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The Condor was designed and built by American LaFrance, and sold by Freightliner under a license agreement.

Yes, this could get very interesting indeed. If you have a chance to look at the global brand trucks while you're overseas, you'll vividly see that each truckmaker has a distinctly different design culture. MAN compared to Iveco compared to DAF, they are all completely different. If Scania or MAN came to the US, they could create a conventional based on their COE cab, as has been done many times before. The original Freightliner Business Class conventional (1991-2001) utilized a COE cab from the Mercedes-Benz model LN. The stunning Freightliner Argosy II COE shares the same cab as the Century Class, Columbia and Coronado (the Argosy variant is 305mm wider). The Mack MS Mid-Liner COE shared the same cab used on the Mack CS Mid-Liner conventional, and Renault’s C, CBH and GBC conventional models. The DAF XT conventional is based on the DAF XF105 COE. Scania's T-Series utililzed the company's Bertone-designed 4-Series COE cab. The global market Volvo NH conventional was based on the FH/FM COE cab. The NH was full-width like the FH COE, while the North American market VN was a narrowed variant. And of course the impressive Iveco "Powerstar" conventional, under consideration to lead the return of Dodge heavy trucks in the US market, utilizes the Stralis COE cab. http://182.160.139.178/~hiway1/sites/default/files/Iveco%20-%20Powerstar.pdf

These Pinnacles all have 11.9-liter Cummins-Westport ISX12 G natural gas engines. And they're putting 8.9-liter Cummins-Westport ISLs in the refuse trucks.

Financially, Volkswagen towers over Volvo. North America is the only global region that VW Group's Scania and MAN truck units don't directly* participate in. Will VW decide to take advantage of Navistar's weakness and acquire the truckmaker, thus giving it a global presence in the heavy truck segment? That's a good question with several angles of thought. Speaking of profitability, the North American truck market is a far cry from its heyday, and not terribly profitable. But if you want to become the third global truckmaker (with operations in every region INCLUDING the U.S.), then................ In my humble opinion, Scania has become the global leader in heavy truck design. The other truckmakers build a good truck, but the industry's cutting edge innovation takes place at Scania. Frankly speaking, it's the company's culture. They're truck people with an incomparable passion for innovation and refinement. There's an immense sense of pride at Scania. From the very beginning, they never had it easy. Every step was a challenge. And this I believe created a much more embedded culture of innovation. The company culture at Navistar wouldn't mesh well with the Germans at VW Group. The purchase would only serve to instantly provide Scania (or MAN) with a U.S. distrubution network. *MAN sells marine engines in North America, and Scania sells industrial engines including marine engines.

