International Truck and Engine Corporation will be heading to market in 2007 with an all-new Class 8 tractor, to be produced at its assembly plant in Chatham, Ont.

“With the input of dealer and customer advisory boards, as well as field test customers, International has developed a tractor with an unmatched blend of fit, form and function,” the company boasts, adding the tractor will include industry-leading aerodynamics, cab environment, electronics, ergonomics refinements and the latest in engine-emission technology to meet 2007 pollution-control standards.

While specific features of the new Class 8 tractor aren’t being disclosed, International is highlighting some of the factors that have played a major role in the truck’s development.

International says it conducted extensive research to better understand truckers’ size and comfort needs. Engineers analyzed driver tasks, captured hundreds of 36-point body measurement profiles and performed time and motion studies. With the help of sophisticated computer models, International used the data to design a vehicle that will reduce the possibility of driver discomfort due to the vehicle’s environment – both on the road, and when entering and exiting the vehicle. Designers even went so far as to sleep in cabs and travel to customer locations and truck stops nationwide to interview nearly 1,500 drivers.

The new tractor will offer:

* Frame construction and suspensions that improve ride and handling

* Improved interior quality, with a roomier feel and more natural light

* A quieter cab interior

* Improved ventilation and HVAC performance

* New improved storage system for drivers’ clothes and other items

* Improved seat mechanisms for greater comfort, with a new feature to ease a driver’s muscle aches and pains

International says the new tractor is being designed for a minimum of 1.2 million miles of line haul operation. Incorporating prognostic systems into the tractor optimizes uptime and provides real-time component status on vital vehicle systems. Through the use of high-quality and resilient materials, tooling and parts common with other International products, and less frequent and synchronized service intervals, International is increasing uptime and reducing out of motion costs.

Fuel economy is top of mind for most carriers and the new tractor is being aerodynamically designed with an optimized powertrain for maximum fuel efficiency, and offers a variety of improvements in other horsepower robbing inefficiencies.

Shipments to International dealers will begin in the first quarter of 2007. The truck will be produced at the International Assembly Plant in Chatham.