Using its World Sales Conference in Las Vegas as a venue, Mack Trucks Inc. Monday unveiled a complete new range of vehicles designed to meet the demands of both highway and construction customers.

Key elements of the new Mack product offering for 2006 include a new flagship for its highway lineup – the Pinnacle tractor – as well as new models of the company’s Granite and Granite Axle Back construction vehicles. Each of the new models offers customers advancements in engine technology, driver environment and electronics.
The new Pinnacle highway truck is being offered in a 116-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab day cab configuration, as well as 48-inch and 56-inch flat-top, 60- and 70-inch mid-rise, and 70-inch high-rise sleepers – all built on Mack’s Advantage highway chassis.
Both the new Granite and Granite Axle Back models feature a 116-inch BBC dimension, and are built on the Mack Cornerstone vocational chassis. Both of the new product lines have been designed around the new MackPower (MP) engine also introduced at the Las Vegas conference.
Key to the advantages of the new models are entirely new driver environments, created after comprehensive research of customer preferences and ergonomics – including definition of the optimum driving position for operators of Mack vehicles.
The new cab designs include:
• A four-inch increase in the depth of daycabs – providing more leg and belly room while allowing for a seat angle recline of more than 20 degrees.
• A wrap-around “cockpit style” dash, with a new primary gauge cluster and space for up to 25 switches. In the new layout, gauges have been located for optimal visibility and all controls and switches are easy to reach. The standard driver information display has been designed for easy viewing day and night, thanks to the new CoolBlue backlighting. The standard driver information display is upgradeable to the CoPilot, a driver interactive expanded display, which also uses CoolBlue for clarity and comfort on the eyes. In addition, drivers will have the advantage of ground-reachable primary lighting controls.
• A one-piece windshield for enhanced visibility. Visibility is also enhanced “rain or shine” by designing the wiper patterns to overlap for wet driving conditions, and by having the sunvisors meet at the center of the windshield to eliminate glare. The one-piece windshield will be standard in the Pinnacle product starting in the second quarter of 2006.
• A broadly adjustable steering column and new driver foot pedal controls – with all pedals suspended (versus floor mounted) and on the same plane so that the driver’s heel never has to leave the floor when switching between fuel and brake pedals. Combined with the standard clutch pedal air assist, the design relieves driving fatigue by reducing pedal effort and foot movement.
• Use of stainless steel fasteners, which convey a rugged, “machined” look while allowing for easy removal of dash panels. Also enabling ease of maintenance are an easy-to-remove panel on top of the dash (for ready access for additional customer installation of body controls and monitoring instrumentation), and an integrated cover below the steering column and behind the driver foot pedal controls (which keeps wiring and other components clean and out of harm’s way). The new vehicles also feature Bulldog signature floor mats for superior fit and sound insulation, along with the availability of easy-to-install replacement inserts for heavy wear areas.
• An all new HVAC system with heavy-duty easy-to-use controls and proven efficient and effective performance.
• Best-in-class interior lighting in day cabs, achieved by incorporating the current Mack sleeper product design – with two rear-mounted dome lights along with spot lights over the driver and passenger seats.
• And plenty of storage – including a large rear wall-mounted dispatch box with integral trash bag hooks, an overhead console with multiple storage compartments, and in-dash storage compartments and cellphone holder. Cup holders have been designed for easy access and removal for cleaning, and include “snuggers” which accommodate a wide variety of cup sizes.
Featured in the initial offerings of both the Pinnacle and new Granite models is Mack’s new MP7.
The 11-liter engine is available in the three Mack engine families – Econodyne, Maxidyne and MaxiCruise – in six horsepower ratings between 325 and 405 hp., with torque ranging from 1,260 to 1,560 pounds feet. The MP7’s base architecture represents the heart of Mack’s solution to the 2007 EPA emissions regulations. In 2006, the MP7 will be offered in the company’s new Pinnacle and Granite models in an EPA’04-compliant configuration. Additionally, the base design has the key elements to bring it into compliance with the ’07 standards. Key components of the MP7 include:
• High-performance (cooled) exhaust gas recirculation system (HEGR)
• Variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) with sliding nozzle ring
• Electronically controlled unit injectors
• Single overhead cam with 4 valves per cylinder
• Wet sleeve cylinders with single piece steel pistons
• Rear gear train offers a simple REPTO option
• Offered in Mack’s traditional application-specific performance families: Maxidyne (for high-performance vocational customers), MaxiCruise (for vocational and highway customers), and Econodyne (for particularly fuel-sensitive highway customers).
Customers in both highway and vocational applications can expect a significant improvement in fuel economy in the MP7 compared to current engines. Construction customers in particular will appreciate the new engine’s tremendous low-end torque response. Oil drain intervals are currently estimated at 30,000 miles for standard highway applications, and 300 hours (or 15,000 miles) for most construction applications.
The MP7 also incorporates Mack’s proprietary PowerLeash technology providing “best-in-class” engine braking performance. And it is designed to work with all of the company’s current transmission offerings, including the Mack Maxitorque and Allison automatics.
From a service perspective, the MP7 is installed low in the chassis for quick, easy access and maintenance. Its overhead cam and valve train system has fewer components with fewer wear points, requiring less adjustment.
In addition to the MP7, the company also announced plans to have the second member of its new engine family – the MP8 – available in 2007. Designed for customers requiring higher horsepower, the MP8 is a 13-liter engine with ratings from 415 to 485 hp matched to torque levels from 1,540 to 1,700 pounds feet. As with the MP7, the MP8 will be offered in the Mack-distinct Maxidyne, Econodyne, and MaxiCruise performance families.
In addition to bringing the new models and engines to market, Mack plans to continue offering its ’04-certified ASET engines in current Vision highway and Granite vocational models in 2006 as well.
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