Heavy Duty Trucking / June 2014 Who is Scania, and why should you care? Unlike Volkswagen, which is a household name in the U.S. because of its cars, the Scania name is not well-known here – although if you've been in the business for a long time, you may remember Scania's unsuccessful attempt to introduce its trucks to the U.S. market in the mid-'80s. Last month, Volkswagen, which already controlled more than 89% of the voting rights in the Swedish truck maker, made a 6.7 billion euro ($9.2 billion) takeover bid. VW's goal is to combine Scania with its Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles business and the German truck maker MAN. VW gained full control of MAN last year after taking a majority stake in 2011. This is a big step in the German automaker's plan to create a massive trucks alliance to compete in global markets against rivals Volvo and Daimler – both of which have U.S. truck operations as well. Observers believe North America will be included in these worldwide efforts. There are already some cross-Atlantic ties. Navistar shares engineering and engine development with MAN, Cummins with Scania. Rumors have long circulated that VW wants to buy a U.S. truck maker, such as Navistar or even Paccar. "We can now take the next logical and consistent step in our strategy to strengthen the operating integration of Scania, MAN and VW commercial vehicles," said Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn at VW's annual shareholder meeting in Hanover, Germany. Another big step was the recent hiring of Andreas Renschler to head the VW Truck Group. Before, for almost 10 years, Renschler was at the helm of Daimler Commercial Vehicles. With Daimler Trucks North America holding the market share leader position in the U.S., Renschler has valuable experience with the commercial truck market here. Europe's biggest automotive group, VW has the financial muscles to replicate in trucks the success of its multi-brand strategy in passenger cars. The VW-led alliance aims to deepen cooperation in areas including drivetrains, chassis and electronics. Because VW's commercial vehicle experience is primarily with cargo vans, it needs the heavy-truck muscle of MAN and Scania, especially Scania's expertise in advanced technology and top production skills and its high-end brand reputation. So who is Scania? Employing some 41,000 people, Scania operates in more than 100 countries throughout the world. It is a leading manufacturer of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications and of industrial and marine engines. The company already sells engines in the U.S. for boats and for construction, agriculture and stationary equipment. In 2013, net sales totaled SEK 86.8 billion ($13.10 billion) and net income amounted to SEK 6.2 billion (almost $1 million). Like Paccar in the U.S., Scania has a history of consistently showing profits. On the technical front, Scania has a long-established cooperation with America’s Cummins on fuel injection technology like XPI. Production takes place in Europe and South America, with facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. There are production facilities in Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Russia, Brazil and Argentina. Scania also has assembly operations in another 10 countries, operating in Africa, Asia and Australia. Scania’s product range is based on a unique modular system that allows a large variety of truck models to be built using a limited number of components and sub-assemblies. Some are also shared between trucks and buses. Scania’s production methods and environmental standards are the same the world over. Models and components are interchangeable between factories and continents. In theory, using far fewer than 20,000 components, Scania can produce almost 2 billion variants. During its 120 years of operation, Scania has built 1.6 million trucks and buses, of which more than 600,000 are considered to still be in regular operation. The company’s millionth truck was built in 2002. Only V-8 diesel meeting Euro 6 Today, Scania is the only manufacturer to offer V-8 truck engines that live up to the Euro 6 emissions standards, in 520, 580, and 730 horsepower versions. Euro 6 standards are similar to EPA 2010 standards in the U.S. This 16.4-liter V-8 engine was launched in 2000 as a completely new design, based on the unit cylinder use in all Scania engines for 9-, 12-, 13- and 16-liter engines. Scania has long been known for its powerful V-8 engines. Its first was introduced in 1969. The 14-liter with 350 horsepower at the time was Europe's most powerful truck engine – a title this engine kept for many years. As early as the summer of 2011, Scania let the press test-drive engines meeting Euro 6 requirements. The 13-liter, in-line six-cylinder engines with 440 and 480 horsepower were ready two and a half years before the standard took effect at the start of 2014. The 520- and 580-horsepower models followed by late summer 2013 and the 730-horsepower debuted in early winter 2013. How it started In 1911, two companies named Vabis and Scania merged to form Scania-Vabis. Scania can be described as one of the pioneers in the European vehicle industry, as its roots go back to 1891. Scania started with the production of bicycles and extended its operations to automobiles in the early 1900s. Its first truck appeared in 1902 and carried 1.5 tons of cargo. It was equipped with a 2-cylinder engine with 12 horsepower, placed under the driver’s seat. Scania was named after the Latin word for the province where it was located, "Skåne." Vabis (a Swedish acronym) was a manufacturing company founded in 1891 to produce railway carriages. It produced its first automobile in 1897 and then went for commercial vehicles. In 1902 Vabis built its first truck. It had a 2-cylinder, 12-horsepower engine and 1.5 ton-payload. Top speed was 12 km/hour, which was twice the speed of the ordinary trot of a work horse. The new combined company produced cars, complete buses, trucks, and special vehicles such as fire engines. Production of bicycles and railway carriages was discontinued.

The transverse torque rod is not rebuildable. Why don't you call Barry at Watts Mack with your model and serial number? He can easily and correctly look up all the parts you need, and quote you pricing (ie. air bags, shocks, transverse torque rod, and wheel seals).

