Commentary: VW Does More Than You Think

Rolf Lockwood

Now that the initial brouhaha has died down after the news broke of the Volkswagen Truck & Bus investment in Navistar last month, there is probably one big question that still needs an answer in a lot of North American minds:

Like, who the heck is Volkswagen?

Well of course, folks will say, that's the German outfit that makes Beetles and Rabbits and designs a flowerpot into the dash? Sure is, but it's a lot more than that. In fact its list of shareholdings is 19 pages long.

On the car side, Volkswagen AG also owns Audi and Porsche. Lots of people will know that much, but did you know that it also owns England's Bentley brand? And Italy's Bugatti and Lamborghini. And the Czech Republic's Skoda. And Spain's Seat. All of them are VWs in a way.

Even the famous Italian motorcycle brand Ducati is in the stable.

Many people will be surprised to know that it also makes VW-branded medium- and heavy-duty trucks, sold outside Europe but in some 35 countries, from a base in Brazil (more on that in a bit). That company is Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus Ltda. But VW also owns Sweden's Scania and Germany's MAN, and the latter will be especially important in helping Navistar move forward on these shores.

All told, Volkswagen Truck & Bus (spun off from the mother company last year) produces trucks at 25 sites in 17 countries.

Both MAN and Scania produce their own engines. Scania also makes transmissions, its Opticruise automated manual being well regarded. The Swedish outfit's 16.4-liter V-8, making as much as 730 hp, was available two years before the date called for by the Euro 6 emissions mandate.

MAN also makes engines, and in fact Navistar's own 13-liter diesel is the result of technology sharing with the German firm. ...Read the rest of this story

Mentorship panel named for Trucking HR Canada event

Panel to discuss mentoring during Trucking HR Canada’s Driver Connect and Share event

Knight Transportation, Inc. Announces Participation in Upcoming Conferences

Medium-Duty Update: Growing Sales, Diesel Developments, Vertical Integration

As the economy goes, so goes the medium-duty truck business. Sales numbers show continuing healthy growth of Class 3 through 7 commercial trucks, if you know how to read the data.

On their face, sales took a downturn in July and could finish the year 1.8% under 2015's pace. But they should pick up again in 2017's second quarter, according to an IHS forecast cited by Steve Latin-Kasper of the National Truck Equipment Association.

However, Latin-Kasper, NTEA's director of market data and research, notes that the IHS figures are taken from Ward's Automotive data, which includes Class 3 pickup trucks and vans, and pickup sales are expected to decline in this year's second half — which would account for the downturn. Take out Class 3, as NTEA does, and the prognosis is more rosy — up 3.6% in 2016 and another 5.4% next year for Class 4-7 sales in the United States. Canada's projections are similar and Mexico is in a boom, up an estimated 32.1% this year and 21.1% next year.

“The medium duty market has been stable and healthy, and we anticipate a consistent growth rate in all segments,” says Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks. Others we talked with agree.

Medium-duty diesels have been updated to deliver more fuel efficiency that will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which must be reduced by direction of Phase 2 emissions regulations.

Daimler Trucks North America moved further down the path of vertical integration by introducing a new Detroit DD5, a 4-cylinder midrange diesel available for order now for its M2-106 trucks. It will first come from Daimler's plant in Mannheim, Germany, then production will move to Detroit's Milford, Mich., plant in 2018. At that time, engine ratings and options will be introduced for other applications beyond the pickup and delivery specs ...Read the rest of this story

Cooper Offers Wide-Base Steer Tire for Mixed Service

Cooper Tire & Rubber's Roadmaster RM332 WB is a commercial tire line available in a wide-base steer tire for mixed service applications.

The RM332 is now available in size 385/65R22.5 in load range L, in addition to size 425/65R22.5 in load range L. The tire has a 23/32nds tread depth for extended tread life in severe, high scrub applications and a cut and chip resistant compound designed for the performance requirements of mixed-service applications.

The tire has a rib-type tread pattern to withstand different applications like heavy-haul, on- and off-road, while providing long tread life and even wear. The RM332 WB tire includes a protective curb bar on both sidewalls and stone protector ledges in four circumferential grooves to resist stone penetrations.

These features help preserve the casing for retreading and with four heavy-duty, full-width steel belts, the tire promotes durability in heavy-haul applications.

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

Celadon Group Announces Details for First Quarter Fiscal 2017 Conference Call