Kenworth gets 'over 700' orders for Legend SAR

Kenworth said there would be plenty of interest in the one-day sale of the limited-edition Legend SAR, and there was.

The exclusive one-day sale was held on July 8 and after the 24-hours of the sale had expired, even the seasoned veterans of the iconic company were astounded.

Although Kenworth has not released the exact number of orders placed on the day (and night) of the sale, we know from insiders that it was “over 700 units”.

The Legend SAR is the third in the brand’s Legend series of special-edition trucks, this time commemorating Kenworth’s 50th anniversary of truck manufacturing in Australia.

It’s modelled on the iconic W900SAR produced in Australia between 1975 and 1985 and distinguished by its short sloping hood, rounded fenders, short quarter guards, short bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement and raised cab, the latter improving airflow and driver comfort.

The W900SAR was the first Kenworth designed, engineered and built in Australia specifically for Australian conditions.

The previous limited edition Legends that went up for sale were the 950 Legend in 2015 which was capped at just 75 units, all of which sold in less than 24 hours, which left some potential owners disappointed, and the Legend 900 which also had a one-day sale in June 2017 that led to 267 sales.

At the announcement of this, the Legend SAR, that was unveiled at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show, Director Sales and Marketing at PACCAR Australia Brad May said: “As per previous Legends, there will be a one-day sale – on July 8 we will open the order book, and the number of sales will determine how many trucks we will produce. We’re very confident this truck is going to be very popular and a great way to commemorate this special year.”

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And how right he was! Kenworth sold in one day, an amount of trucks that many other makes would be happy to sell in a year!

However, it’s fairly obvious that Kenworth won’t be able to deliver all the Legend trucks this year, and we understand that the bulk of the orders will be filled in 2022 so that they don’t upset the orders that PACCAR already has for trucks to be delivered later this year.

The success of the Legend SAR sale no doubt points to a buoyant market with companies able to take advantage of the government’s incentive packages, but it also shows that the combination of the Kenworth name, the SAR appeal, and the fact that this is a true Limited Edition have made this truck a real success story.

As Brad May said at the launch: “In addition to recognising our long heritage in this country, the Legend SAR pays homage to all those that have stood, and stand today, behind the badge of a Kenworth truck. The ones that have helped make Australian-made Kenworths an integral part of the unique Australian landscape."