Having rolled out the Titan by Mack to vocational customers during the ConExpo-Con/Agg 2008 Exposition, Mack Trucks Inc followed up with a heavy transport version of the Titan that was introduced March 27 at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Kentucky.
Designed for heavy transport and heavy construction applications, the company's new model is powered by the new Mack MP10 engine, a 16-liter workhorse with a top rating of 605 horsepower and 2,060 lb-ft of torque. Customers can preorder Titan models from Mack dealers now, with deliveries scheduled to begin later this year.
The big-block MP10 engine also made its debut at MATS. Mack has a long tradition of equipping trucks with big-block engines, going back decades to the RW Super-Liner with its E9-500 power plant. The MP10 engine adds the intelligent power management field-proven by its siblings, the 11-liter MP7 and 13-liter MP8 engines. Like the MP7 and MP8, the MP10 is certified to meet the US'07 emissions standards, using ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and a diesel particulate filter. All of Mack's MP engines come with the next generation of Mack's proven Vehicle Management and Control System, V-MAC IV. This single overhead cam engine can generate peak horsepower of 515 hp, 565 hp, and 605 hp in its MaxiCruise configuration. Maximum torque ranges from 1,860 lb-ft through 2,060 lb-ft at 1,200 rpm. A Maxidyne configuration will be released later.
While the Titan by Mack raises the bar for the company in terms of horsepower and torque, it also establishes a new standard for visual appeal, according to Jerry Warmkessel, Mack marketing product manager for highway products.
“The Titan model stands out on the highway like nothing else,” Warmkessel said. “Its high-capacity axles, suspension, chassis and powertrain give it a commanding stance. Other stylistic elements incorporated by Mack's designers also contribute to an overall look that truly measures up to 605 hp, including the truck's long hood, large metal grille and bumper, extensive brightwork features and twin ‘Growler’ air intakes.”
In addition to catching the eye, the vehicle's combination of high ground clearance, “heavy haul” cab position, and long nose improves airflow for underhood cooling and provides drivers with excellent visibility.
Similarly striking but functional are the Growler air intakes, which minimize moisture and screen debris from the air filter element. The air filter elements themselves are located under the cab for easy service. And Growler's standard integrated LED lamps add another bold touch to this truck.
Chromed cast aluminum surrounds the large grille, with a similar treatment for the headlight bezels — and the headlights have impact-resistant Lexan lenses and easy-to-replace lamps. Other notable exterior features include: chrome horns; stainless steel sunvisor, available in 10- and 13-inch widths (in Rawhide Edition); stainless steel skirt lighting, with an optional personalization feature; six-inch dual exhaust stacks; Titan bright-finish metal bumper, with integrated driving lights; and a stainless steel cover for the Mack Cap diesel particulate filter.
The long, strong hood protects the engine and provides plenty of room to make service easier for technicians. The cooling system is sized to handle the heaviest demands and the harshest conditions found in North America.
The MP10 engine is matched to the Mack T300ES series 10-, 13- and 18-speed transmissions, which deliver triple countershaft performance for the most demanding applications. Eaton transmissions are available options.
The Titan by Mack is built upon the company's Cornerstone chassis with proven rock-solid performance, durability, and reliability. The chassis is offered in three frame rail thicknesses — 8mm, 9.5mm and 11mm — with optional full or partial 5mm inside channel reinforcements and application-specific crossmembers. Frames are rated at 120,000 PSI, and 2.12 million RBM (lb-in) to 4.26 million RBM (lb-in).
A short 41-inch front axle position increases load capacity and ensures excellent visibility and maneuverability. Front axles and suspensions are available from 12,000 lb to 20,000 lb capacity, while rear axles and suspensions are offered from 38,000 lb to 65,000 lb capacity.
The truck has a cab interior that was engineered for driver comfort. The air assist clutch pedal is positioned low for ease-of-use. The steering column is infinitely adjustable for maximum comfort, increased belly room, and improved visibility of all gauges.
The interior is available in three trim levels: Pedigree, Champion, and the luxurious button tuck Rawhide Edition. The dash is available in a choice of woodgrain or brushed nickel finishes, with large, easy-to-read gauges. The standard Mack Co-Pilot display provides drivers with easily accessible screens in the instrument panel to monitor real-time fuel economy (with sweet spot indicator) and trip data, detailed maintenance and fault summaries, and supplemental sensor readings. The available Lectronix T7000 navigational radio integrates entertainment, navigation, a blind spot camera display, and vehicle, trip, and tire-pressure monitoring systems.
Joining the Titan is the new Mack Pinnacle Rawhide Edition tractor. The Rawhide Edition takes the already strong look of the Mack Pinnacle Axle Forward model and adds a blaze of exterior excitement, plus a new level of interior comfort.
The truck is available in three cab configurations: 60- and 70-inch midrise sleepers, plus daycab. The truck's axle-forward position maximizes payload, while also giving it a bold stance.
Dominant exterior features include a big “Texas-style” chrome bumper, stainless steel cab and sleeper skirts, forward-mounted dual seven-inch bullhorn exhaust stacks, a 13-inch stainless steel exterior sun visor, four chrome air horns, stainless steel hood latches, as well as stylized chrome heated and lighted mirrors — each mirror with a raised bulldog emblem.
The great indoors of the Rawhide Edition features soft, luxurious button tuck Ultraleather and two-tone embroidered seats, complemented by a sleek dash housing Mack's Co-Pilot driver display. Interior color choices are: Slate Gray; Vintage Oxblood; Deep Copper; and Classic Buckskin. The dash panel is brushed nickel, and the leather-grip steering wheel includes chromed spokes.
Each seat has the Rawhide emblem embroidered on its headrest. The Rawhide emblem is repeated in the door sill, door panel trim, and on the back wall of the sleeper. The two-toned pattern in the seats is continued in the sleeper, this time in button tuck.