Daimler Trucks announced improvements to its Freightliner Business Class M2-106V and displayed a shorter version of the Western Star 4900 at NTEA's Work Truck Show in March in St. Louis

. Both trucks are aimed at construction, trash hauling, fire-rescue and other vocational duties in urban conditions.

The M2-106V (for vocational) has a larger radiator, new sloped hood, better heater/air conditioning system and brighter headlights, said Melissa Clausen, Freightliner's director of product marketing. The 1,200-square-inch radiator can cool engines up to 380 horsepower with an automatic transmission, and with GVW ratings of up to 80,000 pounds. The radiator is mounted to the engine and sits above the frame rails, allowing the driveshaft from a front-engine power take-off to pass beneath it.

Standard engine is a Cummins ISC with selective catalytic reduction; the ISL might come later. Allison Optimized Packages that tailor shifting and other functions to certain applications are available, and are exclusive to Freightliner for some vocational uses, Clausen said. The fiberglass hood housing the engine has smoother contours and rounded fenders. As before, the M2-106V comes with 6- or 24-inch-long front frame extensions to accommodate a front PTO, hydraulic pump and other equipment for certain applications.

A Blend-Air intake system takes air from under and outside the hood and sends it to the heating and air conditioning system. The underhood routing compensates for when snow and ice block exterior intake passages, especially on snowplow trucks. Composite headlamps use complex reflectors with easily replaceable halogen bulbs, and are more powerful than the old sealed-beam lamps. For more information, go to www.FreightlinerTrucks.com.

Western Star, Daimler's premium brand, now has a 4900 model with a short sloped hood and a compact 109-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab dimension for better maneuverability in town and on job sites. It is aimed at construction, municipal, trash, public utility and other vocations, said Mike Jackson, the builder's general manager.

The new model is highly customizable, and comes with steer axle-forward or axle-back to suit specific applications and weight laws. Meritor, AAC or Dana steer axles come with capacities from 12,000 to 20,000 pounds while Dana or Meritor rear axles range from 21,000-pound single to 46,000-pound tandems.

The 4900-106 comes with Detroit Diesel's DD13 with 350 to 450 horsepower and torque of 1,250 to 1,650 pounds-feet. For transmissions it can be ordered with Eaton 10- to 18-speed manuals or Allison 3000, 4000, 4500 and 4700 automatics. The DD13 uses BlueTec selective catalytic reduction with exhaust aftertreatment setups that allow a "clean" back-of-cab for easy body mounting. For more information, visit www.WesternStar.com.