When Freightliner ran Volvo in America

[kscarbel]

Volvo entered U.S. market some 38 years in 1974. They signed a few dealers and introduced the F86(US). But not unlike today, they didn’t understand the U.S. market and their launch failed miserably.

In 1978, a frustrated Volvo decided to try again. Volvo signed an agreement with Freightliner Corporation under which Freightliner became the exclusive importer and distributor of Volvo trucks in the U.S. market. At the same time, the N10(US) conventional was added, and the F6 and F7 replaced the obsolete F86.

The agreement was a savvy move by Freightliner, providing its dealers for the first time with a complete product range from medium to heavy with which to compete in every market segment.

But just as Volvo began to penetrate the U.S. market under the experienced hand of Freightliner, the arrangement ended in May 1981 when Consolidated Freightways sold its Freightliner truck manufacturing unit to Daimler, thus cancelling the Freightliner/Volvo agreement.

In August 1981, Volvo purchased the assets of White Motor Company (with the exception of the Cleveland, Ohio plant due to its age and large pension fund liability) to regain a U.S. sales network (White had gone into bankruptcy in September, 1980). Still making no headway (or profit), Volvo purchased a majority stake in General Motor's heavy truck division (GMC) in 1987 to form the Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corp. joint venture and the WHITEGMC brand. GM sold its minority stake in the JV in 1997, and Volvo GM Heavy Truck evolved into Volvo Trucks North America.

These acquisitions by the Germans and the Swedes marked the beginning of their battle for dominance in the North American market, and the decline of the U.S. truckmakers. Today in year 2013, as a result of a flagging desire to dominate in our own truck market, the majority of heavy trucks on America's roads today are produced by foreign companies.

[Green Dash]

So it was Volvo that combined White and GMC? I thought that happened prior to the Volvo takeover.

As always, great info and pics.

[RFCDrum]

God I got a ton of brochures lurking around. Don't get me started.

Rob

[DailyDiesel]

Very interesting. It is strange and a little upsetting when you realize that only two domestic truck manufacturers remain intact, PACCAR and Navistar. With VW sniffing around the door we may be at one builder before you know it.

[kscarbel]

DailyDiesel, on 24 Mar 2013 - 09:35, said:

Very interesting. It is strange and a little upsetting when you realize that only two domestic truck manufacturers remain intact, PACCAR and Navistar. With VW sniffing around the door we may be at one builder before you know it.

This is the very point that I've been making. It should be extremely upsetting to all Americans that the greatest country in world has been reduced to two truckmakers (Navistar and Paccar). It is humiliating that America no longer had the ability to compete and lead in our own domestic truck market.

At one time, American truckmakers like Mack Trucks put the world on notice that U.S. heavy truck design was second to none. However the majority of the trucks on America's highways today are produced by the Germans and Swedes. Foreign domination of key U.S. industriies only serves to further erode our country's economic foundation.

It's shocking that so many Americans here feel it is perfectly acceptable for the epitome icon of the U.S. truck industry, Mack Trucks, to be owned by a European truckmaker. Perhaps if Ford was purchased by Toyota, or Navistar by Volkswagen, they'd get the wake-up call.

The Mack truck name should be under the American flag, not the flag of Sweden.

A Swedish Mack, designed and built by Volvo Trucks North America with a mass of Volvo components, is NOT a Mack truck.

[vision386]

I think the only rise you'd get would have nothing to do with trucks! let the japanese or koreans buy Harley-Davidson and see how many like that!.......................................Mark

[Dennis Hall]

More Americans are running in the direction of getting what they want, then realizing what they have. If companies started flying flags out front identifying the country that owned them I think we would all be in for a shocking reality check!

[Lmackattack]

More Americans are running in the direction of getting what they want, then realizing what they have. If companies started flying flags out front identifying the country that owned them I think we would all be in for a shocking reality check!

That is a great idea....and would be sad wake up call...

[MackR700Fan]

Sorry... I missed this topic before, so I want to ask you: didn't Volvo bring the F10 and F12 (which outside of North America were known as the F88 and F89 respectively until 1977) into the U.S. market in 1982-83? They of course were the larger relatives to the F6 and F7.

