Kenworth K220 unveiled

The Kenworth K220 has officially been launched, with the next-generation cab-over model unveiled before an audience of nearly 500 customers, dealers, industry partners, PACCAR Australia staff and media at a gala event at Brisbane’s Archerfield Airport on Friday, May 3.

Representing the first generational change for the enduring K series since the introduction of the K200 in 2010, and ushered in at the launch event with the theme of ‘Next Level’, the new Kenworth K220 boasts numerous upgrades inside and out, all the result of extensive customer feedback and a development program that commenced in late 2018.

While power carries over in the form of the proven Cummins X15 turbo-diesel in both Euro 5 and Euro 6 guises, K220 buyers will be able to opt for Eaton’s Endurant XD Pro transmission – an all-new 18-speed automated manual – in addition to Eaton’s manual 18-speed Roadranger.

Touted as a significant progression from Eaton’s Ultrashift Plus AMT, the Endurant XD Pro features sophisticated new software combined with robust internals to deliver quieter, smoother, more efficient and more intelligent running, while taking the strain out of the driving task.

The Kenworth K220 will be available in 6x4, 8x4, 8x4 tandem with lazy axle, 8x6, 10x4 tandem with lazy axle, and 10x6 formats, delivering versatility across a wide variety of applications, including of course the B-double work for which the cab-over is renowned.

The K220 launches with a nominal GCM of 97 tonnes, that figure stretching to 250 tonnes on application.

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Externally the Kenworth K220 has familiar yet refreshed styling, with new LED headlights with daytime running lights and a new grille design that works with a more efficient fan to deliver improved cooling.

New wheel well shields protect the engine bay and electrics from spray and road debris, while new roof lines – achieved with the assistance of computational fluid dynamics – are said to improve aerodynamic efficiency by four per cent, aiding overall economy while also delivering benefits inside the cab.

Four cabs are on offer, ranging from a 1.7m day cab through to a 2.3m flat roof sleeper, a 2.3m aerodynamic sleeper, and a palatial 2.8m aerodynamic sleeper.

The new aerodynamic roof lines deliver addition headroom further forward inside the cab, the change also allowing Kenworth engineers to create up to triple the additional overhead storage compared to the K200.

Driver comfort is further boosted by the adoption of a new and higher capacity HVAC system, with every new K220 now featuring climate control as standard. As in the Kenworth T610, the roof’s ‘Vista’ windows have gone, affording better thermal and noise insulation for a better night’s sleep.

And the driving position is now roomier, with the pedals positioned further forward to provide more space in the driver footwell, while the driver’s seat now features a greater range of adjustment.

The bezels around the remaining gauges are now silver instead of gold, and the interior colour palette has been brought into line with those of Kenworth’s existing 2.1m cab offering. However, despite all the fresh tech that familiar Kenworth K series feel remains, thanks in no small part to familiar cues like the woodgrain-look dash, and traditional diamond-studded plush upholstery.

But it’s the dash, instrumentation and electrics in general that are truly ‘Next Level’, with a new 12-volt CAN-bus electronics architecture that unlocks a range of benefits both now and into the future, including the ability to easily add additional features, upgrade software, and diagnose faults.

A new 15-inch high-definition display instantly grabs attention and can be customised to allow the driver to display more of what they want to see, and less of what they don’t.

Similar to the display used in the new T680 in the US, the system is positively packed with features, including a start-up system check, comprehensive trip analysis on shutdown, and driver performance ratings.

The 15-inch main display is complemented by an 8-inch AVN (Audio Visual Navigation) unit, which provides sat-nav, audio and smartphone mirroring, among other features. For further convenience, an inductive smartphone charging pad is located at the base of the dash console. The PACCAR Connect telematics platform is also standard.

Both the AVN and the main instrument display are integrated with controls on PACCAR’s new ‘SmartWheel’ steering wheel, which now boasts more features and controls to help keep the driver’s focus firmly on the road.

On the safety front, PACCAR Australia says the Kenworth K220 has the widest range of active and passive safety features it’s ever offered on a truck, with a Bendix Wingman Fusion package now enhanced with adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, along with multi-lane Autonomous Emergency Braking, among many other features.

Add in the significant boost in overall driver comfort, and its many new driver convenience features, and Kenworth Australia says the new Kenworth K220 has everything it needs to keep drivers feeling fresh and alert over long hours on the road.

Kenworth Australia’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Brad May, says the new Kenworth K220 is the product of the excellent relationships the manufacturer shares with its loyal customer base, many of which extend back over many decades.

“The K220 celebrates Australian ingenuity to engineer a uniquely Australian product to optimise the capability of both owners and drivers to prosper in what is surely the world’s toughest but most productive transport industry,” he said.

“It is a development path that has been forged by an amazing collaboration between Australian transport operators and a dedicated and determined local development team that has spanned more than five decades.

“Nowhere in the world does such a close relationship exist between those who use the product and those who design it.”

Kenworth Australia will soon commence taking orders for the new Kenworth K220, with production to ramp up from April 2023 at the firm’s Bayswater production line. Production of the existing K200 will continue in the meantime and for the foreseeable future, as Kenworth works to address its present order backlog and transition to the new product.

A customer drive event for the Kenworth K220 will be held at Victoria’s Australian Automotive Research Centre in Anglesea in coming weeks, while a host of individual dealer launch events will roll out over the next three months.

Check back shortly for Trucksales' first drive impression of the new Kenworth K220, followed by an in-depth road test.