’s easier to reduce drag on a truck than on a train, he says, because there are so many are many shape modifications you can use. Bajjuri’s team is working to optimise the system for trucks before wind tunnel tests later this year.

Heavy Duty Trucking / August 7, 2015 A new generation of aerodynamic improvements for tractor-trailers to reduce fuel consumption is being tested and if you see one you can tell by how its glowing. New Scientist magazine reports Iowa-based Plasma Stream Technologies Inc. is fitting trucks with plasma actuators, devices that control aerodynamic flow, rather than fuel saving devices you see on tucks these days, such as side skirts and trailer tails. According to the company: These are essentially two copper plates separated by a layer of Teflon, developed at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, where researchers have been working on trying to reduce drag on airplanes. When a current is passed through the actuators, they produce charged plasma, which affects airflow. This delays flow separation, where the airflow detaches from the vehicle’s surface and becomes turbulent, producing drag. The actuators would turn on and off as needed, controlled by a speed sensor. Pranay Bajjuri, co-founder of Plasma Stream Technologies, told the magazine equipping a truck with such a system runs about US$2,500 but results in fuel savings of 15 percent. Trucks equipped with them usually exhibit a glow. Related reading - http://plasmastreamtech.com/technology/

Navistar Trail Magazine

Tim, here is the beautiful Western Star-branded model 7564 COE which was produced by UK truckmaker ERF. Nice truck. Quite a few were sold in New Zealand such as this stunning Mainfreight unit. It was based on the ERF model EC and featured the company's signature fiberglass panel-over-steel frame cab architecture. ERF had been taken over by Canada (British Columbia) based Western Star in 1996. MAN bought ERF in March 2000, and Daimler-Chrysler acquired Western Star in August 2000. .

Prime Mover Magazine / August 9, 2015 New South Wales-based, Jim Pearson Transport, has recently taken delivery of its 200th Freightliner truck since its first purchase in 2003. “Freightliner continues to be my provider of choice because of their consistent performance,” said owner, Jim Pearson. “Our decision to buy from Freightliner 12 years ago was driven by the need to work with a manufacturer that was as committed to driver comfort and tare weight as well as the availability of commonly used componentry and support I receive from my local dealer.” To mark the milestone, representatives from both Freightliner and truck dealership, Mavin Truck Centre, attended the handover at the company's Port Macquarie headquarters. “When the order for the 200th truck came in, we knew it was important to come to Port Macquarie and say thank you in person,” said Stephen Downes, General Manager for Freightliner Trucks Australia. "Purchasing 200 trucks, let alone 200 Freightliners in 12 years from the one dealership is a significant achievement for a regional company like Jim Pearson Transport. It demonstrates both the exceptional quality of the Freightliner product and Mavin Truck Centres’ commitment to providing great product support." Dean Mavin, Dealer Principle of Mavin Truck Centre, added, “Reaching this goal recognises our unwavering focus on exceeding our customers' expectations when they purchase Freightliner vehicles,” he said. “It also highlights Jim’s loyalty and commitment to his local community. A lot of local suppliers have grown as a result of the support they receive from Jim Pearson Transport.” .

Your desire should be a cut-and-dry matter rather than a mystery. Unless Volvo has terminated Mack procedure, your Mack dealer would submit a changeover request with your truck's model and serial number to the specifications department at parts operations. The dealer would then be provided a list of the parts required (and/or the related mounting arrangements) to perform the changeover (ie. the parts the factory would have used had your truck been originally ordered that way), and you would then order the parts..........without any doubts whatsoever.

