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Reuters / October 10, 2016 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and engine manufacturer Cummins are fighting over the $200 million estimated cost for a recall of 130,000 Ram pickup trucks equipped with Cummins diesel engines that could exceed U.S. pollution limits. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) have demanded a recall of 2013 through 2015 model year Ram 2500 pickup trucks with 6.7L Cummins diesel engines because moisture can lead to the deactivation of the selective catalyst reduction system, causing excess nitrogen oxide emissions, Cummins said in court documents that have not been previously reported. A lawyer for Fiat Chrysler, John Berg, said at a Sept. 23 court hearing in Detroit the recall could cost $200 million, according to a transcript. The auto maker is willing to cooperate in the recall, Berg said. "What we are not willing to do is bear the cost of it," he said. Fiat Chrysler has sued Cummins to recover the $60 million it has spent to date repairing 42,000 trucks at its own expense, he said. The legal dispute between Fiat Chrysler and Cummins began in August when Fiat Chrysler sued the engine maker in U.S. District Court in Detroit for breach of contract, saying the Indiana engine company failed to provide working parts and would not indemnify it. Cummins countersued, saying Fiat Chrysler would not cooperate in the recall "for one reason – money" and said the automaker was "holding both Cummins and its own customers hostage." When the emissions system fails, the warning light goes on and if the vehicle isn't fixed soon the vehicles go into "limp mode" that allow them to only be driven very slowly, Berg said. Cummins spokesman Jon Mills said Monday the two companies have a dispute regarding the financial responsibility for the recall, but "are working collaboratively to resolve an issue with a third party after treatment system purchased by (Fiat Chrysler) as quickly as possible on behalf of our customers." Fiat Chrysler spokesman Mike Palese said Monday the automaker "remains committed to working with Cummins to ensure that any necessary repairs are carried out effectively and efficiently." Cummins wants the recall to start next month in California and eight other states, and plans to complete the action early next year, according to court documents. Cummins said in a court filing the recall will reduce the fuel economy of vehicles by a "negligible" amount - from 14.6 miles per gallon to 14.4 miles per gallon.

Donald Trump and the declining prestige of US democracy Gideon Rachman, The Financial Times / October 9, 2016 The presidential debates are a poor advert for the western system How did it come to this? The presidential election debates should represent US democracy at its finest. Instead, the second Clinton-Trump debate centred around sordid allegations of sexual assault, threats, lies and mutual contempt. At one stage, Mr Trump boasted that Mrs Clinton would “be in jail” if he were in charge of the legal system. Political rivals to the president get imprisoned in Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. America is meant to live by different standards. Sunday night’s spectacle is not just embarrassing for the US. America is widely regarded as the “leader of the free world.” So the rise of Mr Trump threatens to damage the prestige of democracy everywhere. The damage is not restricted to the world of ideas. Authoritarianism and anti-Americanism are on the march, led by increasingly confident governments in Beijing and Moscow. A strong and impressive US should be central to rallying the response of the world’s democracies. Instead, we had the depressing and degrading spectacle of the second Trump-Clinton debate. Even in their current sorry state, the presidential debates have shown some of the drama and energy that distinguish US politics. Millions of people around the world watched and discussed the confrontation. The next session of China’s National People’s Congress will not attract a similar audience. It is also true that neither Xi Jinping of China nor Vladimir Putin of Russia would ever be subjected to the kind of brutal interrogation to which American politicians are subjected on a routine basis. Instead, last week, the Russian Duma sent Mr Putin 450 roses to mark his birthday. Yet, even so, the second presidential election debate was a desperately poor advertisement for US democracy. In some respects, Mr Trump has actually introduced some of the malign features of Russian and Chinese politics into the US. One of the strengths of the western democratic system is that a free press and open debate are meant to expose falsehoods. Yet Mr Trump sprays out lies like a skunk trying to repel its enemies. His method seems to be to create such confusion that the truth simply gets buried amid a mass of falsehoods. This is characteristic of the current Russian propaganda system described in an aptly titled book by Peter Pomerantsev: Nothing is True and Everything Is Possible. The Chinese challenge to America’s democratic ideology is more subtle and perhaps more dangerous because China, unlike Russia, can make a good claim to be a well-governed country. China is the largest economy in the world measured by purchasing power parity. The Chinese argue that their system selects leaders on merit, after decades of rigorous assessment. President Xi only made it to the pinnacle of state power after many years of work in the provinces and in different government jobs. He has been judged by his peers, not the voters, to be qualified to run the country. The Chinese do not yet argue that their system should be applied around the world. But they do increasingly condemn — as agents of America, seeking to “sow chaos” — those who make the case for a more liberal political system within the Sinic world, for example in Hong Kong or Taiwan. Beleaguered liberals in Russia or China need a well-functioning US democracy as a support and an inspiration. Instead, they see a system that produces Mr Trump, a man whose political style owes more to President Putin than to President Obama. In Beijing recently, I was told that many Chinese officials quite like the idea of Mr Trump as US president “because he makes America look so bad”. By contrast, US allies around the world would be dismayed to see the Oval Office occupied by an erratic “America First” narcissist like Mr Trump. Of course US politics has thrown up villains and melodrama before. The first great US political scandal that I followed as a child was Watergate — which also featured a “bad guy” making scandalous remarks on a secret recording. The Watergate tapes introduced the American public to the phrase “expletive deleted”. Many Americans were scandalised by the profanity and cynicism of Richard Nixon, their president. But the way that the US system — the courts, the press and the Congress working together — dealt with Nixon was ultimately very impressive. And for all his flaws, no one doubted that Nixon had the experience and the intelligence to be president. By contrast, Mr Trump is manifestly unqualified and has thrown the US system into confusion, leaving the press and the Republican party floundering. The fact that more than 40 per cent of Americans, and a majority of whites, are probably going to vote for him suggests that the US is in deep trouble. We can, by now, all list the ingredients that have helped create this sickness — economic stagnation, inequality, illegal immigration, the rise of social media — but the outcome threatens the prestige of democracy worldwide. If Mrs Clinton makes it to the White House there will be relief across the west and a certain disappointment in Moscow and, perhaps, Beijing. But it will be very hard to erase the memory of this campaign. It has presented an image of a troubled, divided and deluded US to the rest of the world. As a result, it has already dealt a serious blow to the prestige and power of the west.

