WARRENVILLE, Ill. (Dec. 17, 2009) – With a full year in the marketplace and more than 5,200 units built, Navistar’s (NYSE: NAV) MaxxForce® 11- and 13-liter big bore heavy-duty diesel engines are providing customers with a new level of performance, drivability and fuel efficiency.

“Since delivering the first units in 2008, we’ve consistently received positive feedback from our customers on the outstanding performance and fuel economy characteristics of our MaxxForce big bore engines,” said Jack Allen, president of Navistar’s North American Truck group. “As we prepare for the launch of our 2010 EPA-compliant Advanced EGR engines early next year, we’re delivering a customer-friendly, no-hassle solution that places emissions compliance on us, the manufacturer, not the customer.”

MaxxForce big bore diesel engines were designed and engineered specifically for the International® WorkStar®, International TranStar® and Internationl ProStar® Class 8 commercial trucks. Using the latest in innovative technologies—from a compacted graphite iron (CGI) block to a high-pressure, common-rail fuel system and advanced electronic controls—the MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 13 deliver outstanding fuel economy, excellent power and torque, and quiet operation with low noise, vibration and harshness. Several customers experiencing these benefits firsthand have shared their stories in a series of short videos available at www.MaxxForceTV.com. 

Convenience, Performance and Outstanding Fuel Economy
One customer impressed with its new MaxxForce big bore engines is the Brockway-Smith Company (BROSCO), a wholesale millwork distributor based out of Andover, Mass.

“What really drove us toward the MaxxForce engines were the upcoming emissions requirements,” said Al Dirth, BROSCO’s vice president of operations. “It seemed like a no-brainer. I didn’t want to get into a system that would require us to put in an extra urea tank, which would need an extra heating and cooling system, etc. To me, if I could make my life simpler, why not do it?”

Beyond the customer-friendly simplicity of the MaxxForce big bore, Tennant Truck Lines, Inc. (TTL) of Orion, Ill. is realizing tremendous improvements in fuel economy. With more than 75 trucks in its fleet, TTL is an open deck carrier that transports heavy farming machinery.

“It’s a tough time to be in this business, and with fuel currently our biggest expense, we’re trying to cut costs wherever we can,” says Bob Tennant, president of TTL. “Compared to the competition, our MaxxForce 13s are getting upwards of a half-mile to the gallon better fuel economy on the same haul.”
“It wasn’t that long ago, to get even seven miles-per-gallon was unheard of in a semi-truck,” adds Gary Holderness, a TTL driver. “And, to be getting the kind of fuel mileage I get, eight miles-per-gallon, that’s way up there.”

Another customer impressed with the performance and fuel efficiency of the MaxxForce big bore is TC Trans, Inc. Based out of Blaire, Wash., TC Trans specializes in cross-border freight services, with loads going into and out of Canada.

“Switching to the new technology in the MaxxForce big bore is one of the best things we’ve done,” said Chuck Schamel, vice president of TC Trans. “We’ve actually run our MaxxForce 13s against the other 15-liter engines and we’re able to stay right with those trucks. On top of that, the MaxxForce is getting about eight percent better fuel economy than a15-liter—and that’s a huge difference. Every ounce of fuel that stays in the tank, that’s less money that I’m paying out of my pocket to get the job done.”

A Smooth, Quiet Ride
Built on a lightweight CGI block, MaxxForce big bore engines deliver remarkably low noise, vibration and harshness characteristics, helping the International ProStar cab achieve best-in-class quietness.

“It’s the quietest engine I’ve ever driven in my life,” adds Tennant. “I was down at our terminal near the Moline airport and was walking around behind the trailers. That MaxxForce is so quiet, it wasn’t until I heard the fan kick on that I realized the engine was running. I quickly woke up the driver to tell him he wasn’t supposed to be idling!”

Mike Curtis, a BROSCO driver agrees. “It’s like driving your own pick-up truck. “You’re climbing a pretty steep hill with the engine at 1,500 rpm and all you can hear is a slight hum. It goes down the road smooth and the engine’s about as silent as a graveyard.”