2019 International ProStar: Review

The International ProStar has its work cut out for it.

It's no mean feat, launching a new truck into the hotbed of competition that is the Australian truck landscape. Around 20 different brands, vast distances, often punishing roads and a relatively small population make this one of if not the toughest truck markets on the planet…

None of that is lost on the folk at Navistar, International's US-based parent company, nor the folk at IVECO Australia, International's Australian distributor.

The ProStar got off to a somewhat shaky start in Australia, following the demise of its original importer, Navistar Auspac, the then local arm of Cat Trucks. The whole Cat Trucks saga is a story for another day, but the switch in distribution from Navistar Auspac to IVECO Australia didn't exactly help the ProStar's introduction, leaving it to IVECO to restart the ProStar's marketing momentum.

After all, that momentum had been carefully orchestrated by Navistar Auspac since the initial ProStar announcement in April 2015.

Fortunately the arrival of the ProStar, which officially launched here under IVECO control at the 2017 Brisbane Truck Show, has come at what should be just the right time, with the Aussie truck market setting a new sales record last year and the heavy-duty market in particular on a charge.

IVECO Trucks Australia is also riding that upward swing; its sales were up by over 30 per cent in the overall figures and up by over 13 per cent in the heavy-duty segment.

Combine that with the longstanding strength of the International name in this country – International trucks were built at IVECO Trucks' Dandenong South plant in Melbourne for many decades before IVECO took over in 1992, while International trucks continued to be built there under license until 2011 – and there's a strong foundation from which the ProStar can launch.

IVECO Australia says it has regional and rural operators firmly in its sights for the International ProStar, which the company says has a firm focus on simplicity, reliability and robustness. Indeed, it recently completed its first International ProStar Roadshow, in which it visited 17 operators dotted throughout central Victoria.

Roadshows to Victoria's Gippsland region and Western districts will follow, before the rolling showcase heads further afield to New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.

"Those 17 visits ended up landing 10 demonstration opportunities, which we will begin in the last week of January," says IVECO Trucks Australia's Key Accounts Manager – International Trucks, Paul Dinicol, who is also quick to emphasise the effort going into the ProStar's introduction.

"I think there's been a little bit of negativity pushed out in the media that it [International] isn't going to be around, that International is going to go, but that's far from the case," he said.

"There's a very long-standing arrangement between the two operations [Navistar and IVECO Trucks], and International in the US are supporting this very heavily. It's just a matter of engaging the end user."

According to Paul, getting bums on seats is crucial to the acceptance and uptake of the ProStar in this country, and that's exactly what the Roadshow campaign is all about. Of course, media coverage is another important element to International's return to the Aussie market, and so Trucksales.com.au was recently asked to sample the Roadshow demo truck for itself – a ProStar with what is presently the largest available sleeper cab, hooked up to a Freighter tri-axle curtainsider.

Decked out with a trick paint job, polished Alcoa rims, custom curtains and a tasteful amount of polished bling, the truck certainly looked the business as we approached it at IVECO Trucks HQ, where's there's a certain sense of model having 'come home' to a market where it was once so strong.

Keener-eyed Inter fans will have picked up on the 'Transtar' decal just below the show truck's cab doors, which Paul says is a further attempt to tap into International's rich heritage in this country. The International Transtar was a flagship nameplate for the marque that culminated in the Transtar 4700 of the late 1990s.

This sleeper cab is basically a downsized version of the 56-inch sleeper available in the US. Featuring a number of shared components, it's basically the cab that's been in use by International in the US since 2002.

"It's literally been sold in its tens of thousands in the US, so in terms of cab structure, strength, durability and functionality, we're already decades down the road," said Paul.

"It's probably one of the strongest cabs on the market."

There's also a smaller extended cab version, which is basically a day cab but with somewhere to put your head down if needed. A further Roadshow ProStar in this format is being readied as we speak, this time complete with nostalgic 'S-Line' decals.

