Volvo Trucks Canada takes VNL on tour

TORONTO (Oct. 2, 2002) — Volvo Trucks Canada kicked off a three-city tour to introduce its new VNL tractor family to the Canadian market.

Volvo officials were in Toronto last week at the Truck World 2002 trade show and this weekend will be in Abbotsford, B.C., at Truxpo. The rollout concludes in Moncton at the end of October.

The VNL is a significant update of the company’s VN tractor introduced in 1996. The line spans five models — the 300, 430, 630, 670, and 780 — with either Volvo or Cummins power.

The new truck was designed to accommodate Volvo’s 12-litre D12 engine, equipped with exhaust-gas recirculation to comply with emissions standards.

“This not an existing truck into which a new engine has been shoehorned, but an integrated solution based on an integrated engine strategy,” said Brent Weary, vice-president of sales for Volvo Trucks Canada.

Weary said the larger highway models, the 670, and 780, would typically carry the Cummins ISX, which is rated to 565-horsepower. However, he noted, six out of every 10 Volvos sold in Canada are Volvo powered.

“Our historical strength is in the 620 and 670, up from 610 and 660,” he said. “That’s the core of our business. About 65 per cent of the trucks we sell are in that range. The smaller models, though, will tend to have Volvo power. So across the product line, we think we’ll have a good, even mix of sales on the Volvo and Cummins engines.”

Weary said it’s important that customers learn as much as they can about EGR engines. “I think it’s up to us, or any OEM, to create a better understanding of what’s going on here,” he said. “The drawbacks that have been talked about — the fuel economy, the weight — it’s probably not as big a deal as the hype suggests. I know it’s not with the VNL, because the vehicle was designed to counter some of the negatives associated with EGR. It weighs less, and the aerodynamics are better.”

He suggested that the VNL would have a strong residual value.

“I’m not betting on residual values being an issue with this truck,” Weary said. “It’s the first of a new model. Furthermore, trucks that are sold during down times tend to have higher value come four or five years down the road, given the cycle of supply and demand. This truck will hold up well.”