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http://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2018/jan/0113-2019-silverado.html

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GM executives defend NAFTA, Mexican truck plant David Shepardson, Reuters / January 13, 2018 DETROIT -- General Motors CEO Mary Barra expressed optimism on Saturday that the North American Free Trade Agreement would survive, and other senior GM executives stood by the company's plans to continue building trucks in Mexico. At an event to introduce GM's 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck ahead of the Detroit auto show, Barra twice did not answer directly when asked if the automaker is reconsidering current production in Mexico in light of potential changes or the collapse of the trade deal between the United States, Canada and Mexico. Company executives did not rule out future changes to its North American production plans depending on the outcome of ongoing NAFTA renegotiation talks, even though it would be costly to shift production of trucks. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said on Thursday it will move production of its next-generation heavy-duty pickup trucks to Michigan from a plant in Mexico, a move that reduces the risk that those trucks would be hit with a 25 percent tariff if NAFTA unravels. Barra sidestepped a question about GM's Mexican truck factory, saying, "When I look at our footprint, there is so much more work and negotiations to be done on NAFTA." Mark Reuss, GM's product development chief, said the company is using its existing truck plants in North America, but would not elaborate when asked if GM could stop building trucks in Mexico. "I'm not sure that we would tell anybody that," Reuss said. "I don't think we'd be talking about our footprint in the future."

The New 3.0L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel V6 https://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu7WClcTW2AIVgeNkCh2F4wXpEAAYASAAEgKdVPD_BwE&searchid=757864977|39397447585|283121643333|&s_kwcid=AL!2519!3!244250334842!e!!g!!f 150 diesel specs&ef_id=WlbF0gAAA_YBFRGW:20180114034047:s#the_new_3.0l_power_strokeR_turbo_diesel .

'19 Silverado may emerge as efficiency leader Michael Wayland, Automotive News / January 13, 2018 DETROIT -- Industry-first engine technology, significant weight savings and a new inline-six diesel offering are among the enhancements General Motors is counting on to bolster the Chevrolet Silverado's position as the second-best-selling vehicle in America. The redesigned 2019 model, shown Saturday evening ahead of the Detroit auto show, is larger than current models yet as much as 450 pounds lighter. It features a longer wheelbase, more interior space and a new high-strength steel bed with increased cargo volume and an available power up-down tailgate that can be operated from the key fob, an interior button or by hand. 2019 Chevy Silverado · Interior · - Up to 8-in. touch screen · - Increased front and rear room · - Concealed rear-seat storage areas · Design/engineering · - 3.9 in. longer · - Up to 450-lb. weight reduction · - Next-gen cylinder-cutoff technology · - Optional 3.0-liter I-6 turbodiesel · - Available 10-speed transmission · - Redesigned suspension to improve steering/braking · - Power tailgate, up and down The enhancements and weight reduction could help the 2019 Silverado stake a claim as the most efficient full-size pickup in the market when it arrives in dealer showrooms in fall. GM product boss Mark Reuss called the redesign a “massive undertaking” that resulted in a “very responsive” truck that’s larger, lighter and more durable than ever before. “We are confident that the