Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

And old volvo too!

 

Yes, you're right the Paccar PX-5 and PX-7 are basically Cummins engines. The Paccar MX-11 and MX-13 are DAF engines.

DAF produces three lines of trucks, the small LF series (up to 19 metric tons), the mid-range CF series and the top-of-the-line XF series.

The LF cab is made by Renault trucks, Renault trucks is owned by Volvo. This cab is used by Renault, Volvo, DAF, Iveco, and perhaps others as well. From the outside they may look different, but when you look at the doors you can see it's all basically the same cab. The DAF version of this cab is used by Peterbilt and Kenworth.

The CF cab is made by DAF, and is marketed by their components division. Other companies like Tatra (the Tatra Phoenix) and Ginaf use this cab. Perhaps Iveco too.

The XF cab is made and used by DAF only as far as I'm aware, with one exception. There is a big Kenworth truck using a modified version of this cab.

 

Cease you look like DAF salesman )))

 

Oh no, I was trying to make a few things clear. DAF is the European branch of Paccar, and they produce trucks in the Netherlands, Belgium and Brasil. Unless I'm very much mistaken they produce more trucks then Kenworth does, and do it with only three lines. Compare that with the rather bewildering number of lines Kenworth has.

Developing a European cab is very expensive, it has to be very strong, save, aerodynamic and so on. That is why competing companies use the same cab.

And I forgot to mention that I don't think the Peterbilt 220 and Kentworth K270 and K370 are DAF LF trucks. They seem to be US designed trucks with a DAF cab.

 

Would that be the Kenworth K500? From my understanding its a C500 with the DAF cab instead.

 

Yes indeed, you're right it is the K500. However it is using an old type of XF cab, not the present one.



I also found a picture of what seems to be the successor of the Australian K200. It will have the K200 chassis combined with the Euro 6 DAF XF cab. That makes sense, the K200 cab is very old, and producing them in small numbers is not very cost effective. Furthermore it is questionable if it still complies to present day demands on safety etc.

 

The Aussie K200 cab isn't old, it is a complete redesign with an almost flat floor and a lot higher than the old K100. They are cost effective for our market and are a big seller.

I can tell you that Aussie Kenworth buyers wouldn't buy the truck in your picture, we are quite traditional. When KW introduced the T600 Anteater they lost sales to Western Star who had more traditional trucks. When they introduced the T904, which looks like a real truck, sales went back up and KW are #1 in class 8 truck sales here.

DAF cabover trucks are sold here by KW dealers as part of PACCAR for local work, but they aren't very popular. You hardly ever see them.

 

I can understand what Kenworth was thinking. First they thought "let's design a somewhat more aerodynamic truck, that will save fuel." and they built the T600. When sales dropped as a result, they thought "OK, if the drivers want a steam engine, let's build something that looks like a steam engine", and out came the T904.

Now I like steam engines too, but not for every day use.

 

I'm not going to bother getting into a silly internet argument, but if you think a T904 has steam engine technology you are deluded. European trucks are unsuitable for Australian conditions, and that's why they don't sell well. The only time you see them is around town and on smooth main roads on the East Coast. They just don't last because of the way they are built. The KWs actually use a lot of aircraft parts like Aeroquip hoses and aircraft style electrics. They use a bolted-up earthmoving-type radiator, robust as hell. The euros use basically beefed-up car parts.
Also, to an Australian driver, and to American drivers, they look ugly as hell. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

 

I've never understood why Europeans frequently refer to our trucks as ancient but can never show any proof to back it up.