LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 20, 2002) –Kenworth admitted they’re toying with the idea, but a Peterbilt official later confirmed it to Today’s Trucking: parent company PACCAR is bringing the European-dominated DAF LF truck to North America.

The DAF LF, a cabover available throughout Europe in class 4-7 truck and tractor configurations, is manufactured by PACCAR British-based subsidiary Leyland Trucks, and will be sold separately under Kenworth and Peterbilt nameplates. It will likely replace the Kenworth K300 in North America, which is built at the Ste-Therese plant in Quebec.
That means the Ste-Therese plant would either pick up another model or assemble the DAF.

The Peterbilt official also said that for now, the DAF, which is expected to be introduced to the Peterbilt lineup by the end of this year or early 2003, will likely be spec’ed “as-is” from Europe.

Introduced in 2001, the DAF was also named International Truck of the Year by an international jury of truck journalists representing 20 European countries. The award is given to the new truck “that makes the best contribution to the development of the transport of goods in countries involved in the poll.”