Powered by Cummins' X15 in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel, the ProStar is pitched straight at the 34-pallet B-double configuration, but it's finding favour in single-trailer applications too. Paul says it's a very flexible truck in terms of application, and that flexibility is further underlined by its Jost air slider turntable, which enables the turntable to move forwards or back in 50mm increments over a range of 350mm.

The Cummins engine itself also backs up that sentiment. Although we sampled the truck with the engine in its standard 550hp/1850lbft (410kW/2508Nm) rating, this SCR-equipped unit (with 90lt AdBlue tank) can be tuned from 475hp up to 600hp. Our test truck is also fitted with an extra fuel tank, giving 1030 litres of capacity.

The Cummins engine also comes with a certain degree of peace of mind, with Cummins South Pacific having 37 outlets in Australia with representation in every state and territory.

Like the engine, the list of other major components reads like a 'who's who' of trusted North American gear. Our test truck is fitted with Eaton's 18-speed Roadranger manual transmission – buyers also have the choice of the same firm's UltraShift Plus automated manual, complete with ADEPT fuel-saving technologies – while the axles are by Meritor and the rear airbag suspension by Hendrickson.

With a wheelbase of 4700mm, this 6x4 ProStar has a GCM of 90 tonne – although that figure can be boosted to 110 tonne under application, for those intent on heavy haulage applications involving dollies and 4x8 low loaders, for example. In any case, the standard GCM will cover a double road train, and any number of other configurations on the way.

Our schmick Freighter tautliner trailer – around 20 years old, believe it or not – is loaded with 20 tonne of concrete, bringing the running weight to about 40 tonne. That's 2.5 tonne off the usual loaded single-trailer weight, but a handy figure nonetheless for our relatively brief run from IVECO HQ out along the Princes Highway and back.

Paul says the ProStar is pitched more at regional and intrastate work rather than linehaul, which explains the highly functional nature of the cab, which dispenses with many of the fancy trims and features found in many of today's long-distance warriors. You won't find any wood-grain trim here or quilted leather, but having said that the cockpit isn't completely devoid of niceties, either.

It's two decent steps up to the cab but the footplates are large and grippy and there's a full length rail to the rear of the cab and a sturdy, smaller but higher rail to the front. Once behind the wheel finding a comfy position is easy thanks to the GRA-MAG air suspension seat with adjustable armrest, also mirrored on the passenger side, and the adjustable steering column.

There's a fairly utilitarian fleet-truck feel that matches this truck's target market well, but in this show truck it's been softened by the fitment of plush sheepskin seat covers and a full width dash mat, which also helps cut down on glare.

There's plenty of hard plastic but the fit and finish of the various panels is good and all the controls are close to hand. The angled central dash panel helps in this regard, and we like how the optional 6.1-inch sat-nav touchscreen is close to the driver, located to the right of the banks of switches that can be repositioned easily enough thanks to their CAN-bus, 'plug-and-play'-style installation.

The steering wheel itself features a leather wrap and has integrated controls for the electronic cruise control. It's a basic cruise set-up – no radar-based adaptive cruise here – and that simplicity flows through the truck's features list in general.

Without the AMT there's not a vast amount of tech to talk about – which will suit many cost-conscious regional operators, whose trucks typically take a real beating, just fine.

That extends to the safety tech too, however. Beyond the ECE-R29-compliant cab, antilock brakes and LED headlights with daytime running lights, it's pretty light on in terms of advanced safety features – for the time being, in any case.

However, future models may be able to be augmented with safety gear like airbags and the fully integrated Bendix Wingman Fusion suite of safety features – electronic stability program, collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and the like – to provide an option for operators who require and/or desire that higher level of safety equipment.

Mind you, one big safety benefit this ProStar has over many rivals has nothing to do with electronics, and that's its excellent vision from behind the wheel. As Paul demonstrated once we'd later pulled up for a coffee at a truck stop, I could see him from behind the wheel at all points as he moved around the front perimeter of the prime mover.

The sharply raked bonnet and curved windscreen simply deliver a view very few bonneted trucks can match, and this is backed up by large and virtually blur-free side and spot mirrors.

