Daimler touts ‘global platform’ for meeting regional/local truck needs

[kscarbel2]

Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner  /  November 15, 2017

That strategy drove the development of two new Mexico-only Freightliner cabover truck models.

Guadalajara, Mexico. To strengthen its position in Mexico’s truck market, Daimler Trucks is adding two new models to its Freightliner “360 Family” of commercial vehicles – the Class 6 model 1217 and the Class 8 model 2528, which join the company’s Class 4 model 715, launched back in 2008.

“Mexico is a key part of our global and regional growth strategy,” said Roger Nielsen, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) during a customer/dealer event held here during Expo Transporte ANPACT 2017, which is considered the biggest commercial vehicle show in Latin America.

He explained that the new models being added to the 360 Family of trucks represent the benefits of having a “global truck platform” that can be customized for regional and local markets.

“It’s about bringing to markets specific solutions for meeting customer needs,” Nielsen said. “By releasing these two models, we want to maintain … market leadership in Mexico and capture the cabover engine segment. We also hope to help transform this country’s commercial vehicle industry in the areas of safety, driver-centric design, and reliability.”

Martin Daum, member of the board of management at Germany’s Daimler AG and head of the company’s Daimler Trucks & Buses division, noted that Mexico is of “major importance” as a global truck production hub as well.

“These new members of the 360 Family will also provide customers with safety, security, reliability, and great efficiency,” he added.

Both the new Class 6 model 1217 and the Class 8 model 2528 offer a reinforced steel cabin, a proprietary powertrain, and what Daimler called a “versatile chassis” that allows for many different configurations.

They are also the first Freightliner vehicles with Euro V SCR engines to be commercialized in Mexico, setting the path to what the OEM called in a press statement “the production of cleaner vehicles with lower environmental impact and greater fuel efficiency.”

The Class 6 model 1217 comes spec’d with a 170-hp Mitsubishi engine married to a seven-gear Mercedes-Benz G85 transmission. It features a payload of eight tons, an adjustable telescopic steering wheel, electric windows and locks, air conditioning, standard fog lamps for better visibility, and will be available with three different axle distances, according to the OEM.

The Class 8 model 2528 comes spec’d with a 280-hp Mercedes-Benz engine linked to a Mercedes-Benz G131 manual transmission, with an extended cab option available.

The model 2528 provides 17 tons of payload, rear and frontal stabilization bars, air conditioning, electronic locks and windows, an ergonomic dashboard, engine and exhaust braking system, optional sleeper cab configuration, and a fuel efficiency diagnostic system, the OEM said.

Both vehicles will come with “uniquely designed” warranty packages that will offer customers three years of coverage with unlimited mileage, the company added, with Freightliner also offering one year with unlimited mileage coverage on batteries.

“This new generation and bigger portfolio of 360 trucks is designed to meet the needs of our customers and allow us to be more competitive, to be one step ahead in this market,” noted Flavio Rivera, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks Mexico, during his translated remarks.

“They also show how Daimler’s global platforms are flexible enough to be customized for markets like ours.”

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[kscarbel2]

Daimler Introduces Pair of Mexico-Specific Cabover Trucks

David Cullen, Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  November 15, 2017

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO — The rollout of two new market-specific cabover trucks in Mexico exemplifies Daimler Trucks overarching strategy of acting globally but thinking locally.

To help cement its dominance of the Mexico truck market, the German-based company unveiled two new Freightliner 360 cabover trucks on Nov. 15, the Class 6 1217 and the Class 8 2528. The two trucks join the existing Class 4 715, introduced back in 2008, in the Freightliner 360 family aimed at urban trucking applications.

“We’re proud to be at home here [in Mexico] for many years and decades,” said Martin Daum, member of the Daimler AG board of management and global head of Daimler Trucks and Buses, at a Nov. 15 press conference at Expo Transporte, the biggest truck and bus show in Latin America.

Daum noted that Mexico is not only a market for Daimler but a production hub for the OEM. Expanding on how the company views world markets, he said that as a truck OEM, Daimler recognizes that “no one buys a truck who doesn’t need it. It’s our job to adjust to customer demands, which we do through technology.

