HINO SHOWS OFF

November 17, 2010 Vol. 6, No. 23

Let’s start with Hino this time out, which has dominated the class 5-8 markets in Japan for 37 straight years. Last year it sold 100,000 trucks, 60,000 of them for export. No small enterprise, this one, part of the Toyota Group.

The company formally introduced its 2011 Canadian models last week during an open house at its plant in Woodstock, Ont., where there’s capacity to build 2000 trucks a year. It’s presently assembling at the rate of 1000 annually but Shin Nakamura, president of Hino Motors Canada, is aiming for more. His target? A 30% market share in Canada, up from the present 20%.

All five of the new trucks are powered by SCR-equipped engines, the company’s J08E-VC inline diesel six on the three smallest models — the class 5 198 plus the class 6 258LP and 268. It makes 220 hp at 2500 rpm and 520 lb ft of torque at 1500. The little 198 gets Allison’s six-speed 1000RDS transmission as the only choice, while the other two have an Allison option. That pair and the two class 7 models come standard with Eaton’s six-speed direct-drive FS6406A.

On the two class 7 trucks in the 2011 Hino lineup, the 338 and 358, power comes from the J08E-VB diesel rated 260 hp at 2500 rpm with 660 lb ft of torque at 1500 rpm. The six-speed Allison 2500 RDS is optional.

Brakes on all but the 35,000-lb GVW model 358 (pictured here) are hydraulic, the big one getting a full air system. The 338 has a GVW of 33,000 lb, by the way.