Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/748284
40 | Overdrive | November 2016 I nternational Truck last month debuted its latest over-the-road Class 8 tractor, the LT Series, replac- ing the ProStar as its flagship model. The truck makes great strides in fuel efficiency and driver preferences, the company says. The LT Series is being launched with the new 2017 Cummins X15 engine rated up to 500 horsepower in the efficiency series and up to 565 horsepower in the per- formance series. Available in the spring will be the new 2017 Navistar N13 engine rated up to 475 horsepower with up to 1,750 lb.-ft. of torque. It features a design that is 500 to 600 pounds lighter than traditional big-bore engines. The LT Series provides fuel efficiency that's 7 percent better than the company's most recent fuel economy leader: a 2017 ProStar with a Cummins ISX15. The LT Series delivers a 3 percent improvement in fuel economy from its aerodynamics alone. Upgraded aerodynam- ic-enhanced features include a contoured hood, fender, wheel openings, chassis skirts and three-piece front bumper, while longer side extenders shorten the trailer gap. The aerodynamic improvements also yielded a major decrease in wind noise inside the cab, says Denny Mooney, senior vice president of global prod- uct development. The LT Series is "the most driver-centric Class 8 vehicle we've ever built," says Jeff Sass, senior vice president of sales and marketing. Driver input led to high-tech and traditional features that improve ease of use. The company intends for the truck to be a driver recruitment and retention tool, Mooney says. "We've had fleets tell us, 'If the driv- ers don't want to drive your truck, we're not going to buy your trucks.' " Available in Classic and premium Diamond trim levels, the truck features an all-new interior that offers better room for elbows, hips and legs. The passenger side gets two extra inches of room over the ProStar. The LT Series comes with standard LED head- lamps, a column-mounted gear-shifter and engine brake switch and a redesigned one-piece side window for a clearer line of sight. The mirrors have been engineered to reduce the amount of head-turning required for good visibility, especially on the driver's side. "I love the steering," says Kenneth Stiltner, who drives a ProStar for Cowan Systems and was one of more than 400 drivers Navistar used for ideas and feedback. "I love the visibility and the wind- shield. I love the new mir- ror." With the dash design, "I don't have to go looking for anything. I look straight ahead, and I can see it." Bendix's Wingman Adv- anced Collision Mitigation system comes standard in ProStar's successor International's LT Series provides 7 percent fuel-efficiency improvement BY JASON CANNON The redesigned interior features a driver display that offers up to 15 customiz- able digital gauges. In response to driver feedback, the air horn was relocated to its traditional intuitive position over the driver door. Aerodynamic refinements on the LT Series include a more contoured hood that slopes 4 inches lower and a three-piece front bumper.