Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/426944
December 2014 | Overdrive | 39 DRIVE TEST Design meets efficiency I n a sense, Peterbilt engineers never get to build a true "clean sheet" design when they start work on a new truck. Those engineers might disagree with that statement, but as I gazed at the fully restored 1939 Peterbilt tractor on dis- play at the company's plant in Denton, Texas, I couldn't help but see styling cues that have carried over from genera- tion to generation of Peterbilts. No matter what marching orders the company's engineers receive, there are a few mandatory design aspects: a bold, old-school exterior wrapping a refined, even luxurious, cab and sleeper. Engineers can add to that legacy, but they never can take away. Peterbilt's newest and most fuel-focused long-haul tractor yet, the Model 579 EPIQ , is no exception. The Model 579 was a groundbreaking design for Peterbilt, seamlessly melding traditional Class 8 styling with highly efficient aerodynamics. The new EPIQ package takes this formula further, with more aggressive aerodynamics and a Peterbilt's new Model 579 EPIQ is built around aggressive aerodynamics and the MX-Fuller Advantage integrated drivetrain. Peterbilt raises the bar on fuel economy for its Model 579 BY JACK ROBERTS December 2014 | Overdrive | 39 Photos by Jack Roberts