Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85429
TES T DRIVE On the prowl C Cat truck proves it's ready for all hauling terrains. BY JACK ROBERTS aterpillar has come back strong into the on-highway truck market. For its CT Series, Cat redesigned a Navistar "donor truck" from the frame rails up. The engine choice is the Cat CT13 or CT15, which are Navistar MaxxForce diesels collaborated on by Navistar and Cat. The fuel system is a Caterpillar design. Adam Ackermann, who serves as Cat's dealer liaison in the South, joined me for an extended drive of Cat engineers worked hard to put their stamp on the new CT660, most notably with exterior design cues taken from the company's equipment line. a Cat CT660. It's a dual-axle straight truck – not the usual rig you see in on-road trucking magazines, but Cat is concentrating on producing construction-specific models. The company is secretive about any plans for long-haul, sleeper-cab models, though it has such a model for sale in Australia. On this rainy January morning, I've picked a route that will give us a good mix of interstate, two-lane roads and hills. We've got a full load of pea gravel in the dump body. I'm struck by the progressive styling and attractiveness of this truck, which borrows many styling cues from Cat's wheel-loader line. It's tough, yet modern-looking, combining a highly aerodynamic hood and front fenders. This blending of old and new design elements appeals especially to contractors and truckers everywhere. Cat has experience keeping operators comfortable and productive on loud, vibrating pieces of construction machinery, and its 32 OVERDRIVE APRIL 2012 Photos by Max Heine Photos by Paul Hartley