Car and Driver have stepped outside of their normal bubble, this time reviewing the International's LoneStar Harley-Davidson Edition semi truck. Equipped with an 18 speed manual transmission, this luxury truck on wheels pulls a 0 to 60 miles per hour time of 20.4 seconds, about enough time to go to In-N-Out burger, order a Double Double, and come back. However this truck packs nearly 2,000 foot pounds of torque...hard to beat that.
Building upon its extensive history in developing pioneering solutions, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is previewing the latest technologies on a new Innovation Truck at the Mid-America Trucking Show. The Innovation Truck features advanced technologies directly from DTNA's development labs. It takes Freightliner Trucks' most aerodynamic solution – the Cascadia™ – and adds a sampling of cutting-edge advancements that will further enhance fuel economy.
Navistar, Inc. turned up the volume yet again at this year's Mid-America Trucking Show, leaving nothing behind with the debut of the International LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition. With deep black paint and contrasting silver and orange striping, the attention-grabbing, chrome-laden big rig truck is one-of-a-kind. Designed in collaboration with the legendary motorcycle manufacturer, the International LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition leaves no doubt as to its DNA. The Harley-Davidson Special Edition takes LoneStar to the next level, said Dee Kapur, president, Navistar Truck Group. It's the perfect combination of LoneStar originality and Harley-Davidson authenticity.
Earlier this month we brought you a story of General Motors' medium duty trucks possibly being sold to Isuzu, but now reports have come across the net that Navistar International Corporation is still interested in the acquisition of the medium truck business from GM. Navistar's chairman, Dan Ustian, commented "we're always looking to grow and that compliments us pretty well". This might force Isuzu to make a move on the truck business now, with Navistar becoming interested again.
The largest story from last week was the announcement of Truckblog's Live Blogging at the 2008 SEMA Show which is less than one month away. With that announcement, there has also been some news regarding manufacturers and their individual project vehicles for the show. Check out the new "SEMA trucks" below, along with a re-cap of news from last week.
Pickuptrucks reports that International Truck and Engine Corporation, owned by Navistar, have canceled their "XT" consumer and commercial pickup truck line. Consisting of the CXT, MXT and RXT model lines, the XT trucks were some of the largest haulers available in the full-size pickup truck class, powered by a 300 horse power eight cylinder diesel motor combined with a five speed automatic transmission, and cost anywhere from $70,000 to $135,000. The trucks were equipped with 70 gallon fuel tanks and had a top speed of 84 miles per hour. International will continue to sell the trucks for military usage.
TreeHugger has posted a report by Kambiz Salari, of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, who claims that "for a truck travelling 70 MPH, 65 per cent of the fuel burned is just overcoming aerodynamic drag. Much of that drag come from the air vortices generated behind the vehicle as it moves, that low-pressure zone that bicyclists and hyper-milers love to "draft" in". Kambiz Salari is also applying for a patent on this claim as well, one that will assist in pushing air into the truck, while improving gas mileage and cancelling out the vehicle's draft at the same time.
The deep-throated roar of a big bore diesel engine wrapped in a sleek chrome grill announced the arrival today of the world's most innovative big-rig truck. Navistar International Corp. unveiled its International brand's new flagship product, the visually stunning and technologically advanced LoneStar, at the Chicago Auto Show.
According to Autoweek, Indian automaker, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, is planning to sell their pickups in the United States. The automaker has not decided whether or not to import them or to build them here, but has stated they will not build in Mexico. Mahindra has already selected roughly 200 dealers from across the country for the launch, and the trucks are expected to be available within the next 15 months. "The truck will have a diesel engine that meets the strictest emissions standards", Pawan Goenka, President, of Mahindra's automotive unit. Currently in India, Mahindra is the market leader in the utility vehicle, and SUV segments.
The Winding Road reported this morning that Chrysler LLC will be potentially releasing a stampede of rams down Jefferson Avenue for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January. With that stampede of rams will also come publicity, which includes excitement over the 2009 Dodge Ram and for the most outlandish introduction for the auto show to date.
"High gas prices may be giving consumers monster headaches, but automakers are betting that hasn't curbed their appetite for monster trucks. At the Chicago Auto Show, International Truck and Engine Corp. plans to debut its new MXT pickup, a colossus with the ability to tow three regular-sized pickups," MSNBC reports.
Royal Ford at The Boston Globe recently reviewed International's CXT Commercial Xtreme Truck. "I've got an air horn overhead, an air brake underfoot, and lots of air between my seat and the roof of the Chevrolet Suburban ahead of me as we roll along the banks of the Wachusett Reservoir. And I'm driving a pickup truck.
