PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC)
and Freightliner LLC today announced that their joint Customer Demonstration
Program is on track as 40 planned customer demonstration vehicles have been
assembled at three of the company's manufacturing facilities that assemble
Class 8 vehicles. Most of these units are now in the process of being
delivered to 16 customers -- all equipped with EPA '07 compliant Series 60
engines.
Although still several months away from public release, the 2007 Series 60
engine has already proven itself with more than five million test miles. The
results: this engine delivers the durability, power and reliability customers
have come to expect from a Series 60. Additionally, testing so far has shown
excellent fuel economy, which enables the Series 60 to maintain its position
as the industry fuel economy leader among Class 8 heavy-duty diesel engines.
In addition to the Series 60, Detroit Diesel Corporation is set to launch
the Mercedes-Benz 900 medium-duty diesel engine and Mercedes-Benz 4000 heavy-
duty diesel engine in 2007.
In preparation to meet the new emissions standards, Detroit Diesel is
conducting the most aggressive and comprehensive testing program in its
history as one of the largest diesel engine manufacturers in the world. By the
time the three engines launch in 2007, the company expects to have accumulated
24 million test miles, demonstrating its commitment to launching only the
highest quality product.
"We've learned a tremendous amount over the past year through our testing
efforts and through our customer demonstration program," said Tim Tindall,
Director of the EPA '07 Program for Detroit Diesel Corporation. "These
customer engines have full engine and aftertreatment functionality so we will
continue to gather feedback from our valued customers and apply what we learn
across all of our engines in an effort to deliver products that provide
superior fuel economy, driveability, durability and reliability."
Larry Dutko, EPA '07 Program Manager for Freightliner LLC and Tindall's
counterpart on the truck side, stresses that the close collaboration with
Detroit Diesel has proven a significant benefit in developing and testing the
2007 engines.
"Given all the required changes to the engine, including the addition of
the particulate filter, it really puts us in a position to leverage our
relationship with Detroit Diesel to the fullest extent so that we provide the
best engines possible come 2007," explained Dutko. "As two business units of
DaimlerChrysler's Truck Group -- the largest commercial vehicle manufacturer
in the world -- we are always looking at how we can collaborate more closely
in how we approach truck and engine development. Our goal is not just to meet,
but exceed our customers' expectations."
Freightliner LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is the leading
medium- and heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. Freightliner
produces and markets Class 5-8 vehicles and is a company of DaimlerChrysler,
the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer.
Detroit Diesel Corporation is the leading manufacturer of on-highway
heavy-duty diesel engines for the commercial truck market. The company offers
a complete line of engines from 170 to 515 horsepower for the on-highway and
vocational markets. Through its corporate headquarters in Detroit, Michigan,
Detroit Diesel is engaged in the design, manufacture, sale and service of
these products, in addition to supporting alternative and hybrid engine
strategies for the commercial truck marketplace. Detroit Diesel is a
subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler and part of the Freightliner group of companies.
SOURCE Detroit Diesel Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.detroitdiesel.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/239425.html
CONTACT:
Liane Bilicki of Detroit Diesel Corporation,
+1-313-592-5266
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