The Limited Edition 67 — representing the year Western Star was introduced to the North American market — will be equipped with a specially-built Detroit Diesel DD15 engine and commemorative trim. Western Star will manufacture just 100 of these trucks this year, and the company started taking orders in April.
“We are very excited to honor Western Star's heritage with this one-of-a-kind limited edition truck,” said Rich Shearing, senior manager of product strategy for Western Star. “Coupled with the powerful DD15 engine, the Limited Edition 67 will allow Western Star customers to experience the same ruggedness and durability expected of the 4900 with more power and improved performance.”
The DD15 engine chosen for the truck features 560 horsepower and 1,967 lb-ft of torque and was built solely for this Western Star truck. This engine delivers 90% peak torque in 1.5 seconds, allowing the driver to get off the line fast. It also allows the driver to stay in gear longer, pulling strong to 1,000 rpm and provides best-in-class fuel economy.
Western Star also announced that the new Detroit Diesel DD16 engine — the latest in Detroit Diesel's series of all-new, heavy-duty engines — will be in production for the Western Star 4900 series in March 2010 and the Western Star 6900 in July 2010. The DD16 is the most powerful engine offered by Detroit Diesel and will be equipped with BlueTec emissions technology that includes selective catalytic reduction.
The DD16 displaces 15.6 liters and is ideal for owner-operators, small fleets, and specialty applications that include the mining, petroleum, agriculture, logging, hazardous material, and heavy-haul segments. Part of the Detroit Diesel engine family, the DD16 shares a common platform design that is leveraged on a global scale by Daimler Trucks.
The DD16 features a robust core design, amplified common rail fuel system (ACRS), turbo compounding technology and superior power curves that gives drivers the torque response and pulling power they demand. It will be offered with a large variety of ratings from 1,750 to 2,050 lb-ft torque and 475 to 600 horsepower.