Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/611028
December 2015 | Overdrive | 47 Start Your Own Start Your Own Company? Trucking Let Apex take the stress out of getting your business started, so you can focus on your future. We make it simple! www.apexcapitalcorp.com/overdrive Get Started Today! 855-347-2739 MX-11, Gansle says. Thanks mostly to advanced electronic controls, he says, "we're just able to wring so much more performance out of these small- er engines." It took only a minute or two behind the 579's steering wheel to realize Gansle's point. My MX-11 was the high-power option, cranking out 430 horsepower and 1,550 pound-feet of torque – numbers that would have been in the 13-liter domain not long ago. So it's not surprising that the MX-11 feels robust when you put the pedal down. Even with 63,000 pounds in the 53-foot trailer behind us, the truck accelerated smoothly and quick- ly, even on upgrade launches. The engine is exceptionally quiet. Model 579s already do an outstand- ing job of dampening road and wind noise, and the MX-11 further reduces what little engine roar was filtering into the cab, delivering a remarkably quiet ride even through brisk Texas crosswinds. The Apex drivetrain, which is essen- tially in charge of the Epiq system's overall performance, does an out- standing job of balancing the driver's need for vehicle performance with the front office's demand for the best fuel economy possible. That's thanks in part to Paccar's new Predictive Cruise Control System. It enhances the tractor's overall capa- bilities by providing logical throttle adjustments to meet any terrain con- ditions in cruise mode without any driver input. The system, available as an option on Apex drivetrains, uses real-time GPS and topography data to make proper throttle adjustments. The system foresees terrain, adding power to keep the truck in high gears as it climbs a grade, then decreasing throttle on the down slope. If the downgrade is steep enough, the system will kick the transmission into neutral to ensure maximum fuel economy. When combined with Bendix's option- al forward-looking collision avoidance system, the entire package works seam- lessly to dramatically ease a driver's workload while consistently delivering safe, economical performance. Jack Roberts is equip- ment editor for Overdrive and Commercial Carrier Journal. See videos of this drive test and others at Overdrive- Online.com/ drivetests.