Daimler Press Release / October 7, 2016 First test drive with the Unimog prototype on 9 October 1946 Daimler engineer Albert Friedrich had been working since October 1944 to develop an agricultural motor vehicle which was to open up entirely new perspectives Friedrich's ideas were used 70 years ago by head designer Heinrich Rößler to create a vehicle concept that has also revolutionised the development of agricultural tractors and their implements, municipal technology, and road usage services Market segments today include implement carriers for year-round operation, tractors, off-road implement carriers, the energy sector, forest firefighting and non-civil uses Stuttgart – 70 years ago, on 9 October 1946, the Unimog Prototype 1 completed its first test drive. Chief designer Heinrich Rößler himself was at the wheel, and he tested the prototype, which had no bonnet and was fully laden with wood, on rough forest roads. The prehistory is closely linked to the difficult situation in the post-war period, when Germany was suffering supply shortages. In 1945 and 1946, there was a dire lack of food. It was this situation that gave Albert Friedrich, who for many years was head of aircraft engine development at Daimler-Benz AG, his idea of an agricultural motorised vehicle which should help to increase agricultural productivity. 1945, the decisive year 1945 was an elemental year for the Unimog idea and its realisation. Albert Friedrich returned to Stuttgart-Untertürkheim in June 1945. He wanted to help with the reconstruction of Daimler-Benz AG and at the same time contribute his idea of an agricultural motorised machine. On 4 August of that year, an engineer for Daimler-Benz AG, under the leadership of Friedrich, drew up the first blueprint for such a vehicle. This blueprint was revised, and on 7 September 1945 it was presented to the board of company directors, who, however, showed little interest in the project. Despite this decision, the project blueprint was submitted on 9 October 1945 to the "Production Control Commission" of the responsible American military authority, with an application for permission to manufacture ten test vehicles. This approval was granted on 20 November 1945 by the responsible "Food and Agricultural Group" of the British and American occupied zone. The implementation of the basic plan began in January 1946 By then, Friedrich had increased his contacts with the metalwork company Erhard & Söhne in nearby Schwäbisch Gmünd, so that in December 1945 the "L" department (for Landwirtschaft, i.e. agriculture) was able to make the project reality. Friedrich passed the leadership of the project on to his former subordinate, designer Heinrich Rößler, who took up the post on 2 January 1946. In only a few weeks, a new overall plan was developed, with the engine and gearbox positioned directly to the right of the middle line of the vehicle. This meant that the torque tubes – which protect the drive shafts – could be at right angles to the axles. As a result, only four drive joints were needed for the chassis. This was a brilliant design which, 70 years later, is still used for the Unimog of the highly mobile U 4023/U 5023 series. Between January and March 1946, the definition of the "engine-driven multi-purpose machine" was also finalised: top speed of 50 km/h (a tractor was only half as fast) sprung and damped axles all-wheel drive and differential locks at the front and rear brakes on the front and rear axles frame design similar to cars and trucks two-seater cab with a closed cover and upholstered seats auxiliary load area over the rear axle with 1.0 t load-bearing capacity static weight distribution: 2/3 on the front axle, 1/3 on the rear axle implements attachable on the front, middle, sides and rear power take-off shafts at the front, middle and rear power take-off for implements The story of a truly remarkable vehicle In March 1946, Hans Zabel from Gaggenau, who had been part of the project from the beginning, coined the term Unimog (Universal-Motor-Gerät, i.e. universally applicable motorised machine). By 1954, the "universally applicable motorised machine for agriculture" had become a vehicle that could be equipped with 66 different agricultural appliances. Change and technical progress were constant companions in the course of the Unimog history. To date, there have been thirty different model series and almost 400 000 vehicles sold. No other commercial vehicle in the world can function as a tractor, towing vehicle, truck, fire fighting and exploration vehicle, bus and working machine. .