Silverado will be the very best truck for every customer,” he said Saturday following the unveiling of the trucks here. GM will offer six powertrain combinations, including a 3.0-liter inline-six diesel and 5.3- and 6.2-liter V-8s with a technology called Dynamic Fuel Management that can shut off cylinders, in a variety of combinations, to optimize performance and fuel economy. It's expected to increase efficiency by as much as 21 percent, though GM didn't give details. “It’s revolutionary,” Reuss said of the industry-first technology. “It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before in terms of how many cylinders you can have at any one time in any one different condition.” The diesel engine -- the first in a full-size Chevy pickup since the late 1990s -- and 6.2-liter V-8 will be mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. GM didn't provide details of other transmission pairings or engines. Chevy currently offers a 4.3-liter V-6 as its base engine. The redesigned pickup will have six engine options. The base engine, Reuss said, could “quite possibly” be a new offering. He declined to comment on whether it will be a four-cylinder engine. On the diesel, he said: "I am really confident that we will have the best-performing diesel in the segment." Ford Motor Co. earlier this week announced that it expects its first diesel F-150, which goes on sale this year, to achieve a highway fuel economy rating of 30 mpg. The eight trim levels include two new Z71 Trailboss models and an RST, for Rally Sport Truck, trim. The models will be much more distinctive than the Silverado's current offerings, said Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet truck marketing director. "We wanted to make it easier for consumers and dealers to find the right truck for what they're looking for, and we've further refined that notion," he told Automotive News, adding that consumers and dealers can expect a "similar price walk" to the current pickups. Pricing, fuel economy and other details have yet to be announced. During Saturday's event, GM product boss Mark Reuss called the redesign a “massive undertaking” that resulted in a “very responsive” truck that’s larger, lighter and more durable than ever before. “We are confident that the Silverado will be the very best truck for every customer,” he said. Production starts Production of the Silverado and the forthcoming redesigned GMC Sierra is expected to start at GM's plant in Fort Wayne, Ind., in the fall. GM also builds the trucks in Mexico. Reuss said the Fort Wayne plant will add production of the crew-cab models, which have been built only in Mexico. GM reportedly spent nearly $3 billion on updating its factories for its next-generation trucks in ways that allowed for streamlined manufacturing, fewer parts and lighter trucks. "This is a ground-up, all-new way of looking at a pickup from manufacturing, from design, from everything," said Tim Herrick, executive chief engineer of full-size trucks. "Every model got some level of weight savings, up to 450 pounds." Much of the weight savings came from the pickup's frame and body. All exterior swing panels (doors, hood and tailgate) are made of aluminum, while fixed panels (fenders, roof and bed) are made of steel. Eighty percent of the frame is made of high-strength steel, 2 to 5 millimeters thick. GMC Sierra The Silverado and Sierra, according to Reuss, will arrive in showrooms at the same time later this year. He said GM plans to unveil the Sierra toward the end of the first quarter or the beginning of the second quarter. GM hasn’t unveiled the pickups separately since the first-generation Silverado debuted as part of a rodeo-themed news conference in 1998. .

