Western Star unveils true transformer

GREENVILLE, SC - Western Star enjoyed time on the silver screen when a pre-production model of the 5700 was customized to star as Optimus Prime in an installment of Transformers. But the manufacturer's true "transformer" was unveiled to media at the Laurens Proving Grounds on Thursday. A new Extreme Duty (XD) Offroad package was unveiled along with the MBT-40 Transformer chassis, which with a 68,000-pound Palfinger G68 hooklift is able to switch from watering truck to dump body in less than 10 minutes - quicker than it would take to refuel. And the open platform means there are other applications to come, ranging from cranes to fuel and lube trucks. That means much higher productivity for construction companies and mines that might traditionally leave specialized trucks parked for extended periods.