DAF Trucks

DAF is a long-established Dutch manufacturer of commercial vehicles that traces its heritage back over 100 years. It was also a car manufacturer for a while in the '60s and '70s with a diminutive sedan that featured the world's first continuously variable transmission (CVT).

In the fascinating DAF museum in the city of Eindhoven, there are many examples of this little car - called in some markets the Daffodil - alongside DAF medium and heavy commercial vehicles. Like the little car, many of these established new ground in design with their introductions over the years - in fact, winning the International Truck of the Year award from the European truck editor judging panel more than a few times.

DAF has three classes of trucks: the medium-duty LF in a range of models, the regional and vocational heavy CF and the high-rise long-haul XF - all cabovers.

The LF is particularly interesting for North Americans, because it is the basis for the Kenworth K260 and 360 and the Peterbilt 210 and 220 low cab-forward Class 6 and 7 mediums. It is built in the United Kingdom and brought to America as a premium, Paccar-powered (with its proprietary Cummins ISB) low COE.

Main production of the heavy-duty CF and the XF is in Eindhoven in Holland. The more modern is the CF, which is a strong contender as a tractor and straight truck in 6x2, 6x4 and 8x4 configurations in the vocational and regional-haul markets. These tend to be distinct and national in Europe, though still crossing the old borders in the now confederate states of the European Community. The XF is the first of the truly modern DAF heavies and was conceived to maximize the driver space within the short available envelope of European cabovers. It is built out to the maximum width and length practicable, and in its Super Spacecab configuration, to the maximum height as well. In its latest XF105 iteration, it was International Truck of the Year 2006 and featured the newly introduced Paccar MX engine at three ratings - 410, 460 and 510 horsepower.