Jump to content

Titan to be Discontinued


Recommended Posts

From a business prospective, why even bother marketing a Volvo with a Mack grille in a country market where Volvo brand trucks are already sold?  In this day and age, manufacturers want to do away with product "overlap".

Even GMC and Chevrolet light trucks have more visible differentiation than what we see here.

Though they keep it out of the news, the company is in dire financial straights. Having sold everything possible*, and cut everywhere possible, it's ability to survive depends on the market.

* Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE) isn't currently saleable owing to its depressed market value.

At any rate, American truck operators will soon be seeing the new Mack-badged Volvo in person.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now I know the real reason why the Titan, MP10 and D16 are being discontinued.

Another "expert" on another internet forum is now saying Volvo bought Paccar.

So I guess they are dropping these models to pay for Paccar.  Bahahahahahaha.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 07/01/2017 at 5:07 PM, Bullheaded said:

An insider friend of mine just sent me these pics. Sorry about the small images, they were taken on his cell phone and he must have the settings low.

He said a heavy haul fleet in British Columbia, Canada is testing this black one. Could be the new replacement model. It has the new Volvo/Mack global cab. Said the cab is testing well and is liked by the test drivers.. No mention of engine though.

And just like how International used the code name "Project Silverback" when designing and testing the new Paystar replacement, which we now know as the HX, this one is using the name "Voltan"

There is also a very popular bulk hauler fleet in southern Ontario that currently has the other one for evaluation.

That's all he could tell me.

Voltan 3.jpg

voltan2 copy.jpg

Sorry man......

Who ever your insider is likes to screw with you.

Both trucks are Volvo VNX trucks on the road.  Whom ever saw the walking floor on the road was long over due for some sleeper berth time.

The blue VNX  is the unit making the rounds in Ontario as a demo unit.(without the photo shopped grill)The picture without the Mack grill was in a major trucking magazine 3 months ago.

The black one is owned by Mammoet and is currently in use out west (as seen on you tube videos on Volvo page)  that customer used Macks for decades with E9's and has been using Western star to bridge the gap. Now using Volvo VNX.

Volvo wouldn't bother going through a rebadge  to keep Mack guys happy. They loved the fact every Mack you drive today is just a cab hood and sleeper that makes it Mack the rest being a volvo.

 I own some so I should know. 

The test trucks making the rounds in the states do not have a global cab but the updated mack Pinnacle cab.  

Nice try though...lol

 

 

Edited by bbigrig
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, bbigrig said:

Before photo shop boys......

The D16 was never going to get the common rail update I was told before the unveil.

I was also told there was a plan to phase it out over the next few years and it passed the emissions cert with very little changes.

I have an idea what's going on with the D16. At any rate, this is what Volvo announced within the last 12 months.

Production of upgraded D11 and D16 engines begins in January, while a D13 with turbo compounding begins production in mid-2017.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45838-volvo-trucks-north-america-press-conference-shippensburg-pa/#comment-337812

The 2017 Mack MP8 will be available for order in April 2016, while the 2017 MP7 and MP10* engines will be available for order in July 2016. The Mack MP8 with turbo compounding will be available for order in October 2016.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/44945-new-mack-engines/#comment-331766

Long noted that no major changes are being made to the 2017 D16 model compared its previous 2014 iteration, with the D16 maintaining its iron-zeolite catalyst, eliminating the need for sulfur regeneration. Production for the tweaked 2017 D16 model begins in January 2017.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/44540-volvo-trucks-announces-us-market-common-rail-other-powertrain-enhancements/#comment-328779

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Bullheaded said:

Still I've yet to see any official announcement of anything getting dropped.

I've only seen the same press releases that Kscarbel2 has posted.

We have to wait and see . I'm sure there's been some blowback from dealers . Even though Titan didn't sell well I'm sure at least some dealers liked having that option on the table .