Heavy Duty Trucking / June 17, 2014 Isuzu Commercial Truck of America this year is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Isuzu trucks in the U.S. market, and has restored the very first Isuzu ever sold in this country. The model KS22, the first Isuzu truck in America, arrived at the Port of Jacksonville, Fla., on November 10, 1984. It had no tilt cab and was powered by an 87-horsepower engine. In 1986, Isuzu trucks became the best-selling low cab forward truck in the United States, a position held ever since. Today, Isuzu trucks command 80% of the U.S. low cab forward truck market. The truck will be featured at Isuzu's dealer meeting in October. Highlights of Isuzu Truck History 2013: Isuzu N-Series is named Medium-Duty Truck of the Year by Work Truck magazine 2010: Isuzu N-Series trucks are the first trucks in their class to be EPA 2010 and CARB HD-OBD compliant, and to be 50-state clean-idle certified. 2005: The 50,000th N/W-Series gasoline-powered truck is built in Janesville, Wisconsin. 2002: Cumulative sales of Isuzu trucks in the United States exceed 275,000 units. 1994: The first American-assembled gasoline-powered NPR-EFI is assembled in Janesville, Wisconsin 1986: R.L. Polk certifies Isuzu trucks as the best-selling import commercial truck in the United States. 1984: Isuzu trucks enter the U.S. market with the KS22. 1959: Isuzu Motors Limited introduces the world’s first 2-ton light-duty low cab forward truck, the first-generation of a line of vehicles now marketed in the United States as the N-Series. 1955: Isuzu diesel engines, diesel-powered snow tractors and other equipment are delivered to Japan’s Antarctic Observation Base. Isuzu equipment has been operational at the South Pole ever since. 1936: First air-cooled diesel engine built in Japan by Isuzu Motors Limited. 1919: First truck in Japan built by the predecessor of Isuzu Motors Limited. .

Fleet Owner / Hune 17, 2014 Kenworth is now taking orders for its revamped K270 and K370 cabovers. The vehicles feature extensive new exterior and interior enhancements.New additions to the cabovers include a fresh exterior, new dash and gauge cluster, front air disc brakes, electronic braking module, Allison 6-speed transmission, push-button control shifter, and Dana rear axles. “With these key enhancements, Kenworth is bringing a new level of excellence of quality, innovation and comfort to the medium duty market,” said Doug Powell, Kenworth’s medium duty marketing manager. The K270 and K370 are standard with the 6.7L Paccar PX-7 engine rated at 220 hp. and 520 lbs.-ft, of torque, and the Allison 2100HS 5-speed transmission. Both truck models feature a standard air ride driver’s seat and 2-person bench seating with storage underneath. A new option is single driver and passenger seats with a large console with storage and cup holders in between. Available with wheelbases ranging from 142 to 242 in. in 12 in. increments, the Kenworth K270 and K370 can accommodate bodies from 16 to 28 ft. A large 2,500-sq.-in. wraparound windshield combines with large side windows to give optimum visibility. “Compared to a typical medium duty conventional, the K270 and K370 offer up to a 30% better curb-to-curb turning radius, a 63.4-in. BBC with an extra 45 in. of payload room, and a 35-ft. overall length which is rapidly becoming the new norm in major cities,” Powell said. For specialized applications, the Kenworth cabovers offer a new “clear rail” package that relocates the air tanks, DEF tank, battery box, and exhaust after treatment up behind the cab. This new option opens up room for custom bodies, such as street sweepers. .

You're quite right in that Scania engines are superb. With sales in over 100 countries around the world, Scania trucks come in many forms to meet both varying customer needs and country-unique homologation requirements. When I look at today’s Scania heavy truck, I see a brilliant pairing of form and function that results in unrivaled performance and low cost of operation. It is Scania’s ability to meet today’s challenges with the world’s most innovative heavy truck engineering that allows customers around the globe to maintain their competitive edge in this demanding business. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq-7km5JA0g Most people today seeing a Mack MH Ultra-Liner for the first time probably wouldn’t find its aesthetics attractive. But to me, like the Scania, the Mack MH Ultra-Liner represented a stunning example of form and function. There’s no doubt in my mind that the Mack MH Ultra-Liner was the finest heavy COE ever designed by a U.S. truckmaker. .

Press Release / June 13, 2014 Scania Top Team, Scania’s competition-like training program for its service technicians and parts experts, is about to begin. Some 8,000 participants from over 60 countries develop their skills by combining training and teamwork while competing. The resulting benefit for Scania customers is more effective service. Scania Top Team is an award-winning competitive training program developed to continually enhance the skills, knowledge, professionalism and teamwork in Scania’s workshops all over the world. The competition also helps attract skilled professionals to the industry. “The ultimate goal for Scania workshops worldwide is to provide services that support customers’ business,” says Christian Levin, Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations at Scania. “This in turn requires a highly proficient service staff. Scania Top Team is a fantastic way of celebrating the brains, technological skills and teamwork that characterise the people who work in the front line every day.” True to Scania’s continuous improvement philosophy, Scania Top Team has developed from a national training event 25 years ago into today’s global training program. This year’s is the ninth such event at an international level, and it is bigger than ever. More than 8,000 participants from over 60 countries will be trained in service-related theory and practice at Scania workshops worldwide. The national rounds start up with theory assignments and finish off with a national final that includes both practice and theory. The winners of the national rounds meet at five international regional rounds. Of those, 10 teams will qualify for the world final at Scania’s corporate headquarters in Södertälje, Sweden, during 3–5 December 2015. .