Hino's new US market COE is based on the Class 5/6/7 500 series. It's no Class 8 by any means. The GM-Navistar product is Classes 4 and 5. The DuraStar replacement is Classes 6 and 7. GM is venturing back into Class 6 with the 6500XD, derived from Isuzu's FTR. All rather convoluted, but the result of GM wanting to get back into the game without spending any serious money. http://www.chevrolet.com/commercial/low-cab-forward-cab-over-truck https://www.gmfleet.com/chevrolet/low-cab-forward-trucks.html

The launch of the US market 500 Series COE is overdue. They've been talking about its launch for some time. That segment is about to become very crowded. The US market conventionals have a 500 Series-based cab. The 700 Series heavy truck range has a larger cab (which is to say that the 300, 500 and 700 Series trucks each have unique purpose-designed cabs). http://www.hino-global.com/content/dam/hino_global/pdf/catalog/HINO300_Series__Catalog_Right_Hand_Drive.pdf http://www.hino-global.com/content/dam/hino_global/pdf/catalog/Hino_500S_Catalog_LR.pdf http://www.hino-global.com/content/dam/hino_global/common/img/product/Hino_700S_Catalog_201607.pdf

The Sydney Morning Herald / January 13, 2018 The truck industry has demanded a cash injection of more than $12 million from the government for road safety, as industry leaders concede there is a "problem" with truck deaths and slow uptake of safer vehicles. The Australian Trucking Association has called for the formation of a National Road Safety Commission, and says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau should take over responsibility for investigating truck accidents. The government should spend another $8 million over the next four years on safety initiatives for heavy vehicles, the association argues in a pre-budget submission, as well as giving an extra $4.3 million to the ATSB. Separately, the Truck Industry Council told the government it could save four lives a year by subsidising the modernisation of Australian truck fleets. It follows Fairfax Media's revelation that truck deaths in NSW soared by 86 per cent last year, from 29 to 54, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of all deaths involving articulated trucks in Australia. Deaths in other states decreased. "We've come a long way but we still have a long way to go," said the trucking association chief-of-staff Bill McKinley. "As long as a single person is killed in an accident involving a heavy vehicle, yes, there's a problem." Currently, fatal truck crashes are investigated by state coroners, a process that may take years. Under the truckers' proposal, serious truck accidents would be investigated by the ATSB, which is accustomed to making preliminary findings about aviation, rail and maritime incidents in just a month. There should also be a public, national database of coronial recommendations, the ATA urged. It also recommended the government take over management of the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiatives program and to inject an extra $2 million a year to fund practical safety measures. Mr McKinley acknowledged there was also a role for the industry to play in curbing excessive overtime and drug-taking by truck drivers. He said a new national regime to commence in July – backed by the industry – would impose tougher regulations and penalties. "I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I am saying there is a strong push to stamp it out," Mr McKinley said. "Driver fatigue is a serious problem and companies have very stringent obligations to manage it." Anthony McMullan, chief executive of the Truck Industry Council, proposed a series of offsets – up to 50 per cent – for fleet operators to purchase newer, environmentally sound and safer trucks. According to his analysis, the safety features of new trucks – including lane assistance, electronic stability control and underrun protection systems – could save about four lives a year, based on factors contributing to previous fatalities. "The uptake of these [new] vehicles isn't as high as what one would expect or hope for. There is a problem there," Mr McMullan said. "It's not to say that [older] vehicles aren't safe. A truck properly maintained is safe. It's just that newer trucks have newer technologies and we should be trying to encourage the uptake of these newer technologies on to our road network."

Trailer-Body Builders / January 11, 2018 Four of North America’s leading truck manufacturers have announced they will unveil new vehicles at The Work Truck Show 2018. Chevrolet Commercial Vehicles will reveal its Silverado 4500HD and 5500HD chassis cab trucks. Ford Commercial Vehicles will launch a new commercial vehicle. Hino Trucks will introduce a line of Class 7 and 8 trucks. International Truck will debut what it’s calling “the driver’s ultimate work truck.” Additional OEMs with press conferences scheduled include Ram Commercial, which plans to announce work-truck-related news for the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 truck, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc. and Mack Trucks Inc. These manufacturers are among 100 exhibiting companies that have shared plans to introduce commercial vehicles and equipment at North America’s largest work truck event. The Work Truck Show takes place March 6–9 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Educational sessions, Green Truck Summit and Fleet Technical Congress begin March 6, and the exhibit hall is open March 7–9. “Every March, Indianapolis becomes the North American epicenter for work trucks, as manufacturers showcase the newest vocational trucks, vans, components and equipment for any application to fleet managers, equipment distributors, upfitters, installers and other professionals in the vocational vehicle industry,” says Steve Carey, NTEA executive director. “If you want to be part of this year’s biggest product launches, you want to be at The Work Truck Show 2018.” Chevrolet says the new Silverado 4500HD and 5500HD chassis cab trucks will complete its commercial truck portfolio. Designed around how customers work, the OEM says the trucks will be highly maneuverable and among the easiest on the market to upfit. Hino reports that its new Class 7 and 8 trucks are the result of four years of development and hundreds of thousands of hours of engineering work that included building 10 prototypes. The vehicles will be powered by Hino’s A09 9-liter engine that provides a horsepower range of 300 to 360 hp. Overall, the 500 exhibiting companies at The Work Truck Show 2018 will showcase the latest products necessary to build, equip, customize and utilize the trucks that keep America moving forward. The Work Truck Show’s exclusive New Product Spotlight program makes it easy for attendees to identify new products in advance and on the exhibit floor. Participating companies provide a photo and product details for each new product which NTEA shares on the Show website and through The Work Truck Show 2018 app (scheduled for release in February). Information about “green” products featured in the Green Product Showcase, and a full list of first-time exhibitors is also available on the same webpage: worktruckshow.com/floorplan. For the complete schedule of events, educational session descriptions, Show floor plan and to register, visit worktruckshow.com. For more information, call 800-441-6832 or email info@ntea.com.

