Newest Kenworth Models Impress Customers as Kenworth Road Tour Concludes Canadian Stops

Hundreds of Canadian truck owners and operators got a first-hand look at the new Kenworth T880 and the new Kenworth T680 52-inch sleeper for regional haul applications during the 2013 Kenworth Road Tour.

"The Kenworth Road Tour generated excitement among customers for Kenworth's newest vocational model, the Kenworth T880, which is now available for order and enters production this fall," said Alan Fennimore, Kenworth vocational marketing manager, who heads the tour. "And when customers see the Kenworth T680 52-inch sleeper, they understand why the T680 is one of the fastest selling trucks in Kenworth's 90-year history."

Customers also got a closer look at the 12.9-liter PACCAR MX-13 engine, which offers excellent fuel efficiency, high reliability and durability, lightweight design, and low cost of ownership. The T680 and T880 are standard with the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated up to 500 hp and 1,850 lb-ft of torque. The engine is assembled at the state-of-the-art PACCAR Engine plant in Columbus, Miss. "Customers who have purchased the PACCAR MX-13 engine with the new 500/1,850 rating really like the low-end torque that it provides," said Fennimore.

The 2013 Kenworth Road Tour made its first Canadian stop in September with a visit to Inland Kenworth - Langley in British Columbia, which attracted nearly 150 customers.

Kenworth T680 52-inch Sleeper

"Customers in local and regional haul applications were very impressed with the Kenworth T680 52-inch sleeper," said Bill Currie, president and chief operating officer of Inland Kenworth. Inland Kenworth operates 22 dealerships in Western Canada and the southwestern United States. "It offers them the ability to reduce weight to increase payload, while still offering drivers a comfortable environment to work and rest while on the road two or three nights a week."

In the tour trailer at Inland Kenworth - Langley, B.C., stop.

Kenworth T880 Vocational Truck

The Kenworth T880 has impressed customers in various vocational applications as well. "Customers want trucks that offer value, and lower lifetime maintenance and operating costs," said Fennimore. "Fleets and operators in vocational applications appreciate the Kenworth T880's hood design with its 5-piece construction and bolted-on fenders and how such a design will help lower the cost of servicing the truck over its lifetime."

The tour made a September stop at Custom Truck Sales - Saskatoon, which also attracted customers with an open house and barbecue. Brent Leach, president of Custom Truck Sales, said the T880 also greatly impressed his dealership's customers.  "The Kenworth T880 was appealing to customers in oil and gas exploration, heavy haul and construction, particularly those who have over the years run T800s to pull B-trains. The T880's turning radius offers performance comparable to the T800, while also providing improved visibility and a more comfortable interior," Leach said.

Custom Truck Sales - Saskatoon

"When they climb into the truck's cab and experience the difference a wider 2.1-meter cab makes in driver comfort and how the 3-inch lower crown height on the T880's hood aids visibility, their faces and eyes light up," Leach said. "To see that is really quite satisfying." Custom Truck Sales also operates dealership locations in Estevan and Regina, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

GreatWest Kenworth - Calgary, Alberta

 

Kenworth Toronto - Mississauga, Ontario

The tour also made stops at GreatWest Kenworth - Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton Kenworth-Northside, in Edmonton, Alberta; Kenworth Toronto - Mississauga, Ontario; and Montreal Kenworth in St. Laurent, Quebec, in addition to a number of stops in the United States during September and October. A T880 blog is at http://kenwortht880tour.com.

 Edmonton Kenworth-Northside, in Edmonton, Alberta

Montreal Kenworth in St. Laurent, Quebec

Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World's Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.