Diesel News Australia / June 12, 2014 Heavy Haulage Australia has announced two major contracts with two major gas industry companies for heavy haulage work around Queensland and around the country. The deals, with Titan Energy Services and Santos QLD Upstream Developments come at a time when the LNG and CSG markets remain buoyant. HHA reckon the two contracts add $30 million per annum to the company’s revenue. The contracts for these works commence mid-2014 and are both three year initial term plus an additional year as an option. The contracts relate to heavy haul and over dimensional cargo movements supplying CSG infrastructure in Western and Central Queensland as well as modular camp and coal seam gas drill rig movements throughout Australia. “HHA has been quite purposeful in how it has positioned itself within the renewable energy marketplace,” said Jon Kelly, Heavy Haulage Australia‘s Managing Director.”This foresight has enabled HHA to flourish in a depressed transport landscape. “I am very proud to be associated with both of these Blue Chip Corporates. The Titan award will provide HHA its first opportunity since 2012 to evidence its market leading service, meticulous planning (including engineering when applicable) and safety practices to the Oil and Gas Drilling Industry. “I am looking forward to forming a strong partnership with Titan and its subsidiaries with a view of a mutually beneficial relationship for not on the initial contracted term but for many terms post. The Santos award evidences HHA’s market leading service offering to the EPC’s connected with the CSG projects throughout Queensland.” http://www.dieselnews.com.au/major-gas-contracts-for-hha/ .

To date, we’ve discussed the gas turbine research of Chevrolet, Cummins, Ford, Freightliner, GMC, International Harvester, Mack Trucks and Paccar (Boeing). We even mentioned French truckmaker Berliet’s gas turbine-powered T100 “Tulsa”. So we would certainly be remiss if we didn’t mention the gas turbine-powered Autocar GT7464TDB 6x4 COE tractor. Research began in 1966 at the company’s Exton, Pennsylvania plant and a running prototype emerged in 1967. The truck was road-tested throughout Canada. Autocar took advantage of the resources available to it thru its ownership by White Motor Company, and utilized a modified White 7000 COE cab and chassis for the project. Note the Autocar emblem above the grille, and generously sized fuel tanks. Also note how in the one photo, Autocar engineers appear to have created an extended cab design which hides the turbine’s unsightly exhaust stacks from view. Power was generated by a model OT-4 recuperative two-stage axial flow gas turbine produced by the Orenda division of Hawker Siddeley Canada. The OT-4 was rated at an impressive 600 horsepower and weighed in at 2,294 pounds. Like the Garrett GT-601 gas turbine used by Mack Trucks, the OT-4 was also evaluated in military applications as well including the M-48 "Patton" main battle tank. Gas turbine-powered naval craft included the Flying DUKW, LARC V, LCA (landing craft assault) and the Chrysler-built LVH-X1 (landing vehicle hydrofoil-experimental) and LVW-X1 (landing vehicle wheeled-experimental). http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31891-the-gas-turbine-general-motors-bison-iii/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31898-the-gas-turbine-chevrolet-turbo-titan-iii/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32110-where-was-cummins-during-the-gas-turbine-truck-race/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32038-fords-futuristic-gas-turbine-big-red/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32060-the-ford-w-1000-gas-turbine/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31978-freightliners-turboliners/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31951-the-gmc-astro-95-and-astro-ss-gas-turbine-tractors/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32139-the-turbostar-from-international/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32014-the-gt-601-gas-turbine-powered-macks/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/ .