VW-Navistar Deal to Yield New Engine Platform for 2021 Transport Topics / October 3, 2016 The recently announced Volkswagen-Navistar deal will yield a new North American engine platform for 2021, the top executives with both companies said here. At a briefing with U.S. and Canadian trucking media at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show on Sept. 21, Andreas Renschler, head of Volkswagen Truck & Bus, and Navistar CEO Troy Clarke and Chief Financial Officer Walter Borst shared details of how the partnership came to fruition and how they will proceed once it officially closes. “We are, at the moment, developing new product lines [for the company’s brands] … and can put all the requirements from Navistar, as well, into this development,” Renschler said. VW also controls Euro- pean truck makers MAN SE and Scania Group. “We are so excited to have found a partner … that looks at the future very similar to how we do and can bring technology, scale and get a high degree of alignment on how we look at the future,” Clarke said. There was no visible Navistar presence at Volkswagen’s exhibit space at IAA but at a media event Sept. 20 that showcased VW’s truck family, Renschler and Clarke made an entrance in an International ProStar. At the briefing, Clarke said once the deal closes — by early next year is the current schedule — the companies plan to “review portfolios from A to Z to see how quick we can align them.” Clarke noted that Navistar’s current N13 engine is based on technology from MAN’s 13-liter version that meets Euro6 emission standards. The 2021 date for a new engine platform is significant because of the new Phase 2 federal greenhouse-gas rule. Made final in August, the regulation says trucks and engines manufactured in that year must tighten their emissions of carbon dioxide and other GHGs. Clarke said that VW and Navistar will be shipping engines to each other and looking for “immediate opportunities to save” while looking for “where are we going to be 10 years from today or 15 years from today.” Clarke cited telematics as one area where Navistar’s OnCommand Connect program could likely be enhanced by VW’s RIO system that debuted at IAA. VW said RIO allows all pieces of the supply chain to connect through a single system and offers recommendations for action in real time based on data analysts and other information. Borst, who was wearing a RIO pin on his suit jacket, said that VW’s 16.6% stake is in line with the two other largest shareholders and provides appropriate representation on the board of directors. He said that it could have been cost- prohibitive for Navistar to invest in advanced technologies on its own. Clarke said the five largest shareholders own more than 85% of the Lisle, Illinois-based firm and the 10 largest hold about 93%. Carl Icahn and Mark Rachesky each own more than 16% of Navistar. Feedback from Navistar’s customers has been “very positive,” said Clarke, who also joked that Borst was hugged by a dealer after an emergency meeting, which he had never seen before. Clarke said he initially met with Renschler for dinner about a year ago and was impressed with his deep knowledge of the U.S. truck market. Renschler previously was head of Daimler AG’s commercial vehicles division, including Freightliner and Western Star Trucks in North America. The two continued to meet on occasion to discuss their visions for the future of truck making, and around March, the companies launched serious negotiations about a venture. As Clarke and the new Navistar leadership team have spent several years setting a new direction after the company’s failed emissions strategy at the start of the decade, he said the team had “taken steps to prepare for a partner but at the same time has become a better stand-alone company.” All three executives touted the timing of the deal, saying the current slowdown in truck sales provides them a chance to align the companies for when the North American region regains momentum. Navistar has been the largest purchaser of the Class 8 engines made by Cummins Inc., based on the percentage of engines used. In response to a question during Cummins’ press conference at IAA, CEO Tom Linebarger said the VW deal actually could provide a boost for the independent engine maker. “At first, you might think that it is really bad,” Linebarger said, but the agreement will give Navistar’s customers additional confidence in the company’s turnaround. That will lift its total sales, including those with Cummins engines. “I believe our ability to be agile and be customer partners … has served us for a long time and, I believe, will serve us for a long time in the future,” he said.