Easing our way out from IVECO's plant and through Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, it was clear the load on board was posing very little issue for the big 15-litre Cummins.

The ProStar has a relatively narrow optimal window in which to operate in terms of engine revs, stretching from 1000rpm to a little north of 1500rpm, but it certainly makes the most of what it's got. The truck wasn't fazed when, on several occasions, I ran it down to 1000rpm in top gear and then planted my right foot – it simply buries its head and gets on with it, slowly building speed without the need for a down-change.

And while my rudimentary skills with a Roadranger regularly saw this transmission's reputation for robustness put to the test, I have to say I was impressed with the ultra-light feel it displayed at the stick as we shifted our way through to open-road speeds.

While our run out of town and back to IVECO was only brief, it still provided a decent insight into the ProStar's comfort and highway performance. The driving ergonomics just work, while I have no complaints regarding the GRA-MAG seat.

There's more engine noise than you'd experience in many a Euro cab-over – no surprises there – but I found the noise levels in the ProStar's cab to be entirely acceptable. Certainly Paul and I never struggled to hold a conversation, and while you do get to revel in the deep note of that 15-litre six when you're on the gas, while cruising along at a steady speed it's actually pretty quiet.

The steering requires only a relatively light touch at the wheel and the brakes, though basic air/drums all round, are entirely sufficient to pull the thing up promptly when required. The ProStar also comes with a basic Jake brake that takes a reasonable degree of strain off the service brakes.

While this Sleeper cab isn't aimed at the linehaul sector, it's roomy enough and has enough features to make for a decent night's sleep when required. You get a full innerspring mattress as standard and this lifts up to give easy access to the two outboard storage hatches, along with a central floor compartment that can potentially house a large slide-mounted fridge.

The bunk also benefits from two auxiliary power sockets, an overhead light, a reading light, two speakers and a privacy curtain, along with a small hatch at each end for ventilation.

It's comfy enough, without being luxuriant, and at 6ft 2in (188cm) and 105kg I could lie on the bunk without contacting any of the surrounding walls or seats.

Fuel economy? We didn't fill up on this run and the ProStar doesn't have a trip computer, but International says it's invested a heap of effort into honing the truck's aerodynamics to cut fuel burn significantly. Guess we'll have to wait until thorough fleet trials deliver some concrete data.

After spending some time behind the wheel, we came away impressed with the International ProStar and feel it's a well-rounded package for its intended market. There's a certain honesty to this workhorse, and with Cummins support along with a proven list of componentry, it has a solid basis from which it can tackle our less-than-ideal Aussie roads and conditions.

International is a long way down the road from its halcyon days in this country, but as it re-enters this ultra-competitive market the ProStar appears like a very solid first step; we'll be watching its progress intently.

2019 International ProStar specifications
Engine: Cummins X15 14.9-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Power: 410kW (550hp)
Torque: 2508Nm (1850lbft)
Emissions: Euro 5 (ADR 80/03)
Transmission: 18-speed Eaton Roadranger RTLOE-209188
Configuration: 6x4
Front suspension: Three-leaf tapered parabolic leaf springs (6500kg)
Rear suspension: Hendrickson Primaax-EX air tandem (20,900kg)
Front axle: Meritor MFS 14-143A wide track
Rear axles: Meritor RT46-160GP tandem with power divider and cross locks
GVM: 24,500kg
GCM: 90,000kg
Wheelbase: 4700mm
Fuel tank: Aluminium, 1030lt total
Emissions control: Selective Catalytic Reduction
AdBlue: 90lt
Brakes: Air/drum with ABS
Cab: Sleeper, 2250mm wide with 2170mm x 700mm bunk
BBC: 3585mm
Trailer: Tri-axle Freighter curtainsider
Tyres: Michelin X MultiWay 3D 295/80R22.5 (steer) / Goodyear G182 RSD 11R22.5 (drive)
Safety: Bendix ABS with Automatic Traction Control, LED headlamps and daytime running lights, front underrun protection, ECE-R29 compliant cab, Hill Start Aid (with Eaton UltraShift Plus)
Web: www.international.com.au