Day after day, race is only mentioned when a black individual is the victim. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3191174/Police-incensed-witnesses-shared-photos-bloodied-detective-sympathizing-murder-suspect-stole-gun-beat-didn-t-move.html

Man executes family of 8 in Texas Associated Press / August 9, 2015 A family of six children and two parents were restrained and fatally shot in the head at a Houston home by a man with a violent criminal history who had previously been in a relationship with the mother, authorities said Sunday. David Conley, 48, was charged with capital murder in the deaths. Conley, who is being held in Harris County Jail, didn't appear at a court hearing Sunday where an arrest affidavit was read. The judge denied him bond. The dead were identified as parents Dewayne Jackson, 50, his wife Valerie Jackson, 40, and children Nathaniel, 13, Dewayne, 10, Honesty, 11, Caleb, 9, Trinity, and Jonah, 6. Nathaniel was believed to be Conley's son from the relationship with Valerie Jackson. "We do not — cannot — fully comprehend the motivation of an individual that would take the lives of so many innocent people. Especially the lives of the youngest," Harris County Chief Deputy Tim Cannon said. "The killer's motives appear to be related to a dispute with Valerie, who was a former domestic partner." Conley told police that he discovered on Saturday morning that the locks had been changed at the home after he had moved out. He entered the home through an unlocked window, according to the affidavit. Officials with the Harris County Sheriff's Office later responded to a request to do a welfare check at the house and got no response at the door. They saw through a window a male on the floor with a gunshot wound. Police then heard gunshots coming from the front of the house. A standoff ensued between officers and Conley. He later gave himself up to authorities and was arrested. Court records show Conley's criminal history dates back to at least 1988, with the most recent incident last month, when was charged with assault of a family member. In court documents, authorities say the suspect had been arrested for allegedly assaulting the woman he was living with at the home where the bodies were found. Documents say he was in a dating relationship with the woman. It was not immediately clear if the woman in the previous incidents was Valerie Jackson. Court documents said Conley pushed the woman's head against a refrigerator multiple times after she tried to stop him from disciplining her son with a belt. The case was still pending. In 2013, he was charged with aggravated assault for threatening the same woman with a knife. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine months in the county jail. In 2000, he was arrested for retaliation, accused of putting a knife to his then-girlfriend, threatening to kill her, her baby and himself. That came after she filed an assault charge against him for cutting her with a knife and punching her in the face. He was sentenced to five years in prison for retaliation.

An act of pure sacrilege, the Australian government suggests Vegemite sales be limited BBC / August 9, 2015 Australia's government says some communities should consider limiting the sale of the popular Vegemite spread because it is being used to make alcohol. It says the yeast-based product is contributing to anti-social behaviour in some remote communities. Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion described the salty spread as a "precursor to misery". He said it was being bought in bulk to make moonshine. Brewer's yeast is a key ingredient in the spread and is used in the production of beer and ale. In communities where alcohol is banned because of addiction problems, Mr Scullion said Vegemite sales should also be restricted. "Businesses in these communities... have a responsibility to report any purchase that may raise their own suspicions," he said. The minister added that in some cases, children were failing to turn up to school because they were too hung-over, and that Vegemite was an increasingly common factor in domestic violence cases. But Dr John Boffa of the People's Alcohol Action Coalition, who is based in Alice Springs, in Australia's Northern Territory, says the problem is not widespread. "We're talking about an isolated problem in a couple of communities around a very large nation, and a nation where there is a very large number of Aboriginal communities, and every community is different," he told the BBC. He said there might be a need for some local initiatives, but that these should be initiated by the communities themselves. Vegemite started as a war-time substitute for Marmite, and is now something of an Australian culinary icon, says the BBC's Jon Donnison in Sydney. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-33839742 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note that the government did not suggest that UK-produced Unilever Marmite or New Zealand-produced Sanitarium Marmite sales be curbed. The plot thickens……………… Alcohol can also be produced from potatoes, corn, wheat and rye. Shall Australia ban these common every day items as well? Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion should be brought up on charges for insulting the good name of a national icon. With this news, I'm stocking up on Vegemite when I pass thru HK this week.