Fiat Chrysler to invest over $1 billion in Ram plant Trailer-Body Builders / January 12, 2018 Fiat Chrysler Automobile (FCA) is planning to invest more than $1 billion to modernize its Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Michigan and create 2,500 additional jobs so it can relocate production of its Ram Heavy Duty pickup truck from Saltillo, Mexico, by 2020. This investment is on top of the $1 billion the OEM committed to invest in the Warren factory last year to accommodate its Jeep product line, which included building its all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. FCA said its Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant will be repurposed to produce future commercial vehicles for global distribution. The company also noted that it has invested some $10 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations since June 2009, with some $3.5 billion alone focused on Jeep and Ram Truck production realignment that included the addition of 3,700 new jobs. That $3.5 billion investment and related actions involved production shifts at three plants in Illinois, Ohio and Michigan to gain capacity for the Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler and Ram Light Duty truck, as well as the introduction of three new Jeep models at plants in Ohio and Michigan. Broken down, those investments include: • $350 million in the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois to produce the Jeep Cherokee, which moved from Toledo, OH, in 2017. More than 300 new jobs were added to support production. • $700 million in the Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio to retool the North plant to produce the next generation Jeep Wrangler. Approximately 700 new jobs will be added to support production, FCA said. • $1.5 billion in the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Michigan to build the next generation Ram 1500 truck. More than 700 new jobs will be added to support production, the company noted. • $1 billion in the south plant of the Toledo Assembly Complex to prepare the facility to produce an all-new Jeep truck, and in the Warren Truck Assembly Plant to modernize the plant to build the all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. More than 2,000 new jobs will be added at these two plants to support production, FCA pointed out. The company is also making a special bonus payment of $2,000 to approximately 60,000 FCA hourly and salaried employees in the U.S., excluding senior leadership. The payment, which FCA said “recognizes employees for their continued commitment to the company’s success,” will be made in the second quarter of this year and will be in addition to any profit sharing and salaried performance bonuses that employees would otherwise be eligible to receive in 2018. The special bonus will be paid to all eligible employees of the FCA automotive and components operations in the U.S., the OEM added. “These announcements reflect our ongoing commitment to our U.S. manufacturing footprint and the dedicated employees who have contributed to FCA’s success,” said Sergio Marchionne, FCA’s CEO, in a statement. “It is only proper that our employees share in the savings generated by tax reform and that we openly acknowledge the resulting improvement in the U.S. business environment by investing in our industrial footprint accordingly.”

I agree Bob, absolutely amazing.

It's a very good question. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In 1932, President Hoover and the State Department essentially shut down immigration during the Great Depression as immigration went from 236,000 in 1929 to 23,000 in 1933. This was accompanied by voluntary repatriation to Europe and Mexico, and coerced repatriation and deportation of between 500,000 and 2 million Mexican Americans, mostly citizens, in the Mexican Repatriation. Total immigration in the decade of 1931 to 1940 was 528,000 averaging less than 53,000 a year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_laws_concerning_immigration_and_naturalization_in_the_United_States The National Origins Formula was an American system of immigration quotas, used between 1921 and 1965, which restricted immigration on the basis of existing proportions of the population. It aimed to reduce the overall number of unskilled immigrants, to allow families to re-unite, and to prevent immigration from changing the ethnic distribution of the population. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Origins_Formula

