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NEWS
International: home at last
International Trucks has officially come home, with the sleek and Cummins-powered ProStar all set to lead the charge…International Trucks has finally returned to our shores, with sole distributor Iveco Australia recently holding an official welcome ceremony to mark the homecoming.
And a true homecoming it is, with Iveco Australia still based at the Dandenong (Melbourne) facility that saw thousands of Internationals roll off its line since the 1950s, until Iveco took over International Trucks Australia in 1992.
Locally developed
Spearheading the return is the International ProStar, which has undergone extensive development over the past few years to ensure it is thoroughly ready for Australian conditions.
The model's sloping bonnet aids driver vision and contributes to a compact BBC (bumper to back of cab) measurement, in a truck that International says is suited to just about any Australian trailer set.
That means that in addition to single-trailer work, the ProStar can be configured for 34 or 36-pallet B-double work, truck and dog work, and even B-triple and two-trailer road train work.
The truck will be available in day cab, extended cab (with ADR-compliant bunk) and integrated full sleeper variants in any of five wheelbases, with the cab itself constructed from high-strength steel panels.
A three-point cab suspension system is said to drastically reduce NVH (noise, vibration and harshness), while the ProStar rolls on a Meritor MFS axle and three-leaf parabolic taperleaf springs up front and Meritor tandem axles with Hendrickson Primaax-EX air suspension at the rear.
Cummins power
Powering all ProStar models is the Euro5-compliant Cummins X15 engine, the straight-six turbo-diesel an evolution of the company's ISXe5. Good for a maximum output of 550hp (410kW) and 2508Nm, the powerplant has been mated with either Eaton's 18-speed Roadranger manual or its UltraShift Plus automated manual transmission.
Those who opt for the AMT will also benefit from Eaton's ADEPT suite of fuel-saving technologies, including SmartTorque2 (where the engine automatically matches its torque output to the immediate road and load conditions) and SmartCoast (which sees the engine revert to idle on descents). Cummins is currently working on producing an ADEPT package for its manual transmission.
The engine runs high-pressure injection pressures of over 30,000psi for precise combustion control, while it relies on Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology to meet Euro5 compliance. The ProStar comes fitted with a 90-litre AdBlue tank to complement its 720-litre fuel capacity.
This engine underwent significant local testing at the hands of Cummins South Pacific, which is headquartered in Melbourne, to arrive at a suitable cooling system to ensure the X15 can handle the heat regularly encountered in Australia.
The ProStar is equipped with ABS brakes and traction control, LED headlights and a Front Underrun Protection System (FUPS), while manual models also receive a hill-start assist feature.
In the cabin, both driver and passenger receive leather-upholstered air suspension seats, and the standard audio system can be upgraded to a multimedia unit with 6.1-inch touch-screen.
Ready and able
According to International's Engineering Manager, Adrian Wright, the new ProStar will fill what has been, until now, a void in the market.
"The ProStar offers a tried and proven formula that has been missing here for several years," he said.
"It's an innovative and efficient truck in many ways but it also has solid and proven fundamentals that will appeal to local operators.
"Australians remain passionate about the International brand and what it stands for: an efficient, tough, no-nonsense brand that gets the job done without fanfare – the new ProStar will not let them down."
Iveco Australia says the first shipment of ProStars will be "shortly landing on our shores", while the dealer network – to comprise a mix of established Iveco dealers and other truck dealerships – will be formally announced shortly. Iveco Australia has said that every International dealer will also be an official Cummins dealer.
Trucksales will bring you more on the new International ProStar shortly.
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Written byTrucksales Staff
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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