What happened to Mack?

My choice would be a Mack.I am driveing a Mack vision now great truck all but the automatic.

 

The MP8 is still basically a Mack engine, at least most of the long block is. There is a lot of Volvo stuff on it for emissions reasons. The head has some changes and the electronics/fuel system were basically Volvo designs. IMO, it worked well - Mack durability with the technology from Volvo to make it compliant.

Volvo is a parasite in some respects. Take their off road equipment for instance. They haven't developed any of that, they find a company that builds something similar to what they want and then buy the company and take over production. Sure, they make some changes, improvements in some areas but it was another company that REALLY developed that piece of equipment. Obviously not all of Volvo is like that, but it has been there operating mode for a number of years now.

Given the choice I'd take a Mack over a Volvo any day. Volvo is like a over sized car mostly. Mack you can still get good stuff, top loaders, triple shafts, camel back, and now they have a good engine as well.

The Military has bought a number of MP8 powered platforms, which isn't surprising. The Military has been buying a variety of engine for a long time, they used to run a LOT of E9's.

 

Mack's presence I think really depends on your location. In the west they have never been as popular as PACCAR and Freightliner since both of those trucks are west manufacturers. At least around here Mack has never had much market share in the OTR arena, however they do have a good share of the vocational trucks.

It's hard to say what will happen in the future, but Volvo and Mack really have targeted different areas. Volvo mostly has gone for the OTR market by building really driver friendly trucks and Mack has mostly gone for heavy duty and off road type markets. At some point Volvo may just absorb Mack all together and the Mack moniker will go away but if that ever happens it won't be for a long time.

 

mack and volvo merger was based on deleted areas of marketing... volvo usa is very poular in the Conventional area and Mack USA was and still leads the vocational area... it wasnt till tthe 90s that volvo/ gm/white...separated to form volvo america...volvo and mack have always been partner that compliment each other very well... with middle man 'Renault' combined

 

Volvo is/was exclusively OTR and Mack vocational... I wouldn't say either of them ever "led" by any means. Good trucks yes. Leaders? No.

Freightliner, Kenworth & Peterbilt, and International have traded the lead in either OTR and Vocational for many years. KW has been ridiculously good at sweeping the JD Powers awards for the last 5-10 years though.

 

We have Macks out the wahoo here in the oil field. By far the #1 for hauling water and other stuff. Heavy haul like platforms and derricks mainly KW/Pete/Western Star.

 

Mack was bought out by the Volvo Group almost 8 years ago. Mack world headquarters was moved to the same campus as Volvo US headquarters in Greensboro, NC this year. Mack and Volvo are still two independent companies. Mack is still being made at Mack plants, Volvo is being made at Volvo plants. Mack is still the top selling vocational truck company in the world. Most people don't know that Mack has plants in Brazil and Australia, with plans to open one China in the future. Mack and Volvo share the same engine block, but that is were it ends.

Mark