Ford urges 2,900 pickup owners to stop driving after new Takata death Reuters / January 11, 2018 WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it had confirmed a second death in an older pickup truck caused by a defective Takata airbag inflator and urged 2,900 owners in North America to stop driving immediately until they can get replacement parts. The second largest U.S. automaker said it confirmed in late December that a July 2017 crash death in West Virginia in a 2006 Ford Ranger was caused by a defective Takata inflator. It previously reported a similar death in South Carolina that occurred in December 2015. Ford said both Takata deaths occurred with inflators built on the same day installed in 2006 Ranger pickups. At least 21 deaths worldwide are linked to the Takata inflators that can rupture and send deadly metal fragments into the driver's body. The faulty inflators have led to the largest automotive recall in history. The other 19 deaths have occurred in Honda Motor Co. vehicles, most of which were in the United States. Ford issued a new recall for automobiles that had been previously recalled in 2016. Of those 391,000 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles, the new recall announced on Thursday affects 2,900 vehicles. These include 2,700 in the United States and nearly 200 in Canada. The new recall will allow for identification of the 2,900 owners in the highest risk pool. A Mazda Motor Corp. spokeswoman said Thursday the company would conduct a similar recall and stop drive warning for some 2006 Mazda B-series trucks, which were built by Ford and are similar to the Ranger. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urged owners to heed Ford's warning. "It is extremely important that all high-risk air bags are tracked down and replaced immediately," NHTSA spokeswoman Karen Aldana said. Ford said it would pay to have vehicles towed to dealerships or send mobile repair teams to owners' homes and provide free loaners if needed. Takata said in June that it has recalled, or expected to recall, about 125 million vehicles worldwide by 2019, including more than 60 million in the United States. Some 19 automakers worldwide are impacted. Takata inflators can explode with excessive force, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks and have injured more than 200. The defect led Takata to file for bankruptcy protection in June. Chinese-owned supplier Key Safety Systems Inc. has purchased Takata's viable assets out of bankruptcy court. Criminal charges In 2017, prosecutors in Detroit charged three former senior Takata executives with falsifying test results to conceal the inflator defect. None have come to the United States to face charges. Last year, Takata pleaded guilty to wire fraud and were subject to pay a total of $1 billion in criminal penalties in a U.S. court in connection with the recalls. Automakers have struggled to get enough replacement parts for the massive recalls. A November NHTSA report said about two-thirds of U.S. vehicles recalled have not yet been repaired. U.S. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said in a statement on Thursday the latest death is evidence of "the very definition of a failed recall" pointing to the earlier Ford death in 2015. NHTSA must do more, he said, to make the recall a priority. In November, NHTSA rejected a petition from Ford to delay recalling 3 million vehicles with potentially defective airbag inflators to conduct additional testing. In June 2016, NHTSA warned airbag inflators on more than 300,000 unrepaired recalled 2001-2003 model year Honda vehicles showed a substantial risk of rupturing, and urged owners to stop driving them until getting them fixed. NHTSA said they have as high as a 50 percent chance of a rupture in a crash.

