Mack Launches Long-Awaited New Highway Tractor, the Anthem

Sep 14, 2017 | Bad Credit Loans, Bank Lending, Business Loans, Finance, Working Capital

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Mack Trucks introduced the Mack Anthem, its long-awaited new highway tractor, to an arena packed with dealer representatives, who company executives thanked for their patience and who were promised a truck that boasts gains in fuel efficiency, driver comfort and technological innovation compared to previous models.

“Everything about the new Mack Anthem — from the outside in, and the inside out — is built for business and designed for drivers,” said John Walsh, the truck maker’s vice president of global marketing and brand management, during the event, held here at the PPL Arena.

As that relates to the cab, the Anthem will offer three configurations: a day cab, 48-inch flat-top sleeper and a 70-inch stand-up sleeper. All of the configurations will be available with a roof fairing. The 70-inch model offers a 35% gain in interior volume compared to previous models and allows room for drivers more than 6 feet tall to stand straight up behind the front seat, Walsh said.

Aerodynamic improvements on the 70-inch sleeper provide a 3% gain in fuel economy, while the day cab’s new design offers a 1.5% fuel efficiency gain, Walsh said.

The Anthem features a new hood and grille and redesigned roof and chassis fairings, mirror covers, front bumper and air dam. All of the truck’s exterior lighting now features LED bulbs. The LED headlights are 66% brighter than current incandescent bulbs, Walsh said.

He added that the truck has a three-piece hood so that pieces can be replaced separately if one is damaged.

Under that hood, Mack will offer its integrated powertrain options, including the 13-liter Mack MP8 engine, which produces up to 505 horsepower and 1,860 pound-feet of torque, Mack’s 11-liter MP7 is also available, which specs of up to 425 horsepower and 1,560 pound-feet of torque. Mack’s 12-speed mDRIVE automated manual transmission is standard, and 13- and 14-speed variants are optional.

Inside, Anthem-exclusive seats developed by Sears feature a choice of 30 feature and function combinations. The dash display features analog and digital displays, and gauges on the instrument panel have been positioned higher for better driver visibility. The truck’s HVAC controls and the AMT’s shift pad have been relocated closer to the driver, Mack said.

The truck also has a new, flat-bottom steering wheel that features illuminated controls for cruise control, Bluetooth and the audio system. Behind the steering wheel, Mack’s Co-Pilot display has been updated with a new 5-inch, full-color screen for improved visibility and more intuitive navigation, the company said. The display has information that includes engine and oil temperatures, trip odometers, aftertreatment status and more.

A new, optional infotainment system features a featuring a 7-inch touchscreen display with access to Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, weather band radio and TomTom truck navigation. The display is also compatible with third-party back-up camera systems, Mack said.

This emphasis on technology shows not only where Mack is headed but where the industry is headed, said Martin Lundstedt, CEO of Volvo Group, Mack’s Sweden-based parent company.

“The world is changing, and we are changing with it,” he said at the event. “Mobility will become even more important — the mobility of people, and the mobility of goods.” And while Lundstedt said Volvo’s leadership believes in the power of a global group, he also believes in empowering individual brands — including Mack — to set their own agendas.

“We believe in the independence, agility, innovation power of our different brands,” he said. “That is the way we as owners say to our brands that you are responsible for what you are doing — you are responsible for your customer’s satisfaction, for your growth, for your profitability. That is our main principle. That is creating entrepreneurship, creativity, passion.”

Mack Trucks President Dennis Slagle told the assembled dealer representatives that this sense of purpose guided development of the Anthem. “Whatever your view of the journey so far, I think you will agree that we have arrived at a significant milepost,” he said. “This isn’t just another business, or another product. We are passionate about our brand, and we are passionate about our future. The best days for Mack are yet to come.”