International Truck and Engine Corporation said it will offer its new Class 8 tractor, the ProStar, with a 600-horsepower engine for those buyers seeking the higher-performance engine as well as the tractor's fuel-efficient, aerodynamic features. International ProStar tractors with the Cummins 600HP ISX engine are expected to be available early this summer.
The new International ProStar that began rolling off the assembly line in January now comes equipped with Cummins ISX engines from 385-600hp. The higher horsepower variations appeal to customers who need higher performance to meet hauling needs but are still eager to benefit from the tractor's best-in-class aerodynamics and low cost of ownership. The 600-hp offering in the ProStar tractor will receive a robust engine-cooling system in the aerodynamic and fuel-efficient vehicle.
"The 600-hp engine is important to drivers who face severe operating difficulties in, say, mountainous regions, or who haul non-diminishing loads," said Stephen Gilligan, assistant general manager - Heavy Trucks, International Truck. "We are offering them an efficient solution to offset the sacrifice in fuel-economy they make in order to obtain higher performance when they need it."
An estimated 10 to 15 percent of the market prefers higher horsepower tractors because of particular applications or personal preference. With the aerodynamic ProStar and the higher-horsepower engine, drivers will require less shifting when climbing a steep incline because more horsepower is in reserve to assist them.