Trump derides protections for immigrants from ‘sh*thole’ countries The Washington Post / January 11, 2018 President Trump grew frustrated with lawmakers Thursday in the Oval Office when they discussed protecting immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and African countries as part of a bipartisan immigration deal, according to several people briefed on the meeting. “Why are we having all these people from sh*thole countries come here?” Trump said, according to these people, referring to countries mentioned by the lawmakers. Trump then suggested that the United States should instead bring more people from countries such as Norway, whose prime minister he met with Wednesday. The president, according to a White House official, also suggested he would be open to more immigrants from Asian countries because he felt they help the United States economically. In addition, the president singled out Haiti, telling lawmakers that immigrants from that country must be left out of any deal, these people said. “Why do we need more Haitians?” Trump said, according to people familiar with the meeting. “Take them out.” Lawmakers were taken aback by the comments, according to people familiar with their reactions. Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) had proposed cutting the visa lottery program by 50 percent and then prioritizing countries already in the system, a White House official said. A White House spokesman defended Trump’s position on immigration without directly addressing his remarks. White House officials did not dispute the account. “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people,” spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement issued after The Washington Post first reported Trump’s remarks. “. . . Like other nations that have merit-based immigration, President Trump is fighting for permanent solutions that make our country stronger by welcoming those who can contribute to our society, grow our economy and assimilate into our great nation.” Outlining a potential bipartisan deal, the lawmakers discussed restoring protections for countries that have been removed from the temporary protected status (TPS) program while committing $1.5 billion for a border wall and making changes to the visa lottery system. Lawmakers mentioned that members of the Congressional Black Caucus had requested that some African countries be included in a deal, according to a White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation. The exchange was “salty” on all sides, this person said, with the president growing profane and animated while discussing immigrants from other countries. “It did not go well,” this person said. The administration announced this week that it was removing TPS status for citizens of El Salvador. Haitians were added to the TPS program because of a strong earthquake that devastated Haiti eight years ago. Trump had seemed amenable to a deal earlier in the day during phone calls with lawmakers, aides said, but shifted his position in the meeting and did not seem interested in the bipartisan compromise. The scene played out hurriedly in the morning. Graham and Durbin thought they would be meeting with Trump alone and were surprised to find immigration hard-liners such as Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) at the meeting. White House and Capitol Hill aides say Stephen Miller, the president’s top immigration official, was concerned there could be a deal proposed that was too liberal and made sure conservative lawmakers were present. After the meeting, Marc Short, Trump’s director of legislative affairs, said the White House was nowhere near a bipartisan agreement on immigration. “We still think we can get there,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at the daily White House news briefing.

FCA to shift heavy-duty Ram output to U.S. from Mexico David Phillips, Automotive News / January 11, 2018 Special bonus of $2,000 to 60,000 U.S. employees also planned FCA will invest more than $1 billion to modernize a Michigan truck plant to produce the next-generation Ram Heavy Duty pickup, which will be shifted from Saltillo, Mexico, starting in 2020. The investment at the Warren, Mich.., assembly plant follows plans detailed in January 2017 to expand the factory to build all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs. The company said the Saltillo truck assembly plant will be repurposed to produce future commercial vehicles for global markets. FCA said 2,500 new jobs will be created at the Michigan plant, in addition to the jobs detailed in January 2017 when FCA said it would move light-duty Ram truck output from the Warren, Mich., site to a nearby Sterling Heights, Mich., factory. The company also plans to make a special bonus payment of $2,000 to approximately 60,000 FCA hourly and salaried employees in the U.S., excluding senior leadership. FCA said Thursday the Michigan plant expansion and special payments were made possible in part by U.S. tax reform passed late last year that will reduce the company's corporate tax bill. FCA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said a year ago the company could shift heavy-truck output from Mexico to Michigan, depending on the outcome of tax reform legislation and proposed changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement. President Donald Trump has threatened to force the rollback of NAFTA, which enables the free flow of goods across the borders of the United States, Canada and Mexico. Trump says NAFTA has hurt U.S. manufacturing employment and has blasted domestic and foreign automakers for moving jobs and factory investment to Mexico. Heavy duty pickups are among the most profitable vehicles produced by automakers and are sold mostly in the United States and Canada. Analysts say FCA's decision to move output of the trucks to the U.S. would also mitigate any risk of any unfavorable changes to NAFTA. The special payment will be made in the second quarter and will be in addition to any profit sharing and salaried performance bonuses that employees are eligible for in 2018, FCA said. The one-time bonus will be paid to all eligible employees at FCA's automotive and components operations in the U.S. “It is only proper that our employees share in the savings generated by tax reform and that we openly acknowledge the resulting improvement in the U.S. business environment by investing in our industrial footprint accordingly,” Marchionne said in a statement. .