“We are a global company,” he continued, but one that views and acts in each market singularly. “Daimler is a German company in Germany. An American company in the United States. And a Mexican company in Mexico.” Daum said that’s why the company has an extensive manufacturing operation as well as a dedicated force of both engineers and sales personnel in place here.

At a customer sneak preview of the new trucks held the night before, Daimler Trucks North America President and CEO Roger Nielsen pointed out that the new 360 cabovers demonstrate the advantage of being able to customize Daimler’s global truck platform for regional markets, right down to submarkets, such as in this case for trucks designed to work well in Mexico’s demanding urban applications.

Flavio Rivera, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks Mexico, said that the 360 trucks were developed “in response to the characteristics and needs of the Mexican transport industry… [so] the new generation of 360 trucks constitutes an innovative family of products to meet the most specific needs of our customers’ business.”

According to Daimler Trucks Mexico, the two new 360 trucks will stand out in the local cabover market thanks to such key differentiators as “a much more customizable chassis, a renovated cab layout, two passenger seats, and optimal accessibility thanks to its wide doors and handles strategically placed within the cabin.”

The OEM said both new trucks offer “exceptional maneuverability, a reinforced steel cab ready to bear any bodywork safely, a wide, spacious interior, high corrosion resistance, a proprietary Daimler powertrain, ergonomic design, and a versatile chassis that allows for many different configurations.”

The new 360s are also the first Freightliner vehicles powered by Euro V-compliant SCR engines to be commercialized in Mexico. Daimler stated that means they are setting the stage to “the production of cleaner vehicles with lower environmental impact and greater fuel efficiency.”

The Class 6 360 1217 is powered by a 170-horsepower Mitsubishi engine mated to a 7-speed Mercedes-Benz G85 transmission. It can haul 8 tons of payload and features an adjustable telescopic steering wheel, electric windows and locks, air conditioning, and standard fog lamps.

The Class 8 360 2528 is powered by a 280-horsepower Mercedes-Benz engine and is mated to a Mercedes-Benz G131 manual transmission. The 2528 can handle 17 tons of payload and is available with an extended cab. Key features include available rear and frontal stabilizer bars, ergonomic dashboard, engine and exhaust braking system, optional sleeper cab configuration, and a fuel efficiency diagnostic system. “The 2528 is the best equipped in its class with air conditioning, electric locks and windows at a highly competitive price,” Daimler stated.

“By releasing these two models, we want to maintain our position of undisputed market leadership in Mexico and capture the cab-over-engine segment, said Nielsen. “We hope to help transform this country’s commercial vehicle industry in the areas of safety, driver-centric design, and reliability,” he added.

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[Maxidyne]

Is that Mitsubishi Fuso cab with Freightliner badging? Now I've seen everything...

[kscarbel2]

This all amounts to Bharat Benz trucks, from India, coming to Mexico..........with a Freightliner badge.

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[kscarbel2]

27 minutes ago, Maxidyne said:

Is that Mitsubishi Fuso cab with Freightliner badging? Now I've seen everything...

The Class 6 1217 is a decontented Mitisubishi Canter, while the Class 8 2528 is loosely based on the old "Axor" (again, decontented immensely for the Indian market price point). Old is new.....in India. But totally unacceptable for North America including Mexico.

Why this will fail:

Mexican operators have been Americanized.....they prefer conventionals. 

A real North American Freightliner enjoys excellent parts availability, and low parts pricing.

Mexican operators will consider an Indian truck a step down. They prefer US trucks.

This wouldn't fly in Brazil. Why in the world think of trying it in Mexico?

[Hayseed]

1 hour ago, Maxidyne said:

Is that Mitsubishi Fuso cab with Freightliner badging? Now I've seen everything...

Daimler/Frieghtliner or what ever they call 'emselves own Fuso.. 

[kscarbel2]

2 hours ago, Hayseed said:

Daimler/Freightliner or what ever they call 'emselves own Fuso.. 

Yes, Daimler got a great price on a 43 percent stake of a financially struggling Fuso in 2003, and currently owns 89 percent (a majority stake but not 100%).