LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 1, 2005) — Volvo Trucks North America said that that the Volvo VN will be available later this year with the new 16-litre Volvo D16 engine.

The EGR-equipped engine will be offered in Volvo VNLs: the VNL Daycab; and the VNL 430, VNL 630, VNL 670 and VNL 780 sleeper cab tractors. It is designed to comply with upcoming EPA 2007 emissions regulations.

Orders for the truck-engine combo will be accepted beginning in June, with production beginning in late August. The D16 is also available in the new premium owner-operator Volvo VT 880. The D16 is cast and machined at Volvo’s foundry and engine plant in Skövde, Sweden, and partly assembled in Hagerstown, Md.

Volvo first introduced what it calls “the most powerful diesel engine on North American highways” in February of this year when the company unveiled its new flagship owner-op truck, the Volvo VT 880.

In the VNL, the company is aiming the engine at premium line-haul fleets and heavy truckload applications, said Scott Kress, senior vice-president of sales and marketing, at a press conference at the Mid-America Trucking show in Louisville, Ky.

“The combination of the D16, with its big power and torque, plus the safe, comfortable, efficient and aerodynamic Volvo VN, will strongly appeal to fleets that want to run full loads at high legal average speeds as efficiently as possible,” Kress said.

Available ratings for the D16 in all Volvo VNL models are: 450 hp at 1,650 lbs.-ft.; 500 hp at 1,650 lbs.-ft.; 500 hp at 1,850 lbs.-ft. (I-Torque); and 535 hp at 1,850 lbs.-ft. (I-Torque).

Both the 500 hp at 1,850 lbs.-ft. and 535 hp at 1,850 lbs.-ft. ratings feature Volvo’s Intelligent Torque, or I-Torque, torque management system. I-Torque protects drivelines from excessive torque at low speeds. For the Volvo VNL with D16, I-Torque is designed to extend tire wear and protect drivelines by limiting engine torque output to 1,650 lbs.-ft. in startup gears, switching to 1,850 lbs.-ft. as speed increases.

Meanwhile, new Volvo VT 880 customers will get “Platinum Coverage,” a personalized level of support to keep them on the road with maximum uptime and productivity, the company says.

It includes the longest basic warranty in the industry — providing three years/600,000 miles or 10,800 operating hours, whichever comes first. Other warranty coverage for the Volvo VT 880 includes: cab structure — six years/1,000,000 miles; frame rail and crossmembers — six years/750,000 miles; internal cab corrosion — eight years/1,000,000 miles.

The Volvo D16 engine, when installed in the Volvo VT 880, is also covered for three years/600,000 miles/10,800 operating hours. The Cummins ISX, which is also available for the Volvo VT 880, is covered for three years/300,000 miles.

Platinum Coverage also includes a towing allowance for the Volvo VT 880 for two years or 250,000 miles, with up to $450 towing coverage per incidence for failures covered under warranty.