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Scania Trucks Press Release / January 9, 2018 Over the 30 years that Jonas Lohmander has been a truck driver, he has driven many truck models. But in his opinion none comes close to the new generation Scania in terms of fuel economy, comfort and quality. He had heard the claims that the fuel economy of the new generation Scania was unprecedented but Lohmander was not convinced. “I’ve been around for so long that I found that hard to believe. It was simply impossible; those low figures weren’t possible,” he says. Seasoned truck driver In summer 2017, Lohmander had the opportunity to drive a Scania R 500 demo truck for one week on his regular run. For seven years, he has been transporting food on behalf of Bring Frigo to the central warehouses of major Swedish food retail chains. Five drivers share four trucks on the route from the southern to central Sweden. Loaded with 60 tonnes of frozen goods, Lohmander drove the normal delivery routes that week. “I usually drive a 2012 model 730 hp truck, which at best consumes 46 litres/100 km. With this new truck, I clocked 37 litres/100 km, even though the truck was heavily loaded in both directions.” “without doubt the best truck ever” The demo truck was equipped with the two-pedal Opticruise automated gearchanging system, which means that the driver can’t change gears manually. But even in a manual mode the fuel consumption should be at the same level. “I called Scania after my first trip and told them that I’d driven many trucks but that this was without doubt the best ever.” In addition to the impressive fuel figures, Lohmander is impressed by the truck’s comfort and quality. “Closing the door shows the difference. It sounds like an Audi; in other words, completely silent. And the comfort is amazing – Scania has really taken major steps forward with the new generation.” .

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Dakar Rally 2018: Team PETRONAS De Rooy IVECO off to a good start with a fourth position in stage 1 The 2018 edition of the Dakar rally kicked off Saturday January 6 with a short special of 31 kilometres Ton van Genugten’s IVECO Powerstar finished in fourth place, just over a minute behind the leaders, while Artur Ardavichus followed less than 4 minutes later. The 10th South American edition of the toughest rally raid in the world, the Dakar, kicked off on Saturday in Peru, with three IVECO Powerstars as contenders facing a route of almost 9,000 kilometres ahead of them. The 337 participating vehicles drove through the starting ramp in a colourful ceremony in El Pentagonito, Lima. All the crews drove straight to the beginning of the stage, close to the city of Pisco, where the first 31 kilometres of timed special took place for the 40th edition of this historical competition. Ton van Genugten, from team PETRONAS de Rooy IVECO, achieved the best result of the three IVECO Powerstars in the first special. He crossed the finish line just over a minute behind the leaders, in fourth place behind Ales Loprais, Martin van den Brink and Eduard Nikolaev. The Dutch pilot was very pleased with the opening stage of the Dakar 2018: "This was about what I had in mind. It went extremely well. It was a fast track through the dunes, you could drive fast, but it was certainly not easy." Teammate Artur Ardavichus finished the stage five minutes behind Loprais. The driver from Kazakhstan will start the second stage from the 16th place, following his position on yesterday’s special. Argentinian Federico Villagra, also behind the wheel of an IVECO Powerstar, and one of the favourites to battle the Russian’s Kamaz head to head, had a bit more complicated race in the first 31 km special. A glitch with the navigation system cost the pilot 16m37s in the shortest day of competition. Even though the first stage covered a short distance, it already showed the difficulties that the crews will face in the first week of action, when they will cross the world’s highest dunes in the desert of Peru. Navigation will be a key factor in this Dakar 2018 and the co-pilots’ skills will be put to the test all the way through. Stage 1 / Overall – Dakar Rally 2018 1. Ales Loprais (Tatra) 25m15s 2. Martin van den Brink (Renault) + 22s 3. Eduard Nikolaev (Kamaz) + 29s 4. TON VAN GENUGTEN (IVECO) + 1m11s 5. Anton Shibalov (Kamaz) + 1m18s ---------- 16. ARTUR ARDAVICHUS (IVECO) + 4m55s 21. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (IVECO) + 16m37s

The R6 is loosely based on the 12-litre Liebherr D946. https://www.liebherr.com/en/ita/products/components/combustion-engines/diesel-engines/product-portfolio-diesel-engines/details/d946a7.html http://www.kolesa.ru/article/shest-v-ryad-podrobnosti-o-novom-dvigatele-kamaz-r6

