International Truck and Engine has rolled out the second group of its "high performance" vehicles as part of a replacement of its medium- and medium/heavy duty models begun a year ago. All feature quiet, roomy cabs, advanced electrical and chassis components, and striking styling.
Shown off at the Texas Motor Speedway north of Dallas were model 7400 and 7500 vocational trucks and an 8500 regional tractor. All use the same steel cab, fiberglass hood and chrome-plated grill as the new 4000 series you already see on streets and highways.
The 7000 series replaces the current 2000 severe service trucks and some old-series 4800 models; the new 8000s replace old-series 8000s. All are powered by International's own inline 6-cylinder diesels.
There were numerous copies of each of the new models; I drove a half-dozen. Also displayed but not driveable by visitors was an 8600 tractor due out late this year. It has more aerodynamic styling and a unique nose to house Caterpillar C-10 and C-12 diesels, and probably later, the Cummins ISM.
The steel cab common to all models is 82 inches wide – enough for three-across seating – and has ample shoulder and belly room for all but giants. Seats in the trucks I drove were very comfortable, with a tilting (but not telescoping) steering wheel.
A flat-across instrument panel is standard, and a wing-type is optional. Gauges, switches and controls, along with the entire interior, have an "automotive" look and feel. Rocker-type light switches are mounted low and to the left of the steering wheel, as on a car or light truck. Windshield wipers are run by a twist ring on the turn signal stalk.
There is a doghouse covering the rear of the engine, but it's not too intrusive. Engineers say they took special pains to insulate and seal it to keep noise and fumes out of the cab. The muffler is under the cab and the exhaust stack is mounted on the frame, not on the cab, to keep vibration isolated outside.
If you're a freight hauler, the model you're most likely to see and maybe drive is the 8500. This is a local and regional tractor built only as a daycab with no sleeper options. Later this year there'll be a 28-inch extended-cab option that'll house a bunk good enough for naps loggable as legal bunk time. Four-door crewcabs will also be available on the 4000 and 7000 trucks.
One of my drives was in a single-rear-axle 8500 tractor hitched to a 53-foot van. I was impressed with its comfort and maneuverability. It turned very tightly, easily dragging the long trailer around sharp corners. Visibility over the sloped hood was about as good as with the 4000 midrange truck. That's because the hood is the same, but it and the cab sit a couple of inches higher.
The ride is not soft but very smooth, thanks to long leaf springs over the steer axle and well-engineered rear suspensions. Cab air suspension is standard on all 7000 and 8000 models, and it filters out a lot of shock and vibration. The gearshift lever on the 8500 I drove was quite stiff, but the levers on other trucks were free and smooth.
This 8500 was powered by International's 8.7-liter HT530, available with 280 to 340 hp and torque of 950 to 1,200 pounds-feet. The HT has a variable geometry turbocharger that responds fast to a heavy foot on the accelerator and whistles like something out of a big-bore engine. The special turbo will also be part of an exhaust gas recirculation system that will be needed starting January 2004.
Drivers will like these trucks, and mechanics and owners should like the fact that many components are installed to be easily accessible. And like the new 4000 series, the 7000 and 8000 get multiplexed wiring that claims to cut wire bulk and weight by as much as 40%. It also simplifies hooking up of switches and speeds troubleshooting.
Striking styling is the most visible feature of these new Internationals. It centers on the bold, chromey grill – a bright departure from dull, painted metal on old models. The chrome grill is standard on all the new models, even no-frills municipal trucks. *
