PETES CHANGE IN NAME & SUBSTANCE
In what it says is the largest product development investment in the company's nearly 70-year history, Peterbilt Motors has redesigned most of its heavy-duty trucks to take 2007 diesels, applied a facelift to one of its traditional models, added two aerodynamically styled daycabs, and renamed some of the models.
The extensive chassis changes needed for the '07 engines, plus higher costs for the engines themselves, will result in price hikes of $6,000 to $9,000 for a heavy-duty truck or tractor, Peterbilt executives said.The buyer of a medium-duty truck with an '07 diesel will pay $2,000 to $4,000 more.
However, improved aerodynamics should add about 0.3 mpg to a Class 8 highway truck's operating economy, executives said. And to help lower operating costs and help drivers comply with spreading anti-idling laws, the company will offer generic hookups for auxiliary power units and, later, its own Comfort Class APU.
Perhaps of greatest interest to owner-operators and other truck enthusiasts are revisions applied to the 379, the archetypical "large car" whose styling has remained unchanged since it replaced the 359 about 20 years ago. It now has smoother lines and reworked headlight pods, plus a larger cooling package needed for the '07 engines.The truck is called the 389, and will go into production early next year when the '07 diesels arrive.
Smoother leading edges mark the 389's styling, including those of the grille crown, which is built in one piece. Its airplane-wing hood ornament is more streamlined, and the 389 is available with extra fairings to further improve basic aerodynamics. But the vehicle still bears a strong resemblance to the venerable 379; it still has external air cleaners and exhaust stacks, and features a long aluminum hood and removable fenders.
A medium-length variant, the 388, shares most of the 389's styling cues and is available with most of its body designs, powertrain componentry, sleeper options and interior amenities. Both the 388 and the 389 use the wider headlight pods, whose projector- beam lamps are said to increase light on the road by 226 percent with bulbs that last 600 percent longer than current halogen sealed-beam lamps. Changes to the chassis increase maneuverability, and multiplexed electronics are part of the wiring system.
Elsewhere in the model line, Peterbilt has added a Model 387 daycab, based on the wide-cab 387 aero sleeper, and a new Model 384, as a daycab or with detachable sleepers, based on the current narrower-cab 386. Both new models promise improved fuel efficiency through smoother aerodynamics.The 387 and 384 daycabs are targeted at bulk haulers, local and regional operations, and other truck users who don't require sleeper accommodations.
The 387 daycab comes with a long or medium-length hood, both sloping steeply downward for excellent forward visibility. Its front axle is placed for optimum maneuverability and weight distribution. The new 384 has a medium- length hood and setback steer axle, and low-mounted radiator to let the hood sweep downward for good visibility to the front. It replaces the 385.
Peterbilt has redesigned its heavy duty vocational trucks with a larger cooling package for 2007 diesels, and renamed them.The current 357 and 378 will be replaced by the 365 and 367, both available with setback and forward- set steer axles and a variety of chassis components. The 365 has a medium-length hood, 115-inch BBC and will be available with 9-, 11- and 13-liter Caterpillar and Cummins diesels.
The 367 has a long hood, 123- inch BBC and will come with 15- liter engines.The 367 will also be available as a heavy-haul tractor. A high-capacity radiator will have a 1,440-square-inch core to handle higher heat rejection from the new engines.
Meanwhile, vocational offerings have been expanded with a new medium heavy-duty Model 340, with Class 8 specs and a midrange powertrain. And a Class 6 Model 330 has been added to the medium-duty line, complementing the current Class 7 Model 335.
Spring Showtime Continued...
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