Diesel News Australia / June 11, 2014 Cat Truck’s second model release for 2014, the high roofed CT630SC sleeper cab is based on the shorter CT630S released earlier this year. The Cat CT630SC retains the dimensions allowing the prime mover to fit inside the 26-metre (85.3 feet) 34-pallet B-double envelope, but with a full height sleeper cab. This latest release sees Navistar aligning its models to the Australian road rules and coming up with specifications closer to those required by the Australian trucking industry. By moving the cabin forward, when compared to the earlier models, and now developing an Australian designed and built high roof sleeper, a number of boxes have now been ticked, that weren’t in the past. Cat describes the SC sleeper as a 40 inch mid-rise design with an internal width of 2250mm (88.6 inches) and a 1975mm (77.8 inches) of standing room. The sleeper is fitted with a 711 mm (28 inch) wide innerspring mattress. This latest design also includes lockers on either side accessible from both inside and outside, something which has been missing from Cat product up until now. The SC sleeper is designed and built in Australia, and also includes a spacious storage compartment under the bunk (with room for an optional fridge), and a scalloped rear wall to optimize trailer clearance. “It was always part of our product planning that the SC would quickly follow the CT630S in the Cat Trucks model range,” said Kevin Dennis, Managing Director of Navistar Auspac (the new name for NC2 in Australia). “We already have the factory-fitted integral sleeper cab for shorthaul and regional roles but the SC is the critical addition to our range for linehaul B-doubles, and even B-triples.” “B-doubles dominate the linehaul freight industry and the need for a roomy, modern sleeper design that provides the driver with high levels of comfort and convenience yet maintains the ability to fit diverse trailer configurations within the 26-metre (85.3 feet), 34-pallet B-double envelope is more important than ever,” The two models released this year have shown Cat bringing the yellow engined trucks into line with Australian needs. In the past, the truck designs were simply adaptations of the Navistar designs sold in the US as Internationals, now a genuine Australian design focus is likely to better suit Aussie buyers. http://www.cattrucks.com.au/trucks/ct630sc/ .

With operations in Australia since 1903, International Harvester established the Dandenong vehicle assembly plant in 1952. In continuous operation ever since, the facility has assembled over 225,000 trucks and bus chassis. International Harvester became International Trucks in 1989. Iveco purchased International Trucks Australia in 1992. Iveco being an unknown name down under, was allowed under the sale agreement to continue using the International name for 10 years in Australia and New Zealand. After the 1992 purchase, it was known as International Iveco Trucks Australia, and from 2001 as Iveco Trucks Australia. In early 2004, Navistar entered into a production agreement with Iveco resulting in International-branded trucks returned to the Dandenong production line in the form of 9900i and 9200i Eagle tractors. In recent years, Navistar had been importing trucks from North America and converting locally to right-hand drive. Navistar added the 7600 to Dandenong production in 2007. .

ACCO Walk-Around . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z83mTwL8TiI

One of the advantages of the vehicles being fully manufactured in the one facility is that IVECO can work closely with the companies producing the machinery and bodywork that will be attached to the chassis in order to ensure the correct positioning of bolt holes and other fastening points. “We can be very responsive to our customers,” Reeman said. “We can build a one-off design or 100 copies of it and still be competitive in terms of price and time to manufacture.” ACCO trucks have almost become the de facto platform for the vocational market throughout Australia. Long popular as a mixer chassis, the ACCO’s strong and stable design allows it to withstand the stresses associated with having six to seven tons of concrete revolving on its back. The same characteristics also make it an ideal platform for mounting refuse bodies. The ACCO cab can be ordered with factory-installed dual steering to support front, rear and side-loading waste operations. The ACCO has long been ideal for customers looking for a sturdy, no-nonsense fleet vehicle. Over time, the robust reliability of the ACCO range has made the cost of ownership, combined purchase price and maintenance, repair and running costs, extremely economical. .

After International Harvester purchased English truckmaker Seddon Atkinson in 1974, a brand with a long presence in Australia, International introduced a Seddon Atkinson-badged version of the ACCO at Dandenong known as the F-4870 from 1980 thru 1989). The Seddon Atkinson F-4870 utilized a widened version of the Acco cab, and had an engine hump instead of a flat floor (International continued to build true Seddon Atkinson models in the UK). .