Fleet Owner / October 7, 2016 The construction market remains volatile, notes Ralph LoPriore, director of fleet assets and processes for Stoneway Concrete and its parent company, Gary Merlino Construction. “Wages are stagnant, and the cost of living is up,” he says. “Also, there isn’t a large backlog of jobs, and some projects are delayed waiting for permits and environmental concerns to be addressed.” Business, equipment and industry issues such as more competition, a lack of new workers, the ongoing shortage of drivers, and safety and other regulations drive up costs as well. “It all adds up to an even greater set of fleet management challenges,” LoPriore states. “Profit margins are slim, and we’re being asked to do more and operate more efficiently with less.” Stoneway and Merlino field a combined fleet of 85 transit mixers and 60 dump trucks. Based in Renton, WA, the companies include the Stoneway concrete supply operation, gravel pits, and a concrete recycling division. Gary Merlino Construction specializes in infrastructure work, much of it for the City of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport, and customers such as Boeing. One of Stoneway’s and Merlino’s biggest issues is driver retention. “We asked ourselves what we could do to augment our specs and use the trucks as a tool to retain drivers,” LoPriore relates. “In some cases, it was as simple as listening to what drivers say is important to them and adding comfort options to help improve morale. “We also took a close look at how we can address operational issues by making more effective spec’ing decisions,” he continues. “One question was how to field a mixer with more payload capacity. Our customers always want more yardage with fewer trucks on the job, so we looked at how many times we sent out one more mixer with a small load.” The answer? A mixer with more capa­city and enough power but without a larger engine. The solution? A seven-axle Kenworth T880 mixer chassis with a Paccar MX-11 engine, a pusher axle for weight distribution, and a setback front axle for a tighter turning radius and driver comfort. “That combination provides the necessary horsepower-to-weight ratio and payload capacity,” LoPriore says. “These 12-cu.-yd., 80,000-lb.-GVW mixers can carry 4,000 additional pounds of concrete per load compared to a typical 76,000-lb.-GVW mixer with a 13L engine. Our mixers typically run six days a week, so the T880s can generate about $98,000 more in annual revenue.” LoPriore notes that the newest mixers at Stoneway Concrete are equipped with Allison automatic transmissions for driver comfort and safety, tire pressure monitoring systems to improve fuel economy and lower maintenance costs, and air disc brakes to improve stopping distances. The company is also looking into outfitting its trucks with 360-deg. camera systems to improve safety on job sites. “They may cost $4,000 each,” he states, “but if they prevent one backing accident, they will be worth the investment. “Too often,” LoPriore says, “we were making decisions based on what’s always been done before. We need to ask the right questions to understand our challenges. To remain successful, we need to deal with facts and make decisions that will deliver the best return on investment and a lower cost of operation.”

In a perfect world, the body would be longer, up to the back of the cab adding two more beverage bays. But they were juggling to meet Brazil's strict truck weight regulations.

VW Truck & Bus always brings a restored truck to the IAA show so that people can reflect on the company's heritage. This year, they brought an LT45. The LT cab has served the company well. .

Now, assuming that you believe it's all real and not merely a show arranged by the modern day aristocracy to make the masses believe they're participating in their government..............you now are forced to question a system which can put before you two nominees who couldn't be more unqualified for the office of president. As of today, Pence, Giuliani and the Republican party have slammed their man to the ground for redefining the word "disgusting", and Clinton's years of shady two-faced deeds have come back to haunt her with a vengeance. Who would any ordinarily prudent and rational person vote for now? Answer: "None of the above". Both nominees have now suffered irreparable damage. But does the system have a provision for this circumstance? What happens when we come around the last bend and realize "both" nominees are unqualified to hold office. Surely, we don't foolishly go forward and elect one of the two anyway. Meanwhile, people around the globe are laughing at us over the Trump and Hillary show. Our country's image is sinking to new lows. Government elections are not suppose to take on the face of a weekly reality show. News Flash: A truly great nation requires a truly great leader. If I'm wrong, and what you see is "actually" what we're working with...............well, we're going to be in serious trouble "within" our lifetime.

Tim, the LT cabin was first introduced in 1975. And what a marvelous job VW has done keeping it up-to-date. As you can see, the interior is very nice. The Constellation was introduced in 2005 to replace the "Worker", but being so popular, many models remain in production. http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/41151-volkswagen-worker-series-the-“experienced”-money-maker/#comment-298378 https://www.man-la.com/produtos-volkswagen/modelos/worker-9 http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/35895-from-lt-to-worker-volkswagen’s-versatile-long-lasting-“lt”-cab/?/topic/35895-from-lt-to-worker-volkswagens-versatile-long-lasting-lt-cab/?hl=volkswagen

