New 1 Ton P/U on the Market. Sterling Bullet

[Z-Michigan]

The wierd thing is that Daimler is pushing both Sterling (Bullet) and Freightliner (Sprinter) in the US light truck market. Seems like it would be better to stick with just one.

Maybe their intent is to follow GM's mistakes, now that they have successfuly screwed up and then abandoned Chrysler.

The Sprinter van is great, so I hear, but the 2007 emissions regulations but a big crimp in its diesel engine. There is a gas engine option for 2007 which to my knowledge never existed before.

 

[jayhaitch]

Swines: that was an exemplary exegesis of the multitudinous machinations of byzantine business ventures.

Studying physiology was easier than keeping track of who owns whom and why

 

[mjncad]

Don't forget the defunct Diamond Reo brand was owned by White Motors before White went belly up.

DR conventionals used the same cab as AutoCAR, White (ConsTRUCKtor), and Western Star back in the 1970's.

Back around 1910, my grandfather had an AutoCAR in Fremont, Nebraska for his butcher business.

Of all the brands mentioned above, only Western Star seems to have survived as an independent company.

 

[LarryRB]

Of all the brands mentioned above, only Western Star seems to have survived as an independent company.

Daimler bought Western Star some years back,, They obviously keep the WS name,., still owned by Daimler..

 

[patrick_g]

Dodge doesn't make the Sprinter, So Dodge is probably going to stick with Daimler engines or ditch the Sprinter entirely. I would guess the latter, the exchange rate has got to be hurting them.

I knew the Freight liner and Dodge were the same beast (a darned good one) but my interest was in a Jeep with the MB diesel like the one in the van. I can see now it is likely to not happen. The diesel engine Dodge picked for the Liberty would prevent me from wanting one.

Pat

 

[JESSE1]

Don't forget the defunct Diamond Reo brand was owned by White Motors before White went belly up.

DR conventionals used the same cab as AutoCAR, White (ConsTRUCKtor), and Western Star back in the 1970's.

Back around 1910, my grandfather had an AutoCAR in Fremont, Nebraska for his butcher business.

Of all the brands mentioned above, only Western Star seems to have survived as an independent company.

Actually, White bought Diamond T and REO in the '50's. They combined them to form Diamond REO in the '60's.

 

[Magnum300]

the Jeep liberty was available with a diesel saw one at the pump while I was fueling my truck

 

[mjncad]

LarryRB & Jesse1:

Thanks for the extra history lessons concerning Diamond T, Reo and Western Star.

I just thought Western Star was more or less independent since they don't appear to share cabs with other brands.

 

[patrick_g]

the Jeep liberty was available with a diesel saw one at the pump while I was fueling my truck

Right you are but the problem is it is the

W R O N G

D I E S E L

I'd have probably bought one if they had used the same Mercedes diesel as the Sprinter. I'm not the only one lamenting their decision.

Patrick

 

[QRTRHRS]

Lastly - you can all speculate on this one....about 3 weeks ago, Gerald Shaheen was elected to the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company. Mr. Shaheen is a Group President at Caterpillar, Inc. Of course, you all know that Perkins Diesel is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar....giving CAT access to a wide range of blocks beyond the ones painted yellow on which to build ...mmmm...whatever they feel like.

That may be the only way the CAT fans will ever see an engine painted yellow in a pickup.

From what I know, the smallest inline CAT is the C7 which weighs in at around 1425lbs. That's a bit heavy for a one ton truck I think.