Overdrive

40 | Overdrive | November 2018 The 15-liter Cummins X15 is optional and offers 450 to 605 hp and 1,650 to 2,050 lb.-ft. of torque. Compared to the W900, the W990's exterior helps achieve a 6 to 7 percent gain in aerodynamics, yield- ing about a 3 percent fuel efficiency improvement, says Jonathan Duncan, Kenworth's design director. Other design changes pro- duce more subtle benefits. "The powerful wind-split, that raised area down the middle of the hood — it's really designed to accentuate the length of the hood and helps you line it up on the road," Duncan says. "It has a real dynamic shape to it that accentuates the power- ful engine underneath. And those side-air intakes wrap up over the top of the hood, and they're visible from the driver's seat. All of this kind of creates an emotional con- nection." On the hood's sides, Duncan says, "that sculpted cove leads right into the side-air intakes. And we even concentrate on the shape of the reflection of the side-air intake in the hood. It makes it looks twice as deep as it actually is in some colors." The grille has "the tradi- tional stately cathedral shape like a W900," he says. "It's got those inset surfaces at the top to give it kind of a tai- lored, finished look." Visibility also is improved, Duncan says. "The glass on the side goes back further. The windshield is a lot taller." At 131.5 inches from bumper to back-of-cab, the W990 is hard to miss. It's built on the same 2.1- meter cab platform used in Kenworth's T680 and T880 tractors. Comfort and style options include the Limited Edition cab and sleeper inte- rior and the W990 Driver's Studio package of premium options. The W990 Limited Edition interior comes in midnight black with glossy Ravenwood door and dash trim accents. The special inte- rior features rich black leather, an embroidered W990 logo, double-stitched diamond door pads, a black leather-wrapped steering wheel, and driver and passenger seats with suede charcoal inserts and perforat- ed leather. The W990 Driver's Studio offers a 180-degree swivel passenger seat and a rotating table for two people, a draw- er-style refrigerator and space for a microwave. Kenworth's premium audio package includes a 320-watt amplifier, a 10-inch sub- woofer and eight speakers; a swivel mount for a flatscreen TV of up to 28 inches; and optional EpicVue pre-wiring for satellite TV. There's a full-size wardrobe space for hanging clothes, multiple storage drawers and a large storage space under the lower bunk. The 1,800-watt inverter includes a shorepower connection and four standard 120-volt sleeper outlets. A narrow indentation on the sides of the hood leads into distinctive side-air intakes visible from the driver's seat. The Limited Edition interior features driver and passenger seats with suede charcoal inserts and perforated leather. The larger cab provides eight additional inches of clearance between the seats. See the Drive Tests playlist at youtube.com/ OverdriveMag for a closer look at the W990 and an interview with designer Jonathan Duncan. ICONIC LINE EXPANDS

• Cover
• Mixed reactions to D.C. highway blockade.
• Pulse: Autonomous tech redefining “driver.”
• Confusion over proposed ELD exemption.
• Small fleet again scores special Kenworth.
• Three in four readers favor new Supreme Court justice.
• “New NAFTA” would allow cap on Mexican carriers.
• Rule to protect gliders appears in jeopardy.
• ATA takes fight over break laws to FMCSA.
• Criteria to suspend insolvent brokers proposed.
• Owner-operator per diem allowance rises.
• Memorial Run honors fallen firefighters.
• ’55 KW gets back to its roots.
• Bandit Series sees repeat champ.
• Reader Rigs: High-flying ’14 W9; ’14 W9 a heavy hauler; cross-country ’12 386; ’07 379 lights up the night; ’02 379 hauls glass.
• DIVERSIONS 4 State Trucks’ record convoy haul; trucking “Survivor.”
• EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT Headlamps.
• GEAR GUIDE Lights, tires, more.
• FLEET NEWS Werner opens new Illinois terminal.
• BETTER HEALTH Neck and back pain.
• CHANGING TIMES Failure to help drivers on the shoulder is a symptom of drivers’ loss of courtesy and pride.
• Case could clarify arbitration with fleets The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could have ramifications on contracts between fleets and owner-operators and lawsuits that arise from those contracts.
• Minnesota aims at moving targets Some rehabilitation of the state’s inspection program’s reputation may be under way via a shift toward mobile traffic enforcement and a willingness of officers to credit drivers’ professionalism.
• COVER STORY: Ode to the road Mandi Jo Pinheiro’s biggest passions, trucking and music, paid off when they converged and she won the annual Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search with her original tribute to highways and driver pride.
• Iconic line expands Kenworth’s new W990, featuring front-end design enhancements, cab upgrades and improved aerodynamics, becomes the latest addition to the venerable W900 lineup.
• Drive Test: Pete’s 567 Heritage blends classic, modern With its bling-heavy and blocky exterior, the vocational workhorse mixes classic Pete styling with modern comforts and efficiencies.