FYI: Brazilian market (left-hand drive) International 9800i Pro Sleeper review

Automotive Business / August 5, 2015 Navistar’s Canoas plant may soon be producing Chinese trucks. With the drastic slow down in production at Navistar’s Brazilan Canoas plant, rumors have been circulating that the facility could close as early as the beginning of 2016 if new business is not acquired. Currently, the 700 employee plant is assembling 4400i (Durastar) medium and medium-heavy trucks, and 9800i 6x4 heavy tractors, as well as assembling General Motors 2.8 liter Duramax diesel engines under contract. Last week, metalworkers union president Paul Chintolina informed workers that the GM engine contract would end two years early, in February 2016. Chintolina also announced that Navistar plans to relocate Canoas’ function as Navistar’s Brazilian spare parts distribution center (PDC) for truck and engine parts to the MWM International engine plant in São Paulo. He said, with that change, there was little chance of truck production surviving at Canoas with just two products being produced in extremely low volumes. Navistar officials have refused to comment. Navistar has spoken with China’s JAC on assembling their light commercial trucks under contract at Canoas. Navistar and JAC have been discussing many forms of possible cooperation in China since 2011. Talks finally came to a head this May, and JAC decided to pass owing to Brazil's imploding truck market. In Brazil, foreign truckmakers must realistically assemble trucks from CKD (completely knocked down) kits in order to avoid high import tariffs on SKD (semi-knocked down) kits and CBUs (completely built units). JAC entered the Brazilian market in 2011 selling cars and light commercial trucks, and established a local car plant in 2014. Navistar has also held talks with Chinese heavy truck maker Sinotruk, but discussions ended with the Brazilian market downturn. Navistar, trying to promote its Canoas plant as a low cost manufacturing option, has also been talking with Beijing-based light, medium and heavy truckmaker Foton. The Chinese truckmaker had announced plans in 2013 to build a truck plant in Rio Grande do Sul, beginning production in 2016. However, the deal has been held up due to problems with land donation and funding of the US$70.7 million project. In an interview last week, Foton Brazil director Luiz Carlos Paraguassu acknowledged the projects long running delay and said truck production would finally start in the beginning of 2016, even if in a temporary facility, because the company must commence production by that time or lose its tax-exempt status. Navistar’s Canoas plant would provide Foton with an inexpensive, if not temporary, solution. Cooperation with Foton may be the only viable way for Navistar to keep its Brazilian truck production line open in Canoas. About 150 of the facilities 700 employees work on the truck assembly line.. During the first half of 2015, only 50 new International trucks were sold and registered in Brazil. Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/38944-is-the-end-near-again-for-navistar-in-brazil/?hl=canoas .

Automotive Business / August 5, 2015 General Motors has confirmed that it will end its engine manufacturing agreement next year with Navistar’s MWM International Motores diesel engine operation in Canoas, Brazil. MWM International has been producing 2.8 liter Duramax diesel engines under license for GM which are used in the Latin American market S10 pickup and Trailblazer SUV, and now in the new U.S. market Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. GM says the agreement will end in February 2016, at which time production will be transferred to one of GM’s own Brazilian plants. GM originally awarded MWM International the 2.8 liter Duramax diesel engine contract in July 2008, with deliveries beginning in November 2011, coinciding with the arrival of the next generation GM global market pickup, and run to 2018. At the time, MWM International president and CEO Waldey Sanchez said the company would invest US$80 million at its plants in Canoas (Rio Grande du Sul) and Santo Amaro,(São Paulo) in Brazil; and Jesus Maria in Argentina; and create 400 new jobs to meet the requirements of the GM contract. From 1964 to 2008, International MWM produced almost 780,000 engines under contract for GM trucks, pickups and SUVs. The new-for-2015 U.S. market Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon is based on the new-for-2011 global market Chevrolet Colorado produced in Thailand and Brazil GM produces 2.8-liter Duramax diesel engines for Thai production at its own engine plant in Thailand. When the launch of the new Colorado (badged S-10) and Trailblazer in Brazil, the engine contract was hailed as the largest in the history of MWM International. Engine volumes were expected to reach 60,000 units annually. Neither company will comment on why the agreement will end two years early. Currently, GM only produces flex-fuel ethanol engines in Brazil at two plants: São José dos Campos and Joinville. Production began in 2013. The S-10 and Trailblazer are manufactured at GM’s San Jose plant. Related reading: http://www.chevrolet.com.br/ http://en.chevrolet.co.th/cars/trailblazer/model-overview.html http://www.mwm.com.br/site.aspx/Home-En