~Ben

[kscarbel]

Sorry... I missed this topic before, so I want to ask you: didn't Volvo bring the F10 and F12 (which outside of North America were known as the F88 and F89 respectively until 1977) into the U.S. market in 1982-83? They of course were the larger relatives to the F6 and F7.

~Ben

A little confusion here. The F10 and F12 were not known outside North America as the F88 and F89.

The F88 and F89 were produced from 1965 to 1977, when they were replaced by the F10 and F12 (1977 thru 1993).

The F6 and F7 were indeed sold in the United States, imported and distributed by Freightliner Corporation. However the F10 and F12 were never sold here because Freightliner already had a heavy COE to sell.

The smaller F6 and F7 gave Freightliner a medium straight truck (24,500 to 29,000 GVW) and city/regional tractor (40,000 to 66,000 GCW) to extend their product range downward.

The one other model sold by Freightliner Corporation was the conventional cab N10 series (N1016T 4x2 and N1023T 6x4)

[Bullheaded]

I wish VW would buy Ford. Maybe they would be reliable again.

I have traded my Ford's for VW's and my bank account thanks me.

[BC Mack]

Sorry... I missed this topic before, so I want to ask you: didn't Volvo bring the F10 and F12 (which outside of North America were known as the F88 and F89 respectively until 1977) into the U.S. market in 1982-83? They of course were the larger relatives to the F6 and F7.

~Ben

Volvo did bring a class 8 heavy to North America in 1964, feeling there was a market they tested the then prototype L4591 Titan Tiptop... not seeing a fit here they focused more within Europe and especially the UK. Within a year this truck was to morph into the very successful F88 and, repowered, the F89. The F10/12 was never imported into the US, however I have seen one many years ago here in Western Canada which I heard was a one off personal import...

BC Mack

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

A little confusion here. The F10 and F12 were not known outside North America as the F88 and F89.

The F88 and F89 were produced from 1965 to 1977, when they were replaced by the F10 and F12 (1977 thru 1993).

The F6 and F7 were indeed sold in the United States, imported and distributed by Freightliner Corporation. However the F10 and F12 were never sold here because Freightliner already had a heavy COE to sell.

The smaller F6 and F7 gave Freightliner a medium straight truck (24,500 to 29,000 GVW) and city/regional tractor (40,000 to 66,000 GCW) to extend their product range downward.

The one other model sold by Freightliner Corporation was the conventional cab N10 series (N1016T 4x2 and N1023T 6x4)

But in late 1981, Freightliner came under the control of Mercedes-Benz. However, then there was the White "Road Commander" COE (and a related Autocar model), so another reason the F10/12 didn't quite show up here.

~Ben

Edited March 7, 2014 by ClassicTVMan1981X

[kscarbel]

But in late 1981, Freightliner came under the control of Mercedes-Benz. However, then there was the White "Road Commander" COE (and a related Autocar model), so another reason the F10/12 didn't quite show up here.

~Ben

Autocar never offered a high COE. The COE related to the White Road Commander 2 was branded as a Western Star (it came out in 1978 and was quite attractive).

At any rate, the F10/F12 were not suitable to the demands of the US market at that time in the heavy COE segment.

[BC Mack]

At any rate, the F10/F12 were not suitable to the demands of the US market at that time in the heavy COE segment.

With respect to your vast knowledge, I can't say I can fully agree with you on this point....

I feel that.. a. the product they produced, a COE, was on a fast demise in the US due to length law changes and b. Volvo knew that to enter a market as vast as the US would stretch them too far trying to support a coast-coast dealer network demanded by buyers used to what currently existed.... especially when Volvo were already enjoying success elsewhere... that's why they bought an existing brand in GM and remodelled it...

I was on one of the first F10 maintenance courses at Ailsa Trucks, Scotland... and what I saw as the improvements over the F88 impressed me, stronger chassis, wider cab, improved engine after the TD100B... the F12 came soon after and in right hand drive which the F89 could not have...

the F12 became a very strong contender on the gold run, the Europe to Middle East run via Turkey and Iran... which was the torture test for the durability of any truck... it has evolved into the FH16 with continued success.