The ACCO (Australian Constructed Cab Over) was launched in 1972 as a modern replacement for the civilian model AACO. Over its long life, the basic shape of the ACCO has remained virtually unchanged. A unique feature of the truck is that every part of its cab-chassis design has been engineered, designed and made at the Dandenong plant. Through a diverse range of machining and shaping processes, raw sheet metal is converted into the components of the cabin. The Dandenong plant produces up to 650 ACCO trucks each year and it has produced more than 78,000 ACCO trucks since the model’s inception. Lloyd Reeman started as a mail boy with International Harvester in 1969, and then moved on to sales where he sold his first truck of the current ACCO design in 1972. Today, Reeman is Director Key Accounts, Sales Division for IVECO Trucks Australia – and still sells all ACCO models. The basic form of the ACCO range since the ‘70s has been a utilitarian cab-over-engine (COE) design. The design has a simplicity that was recognised from the start as a strong, robust and safe truck. “The early ones were pretty basic trucks, with few creature comforts for the operators,” Reeman said. Since the first truck rolled off the production line, more than 4,000 design modifications and additions have been made. “Many changes were implemented in response to customer requirements, but also the evolving health and safety legislation. We added air conditioning, different suspensions, insulation and power steering, among many other innovations to suit changing market requirements,” he said. .

The ACCO was born out of International Harvester’s desire to meet the vehicle needs of Australia’s military. The country was seeking to replace its World War 2 vintage GMC and Studebaker tactical trucks. The Australian Army told International engineers that they wanted a forward-control design like the Chevrolet “Blitz” produced during the Second World War for the Canadian military. The result was the International AACO (Australian Army Cab Over) tactical truck in both 4x4 and 6x6 configurations, first appearing on the drawing board in the early 1960s, and in prototype form in 1963. .

Forty-two years ago, a legendary truck designed and built by Australians was born. Still in production today, the ACCO continues to improve with age. Born under the roof of International Harvester, the innovative ACCO combines real-world functionality with the ability to stand up to some of the harshest driving conditions in the world. The ACCO truck range is now owned by Iveco Trucks Australia, and continues to be produced at the same manufacturing facility in Dandenong, Victoria where it was born. The vast majority of the 2,000 Iveco-branded trucks that travel over three million kilometres every week are ACCOs. Active in every transport segment from food distribution to refuse, the ACCO has long been a part of Australia. .

The US does indeed need to join the rest of the world and use the "Euro" emissions standards, abandoning EPA2010 and adopting Euro-6. Currently, with or without EGR, a DPF is still needed to reach Euro-6/EPA2010 (we're VERY close to not needing it). But advances are being made which could change that. New forms of ultra-high pressure injection are in development, which could possibly eliminate the need for a DPF. So the possibility of a non-EGR engine with SCR, sans a DPF, is a future possibility. Of course, the entire powertrain continues to evolve as we speak. Keep an eye on Scania for leading edge developments in heavy truck diesel engine technology.

Transport Topics / June 5, 2014 Navistar International Corp. announced June 5 that its fiscal second-quarter loss narrowed from a year ago as its Class 8 truck orders and market share improved. The maker of International brand trucks reported a loss of $297 million, or $3.65 per share, down from $374 million, or $4.65, a year ago. Navistar also boosted its Class 8 industrywide truck sales forecast to a range of 225,000 to 235,000, from a previous projection of 220,000 to 230,000. Its North American truck segment’s loss narrowed to $134 million, from $303 million a year ago. Revenue for the quarter ended April 30 rose 10% to $2.75 billion from $2.5 billion. “We have seen a number of encouraging signs this quarter, including improvements in our market share and strong order backlog, positive trends in our warranty expense and spend, and higher than expected structural cost reductions,” CEO Troy Clarke said. The period was the third consecutive quarter the truck maker has met or exceeded its guidance for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, Clarke said in a statement. Second-quarter EBITDA was $82 million after charges and adjustments, compared with its guidance of $25 million to $75 million. Orders and retail market share for both medium- and heavy-duty trucks improved sequentially and year-over-year. Navistar’s combined Class 8 retail market share was 14.9%, up from 13.9% in the previous quarter and 14.5% in the same quarter last year.

Exactly. Volkswagen AG has never expressed any interest in Paccar. However the company continues to consider Navistar from a distance. If you say it's been reported, where is the link to the news report?