Transport Engineer / August 7, 2015 Barnstable, Devon based haulier William C Hockin (Transport) has taken delivery of its first Iveco trucks – two Euro 6 Stralis Hi-Way 6x2 twin-steer (AS440S46TXP) tractor units. The Stralis tractors join the company's fleet of more than 100 commercial vehicles and initial feedback has been "good". "We had heard good reports of the Stralis Hi-Way so were keen to run our own evaluation," states managing director Bill Hockin. "Initial reports have been encouraging with good results on the fuel front, even when taking into account that the vehicles are still new," he continues. "We carry out all our own maintenance, and operations to date have been trouble free.... Coupled with positive comments from the drivers, it's made for a very encouraging start." Each of his Stralis tractor units was specified with the Cursor 11 460bhp engine (which delivers 2,150 Nm of torque between 925 and 1,500rpm) matched with Iveco's standard EuroTronic (ZF) automated transmission. Efficiency should be good, since the Stralis Hi-Way has Iveco's patented HI-SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system, which meets Euro 6 emissions standards without exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). Iveco makes the point that, as a result, there is no requirement for increased engine cooling capacity, nor for active regeneration in the DPF (diesel particulate filter). This helps to deliver weight reduction and impressive fuel performance, says the firm, while the simplicity of the SCR-only approach means long service intervals for the DPF of up to 600,000km. "As the vehicles get more miles under their belt we will be better placed to evaluate the total cost of ownership," comments Hockin. "That's the number one consideration when running a large heavy truck fleet as intensively as we do, and was the key driver in us ordering our first Iveco vehicles." Delivered by dealer Hendy Van & Truck, the new vehicles will trunk more than 130,000 km per year operating with a mix of curtainsiders, flatbeds and tankers. Related reading - http://www.iveco.com/uk/products/pages/stralis-hi-way-hi-profitability.aspx .

Transport Engineer / August 7, 2015 ContiTech has developed cold-resistant air springs – based on a novel rubber compound – for trucks and semi-trailers running in extremes of temperature. According to Diethelm Bauch, head of commercial vehicle original equipment at ContiTech Air Spring Systems, the new units remain elastic even at the lowest temperatures. "Conventional air springs lose their elasticity at low sub-zero temperatures and can develop leaks," states Bauch. "With the new air spring, trucks are optimally equipped to operate in temperatures as low as -55°C / -67°F," he says, adding that the new bags are badged with a distinctive snowflake symbol, as used on Continental winter tyres. Bauch says Conti's first generation air springs have already proved successful in Siberia, and that the company has now brought out more variants – as well as versions for high temperatures up to 80°C / -176°C (bearing a sun symbol). Bauch makes the point that ContiTech operates its own laboratories worldwide as well as a certified test centre in Hanover (Germany), which was used to simulate not only heat and cold but also road tests. "This reduces development times and strengthens our role as a development partner," he explains. "Our decades of experience in regions with extreme climates and our extensive knowledge in development set us apart. "As such, we are experiencing an ever-increasing demand from commercial vehicle manufacturers for these high-tech products."

Prime Mover Magazine / August 6, 2015 As a result of fuel tax indexation, the fuel tax credit rate for fuel purchased for on-road use in eligible heavy vehicles increased from 12.76 cents per litre to 13.06 cents per litre on 1 August 2015. The fuel tax credit rate for powering auxiliary equipment also increased, from 38.9 cents per litre to 39.2 cents per litre. Operators will need to claim different fuel tax credit rates for fuel acquired before and from this date. According to the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), the ATO recommends that all operators use its online Fuel tax credit calculator to get fuel tax credit rates correct for your BAS. The calculator is also available on the ATO app. To find out more about these changes, visit the ATO's fuel schemes rates page.

