In apparent response to Caterpillar's announcement Thursday that it would not make a 2010-compliant engine, Daimler Trucks North America sent out a news release Friday outlining its own engine plans.


Daimler says it will have a complete line of its own Detroit Diesel engines, as well as Cummins heavy duty and medium duty engines, across its Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses vehicle range.

The Detroit Diesel DD15, at 14.8L displacement, was launched in October 2007, as the first in a complete line of all new heavy duty diesel engines that will ultimately power Daimler Truck offerings around the world. The DD15 uses turbo compounding and amplified common rail fuel injection to achieve superior power and fuel economy, according to the company. Additional variants, at 12.8L (DD13) and 15.6L (DD16) will be introduced at intervals over the coming months, and will supplant current Detroit Diesel and Mercedes-Benz heavy duty engine offerings in the Daimler Trucks North America stable of commercial vehicles.

The Cummins 14.8L ISX engine will round out the options in Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star Class 8 trucks in the post-EPA10 era. Today, Cummins is Daimler Trucks North America's exclusive external engine partner in the supply of medium duty ISB, ISC, and ISL engines for Freightliner trucks and chassis, Sterling trucks and Thomas Built buses in classes 5 through 7.

The Cummins ISX in EPA07 trim will be available in the recently introduced Freightliner Cascadia model, for delivery in January of 2009.

"This decision will complement our current successful and proprietary product line of Detroit Diesel and Mercedes-Benz engines. It will expand and strengthen the range of choices for our customers, and establish Cummins as a full range vendor engine partner," said Chris Patterson,
president and chief executive officer of DTNA. "This action was a result of many months of carefully considered planning and consulting with our key customers to determine engine needs and preferences."

www.daimler.com