Oval and out: Ford ends 91 years of manufacturing in Australia as last Falcon rolls off the line News Australia / October 8, 2016 THE Ford Falcon got an emotional send-off as Broadmeadows ended 91 years of manufacturing in Australia for the US car giant yesterday. From 1925 til then Ford Australia built more than 5.9 million vehicles — more than 4.3 million of them at Broadmeadows, including most of the 3.8 million Falcons manufactured since 1960. In a telling sign about Australia’s changing taste in cars, the overwhelming majority of Ford workers leaving the factory were driving imported vehicles. One of the few locally-made cars to emerge at the end of shift was an old Toyota Camry. Some workers leaving the factory were too upset for words, others were happy to be retiring with payouts of up to $250,000, which they likened to a “lottery win”. After 40 years of service, 62-year-old Wayne Mann said: “I’m feeling really good, I’ve got a quarter of a million dollars to say goodbye,” said Mr Mann. “What other company gives you quarter of a million dollars to leave? I’m retiring, thank you very much. Not sad at all.” A tough-looking but teary-eyed Nick Doria — who spread a Ford flag across his chest with the words “RIP Falcon” — walked outside the factory perimeter to brave the media scrum that was obliged to watch from the footpath, 100 metres away from the factory gates. He installed the dashboard on the last Falcon. The 22-year Ford veteran says his co-workers were “like family”, his eyes glassing up as he said, “long live Ford”. “There’s a lot that are going to struggle (for jobs). They can’t read or write or apply themselves on computers, and that’s where they’re going to struggle,” he said. An outreach centre opens next to the Ford factory on Monday, but the company has been hosting job fairs, career courses and literacy classes for the past three years. Michael Jong, originally from East Timor, said he was “proud” to work for Ford. Having worked for Ford for 12 years he has a six-month contract to help with decommissioning the factory in Geelong. But after that: “I don’t know. I’m worried.” Son, 45, from Vietnam, has been working for Ford for 13 years. He has a wife and four children — and no job to go to. “I tried to find, but it’s very hard.” Sash Razmovski, said the Broadmeadows factories brought a lot of cultures together. “At one stage we had 150 cultures in there. It was great place to work. Great mates. Sadly we have to move on.” A man who gave his name as Jackie, a Ford worker for 18 years, said: “I’m sad for (the) whole Australian industry. We lost the car industry.” On the same day Ford bid farewell to the Falcon, Holden built its last four-cylinder car, the Cruze hatchback, and 320 workers were sacked. The Elizabeth production line on the outskirts of Adelaide will continue to build the Commodore for another 12 months until it too falls silent forever, and the remaining 800 workers will call it a day. Industry estimates claim at least one-third of all workers won’t find new jobs. “It’s a shame for Australia because we lose so much when we no longer have vehicle manufacturing. Hopefully our workers will be given a chance in other industries,” said Dave Smith, the AMWU National Vehicle Division Secretary. “A very significant amount of people are no longer going to be bringing wages into the community and have the dignity of employment,” he said. “On Monday I think they will wake up and the reality of this closure will hit home.” Ford boss Graeme Whickman said building the Falcon for the past five decades gave the company the ability to export engineering skills. It will keep 1100 designers and engineers — including 160 former factory workers — to work on future models. But they’ll be built overseas. When asked by News Corp Australia if there was anything the government could have done to save the car industry, and if Australia will ever manufacture cars again, Mr Whickman said: “It’s an industry decision”, before deferring to comments about Ford’s design and engineering workforce in Australia. In reality, though, Ford has been trying to close Broadmeadows for 20 years. Following heavy financial losses by Ford Australia in the early 1990s, Ford of Detroit secretly planned to end Falcon production and close the Broadmeadows and Geelong factories in 1997, at the end of the “EL” Falcon model run. But senior Ford Australia executives took their case to Detroit to give the Falcon a stay of execution and do one last model. The then Ford Australia boss, American John Ogden, went in to bat for the locals — against the consensus in Detroit — and argued to keep Broadmeadows and Geelong factories alive for one more generation of Falcon. At the time, he said: “I came here wanting to do a (global) car. I think it makes more sense, I still do. The problem we’ve had is we haven’t found one from somewhere else (in the Ford world) that fits.” In the end, if Ford Australia wanted to build another Falcon, they would have to fund it themselves. There would be no assistance from Detroit. When John Ogden eventually returned to Detroit from his Australian post he was “sidelined and retired not long after”, according to Ford historians. Ford retiree, Ian Vaughan, who worked at the company for 37 years and was regarded as “the father of the Falcon” having overseen so many models, told News Corp Australia: “My proudest memory is keeping the place open for the last 20 years.” Mr Vaughan said he told the then Ford boss John Ogden: “We Aussies think there’s another cycle of Falcon left in us’. The push back we were getting from Detroit was ‘we think you’ve got to do a global car’. We got another 20 years in the end.” Video and images - http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/oval-and-out-ford-ends-91-years-of-manufacturing-in-australia-as-last-falcon-rolls-off-the-line/news-story/6a4b376489939436be262fffb7c1ee85

After 91 Years, Ford's Australian Car Production Line Ends The Associated Press / October 7, 2016 Ford Motor Co. ended 91 years of car manufacturing in Australia on Friday, with the last two Australian car makers due to close their doors next year. Ford Australia said it built the world's last six-cylinder, rear-wheel drive Falcon XR6 at its Broadmeadows plant in Melbourne and 600 employees lost their jobs, the company said. About 3.5 million Falcons, once Australians' most popular, have been built since 1960, although few have been exported. Perhaps the most famous was a black 1973 XB GT Ford Falcon Coupe that became the Interceptor driven by Mel Gibson's character in the 1981 movie "The Road Warrior." The last Falcon will be exhibited in the Ford Australia museum, the Australian subsidiary's chief executive officer Graeme Whickman told reporters outside the plant. "Today is an emotional day for the entire team of Ford Australia,"Whickman said. "We are saying goodbye to some wonderful manufacturing colleagues who have done a great deal for Ford in Australia," he said. Ford, General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. announced in 2013 that they were quitting Australia and shedding 6,600 jobs because of high production costs, distance from potential export markets and increasing competition. Ford will continue to sell and service imported cars in Australia and Australia-based engineers will help develop designs of vehicles that will be manufactured overseas, the company said. Because of that continuing presence, Whickman said Ford will become the largest employer in the Australian automotive industry when Toyota and General Motors subsidiary, GM Holden, end production in 2017. The V8 Holden Commodore is sold in the United States as the Chevrolet SS. Ford will employ 2,000 staff at Broadmeadows and the Victoria state towns of Lara and Geelong. Ford opened its first Australian production line at Geelong in 1925.

