In what seems to be a bid to offer a truck to meet almost any commercial need, International Truck & Engine Corp. has unveiled two new models: the 7300 4x4 Commercial Use Vehicle (CUV) and a commercial variant of its SmarTruck III military vehicle platform.
Looking a lot like a pickup truck on steroids, the CUV combines a four-door air-ride cab configuration that can seat six people, a six-ton payload capacity, and all-wheel drive to provide maximum off-road capability, said Bill Sixsmith, International’s severe service marketing director at the ride-and-drive put together by the company outside of Dallas.
The CUV features a DT466 engine offering between 210 and 255 hp and an Allison automatic transmission package. Sixsmith said International’s CUV is aimed at fleets that have off-road heavy-duty hauling needs yet also need a vehicle that doesn’t require a CDL to operate.
The SmarTruck III meets a far different need, however. Designed to compete with the heavy-duty Hummer, the 4-door SmarTruck III offers a 16,000 lb or 20,000 lb GVW, a VT275 V6 diesel cranking out 230 hp, and 5-speed Allison automatic transmission. International designed the SmarTruck III primarily for military and government needs – as an air base patrol vehicle, border patrol truck, etc. – but believes there can be plenty of private sector uses as well, especially among utility and other fleets working in off-road conditions.