But not just any pickup. No puny Dodge Ram 3500, no wimped-out Ford F-350, no skulking Hummer H2 SUT. They are mere bugs. I am at the wheel of the world's largest pickup truck: the 2005 International CXT-Commercial Xtreme Truck."
International Truck and Engine Corporation has unveiled the International® RXT, a more than five-ton, 22-foot-long commercial pickup truck at the Chicago Auto Show.
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International starts its marketing blitz this week for its new "Commercial Extreme Truck", or CXT, which is said to dwarf the Hummer H2 and even overshadow the H1.
USA TODAY reports "The CXT is 2 feet taller, 4 1/2 feet longer, twice as heavy and totes more than five times the cargo weight of H2. "You can put the Hummer in back and take it with you," quips Nick Matich, vice president at International Truck and Engine.
It's also about twice the price of H2, about the same as H1. It starts at $93,000, runs $105,000 typically equipped and tops out at $115,000 with DVD player, leather upholstery, tilting dump box and rear-view camera."
The International CXT features the legendary International DT 466 diesel engine with a horsepower rating of 220 hp and 540 lb. ft. of torque capable of hauling or towing pretty much anything you can put into or behind it. Other horsepower ratings are also available. With an electronically controlled turbocharger and four valves per cylinder, the engine delivers responsiveness, acceleration, outstanding fuel efficiency, extended serviceability and long-term durability. Among businesses for whom the International CXT is ideal: construction, lawn care businesses, lawn and garden stores, brick or stone contractors, home builders, carpenters, landscape designers, roofers, home improvement companies, auto body repair or custom paint shops, commercial boating businesses and boat racers.
For people who want to make a statement while driving in luxury, try a customized black International CXT featuring leather interior with wood grain trim, reclining captain chairs, a fold-down bench that can be used as a bed, an overhead compartment with drop-down DVD, an XM satellite premium radio system and a rear-mounted camera for increased visibility behind the vehicle. The drivetrain features a smooth-shifting Allison 2500 Series 5-speed automatic transmission and the ride is softened by a cab air suspension system.
Born out of a 20-ton hauler and other International severe service trucks used by the construction, government and waste industries, the International CXT is built on the same platform as dump trucks and snowplows. As a result, it is a vehicle unrivaled in capability, size and appearance. It hauls three times the payload of consumer pick-up trucks, is all-wheel drive, uses air brakes for unmatched stopping ability and offers towing, dumping and tilt bed capability. Additionally, it features a spacious interior with crew cab design that seats six and can be customized to meet owner specific needs from paint color to air seats to flat screen TVs.
Jim & Jake's Take: The styling isn't that terrific--we like the Ford Super Duty or Hummer's styling a lot better. But what about that bed? Yessir, that's a slightly modified Ford dually Super Duty bed. Pretty cool.
"High gas prices may be giving consumers monster headaches, but automakers are betting that hasn't curbed their appetite for monster trucks. At the Chicago Auto Show, International Truck and Engine Corp. plans to debut its new MXT pickup, a colossus with the ability to tow three regular-sized pickups," MSNBC reports.
Royal Ford at The Boston Globe recently reviewed International's CXT Commercial Xtreme Truck. "I've got an air horn overhead, an air brake underfoot, and lots of air between my seat and the roof of the Chevrolet Suburban ahead of me as we roll along the banks of the Wachusett Reservoir. And I'm driving a pickup truck.
Ashton Kutcher is reportedly going to 
Ashton Kutcher has been recently spotted driving around L.A. in a truck fitting to his goofy trucker cap-totin' persona.
For people who want to make a statement while driving in luxury, try a customized black International CXT featuring leather interior with wood grain trim, reclining captain chairs, a fold-down bench that can be used as a bed, an overhead compartment with drop-down DVD, an XM satellite premium radio system and a rear-mounted camera for increased visibility behind the vehicle. The drivetrain features a smooth-shifting Allison 2500 Series 5-speed automatic transmission and the ride is softened by a cab air suspension system.
Born out of a 20-ton hauler and other International severe service trucks used by the construction, government and waste industries, the International CXT is built on the same platform as dump trucks and snowplows. As a result, it is a vehicle unrivaled in capability, size and appearance. It hauls three times the payload of consumer pick-up trucks, is all-wheel drive, uses air brakes for unmatched stopping ability and offers towing, dumping and tilt bed capability. Additionally, it features a spacious interior with crew cab design that seats six and can be customized to meet owner specific needs from paint color to air seats to flat screen TVs.
Jim & Jake's Take: The styling isn't that terrific--we like the Ford Super Duty or Hummer's styling a lot better. But what about that bed? Yessir, that's a slightly modified Ford dually Super Duty bed. Pretty cool.
