I’m equipment editor Jim Park for trucknews.com. We’re going to take a look at the powertrain and safety specs on two new Mack Trucks coming to dealer lots later this year.

Mack trucks is diversifying its on highway portfolio. The 126-year-old truck builder is moving from a single offering for all applications to two purpose-built chassis.

Popular Anthem model is now configured as a local and regional offering. A new model, called the Pioneer, will stake a claim in the long-haul market. Both feature the most advanced 13-liter engine Mack has ever built, the MP13, along with many new proprietary safety and driver comfort features. Here’s Mack Trucks’ senior on-highway product manager, Blake Routh, to explain the shift.

Routh: So, Pioneer and Anthem are really designed to operate as a family. Both do things extremely well, a lot of things, extremely well in different applications. But really, you know, where they differ is technically the bumper to back of cab.

So, the Pioneer, and again, this measurements on a day cab, is from the rear wall to the front bumper, a 125 inches, whereas the Anthem from the rear wall to the front bumper is a 113 inches. That’s a 12-inch difference. And, you know, from a technical perspective, it probably doesn’t seem like a lot. But from what it means for the customer, how they would use it, is it allows for the Anthem a little bit better maneuverability, a little bit better visibility, agility.

And then for the Pioneer, with that longer nose, increased aerodynamics, it gives a little bit better fuel economy for the versus the Anthem.

Along with the two new chassis, Mack also gave us a new engine, the MP13 thirteen. It’s more than an upgraded MP8 with several new features and ratings.

Horsepower ratings go from 415 up to 515. Torque ratings run from 1550-lb-ft up to 1900-lb-ft. The engine brake packs up to 505 braking hp at 2400 RPM.

Behind all that power are a high-pressure common rail fuel injection system with redesigned injectors and a redesigned piston head to match the injector spray pattern. It’s also got a variable geometry turbo charger that optimizes boost across all engine speeds. Mack says these features and others net the MP13 a 3% fuel efficiency gain over the MP8.

Mack is going all-in on active and passive safety systems on the new Anthem and Pioneer chassis. The standard safety suite called Mack Protect includes forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning. You’ll also find forward pedestrian detection, road sign recognition, and frontal airbags in the standard suite.

The top-of-the-line offering includes all that, plus active steering capability with lane-keeping assist.

There’s also a digital mirror system available. It has two monitors on the cab’s a pillars and wide-angle cameras with trailer tracking for a wider view than traditional mirrors offer. Mack has integrated electronic parking brakes and trailer air charging valves into these two trucks. Parking brakes will apply if, while stopped, the driver opens the door with the seatbelt unlatched. This helps prevent rollaways.

Parking brakes also release automatically when the driver puts the truck in drive or reverse.

Be sure to check out these and other features on our Mack Pioneer and Anthem short videos and don’t miss our video on in-cab features and my driving impressions of Mack’s latest on highway trucks, the new Anthem and the Pioneer.

In Allentown, Penn., for trucknews.com, I’m Jim Park.