Volvo offers mid-roof versions of VN, VT (March 23, 2006)

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Volvo has introduced mid-roof sleeper versions of its VN and VT tractors.

The VN 730 and VT 830 were first displayed at the Mid-America Trucking Show this morning and both trucks are expected to be popular with the premium owner/operator market, Volvo officials announced. Applications best suited for the new mid-roof tractors include those with lower trailers such as flatdecks, lowboys and containers. A mid-roof sleeper can provide up to 29 per cent less drag when coupled with a low trailer, Volvo officials claimed.

“The new Volvo VT 830 and Volvo VN730 provide application-focused alternatives for customers who want the same large sleeper and premium level of features and benefits already found in the Volvo VT 880 and Volvo VN 780, but with a lower roof height,” explained Volvo president and CEO, Peter Karlsten.

The roof of both models is about two feet lower than on the standard VN 780 and VT 880. The lower height improves aerodynamics for low trailer applications but still allows for a 6’4″ driver to stand up comfortably in the sleeper cab, pointed out product manager Frank Bio.

The height at the rear of the sleeper on both trucks is 86 inches, but the other sleeper dimensions have not been changed they remain 77 inches deep and 95 inches wide. But the mid-roof sleepers weigh 425 lbs less than the full-sized versions.

Volvo officials expect the VT 830 to be a hit with drivers who wish to project a powerful image imspired by a modern interpretation of classic styling. The VN 730 will be more suited for customers who appreciate the value of the VN’s aerodynamic design, Karlsten announced.

Karlsten pointed out the latest Volvo offerings bring the total of new products introduced by the company to four since February, 2005. They include the VT 880 and VT 800 daycab in addition to today’s new mid-roof tractors. That’s in addition to a full range of engines that will meet the 2007 emissions standards.

“All of these are designed to deliver maximum uptime, productivity, performance and fuel economy for our customers,” Karlsten said.

Volvo will continue to offer its VN 630 mid-roof sleeper, but Bio suggested some VN 630 customers may be tempted to upgrade so they can enjoy the benefits of a larger sleeper in a mid-roof configuration. Bio estimated the potential market for the new mid-roof models at about 22,000 units.

The chassis and powertrain options currently available on the VN and VT will continue to be offered on the new tractors, including the D16 engine, axles, suspensions, fuel tanks and wheelbase combinations. And each will be available with three different bunk configurations making the tractor ideal for driver teams, the company announced. The newest bunk option is a single 53×79 inch bunk the same width as a full sized mattress. A variety of dual bunk packages are also available.

Customers opting for the new Volvo VT 830 will receive coverage under Volvo’s Platinum Protection program, protecting them for three years or 600,000 miles (or 10,800 operating hours). The program is standard on all VT model trucks. The VT 830 also comes standard with Volvo Link Sentry the company’s two-way satellite communications system.

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