Western Star to unveil aerodynamic truck

[kscarbel]

Trucks News / March 30, 2014

Ann Demitruk, director of marketing with Western Star Trucks, announced at the Mid-America Trucking Show that “Later this year, Western Star will be launching a fully aerodynamic product, an entirely new model.”

She hinted that some of the design elements from the "Optimus Prime" show truck will be featured on a new aerodynamic Western Star to be launched later this year.

“It gives you a cue to some of the styling looks we have for a new product coming down the pike,” said Demitruk.

The new truck will be dubbed the model 5700.

Business has been brisk for Western Star to start 2014. While industry-wide demand for new trucks is up around 30%, Demitruk said Western Star’s net order intake is up 70%.

“We are really growing and on the move,” she said, noting the 4700 model is driving much of the demand. In fact, Daimler Trucks North America has reconfigured its Cleveland, N.C. truck plant to take on some production of Western Star trucks.

“So in addition to building Western Stars in Portland, we are now building Western Stars in Cleveland, N.C.,” Demitruk said.

Other announcements from Western Star included: a larger, 23-gallon DEF tank is now available on the 4700; Meritor’s electronic stability control is available on all Western Star 4900 trucks; the Eaton UltraShift Plus has been expanded to include the 4800 model; and Detroit’s Virtual Technician remote diagnostics platform is now standard on 4700, 4800 and 4900 models with Detroit’s GHG14-compliant engines.