Detroit’s Mid-Range Engines

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Without a lot of detail so far, Daimler Trucks North America has announced the launch of its medium-duty Detroit DD5 and DD8 engines. And that, the company says, will bring the benefits of vertical integration seen on the heavy-duty side into the medium-duty market. Horsepower and torque ratings have not been released, though DTNA chief Martin Daum says a full range will be on offer.

He also said the new DD5 and DD8 will not replace the Cummins ISB and ISC diesels now offered in DTNA vehicles. Both will be sold for as long as customers want the choice.

The new Detroit DD5, in Freightliner's M2 late next yearThe DD5 is a 5.1-liter, 4-cylinder engine while its big brother is a 7.7-liter six.

Sold in Europe since 2013 as the OM934 and OM936, they’ll be compliant with 2017 U.S. emissions legislation a year early. The fuel and emissions-control systems on the new motors will be designed by DTNA engineers in Detroit.

They will find their way into “select” DTNA vehicles by the end of 2016, first available for order in the Freightliner M2. By 2018 the new diesels will be offered in pretty much all DTNA vehicles. Full production will move to the Detroit factory in Redford, MI by the end of 2018. Some will be built there starting next year, though the majority will be sourced from the Daimler plant in Mannheim, Germany for the time being.

This approach follows the path of the Detroit DT12 transmission, now built entirely in Redford. Production was moved gradually from the company’s factory in Gaggenau, Germany. The latter will continue building internal components for the automated manual gearbox, which now finds its way into some 40% of all Freightliners and Western Stars sold here.

Configuring the Redford plant for the new engines represents a US$375-million investment in the facility, another US$100 million for the DT12.

It also builds the DD13, DD15, and DD16 for NAFTA markets, as well as steer and drive axles for Freightliner, Western Star, FCCC chassis, and Thomasbuilt buses.

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Rolf Lockwood is editor emeritus of Today's Trucking and a regular contributor to Trucknews.com.


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