Transport Topics / August 6, 2015 Navistar said its competitors have declined to participate in a fuel-economy challenge the manufacturer proposed last month to be held at its proving ground in Indiana. “International Truck has a long history of conducting competitive vehicle testing, and we still believe transparent, head-to-head testing using industry-recognized methodology of similarly spec’d competitive models is the most objective means to benchmark performance. It enables truck manufacturers to design better vehicles and allows customers to make more informed decisions,” the company said in a statement. The test would have compared fuel economy of each company’s best performing Class 8 truck against Navistar’s International. The showdown was scheduled to take place at the manufacturer’s new proving grounds in New Carlisle, Indiana, during the week of Aug. 31. Navistar said that, despite the rejection of its challenge, the company remains confident in the fuel economy and uptime of its current generation of vehicles. “Testing grounds and proving grounds are great for specific testing of vehicles — for specific performance attributes — but it does not represent the real conditions our trucks run in with our customers,” Diane Hames, Daimler Trucks North America’s general manager of sales and marketing, said July 27 about the challenge. The test would have been for on-highway sleeper model-year 2016 trucks with only factory-installed options allowed, including hardware, software and fluids. “We’re all proud of our trucks, and I believe that running our vehicles in an open and transparent forum, side by side, will not only raise the watermark but will also benefit each of our customers in this industry,” Navistar Senior Vice President Jeff Sass previously said in a statement.

For those who value the gained insight that historical knowledge inherently yields, this is a good read. https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/08/05/stalin_japan_hiroshima_occupation_hokkaido/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/05/30/the-bomb-didnt-beat-japan-stalin-did/

Car & Driver / August 2013 Looks good on paper, feels better in person. Little has changed since we got our first shot at the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel: The Donald’s coiffure remains a triumph of applied engineering, artisanal toast inexplicably is still a thing, and Ram remains the only full-size, half-ton pickup to offer a diesel. Soon, however, there will be new competition, albeit indirect. Nissan’s 2016 Titan XD tweener is scheduled to hit showrooms later this year packing a Cummins diesel V-8, and GM’s slightly smaller Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon twins are adding a diesel four-cylinder for 2016. For now, though, the Ram has the full-size, light-duty segment to itself. By the Numbers Ram announced late last year that 20 percent of all 1500 pickup production capacity—fully twice the projected figure—was dedicated to the EcoDiesel, and it remains higher than 15 percent. That statement should come as little surprise, as diesels typically offer two things truck buyers covet: torque and efficiency. As for the former, the Ram’s 3.0-liter turbocharged EcoDiesel V-6 cranks out 420 lb-ft at a relatively low 2000 rpm, ideal for doing truck stuff like towing, hauling, and crawling around in four-wheel-drive low-range while off-road. By comparison, Ram’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 is rated at 269 lb-ft, the big-dog 5.7-liter Hemi at 410 lb-ft. Although the diesel’s 240 horsepower can’t match the 305- and 395-hp figures of the gasoline V-6 and Hemi V-8, you’d never know it based on around-town driving. The diesel’s low-end grunt makes quick work of motivating all 5688 pounds of a 19-foot-long Crew Cab 1500 like our test model. Rated to tow an SAE J2807-certified 8560 pounds, the EcoDiesel bests an equivalent 1500 3.6-liter, which is rated for 7180 pounds. Option a Ram 1500 Crew Cab with the Hemi, however, and you can tow up to 10,150 pounds. (At that point, however, many shoppers with that much to lug might be tempted to just move up to a three-quarter- or one-ton diesel-powered machine like a Ram 3500, Ford Super Duty, or Chevy Silverado 3500 HD.) While these numbers accurately reflect capability, it’s easy to lend too much credence to paper victories when comparing trucks. Based on our real-world experience, the EcoDiesel’s torque and its linear response make it a perfect partner for truck duty regardless of payload. As for efficiency, the situation is a bit more complicated. Choosing the diesel option in the Ram 1500 will cost you $4960 over the base Hemi V-8 with a six-speed automatic, $4270 more than the V-6 with the eight-speed auto, and $3120 more than a Hemi with the eight-speed. For that sum, you not only get the 3.0-liter V-6 oil-burner, but also a 230-amp alternator, 800-amp battery, max-duty engine cooling, a 26-gallon fuel tank, and a 3.55:1 rear axle. The diesel