More than just a new truck model for Mack, the Keystone signals the OEM’s push to unify its highway and vocational platforms under a common architecture.
Credit:
Mack Trucks
4 min to read
Mack Trucks used the run-up to ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 to launch not one, but two major vocational trucks. The OEM kicked off the massive vocational trade show with the launch of the all-new Mack Keystone.
The Keystone is a purpose-built Class 8 tractor aimed squarely at construction, agriculture, and severe-duty on/off-road applications.
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According to Mack, the Keystone represents an all-new model line for Mack. It also signals the OEM’s push to unify its highway and vocational platforms under a common architecture that blends durability, advanced safety and driver-focused design.
Alongside the Keystone, Mack also introduced a fully redesigned Granite vocational truck, expanding the brand’s reach across the Class 8 work spectrum.
A New Mack Nameplate
The new truck is named after the state of Pennsylvania. The Keystone State is the historic home to Mack Trucks and the site of it Lehigh Valley Operations in Macungie, where all North American Class 8 models are built.
The Keystone enters the market as a rugged vocational tractor engineered for both highway miles and punishing off-road environments.
“The Mack Keystone represents our commitment to providing customers in agriculture, construction and vocational markets with a truck that’s as capable on rough terrain as it is on the highway,” said Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks.
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Roy said the Keystone builds on more than two decades of Pinnacle production. But the new model also moves to Mack’s latest common platform shared with the Pioneer, Anthem and the newly redesigned Granite.
That means vocational tractor buyers now get the same advanced safety suite, digital architecture and interior refinements found in Mack’s newest highway offerings -- without sacrificing heavy-duty capability.
And, for the first time, Mack will offer this class of vocational tractor in select Latin American markets, expanding the Keystone beyond North America.
Built for Terrain Versatility
The Keystone is engineered for operators hauling logs out of forests, livestock across rural highways, equipment to construction sites or commodities across mixed terrain.
Key features include:
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Higher ground clearance and improved approach angle
Robust suspension options, including Mack’s MaxRide system
Axle-forward and axle-back configurations
Rear axle offerings in 6x4, 8x4 and 8x6
Cab configurations include a day cab, 44-inch sleeper and 64-inch sleeper, each available in both axle positions.
“The Keystone is designed for terrain versatility,” added Fernando Couceiro, vice president of highway trucks at Mack. “It thrives where the roads are unpaved, uneven or even nonexistent, then transitions seamlessly to highway driving,”
MP13 Power and Efficiency Gains
Powering the Keystone is Mack’s MP13 engine, rated up to 540 hp and 1,950 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is paired with the mDRIVE HD automated manual transmission.
Mack says the powertrain delivers up to 6% improved fuel efficiency compared to the Pinnacle. This is a notable gain in applications where idle time, PTO use and heavy-haul loads can drive operating costs, the OEM said.
The Keystone also comes standard with Mack’s integrated uptime tools, including a five-year subscription to Mack Connect telematics, providing remote diagnostics and proactive service planning.
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Driver Comfort Moves onto the Jobsite
Like its platform mates, the Keystone features Mack’s latest driver-centric interior. Wrap-around controls, high-visibility sightlines and ergonomic grab handles are designed to ease daily operation in demanding environments.
The cab includes:
Mack’s premium seating options
Flat-bottom steering wheel for improved belly room
Electronic braking system
Available digital mirror system
Integrated ELD plate and device management solutions
“Our customers told us they wanted a truck that could handle the toughest jobs and job sites without compromising driver comfort or modern technology,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. “The Keystone delivers exactly that.”
Granite Redesign Expands Vocational Lineup
While the Keystone targets vocational tractor applications, Mack simultaneously rolled out a fully reimagined Granite straight truck, reinforcing the OEM’s commitment to the vocational segment.
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The new Mack Granite receives an all-new galvanized steel cab that is nine inches wider at the B-pillar, an updated MP13 engine rated up to 540 hp and a faster-shifting mDRIVE transmission.
Credit:
Mack Trucks
The new Granite receives an all-new galvanized steel cab that is nine inches wider at the B-pillar, an updated MP13 engine rated up to 540 hp, faster-shifting mDRIVE transmission options and Mack’s proprietary MaxRide air load distributing suspension.
Mack also brought highway-level safety technology into the vocational space. The Granite offers the Mack Protect safety suite with 270-degree radar coverage. This includes both driver- and passenger-side radar systems -- marking a first for the segment. It also introduces an electronic park brake with rollaway protection and standard E911 auto-call capability triggered by airbag deployment or rollover detection.
The Granite will be available in day cab and 44-inch sleeper configurations, with axle-forward and axle-back options, and production is scheduled to begin in January 2027 at Lehigh Valley Operations.
The all-new Mack Keystone will be available for order through Mack dealers in late Q3 2026, with Granite orders opening in the second half of the year.
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