Canadian International dealers will offer new truck co-developed with GM

LISLE, Ill. — A long-term partnership reached by truck makers Navistar and General Motors will result in the development of a new line of Classes 4/5 commercial trucks.

Production of the new conventional-style trucks will begin in 2018 at a Navistar plant in Springfield, Ohio, where Navistar says it will invest about US$12 million and add some 300 jobs. The trucks will be branded as Chevrolet and International vehicles. GM, at this time, has no plans to bring the Chevrolet version of the truck to Canada, but Navistar confirmed on a conference call today that its Canadian dealers will sell and support International trucks developed under the partnership.

The current International TerraStar will be replaced by the new products developed with GM.

The trucks will feature GM engine and component technologies and a co-designed cab. Diesel engines will be available, but Bill Kozek, president, Truck and Parts with Navistar, said it’s still too early to discuss options in any detail. He did say, however, that the partnership should benefit both manufacturers.

“It allows GM to expand, primarily, its Chevrolet commercial truck portfolio and Navistar to strengthen its International truck line-up,” he said. “It’s going to leverage the strengths from both companies as these products come out.”

The deal, Kozek added, “is another of the pillars of our customer-centric approach, providing customers with the best technology available, regardless of the manufacturer.”

The two companies have been in talks for some time, initially regarding collaboration on a Class 6/7 platform. While that deal didn’t come to fruition, Kozek said those talks set the framework for the deal announced today.

“It has been a long time coming and there have been a lot of discussions,” Kozek said. “We know GM very well and I think GM is getting to know us very well; we’re excited about the opportunity and moving forward with this thing.”

 

 

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James Menzies is editorial director of Today's Trucking and TruckNews.com. He has been covering the Canadian trucking industry for more than 24 years and holds a CDL. Reach him at james@newcom.ca or follow him on Twitter at @JamesMenzies.


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