VW Truck & Bus / October 7, 2016 Volkswagen has launched an innovative new business solution to meet the unique needs of the beverage industry. The new member of Volkswagen’s legendary “Worker” series, designated 17.230, is a 6x2 rigid (straight truck) with a twin-steer configuration. The new truck, based on the 17-tonne 4x2 model, is fitted with a second steer axle. Developed in partnership with Volkswagen’s BMB modifications center and body builder Randon, the new model is the lightest in its class. Extensive use of aluminum results in an extremely lightweight body for greater payload. The 6x2 configuration allows for two additional street level high-capacity beverage bays for greater productivity. .

Ford Australia Press Release / October 6, 2016 .

CAT Trucks Australia / Navistar Auspac Press Release / October 5, 2016 .

Trade Trucks AU / October 7, 2016 Volvo Group Australia (VGA) has recalled 295 trucks across the Titan, Granite, Super-Liner and Trident ranges over driveshaft issues. According to an Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) notice, under some circumstances the fitted driveshaft "could fail and separate at the center bearing, disabling the vehicle." "In the event of a driveshaft failure, there is potential for parts to fall onto the road, which may cause an accident hazard to other road users," the notice says. The affected vehicles were sold nationally between January 27, 2012 and September 29, 2015. In a media statement, VGA says the move is a "precautionary measure… due a potential incorrectly specified driveshaft." "After receiving reports from the field, an investigation was launched through Mack Trucks Australia’s internal safety and quality processes and identified that in specific circumstances, a particular driveshaft may prematurely fail at the center bearing, disabling the vehicle." "This recall does not apply to all Mack Granite, Trident, Super-Liner and Titan trucks manufactured during this time, only the limited number fitted with the driveshaft in question. VGA says has already begun to write to all affected customers, asking the owners to contact their closest authorized repairing dealership to organize an inspection and repairs. "Mack Trucks Australia has already started contacting all impacted customers in writing, in accordance with its commitment to customer service and its legal obligations," it says. "Work to rectify the impacted vehicles has already commenced, and replacement parts have been dispatched to dealerships."

U.S. heavy truck orders post worst September in seven years: FTR Reuters / October 4, 2016 U.S. heavy-duty truck orders fell 27 percent last month versus the same period a year ago, marking the worst September since 2009 amid ongoing uncertainty over the economy among truck firms, according to preliminary data from industry forecaster FTR. "Fleets are cautious due to an uncertain economy and slow freight growth," Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles at FTR, said in a statement. "Class 8 (truck) inventories also remain high and this also restrains new orders." FTR said orders for large trucks hit 13,800 units in September, a number not reached for that month since the height of the Great Recession. Class 8 trucks are the workhorse of America's economy, hauling around 70 percent of the country's freight. Sales have been weak this year amid lackluster retail sales and industrial output. Industry officials and analysts predict sales will start to rebound in 2017 as long as the U.S. economy grows at a more stable rate. "Large fleets are expected to begin ordering replacement units for 2017," Ake said. "If the economy does improve and the trucking outlook brightens, then medium-sized fleets and others should feel confident enough to order also in coming months."

Things are getting ugly in the US trucking industry Business Insider / October 6, 2016 Orders for Class 8 trucks – the rigs crisscrossing the US highway system that keep the nation supplied – plunged 27% in September to 13,791, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence. It was the worst September since 2009. The year 2014 had been great. Nearly 300,000 Class 8 trucks were built. 2015 started out even stronger, and the industry anticipated – in what has become a series of false hopes inspired by QE-nurtured optimism about capital expenditures – that 327,000 heavy trucks would be ordered, which would have been a record. But then the trucking industry began to sputter as the goods producing economy was swooning, and soon trucking companies, beset by overcapacity, began to curtail their purchases from heavy-truck dealers, and dealers with inventories piling up, began to cut orders to manufacturers. As 2015 wore on, orders continued to fall. Despite the strong beginning, orders ended the year down 5.3% from 2014, to 284,000 trucks. This year has turned out to be outright ugly. So far, manufacturers have received only 130,305 orders, according to FTR, a 39% collapse from the same period in 2015. This chart shows orders for Class 8 trucks in 2015 and 2016 through September: “Fleets are cautious due to an uncertain economy and slow freight growth,”explained Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles at FTR. “Class 8 inventories also remain high and this also restrains new orders.” But as in 2014 and in 2015, hopes rule the day. “Large fleets are expected to begin ordering replacement units for 2017,” Ake said. “If the economy does improve and the trucking outlook brightens, then medium-sized fleets and others should feel confident enough to order also in coming months.” Struggling with plunging orders and under pressure to cut costs, truck manufacturers have been laying off people all year. Volvo Trucks North America has gone through two rounds of layoffs this year, 500 folks in February and another 300 in July. “[W]e operate in a cyclical market, and we have to adapt to market demand,” Volvo/Mack spokesman John Mies wrote in an email in July to The Roanoke Times, Roanoke, VA, not far from Pulaski County, where the Volvo plant is located. Layoffs always hit surrounding communities the hardest. Freightliner, a unit of Daimler Trucks North America, announced nearly 1,000 layoffs in January and another 1,250 layoffs in February, blaming “a sustained reduction in orders.” Then in June, it added another round of layoffs, this time 800 workers. Navistar cut 10% of its workforce, or 1,400 people, in late 2015. Paccar, which produces Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks, also announced layoffs at some of its plants, along with suppliers of truck manufacturers, including diesel engine maker Cummins. Heavy trucks play a crucial role in the US economy. In 2015, they transported 64.3% by value of total freight, with the other modes being rail, pipeline, air, and vessel. The trucking business, even more so than railroads, is an important thermometer for the goods producing economy. And that’s where part of the problem lies. “Overall shipment volumes (and pricing) are persistently weak, with increased levels of volatility as all levels of the supply chain (manufacturing, wholesale, retail) continue to try and work down inventory levels,” explained Donald Broughton, Chief Market Strategist at Avondale Partners.

