International on Friday pulled the curtain back on its new flagship line of Class 8 on-highway trucks.
International says its LT Series, the company’s most fuel efficient line of trucks to-date, was designed with feedback from drivers that resulted in a final product that Jeff Sass, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Navistar calls “the most driver-centric Class 8 vehicle we’ve ever built.”
“It all starts with the guy who has got his hands on the wheel,” says Navistar president Troy Clarke.
Available in Classic and premium Diamond trim levels, the truck features an all-new interior that – based on a review of the more than 500 points where the driver and truck interact – offers better elbow room, hip room and leg room. Driver input also led to a mix of high-tech and traditional features that emphasize driver ease of use.
“We made some interesting discoveries along the way,” says Denny Mooney, Navistar senior vice president of global product development. “Truck drivers want a truck designed like a truck. Career truck drivers aren’t interested in automotive styling. They want trucks designed to do a job. They need easy to use controls, great visibility and great ergonomics.”
Kenneth Stiltner, who currently drives a ProStar for Cowan Systems, was one of the drivers engineers and Navistar executives spent time with farming for ideas and feedback.
“I love the steering,” he says. “I love the visibility and the windshield. I love the new mirror they’ve got on.”