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, logtruckman said:

We have to wait and see . I'm sure there's been some blowback from dealers . Even though Titan didn't sell well I'm sure at least some dealers liked having that option on the table .

The Mack dealer body has been demoralized by Volvo for some time now, due to explainable sales marketing decisions including available product, and losing deals by $10,000 to $15,000.

On one hand, they now feel naked without a large engine offering when the competition can all take orders for 15L and 16L engines.

On the other hand, Volvo has never made the D16 available in any variant of the Pinnacle (e.g. Rawhide Edition), or Granite. So in fact, the Mack brand hasn't been able to compete on equal terms for some time.

Unlike the Granite Series, one can order a Freightliner 122SD with either the DD15, DD16 or X15 (ISX15). I liken the Granite to the 122SD more than the Titan.

Similarly, unlike the Pinnacle Series, one can order a Freightliner "New Cascadia" with either the DD15, DD16 or X15 (ISX15).

Going up against the competition, the Mack brand dealer is empty handed.

And yes, this IS one reason why Daimler has the largest Class 8 market share in the US market and Canada.

Yes, the D11 (MP7) and D13 (MP8) can satisfy the needs of most customers*, providing a cheaper, lighter and more fuel-efficient alternative. But what about the customer's engine preference? This is European Volvo thinking, in that they want to tell you what engine you need, rather than listen to what engine the customer is saying they want. In the global market, Volvo dictates to the customer (and dealer body). But that business attitude doesn't fly in the US market.

* Engine braking performance (Jacobs) is of course relative to displacement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, Underdog said:

Seems like the '70s and '80s all over again... Mack lost a lot of market share and reputation by holding on to the 300 when the competition was in a horsepower war offering 425hp inline sixes. Too bad the "big six" museum piece never made it to market.

My personal experience was the "300" remained competitive thru 1980.

We were weak in the 350hp range with the 2VH, but the E6-350 4VH engine resolved that. It was one of the best engines we ever made.

And in big power, we had the V-8.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again this all comes down to options... Mack historically was built and sold on the fact that they built the whole truck. "Mack Western" opened up non mack component options that at the time seamed very popular. I think Mack could have kept better pace if they would have grown on the Mack Western idea.  The 70s ad 80s must have been a great time for Truck MFG just based on the classy photos I see of trucks of that day... I think the downfall for mack was in the 90s, they did not stay on the cutting edge with style or drive train options. Seams thru the 90s all they had were R models and the CH. The CH is a rugged truck but it parted ways from American styling and was only sold with Mack power. The CL was a good idea but again limited engine options if I recall.  fast forward to today Mack again has their premier Truck (Titan) with lack of options. It does not have sleeper options or off breed engine options . It is just amazing to me they basically continued on their same sales platform of the last 2 decades. What Truck MFG in this day thinks their premier Truck will only sell with limited Engine and Cab options.  They really missed the boat on the titan. not sure what they can do now to fix this

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, kscarbel2 said:

Yes, the D11 (MP7) and D13 (MP8) can satisfy the needs of most customers*, providing a cheaper, lighter and more fuel-efficient alternative.

I'm going to play devil's advocate here:

I think you overestimate the importance of the 15L. The Mack 13L has 505hp/1860lbs available - but the Detroit 15L only offers 500hp/1750lbs. If you want that 1850lbs you need a DD16 - a heavier, more expensive proposition. So already the Volvo/Mack looks pretty competitive. Cheaper, lighter and more fuel-efficient - what's not to love? 

Here's the other thing:  500/1850 is far more juice than most operations require. Around here most bulk, fuel and steel operations using Macks and Volvos spec 13L engines to move 139,000lbs (63.5k kgs). I'm sure Paccar sells a lot of 13L motors as well. Another thing I learned: no matter what the make, a lot of these heavy haulers are only set to 450/470/1650lbs.

So who really needs that 16L? People moving serious weight (far more than 80,000lbs) over serious hills like the Rockies. That's not a lot of sales.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...