Why it’s harder to keep on trucking — maybe even for Paccar The Seattle Times / October 7, 2016 A stunning fall in big-rig orders puts the spotlight on Bellevue's Paccar. But it has many ways to avoid today's slowdown. What about tomorrow? This week’s bombshell: Heavy truck orders slid 27 percent to 13,791 in September compared with a year earlier, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence. It’s the worst showing since the recession-ending year of 2009. The worldwide trade slump is a big immediate problem, and in addition to affecting container lines such as Hanjin Shipping, which sought bankruptcy protection in August, it’s hitting railroads and trucking. With Paccar headquartered in Bellevue, attention must be paid. The trucking industry is also a victim of misplaced bets and overcapacity. In 2014, nearly 300,000 of the heavy rigs (or Class 8 trucks) were built. Despite initial optimism for even better performance in 2015, orders ended at 284,000 as the shipping slump took hold. Cheaper fuel has been offset by the deep slowdown in the Oil Patch and its effect on demand for freight hauling. According to financial blogger Wolf Richter, “This year has turned out to be outright ugly. So far, manufacturers have received only 130,305 orders … a 39 percent collapse from the same period in 2015.” As I write, the news has had little effect on Paccar shares, which are down only slightly around $59.74. And no wonder: Paccar is very well run — 77 years of consecutive net profits and dividends every year since 1941. It sells exceptional products (Kenworth and Peterbilt among them), especially prized by owner-operators, as well as having a global footprint. Last year, with 1.6 million units built worldwide, Paccar was the No. 4 large-truck manufacturer behind Daimler, Volvo and Volkswagen. According to Bloomberg, it had the second-largest market share in North America, behind Daimler. The harshest analysis I’ve come across on Paccar is an article on Seeking Alpha. It likens the company to a red giant star likely to burn out because of self-driving trucks. Maybe. But autonomous trucks will take years to incorporate into an atomized transportation system. Earlier this year, Steve Gordon, who recently retired as chief operating officer of Pacific-based Gordon Trucking, said the next step is likely manned automated trucking, with humans to mind the rig. In any event, the disruption will affect every truck-maker and Paccar is famously innovative. Is September’s number an early warning of recession? One retired executive told me, yes. It’s true that adding enough sectoral slowdowns can eventually bring down an elderly expansion (although historically the Federal Reserve is more likely to do so). But trucking has enough sector-specific headwinds that this may be a manageable slowdown. Also, September is always one of the slowest months for big-truck orders.

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / October 7, 2016 .