I feel that F10/12 would have done very well in the US.. however, there is more to this than just the technical merits of any design, the dealer support, creating new market share, financial investment in a low profit market.... I know that you know all about that..!!!!!!

The tie up with the "club cab" gave them an inside track when the French rationalised their truck industry gave them an inside track to grab Mack for a song after they had tested the waters with the GM White deal..

World trade is here to stay, shareholder return is the driving force and company loyalty has gone out the window for profit. Watch VW, Scania, MAN........ same pattern. And an American company owns DAF, so it's NOT all one way traffic in the mergers and aquisitions game..!!!

BC Mack

[bullhusk]

More Americans are running in the direction of getting what they want, then realizing what they have. If companies started flying flags out front identifying the country that owned them I think we would all be in for a shocking reality check!

MAN you got that right!! I keep checkin the Whitehouse on line just ta make sure Old Glory still flies with pride there!! Ya just never know what the guy that lives there might do! If it aint broke, he'll break it!!

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

With respect to your vast knowledge, I can't say I can fully agree with you on this point....

I feel that.. a. the product they produced, a COE, was on a fast demise in the US due to length law changes and b. Volvo knew that to enter a market as vast as the US would stretch them too far trying to support a coast-coast dealer network demanded by buyers used to what currently existed.... especially when Volvo were already enjoying success elsewhere... that's why they bought an existing brand in GM and remodelled it...

I was on one of the first F10 maintenance courses at Ailsa Trucks, Scotland... and what I saw as the improvements over the F88 impressed me, stronger chassis, wider cab, improved engine after the TD100B... the F12 came soon after and in right hand drive which the F89 could not have...

the F12 became a very strong contender on the gold run, the Europe to Middle East run via Turkey and Iran... which was the torture test for the durability of any truck... it has evolved into the FH16 with continued success.

I feel that F10/12 would have done very well in the US.. however, there is more to this than just the technical merits of any design, the dealer support, creating new market share, financial investment in a low profit market.... I know that you know all about that..!!!!!!

The tie up with the "club cab" gave them an inside track when the French rationalised their truck industry gave them an inside track to grab Mack for a song after they had tested the waters with the GM White deal..

World trade is here to stay, shareholder return is the driving force and company loyalty has gone out the window for profit. Watch VW, Scania, MAN........ same pattern. And an American company owns DAF, so it's NOT all one way traffic in the mergers and aquisitions game..!!!

BC Mack

That company is, of course, PACCAR, which owns Peterbilt and Kenworth. It also took over the British truck builder Foden when it went bankrupt in 1980. Ironically, for a short period of time, production of the Ford Transcontinental moved from Holland to the former Foden plant in Sandbach, England.

~Ben

Edited March 7, 2014 by ClassicTVMan1981X

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

I am wondering if the F12 and F16 would've been likely competitors to the domestic class 8 COE segment that included the White Road Commander, the Freightliner COE, the Kenworth K100/Peterbilt 352/362, GMC Astro 9500 and the Ford Louisville CL(T)9000?

~Ben

Edited March 8, 2014 by ClassicTVMan1981X

[Green Dash]

Volvo did bring a class 8 heavy to North America in 1964, feeling there was a market they tested the then prototype L4591 Titan Tiptop... not seeing a fit here they focused more within Europe and especially the UK. Within a year this truck was to morph into the very successful F88 and, repowered, the F89. The F10/12 was never imported into the US, however I have seen one many years ago here in Western Canada which I heard was a one off personal import...

BC Mack

That looks like a cross between a White 5000 and a GMC Crackerbox. We shoulda seen it coming.

[Outbehindthebarn]

On 3/7/2014 at 8:28 PM, ClassicTVMan1981X said:

I am wondering if the F12 and F16 would've been likely competitors to the domestic class 8 COE segment that included the White Road Commander, the Freightliner COE, the Kenworth K100/Peterbilt 352/362, GMC Astro 9500 and the Ford Louisville CL(T)9000?

~Ben

F16's on American roads would have caused quite a stir. Joining in the fun of BIG power in the USA at that time.