KAMAZ Trucks Press Release / December 15, 2017 On the 25th of March 2014, in the German city of Ehingen, KAMAZ PTC and the Liebherr Group signed a contract to develop a new advanced range of six-straight engines generating from 400 to 700 hp and complying with the emmissions directives of Euro 5 and later Euro 6. Then, on the 10th of June 2014, by order of Sergey Kogogin, Director General of KAMAZ, a project titled Tibet was launched at KAMAZ. For three years, extensive work has been carried out at the engine plant: sites were built and equipment was installed for production of blocks and cylinder heads, R6 engine assembly and painting lines were mounted. This December, the first detail of the new engine was processed, and the first KAMAZ 910. 10 engines were put onto the assembly line. The new conveyor will expand the production capacity of KAMAZ PTC. In 2018, the serial production of the new line of KAMAZ inline-six R6 engines will be launched. These engines will power trucks of the promising K5 generation the production of which is scheduled for 2019. "The innovative approach behind our projects is especially needed for production of KAMAZ vehicles of the promising lineup we are currently working on," stated Sergey Kogogin, Director General of KAMAZ PTC. "We are striving to make our product the best for our customers and enter new markets. The new powerful and reliable R6 engines made in cooperation with our partner with the use of the world's latest technologies will enable us to greatly improve technical and consumer characteristics of vehicles and make trucks safer for people and environment." Liebherr has more than 30 years of experience in the development and production of diesel engines for heavy applications and tough climatic operating conditions. The engines are part of the comprehensive program that entails development, design and manufacture within Liebherr's components division. Among the high-performing components from the areas of mechanical, hydraulic and electric drive and control technology are diesel and gas engines, injection systems, axial piston machines, hydraulic pumps and motors, hydraulic cylinders, oversized bearings, gearboxes and winches, electric machines, switchgear as well as electric and electronic components and systems. "Our companies have been cooperating for many years, since the moment our companies started working on the development of gearboxes for the first KAMAZ trucks. It is therefore especially pleasant to witness the birth of the new engine after our designers' and engineers' hard work. The new production line built exclusively for R6 engines is also very impressive. I would like to thank KAMAZ workers who had realized this project and wish success with the new engine," said the president of the governing board of Liebherr-International AG, Dr. h.c. Dipl.-Ing. Willi Liebherr. The new line of KAMAZ for R6 engine production has state-of-the-art equipment, and in some aspects it surpasses foreign analogues. Great attention is paid to compliance with technologies and detailed quality control, each operation is 100% controlled. Thus, the high quality of the power unit for K5 KAMAZ vehicles is ensured. Today, all lines of the new conveyor are working in a start-up mode. It is expected to assemble 7-10 power units till the end of 2017. The industrial production of R6 engines will be launched in March 2018. The new line is designed for the output of 12 thous. power units a year. Under the project, 150 new workplaces were created at the engine plant of KAMAZ. .

Truck News / January 10, 2018 DENTON, Texas – Peterbilt Motors Company hit a major milestone recently, as it produced its 1,000,000th truck. The, vehicle, a Model 567 Heritage rolled off the assembly line at the company’s Denton, Texas manufacturing facility. “The production of one million trucks is a proud moment, and the Model 567 Heritage embodies this historic occasion,” said Kyle Quinn, general manager, Peterbilt Motors Company. “The styling and durability of the Model 567 Heritage gives customers the industry’s most modern, technologically advanced and versatile truck. Inside and out, this truck commands attention.” Peterbilt’s Denton facility opened in 1980 with the production of the Model 359. In celebration of the momentous 1,000,000th truck, Peterbilt recently conducted a search for its ultimate SuperFan within the United States and Canada. From the 1,200 entries submitted, Peterbilt will choose the SuperFan to be gifted the Model 567 Heritage during a ceremony at the upcoming Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) as a way to thank our loyal enthusiasts, customers, drivers, and dealers for their roles in Peterbilt’s success. “One million trucks is a fantastic milestone and is a testament to the hard working Peterbilt employees from 1939 to now,” said Leon Handt, assistant general manager of operations, Peterbilt Motors Company. “We wouldn’t have been able to grow our brand without them.”