Well roared, lion! MAN Truck & Bus / October 4, 2016 The 66th IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016 for MAN The 10,000 square metre exhibition space at the world’s largest commercial vehicles trade show, the 66th IAA in Hanover, was the stage for an impressive presentation from MAN. The topics chosen by the manufacturer consistently attracted the attention of the visitors. The world première of their new van, the MAN TGE, completed MAN’s product portfolio at the smaller end of their vehicle range, making MAN a full service provider for all transport requirements. The TG model series offers engines with new power levels, finely tuned transmissions and a number of new interior and exterior design features. The newly introduced NEOPLAN Tourliner completes MAN’s bus portfolio with a new entry model in the field of premium coaches. As the initiator of the new digital brand RIO, MAN is responsible for the development of the brand within Volkswagen Truck & Bus. RIO is an open platform that bundles digital solutions for the transport & logistics ecosystem, including also competitor’s vehicles. All information about the IAA can be found on the MAN microsite. World debut of the new MAN TGE van The new MAN TGE was exceptionally well-received by visitors during its world première in Hanover. In future, the vehicle will be offered in a number of body variants, with a choice of two wheelbases, three vehicle lengths and heights, as well as an engine output between 75 kW/102 HP and 130 kW/177 HP. The three exhibition vehicles, fitted with different body types for possible application in construction, distribution transport and as a mobile workshop, were taken under close scrutiny by the audience and often inspired constructive and practical discussions with the team members at the stand. Positive feedback came first and foremost from the ranks of long-standing customers who can now count on the same level of service for these 3.0 to 5.5 tonne vehicles as they are used to from MAN’s heavy trucks. MAN Service is renowned for their helpful approach to every customer – even walk-ins – and for their fast availability in case of emergencies, even at weekends or at night, as well as for their long opening hours. Their range of workshop services naturally includes flexible repair and maintenance contracts as well as full vehicle services – as shown at the trade show. During the course of the trade show, several hundred intentions to buy were already recorded for the MAN TGE. MAN heavy trucks with more power and a new design When it comes to design, MAN put forward numerous innovations for the TGL, TGM, TGS and TGX model ranges at the IAA. Optically, greater emphasis has been placed on the MAN lion as the emotional marker of the brand. Appearing in a bold new design against a high-gloss black background, the lion on the chrome clasp above the grille is now even more prominent. The interior also devotes more attention to the Büssing lion, while the newly developed bright colours and fabrics for all textile surfaces create a completely new sense of space The new D26 and D38 MAN engines will from now offer more torque and greater performance with lower consumption. The new version of the established D26 engine records an increase of 20 HP and 200 Nm respectively and offers a peak performance of 500 HP. The 640 HP top-of-the-range engine, which was up to now reserved exclusively for heavy-duty versions, is now available in almost all variants of the MAN TGX D38. The other power levels of the new D38 have each been raised by 20 HP to 540 HP and 580 HP. With altogether more than 5,500 trucks sold, MAN has far exceeded its own expectations. Added to this are numerous concluded financing agreements and rental packages through MAN Financial Services and the successes in the After Sales department with regard to concluded service contracts. The NEOPLAN Tourliner – a new member of the MAN Bus family Another world première was celebrated with the launch of the new NEOPLAN Tourliner, which offers bus companies a new entry model in the field of premium coaches. The flexible applications – from long-distance to tourist travel – the numerous assistance systems and its excellent aerodynamics all make the new NEOPLAN Tourliner a real all-rounder. As with all buses, it also benefits from improved engine and transmission functions, which now offer more torque and more power with lower consumption thanks to an optimised driveline. The newly redesigned headlights with LED daytime driving lights in 'angel eye' optic will in future adorn all NEOPLAN buses. Sales expectations for the IAA were also exceeded in the bus sector. A total of more than 350 vehicles are on the company’s order list. Reifers Reisen from Warburg, for instance, snapped up the first NEOPLAN Tourliner. Amongst other things, MAN also had the chance to symbolically hand over the 7,500th MAN Lion’s Coach at the IAA. The NEOPLAN Skyliner was also a cause for celebration: it was presented with the IBC Award at the trade show. In a preceding extensive comparison test, it had particularly asserted itself amongst other double-deckers in terms of its chassis and of passenger comfort. Digital solutions and electromobility MAN presented these two topics with particular professionalism at the IAA 2016 in Hanover, designating a special platform for RIO – the new Volkswagen Truck & Bus brand for digital solutions. RIO is an open, cross-manufacturer business and technology platform that provides individual and uniquely intuitive digital services for the entire transportation and logistics ecosystem. The transport chain is made up of both data providers and data users. As the initiator of RIO, MAN is responsible for its development within the Volkswagen Truck & Bus Group. With regard to eMobility, MAN Truck & Bus introduced the fully electric MAN Lion’s City articulated bus with different charging infrastructure concepts as well as an MAN TGS semitrailer tractor with electric drive for use in applications relating to inner-city night-time supply. As part of its eMobility roadmap, MAN will be sending a pre-series bus version of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) for field trials in 2018. Series production of a 100% electrically-driven city bus will commence before 2020. The technological expertise from the eMobility modular system in the bus sector will in future also be available for electric truck applications. In addition, MAN’s membership in the Volkswagen Group means that it can utilise synergies within the Group and draw value from the dynamics of the passenger car sector. Successful trade show presence for MAN Joachim Drees, Chief Executive Officer of MAN Truck & Bus and a member of the board at Volkswagen Truck & Bus summarises: “In the last few months, we worked with great passion across all departments to ensure that we could bring as many innovations as possible to the IAA in Hanover. We ignited a veritable explosion of innovations – and gave an exceptional performance.” “All in all, the trade show was a huge success, also with regard to the number of vehicles sold,” followed up Heinz-Jürgen Löw, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the IAA 2016. “My particular thanks goes to the entire team, who committed themselves fully to attaining our highly-ambitious goals.” By the time the traditional chorus of horns had faded away around 6 pm on 29th September, a total of over 200,000 people had visited the MAN stand at the trade show. On individual days, the count exceeded 30,000 people – an increase of up to 60 per cent compared with 2014. MAN gave numerous informative interviews on the stage at the trade show stand each day. 13,000 footballs were handed out to those visiting the stand during the course of the 66th IAA Commercial Vehicles as a memento of their visit to the trade show. All information regarding the IAA will still be on the MAN microsite right up into November. MAN image database - http://bildarchiv.man.de/index.php/main?level=0&catId=12142&mainCatId=530&catName=Nachlese&lang=en

FYI - “Volvo Active Driver Assist” is the North American market name for the global market “Volvo Collision Warning with Emergency Brake”, a feature which was introduced in October 2012.

Volvo Trucks USA / October 3, 2016