Mack's 'Big Dog' Titan Has 16-liter Power, Extra Strong Chassis, Bold Styling

Big power, extra-strong chassis components, bold styling and a posh interior are among features of Mack Trucks' Titan, a severe-service model designed for heavy transport and construction applications.

Due out late this fall, the Titan will be powered by a new 16-liter MP10 diesel with a maximum rating of 605 horsepower and 2,060 pounds-feet.
Titan is based on the Granite vocational series and replaces the CL long conventional, which Mack dropped at the end of 2006. Titan is "our flagship, the top of the top," said Steve Ginter, the builder's vocational product manager who headed the team that designed the new model. He and other Mack executives announced it at the ConExpo-ConAg show in Las Vegas this week.
"The Titan model is an all-out Mack -- strong and bold," said Tom Kelly, vice president of marketing. "One look at this truck and you know it was engineered to handle the meanest jobs -- logging, oil fields, heavy equipment or severe heavy haul… This new offering extends our tradition of application excellence, and follows in the Mack heritage of classic big-block, long-hood, high GVWR trucks like the RW Super-Liner."
The old Super-Liner was available with a 998-cubic-inch V-8 that made as much as 500 horsepower, while the modern 1,000-cubic-inch MP 10 will produce 105 more horsepower and its exhaust will be 99.9 percent cleaner, Ginter said. The new engine is an adaptation of the D16 offered by Volvo Trucks, Mack's sister company. Like other current Mack and Volvo diesels, The MP 10 will be made by Volvo Powertrain in Hagerstown, Md., while the Titan will be assembled at Macungie, Pa.
Although the CL used the Cummins ISX, only the MP 10 will power the Titan. It is an inline six-cylinder diesel with a single overhead cam and high-pressure fuel injection. In addition to the 605-horsepower/2,060-pounds-feet rating, it will also be available at 515 and 565 horsepower and 1,860 pounds-feet. It will initially have MaxiCruise torque characteristics, with an almost flat torque curve from 1,200 to 1,600 rpm, where maximum horsepower begins. A Maxidyne version with a higher torque curve will be available later, Ginter said.
High-capacity components will allow Titan to have gross combination weight ratings as high as 300,000 pounds, he said. They will include front axles rated from 12,000 to 20,000 pounds and rear tandems from 46,000 to 65,000 pounds. Frame rails will come in thicknesses of 8, 9.5 and 11 millimeters, with partial or full 5-mm inserts. The MP 10 will be matched with 10-, 13- and 18-speed Mack T300ES transmissions or certain vendor gearboxes.
The Titan will be dressed to impress on the jobsite and the highway, executives said. It has high ground clearance to power through conditions found in logging, mining and construction sites. Its long hood and roomy cab together measure 127 inches from bumper to back of cab. The hood is long enough to house the MP10 and give mechanics room to service it. The cab is moved back and up on the chassis for the classic "heavy haul" looks and excellent driver visibility. The higher cab position also improves airflow for underhood cooling.
An eye-catching exterior feature is the twin cowl-mounted "Growler" air intakes. The bright-finish air intakes are also functional, as they minimize moisture and screen debris from reaching the air filter element. Intake pipes are smooth and non-restrictive to optimize high-volume airflow. And the air filter elements are located under the cab for easy servicing. The air intakes are standard with integrated LED lamps.
The Titan model's large grille surround is 4 inches of chromed cast aluminum, complemented by similar and equally striking headlight bezels. "This is metal," Ginter commented. "We don't put plastic on the front of our trucks." Headlights have an impact-resistant Lexan lenses and easy-to-replace bulbs. Chrome and bright finish appliance include air horns; "eyebrow" on hood fender wells; sunvisor, available in 10- and 13-inch widths; skirt lighting, with an optional personalization feature; 6-inch-diameter dual exhaust stacks, outboard mounted behind the cab; metal bumper, with integrated driving lights; and a stainless steel cover for the Mack Cap™ diesel particulate filter.
The Titan's cab is made of galvanized steel, and has carefully engineered features to reduce noise and vibration for a smooth, quiet ride. The air assist clutch pedal is positioned low to help drivers work more productively, with less leg effort. The steering column can be adjusted to an infinite number of positions, placing the steering wheel for maximum comfort, increased belly room and improved visibility of all gauges for drivers of any size.
The interior is available in three trim levels: Pedigree, Champion and the luxurious button tuck Rawhide Edition. The cab features plenty of convenient overhead storage bins and four-point lighting (two lights for general illumination, one map light and one task light over the steering wheel). The dash is available in a choice of woodgrain or brushed nickel finishes. The standard instrument cluster features large, easy-to-read displays and gauges to help keep drivers focused on the road.
The standard Mack Co-Pilot display provides drivers with easily accessible screens in the instrument panel to monitor real-time fuel economy with sweet spot indicator and trip data, detailed maintenance and fault summaries, and supplemental sensor readings. The available Lectronix T7000 navigational radio integrates entertainment, navigation, a blind spot camera display, and vehicle, trip and tire-pressure monitoring systems.
The spirit of the really big dog lives on in the new Titan - a big-block powerhouse with the good looks to reflect its equally strong pedigree, executives proclaimed.