Bloomberg / June 4, 2014 The 70-hour cap on a U.S. trucker’s workweek has a chance of being eased by Congress, undoing the result of a 15-year effort to reduce highway fatalities caused by drowsy long-haul drivers. The main federal regulation requiring truckers to take an extended break after reaching weekly time limits would be suspended under an amendment set for a vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee tomorrow. The new rule had taken effect in July 2013 and immediately drew criticism from the industry. The suspension, which would restore the industry’s 82-hour “workweek,” is intended to force the Transportation Department to address some of the regulation’s fallout, said Kevin Kelly, a spokesman for Senator Susan Collins, the Maine Republican sponsoring the amendment. The industry has said that the rule’s requirements for scheduling rest breaks at night forced more trucks onto the road during the daytime when traffic is most congested. “What has become clear during the past 11 months is that the new federal rules have presented some unintended consequences that may not be in the best interest of public safety, truck drivers and the businesses and customers who depend on their services,” Kelly said in an interview. The regulations took effect after more than 15 years of legal wrangling over sleep science, the role of fatigue in truck crashes, and how the costs of hiring more drivers to deliver freight would ripple through the economy. Truck Crashes “At the heart of this rule is an expectation to minimize the risk when tired drivers are behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound truck,” Anne Ferro, head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said in an interview. “The hours are exceedingly long.” The Senate amendment, if passed, would be attached to a broad transportation funding bill that would have to be approved by the full Senate and later reconciled with appropriations legislation in the House of Representatives. Truck crashes caused 3,912 fatalities in 2012, and the fatal-crash rate increased each year from 2009 through 2012, reversing a five-year trend. The hours-of-service regulation was expected to prevent 1,400 truck crashes a year, saving 19 lives and avoiding 560 injuries. 34-Hour Restart The trucking industry and business groups that rely on trucks to deliver their goods argue that FMCSA’s rest rules, which were made final in December 2011 and took effect July 1, 2013, have affected more companies than the agency projected. The American Trucking Association and its allies said regulators hadn’t done the research or analysis necessary to justify the changes, according to a letter they sent to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, and Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, the panel’s senior Republican. The trucking groups said they’re most concerned with the provision that forces drivers to take 34 hours off, which must include being off the road from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. on two consecutive days during that period. This 34-hour “restart” requirement, which begins the clock ticking on a new work week, was intended to make sure drivers got enough sleep. The 34-hour restart only is required if a driver has reached the maximum weekly limits of 70 hours over eight days or 60 hours over seven days. Rush Hour There’s nothing in the regulation that forces drivers onto the road during rush hours, Ferro said. Drivers can set their own schedules and drive at night if they wish. There’s no requirement to get on the road the minute a 34-hour rest period ends at 5 a.m., she said. The vast majority of trucking companies don’t hit the 70-hour maximum, Ferro said. For 85 percent of drivers, it’s a non-issue, she said. The rules were written only after an extensive review of medical research on what human beings need to reduce fatigue, Ferro said. The agency held hearings across the country to gather industry input and reviewed more than 20,000 public comments, she said. Most of the companies that have been affected have already made the necessary investments to comply, through new agreements with shippers, reworking schedules and adjusting networks, Ferro said. Reversing the rules now would reward companies that have dragged their heels, while punishing those who have played by the rules, she said. Industry Cost The segment of the industry pushing the hardest for changes is relying on a system that shortchanges drivers, including forcing them to wait at loading docks, racking up hours of unpaid work, Ferro said. FMCSA won a U.S. Court of Appeals decision in August challenging the rules. The three-judge panel in Washington rejected most of the trucking industry’s arguments, describing them as “highly technical points best left to the agency.” That ruling capped years of wrangling over drive-time restrictions including two previous challenges before the appellate court. The court also ruled against groups including Public Citizen and the Truck Safety Coalition that said the rules didn’t go far enough. The final regulation was projected to cost about $470 million a year, with public safety and trucker health benefits of around $630 million. ‘Permanent Warfare’ Perhaps prematurely, the court said its decision would end the “permanent warfare” the regulatory battle had come to resemble. That was before trucking companies struggling to implement the regulations began complaining to Congress. None of the industry arguments ring true to Daphne Izer, the founder of Parents Against Tired Truckers, which has pushed for tighter rest rules for 20 years. The Lisbon, Maine, resident founded the group after her 17-year-old son, Jeff, and three of his friends were killed by a fatigued truck driver. Collins hasn’t spoken to her constituent as she has been crafting the Senate amendment, which Izer describes as a “back-door way of sneaking it in.” “This is fighting the battle all over again,” Izer said in an interview. “I’m mad, but I’m not doing this just to be angry. It’s hope for the future. It’s sparing others from going through what we’ve been through.”

