Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/893962
October 2017 | Overdrive | 41 M ack Trucks last month introduced its Anthem, the company's next-generation on-highway truck that offers a mix of legacy styling and modern engineering. The Anthem will replace the Pinnacle axle-back models that have helped Mack carve out about a 2 percent share of the long-haul segment. While the exterior bears little resemblance to the model it will supplant, it does manage nods to Macks of years past. Anthem's large, structural and beefy grille is reminiscent of a SuperLiner, and the truck's flat, chis- eled fenders are a throwback to the RD. "We wanted a dramatic, new, effi- cient design that screams strong and hard-working and Mack," says John Walsh, Mack Trucks vice president of global marketing. The Anthem is available with Mack's MP8 13-liter engine with up to 505 hp and 1,860 lb.-ft. of torque. The 11-liter Mack MP7 is available as an option, with up to 425 hp and 1,560 lb.-ft. of torque. Mack's SuperEconodyne down- speeding packages are available with both engines. The Anthem's body lines reduce aerodynamic drag by 6 percent and help improve fuel efficiency by up to 3 percent versus a similarly equipped Pinnacle. Those flat fenders help throw air down the side of the trailer, decreasing drag. A deeply sloped hood tosses air over the truck while improving visibility. A roof fairing with an adjustable tab helps improve airflow from the cab to the trail- er on the 70-inch stand-up sleeper. Hood-mounted mirrors sit high, decreasing wind resistance by pushing air around the door mirrors. The hood mirrors offer a panoramic view on either side, practically eliminating blind spots. You can spec the large hood mirrors off the truck, but I found them a handy complement to the door mirrors. Under most circumstances, vibration was min- imal. Anthem's hood and bumper both feature a three-piece construction. They not only improve aerodynamics, they also help cut service time. A new central hood-latch release eliminates walking from side to side to tilt the hood forward. A close-out flange prevents airflow between the hood and bumper and helps move air around the cab. Covered tow hooks cut wind resistance, and the bumper and bumper air dam help reduce air drag. The result is a quieter interior, which made my two-day 850-mile drive from Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Atlanta feel less mentally taxing. You could talk in a normal volume and hear CB chatter and the radio without amping up the volume to obnoxious levels. New LED headlamps are 66 percent brighter, almost doubling low-beam lumens while providing a wider, whiter light with lower electrical draw and lon- ger service life. A spacious sleeper The Anthem is available for order, with production scheduled for January. It comes in a day cab, all-new 48-inch flat- top sleeper and 70-inch stand-up sleeper. The 70-inch sleeper is eight inches taller than Mack's previous mid-rise sleeper. Interior roof height is a foot higher – 6 feet 11 inches at the driver's seat and 7 feet 1 inch at the rear of the bunk. It's this large comfortable sleeper that Jonathan Randall, Mack's senior vice president of sales, thinks will help the company gain consideration in the long-haul segment. The 70-inch sleeper has 35 percent more space than previous models and an additional 27 cubic feet of storage, DRIVE TEST Mack has wrapped one of the best drivelines on the highway in a chiseled and surprisingly aerodynamic package and thrown in added ergonomics and comfort not widely associated with the company's trucks. Mack composes its new Anthem BY JASON CANNON