Isuzu added some bulk to its F-Series line for the 2022 model year with the introduction of the Class 7 FVR (33,000-lb. GVWR). The company's heaviest-ever model now sits alongside F-Series siblings the Class 6 FTR (25,950-lb. GVWR) and Class 6 FVR Derate (25,950-lb. GVWR).
Isuzu is after a larger slice of the trucking segment as the declining average length of haul and the search for CDL drivers has made straight trucks a more attractive and viable option for traditional motor carriers.
The new Isuzu F-Series line is powered by Cummins' B6.7 diesel engine and is matched to a six-speed Allison RDS transmission (2550 Series with park pawl for FTR, 2500 Series with no park pawl for FVR) – a powertrain that's become ubiquitous across the medium-duty commercial segment.
The B-series engine spec'd in the Isuzu is a byproduct of the Isuzu Cummins Powertrain Partnership (ICPP) that the two companies formed in 2019. The two companies are also working on an electric truck.
Isuzu F-Series trucks are powered by the Cummins B6.7, the most popular engine ever built by Cummins.
I was able to take Isuzu's new F-Series for a spin at Allison's Innovation Center, located in the shadows of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While unlikely to put down the kind of lap-time that would impress the likes of Mario Andretti, there's much to like about the FTR and FVR.
The Cummins inline six-cylinder diesel engine, which replaces Isuzu's 5.2 liter in the FTR and above, produces 260 horsepower and 660 lb.-ft. of torque – a powerband that blends efficiency and power. The B6.7 is the most popular diesel engine ever built by Cummins, and its integration into F-Series marks the first time Isuzu has ever offered any engine other than its own in any of its models.