Press Release / May 8, 2014 Italian truckmaker Iveco’s engine supplier, FPT, has launched the new Cursor 16. “We’re pleased to be able to reveal the engine to the public for the first time. Every now and then there is a massive leap in engine development and performance; FPT Industrial has achieved this with the Cursor 16,” said FPT Industrial’s Sales Vice President Massimo Rubatto. The new Cursor 16 offers best in class power and torque density, rated and max power as well as service intervals, crafted in a compact design to make it one of the smallest engines in its range. The Cursor 16 delivers 18-litre performance in a 13-litre package. It utilizes proven technology and represents the top level of the successful Cursor Series engine family, renowned for its reliability and flexibility. The 15.9-litre, six-cylinder in-line engine will be available in two versions: single stage turbo and dual stage turbo. The new engine is designed with the performance and durability to exceed the needs of heavy hauling applications, with the second stage version offering a fuel economy advantage in high load factor operations. The Euro-6 (EPA2010) emissions engine, with four valves per cylinder, delivers up to 764 horsepower (570 kW) with maximum torque of 2,449 lb-ft (3,320 Nm) at 1,500 rpm in its single stage version, and up to 845 horsepower (630 kW) with maximum torque of 2,581 lb-ft (3,500 Nm) at 1,400 rpm in its double stage version. The Cursor 16 is the first FPT engine to adopt a Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) cylinder head, a high performance material providing high thermal and mechanical resistance. To be produced in FPT’s Bourbon Lancy plant in France, the Cursor 16 engine has been co-developed by FPT Industrial’s Research and Development teams in Arbon, Switzerland, and Turin, Italy. Combustion is optimized by the use of steel pistons, creating high peak cylinder pressure and, as a result, high power density and low Particulate Matter (PM) output. Combustion optimization is furthered with a FPT-developed double re-entrant combustion bowl, two different turbulent vortexes within the bowl allow for the accurate control of fuel and air mix to maximize performance and minimize emissions, while ensuring no residual fuel is left on the cylinder lining. The engine features a third generation ultra-high pressure common rail fuel injection system, of up to 2,200 bar, allowing a precise control of the injection process. The Cursor 16’s ball bearing turbocharger with wastegate further increases engine efficiency. FPT’s patented High Efficiency Selective Catalytic Reduction (HI-eSCR) technology is also utilized. Developed in-house to comply with Euro-6 emission regulations, the system reduces Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions by more than 95%. With no PM after-treatment system and the high power delivery potential without a mandatory air handling system, the HI-eSCR system increases reliability and lowers maintenance cost, while reducing operating costs over the entire product lifecycle. The compact system allows for the optimization of space and minimizes the weight impact due to integrated components. In addition to its power and efficiency improvements, noise and vibration reduction has been achieved by the use of a rear geartrain timing system. Cursor 16 15.9 – Single stage (turbocharger) with wastegate Architecture: In-line 6-cylinder engine Injection – Ultra-high Pressure Common Rail (up to 2,200 bar) Valves per cylinder: 4 Displacement (l): 15.9 Unitary displacement (l): 2.65 Bore per stroke (mm): 141 x 170 Stroke/bore ratio: 1.21 Compression ratio: 16.5:1 Power range (rated hp): 644 / 691 / 764 Max torque (lb-ft @rpm): 2,205 (2,449 for 764hp rating only) @ 1,500 Dry weight (lb): 2,910 Dimensions (mm) L / W /H: 1,378 / 951 / 1,326 Cursor 16 15.9 – 2-stage (dual turbochargers) Architecture: In-line 6-cyliner engine Injection – Ultra-high Pressure Common Rail (up to 2,200 bar) Valves per cylinder: 4 Displacement (l): 15.9 Unitary displacement (l): 2.65 Bore per stroke (mm): 141 x 170 Stroke/bore ratio: 1.21 Compression ratio: 15.5:1 Power range (rated hp): 697 / 805 Power range (peak hp): 724 / 845 Max torque (lb-ft @rpm): 2,581 @ 1,400 Dry weight (lb): 3,197 Dimensions (mm) L / W /H: 1,378 / 1,010 / 1,326 .