ADDING to its lineup of over-the-road heavy trucks, Mack Trucks Inc introduced the Vision DayCab at the Mid-America Trucking Show. A stylish, lightweight, and aerodynamic alternative for today's competitive and demanding daycab market, the tractor should be particularly appealing to wholesale grocers foodservice and other regional delivery operators.
The Vision DayCab boasts a host of new standard and optional features that are perfect for local haul and vocational on-highway customers. It will be available in tractor and straight truck versions in 4×2 and 6×4 configurations.
“We see the Vision DayCab solving the transportation needs of a wide variety of customers,” said Kevin Flaherty, Mack senior vice president of sales. “The expansive list of available specs is sure to attract customers in just about every conceivable highway application.”
Headlining the Vision DayCab's innovations is a newly designed door, with larger side windows and a large lower peep window to significantly enhance overall visibility. A new steering-column and available seats afford operators generous belly room. New mirror offerings with breakaway arms and improved headlamp performance help reduce maintenance costs. New interior storage features also will be a welcome convenience for DayCab customers.
ASET engines
Powering the new vehicles will be the highway version of Mack's new ASET (Application Specific Engine Technology) engine family. The ASET technology for highway applications utilizes cooled exhaust gas recirculation (C-EGR) and variable-geometry turbocharging to meet the new emissions requirements that take effect in October.
In the C-EGR process, exhaust gases are diverted from the exhaust system, sent through a cooling apparatus, and then carefully remixed with air entering the engine for combustion. Mack's research indicates that C-EGR provides optimum performance and emissions benefits in a highway application “steady state” environment, in which the truck is traveling at relatively consistent speed and load over a significant period of time, according to Steve Homcha, Mack executive vice-president of Class 8 programs.
Horsepower ratings will be available from 310 to 460. Offerings will include a new 380/410-hp MaxiCruise engine.
For pure highway use, including regional and local hauling assignments, the Vision DayCab can be spec'd with lightweight MaxAir suspensions and 12,000-lb front and 40,000-lb rear axles.
For vocational-on-highway applications, such as flatbed, dump trailer, and heavy-duty bulk hauling, the Vision DayCab offers several options — two frames, inside channel reinforcement, painted steel and stainless-steel-clad aluminum bumpers, 14,600-lb steering and 46,000-lb rear axles, air and Mack camelback suspensions, and the new Maxitorque T300 series of transmissions. Overall, the new vehicle offers GVW ratings ranging from 35,000 to 60,600 pounds.
Ramp-up production begins in June, at which time the Vision DayCab will be ready for limited orders through all Mack sales and dealer representatives. Full production begins in October.
The Mack Momentum financing program offered through Mack Commercial Finance, currently applicable to 2002 model year vehicles, will be available exclusively for the 2003 model year Vision DayCab. Interest rates as low as 4.3% will be available on orders placed between June 15 and July 15 with delivery made by the end of this year.
