Mack Super-Liner Spotlight: Australia’s outback icon

The Mack badge is synonymous with outback Aussie trucking, with the manufacturer turning out rugged models for more than 60 years Down Under. But of all the trucks the Bulldog brand has produced, few stir the emotions of truckies quite like the mighty Super-Liner.

Like the legendary B-model before it, the Super-Liner built its reputation on grit and graft, constantly evolving to meet the demands of the Australian transport industry across its 45-year life (and counting).

The maverick nameplate also paved the way for the big-power bonneted trucks of the ’80s and ’90s, ushering in a new era of 500-plus horsepower and rugged, outback-focused designs.

Instantly recognisable on the highway with its broad-shouldered stance, long bonnet and golden bulldog badge up front, often caked in thick red dust – the Super-Liner personifies outback trucking.

Join us for a walk down memory lane, as we explore the story of an American truck perfected for Australia’s harsh conditions.

The Super-Liner’s story begins with its predecessor, the equally legendary R model, which popularised big-power bonneted trucks in the 1960s.

First introduced to Australia in 1966, the R model became the backbone of Mack’s local development, as the Rocklea assembly plant in Queensland expanded to produce homegrown models.

As the industry’s thirst for horsepower grew through the ’60s, driven by higher productivity demands, Mack responded with its largest highway runner in 1970 – the R700.

It was the first locally built Mack to deliver more than 300hp, with the top spec producing 375hp – a huge figure for its time.

The bigger engines and Australia’s harsh climate required longer bonnets for fitment of the beefed up engines and cooling systems, setting the stage for the iconic long-nose silhouette the Super-Liner would make famous.

In the US, Mack launched the Super-Liner in 1977 – effectively an R700 with a bigger bonnet and higher-horsepower engines, including a new V8. The decision was soon made to bring it to Australia, but first it had to prove itself in some of the world’s toughest trucking conditions.

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Before the Super-Liner hit Australian highways, Mack built three test units locally on the trusted R model chassis, fitted with 450hp Cat engines. Meanwhile, Mack engineers were developing their own 16.4-litre V8 for the new flagship.

The first Australian-built Super-Liner – the RW700RSX – was delivered to Cleary Bros at Port Kembla in 1979 and immediately put to work hauling low loaders up the gruelling Mount Ousley pass. It proved its worth from day one.

Soon after, in July of 1979, a fourth unit was produced for Bromage Tankers in Victoria, this time featuring Mack’s own V8 – an engine that would evolve into the iconic E9.

Word spread quickly, demand surged, and Mack launched the Super-Liner with grunty engine options including Cat, Cummins and Detroit units.

Fast forward to 1986, around 370 Super-Liners had been delivered, and Mack upped the ante with the Super-Liner II.

This version came with a single engine option – the mighty Mack E9 V8 – delivering 500hp as standard and a GCM of up to 200 tonnes, instantly grabbing the attention of the trucking world.  Its distinctive V8 burble and ear-piercing air start became hallmarks of the truck.

In 1988, Mack released just 16 Bicentennial Super-Liner II models to mark the brand’s 25th year in Australia. Painted in brown, green and gold, they remain among the most collectible Bulldogs ever built.

By 1991, the last Super-Liner rolled off the line and its nameplate was retired. However, it wasn’t long before fans demanded its return.

In the ’90s, Mack replaced the Super-Liner with the new CLR series – a wider, more comfortable truck with uprated power from the E9 V8 producing 525hp, albeit less attractive in the eyes of Mack fans.

Popular as it was, many drivers missed the toughness and forward-axle design of the Super-Liner.

Listening to its customers, Mack revived the Super-Liner in 1993, later adding tougher variants including the Super-Liner Titan in 1995 and the Trident in 1998. Both eventually became standalone nameplates, once again sidelining the Super-Liner.

Mack reintroduced the Super-Liner in 2002 to slot between the Trident and Titan, but its biggest leap came in 2008 under Volvo ownership.

The new-generation trucks benefited from Volvo technology, including an improved single rail chassis design and the MP10 16-litre engine producing 685hp, making the Super-Liner the most powerful bonneted truck on Australian roads at the time.

That powertrain was paired with Volvo’s intuitive 12-speed I-Shift AMT, rebadged as Mack’s M-Drive.

Today, the Super-Liner continues to evolve, now offered with the Euro 6 MP11 17-litre engine producing an incredible 780hp and 3800Nm, making it suitable for everything from linehaul to roadtrain use.

A legend reborn, the Super Liner remains king of the highway.