also requires an upgrade to the 8HP70 eight-speed automatic, for $500. So you’re in for nearly $5K before you burn through your first tank of diesel fuel. Our test truck came equipped with the provocatively named Big Horn package ($1205), which brings a Class IV trailer hitch, an electric-shift transfer case, fog lamps, bright exhaust tips, a power driver’s seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, a folding rear seat, and a 115-volt AC outlet. Swapping in a 3.92:1 rear axle ($50) for the aforementioned 3.55:1 unit and adding front and rear rubber floor mats ($80) barely nicks the beer fund. Chrysler’s familiar Uconnect system ($1005) with the 8.4-inch screen and the usual complement of services (AM/FM/SiriusXM with Bluetooth, plus USB, SD, and auxiliary inputs) handles the infotainment chores. Our truck came with the 17-inch chrome wheel option instead of 20-inchers, triggering a $500 credit. In all, the extras added $6610, bringing the total price to $47,555. MPG and MPH With EPA ratings of 19 mpg city and 27 highway, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel tops the 16/23 estimates for the V-6 1500 Crew Cab and the 15/21 numbers for the same truck with the 5.7-liter Hemi and eight-speed auto. In our hands, the EcoDiesel returned 21 mpg in combined driving. We did witness an indicated 29 mpg on long, flat stretches of expressway at 65 mph in neighboring states with notoriously stringent speed-enforcement policies. (Hello, Cleveland!) Conversely, we were a little more aggressive with the accelerator pedal around town than the average owner is likely to be. Even so, when considered against the 15 mpg we saw in our test of a 2013 Ram 1500 V-6 and the 17 mpg of our 40,000-mile, long-term Ram 1500 Crew Cab V-6, the EcoDiesel’s 22 mpg is an impressive number. Somewhat less impressive is the zero-to-60-mph number, with the EcoDiesel taking 9.0 seconds, a full 1.2 longer than our departed long-term V-6 Ram. The quarter-mile measure fared similarly, the EcoDiesel’s 16.9-second time lagging slightly behind the long-termer’s 16.0-second run. Neither is going to win many races, but where the gasoline V-6 sometimes feels strained, the EcoDiesel just powers through, as if saying to the driver, “Yeah, what else ya got?” The wild card here, of course, is the Ford F-150 3.5-liter EcoBoost. Not content to simply match the EcoDiesel’s 420 lb-ft of torque, the twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 keeps 365 horsepower on tap, sufficient to knock out a 14.4-second quarter-mile time, as measured in our testing. At the same time, however, the Ford returned just 16 mpg in combined driving. Interestingly, despite an aluminum-intensive construction, the 2015 F-150 Crew Cab EcoBoost 4x4 we tested weighed in at 5577 pounds, just 111 pounds fewer than the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. It’ll take plenty of research to determine if dropping the extra coin on the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will pencil in your favor­. Your type of driving, payloads, trailering, annual mileage, and the cost of diesel in your area all will factor into the equation. However, no spreadsheet can illuminate how right the EcoDiesel feels from the driver’s seat. Photo Gallery - http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2015-ram-1500-4x4-ecodiesel-4x4-test-review#1

The police are withholding crime scene photographs as evidence. Why not have used a stun gun? But I did read this: Was Zachary Hammond shot from behind? During an undercover marijuana bust, a South Carolina police officer says the 19-year-old teen was driving a car and appeared to be veering toward the officer as if Hammond intended to run him over. The police officer says he shot and killed the teen in self-defense, but the family claims the autopsy proves the cop shot Zachary Hammond from behind. The unidentified South Carolina police officer said he feared for his life when Hammond allegedly started driving his vehicle at the cop. The officer was approaching the car with his gun drawn, so he opened fire, killing the teen. The reason the family feels that the police officer shot Zachary Hammond from behind is due to the autopsy report. According to the Associated Press, Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis says the teen died from a gunshot wound to the upper torso, but he did not indicate whether the shooting took place from behind or in front. Attorney Eric Bland claims the first shot hit Hammond in the left rear shoulder and the second bullet hit at a downward angle into his side from the rear, piercing the teen’s heart and lungs. “The shots were so close in proximity to each other that it would be physically impossible unless the car was stopped and the officer came up very close to an open window,” Bland said. “Picture a car going 20 miles an hour and I’m fortunate enough to get a shot off, and I hit you — there’s no way I can get the second shot if the car’s going 20 miles an hour.”