If I Were In Charge Of Mack

[ThaddeusW]

My post in the "Moving the Dog" topic got me thinking of how wrong Volvo's approach to the North American market is.

To me the ideal Mack lineup should be exactly like what we have today but with all or most options available for all trucks and a new model or two:

-First off the Titan has all the grunt to get any job done but only serves the vocational market. Give it sleeper options so it can roam the open roads with big loads!

-The granite is a great vocational truck but it could do with sleeper options. The Volvo VHD vocational truck has a sleeper option.

-The Vision is the Mack aero truck but lacks the big power options the T2000, Volvo VN and the PB 386 and 387. Give it a bigger hood option and sneak an MP10 under there. Volvo offers the D16 and ISX in the VN which is only 5 inches longer then the Visions BBC. A big power Vision might be more attractive. Also it could do with some more vocational friendly options like camel-back and heavy axles. Who says the Vision wouldent make a fine looking dump truck or lowboy tractor?

-The CH is stuck in Limbo! It shares the same name as the more aero style Pinnacle (Vision) but offers no real gain save for having a forward axle. Either cut that model or give it a fresh new life! How about we call the CH the new Superliner, offer the MP10 at full HP and maybe even the ISX. Give it axle back and axle forward options with a long BBC to fit the big power engines. Then target that truck at highway, O/O and vocational use just like the good ol RW did! Maybe keep the shorter CH hood length as an option for a "lite" MP7/8 powered superliner. The Titan is great but to some it might look and feel too big for a highway truck, the Superliner will fill that gap nicely. It will also fill the need for a vocational truck with more power than the Granite but not as big as the Titan.

-Both Mack and Volvo have no models to compete in the lucrative 6 and 7 market . But Mack already does have such a model down under called the Metroliner. Bring the Metroliner here, power it with Cummins ISC/ISL engines and offer a good number of options including sleepers and beefy axles so it can do most anything. Also offer a low pro version and hydraulic brakes for a class 6 version. Paccar has both the Pete 330 series and KW has the T300 series, why cant Mack compete with them in the high end class 6/7 market? Don't even change the cab interior just try and fit a bench seat for a third man. The big class 6&7 players are International and Freightliner with Hino gaining ground.

-This is a bit of a maybe but why not offer an extended cab or sleeper that has a bench seat instead of a bed so it can seat more people? Maybe even a crew cab option too. But the catch is EVERY model should be able to have these options. So a five/six seat extended cab or four door Titan/Superliner/Granit/Pinnacle/Metroliner is possible. If it can be done with the standard cab there is no reason every model should not have the option.

-All conventional models should have EVERY sleeper offered! Even the Metroliner!

So in summary the Mack lineup should look like this:

Titan - The Vocational beast that will do ANY job with tons of options.

Superliner - Classy, powerful, versatile vocational and highway truck. (replaces Pinnacle axle forward)

Granite - The vocational workhorse that can handle tight spots and most any job with tons of options.

Pinnacle - Fuel efficient, manouverable Aero Highway truck with vocational ability.

Metroliner - The puppy with plenty of flexibility to handle jobs that the above trucks are too big for without being puny.

Terrapro - Nothing to add here, its perfect .

Sure reality is much different than this but if production wasn't all over the country and was moved to under one roof it could happen.

Also It would be interesting to look into some more exotic options like highway capable planetary axles for vocational use and the hydrostatic addi-drive front axle for a quasi all wheel drive system. Hell Mack could also offer a special order cabover for those who still desire one. Just do what they did in Australia and drop a Renault cab onto an existing CH or Granite frame and give it day/sleeper/high sleeper options and vocational ability. I am sure some sales could be generated from California Operators as well as enclosed car haulers who have to sacrifice capacity because no more cabovers are offered. No need to engineer a whole new truck just develope Mack frame cab mounts and reroute the exhaust a bit, the MR is a cabover so it is nothing new for the production line. Using an existing European cab is a fast and efficient way to bring a safe and comfortable cabover to the NA market. You dont even need a production line for the cab just order them pre assembled and painted from Europe.