CAT CT660 Pics released

[Aliate]

i dunno what you guys are thinking, I think thats the best looking truck out there, it looks great i love the black fenders and the headlights....I just dont really see how its ugly lol, Id buy one in a heartbeat!

 

[CEwriter]

Cat exited the truck engine business in 2008, at the same time they announced their agreement with Navistar to develop this on-road truck. It is a Cat-branded Navistar engine. The CX31 is the on-road automatic they've been building since 2004 (I think that's the year), and the design concept used in their articulated dump trucks.

When pressed, Cat director of on-highway truck sales says the CT660 introduced March 20 is "all-new from the frame rails up." In other words, Cat worked with Navistar on the specs for the engine and chassis, but thoroughly designed and engineered its own cab. The whole thing rolls off a Navistar assembly line in Texas. There will only be vocational Cat trucks in North America, due to the supply agreement with Navistar, but the two makers operate a joint venture globally that will supply long-haul trucks outside of North America.

The initial introduction of the CT660 offers only the C11 or C13 engines (up to 475 hp) and the set-back front axle. A C15 and set-forward front axle are on the way.

Talking with a couple of Cat dealers, it's obvious that Mack and the Paccar brands are Cat's key targets. Given their relationships with the buyers of 70% of the vocational trucks in North America, I'd be betting that Cat is going to take some of their market share.

Note: The particulars of this CT660 introduction are classic Cat protocol. Peoria is VERY conservative with departures from normal operations. Consider the diesel-electric drive introduction. Cat doesn't put it on a D6 or D8, where they already dominate the market and have great margins. They put it on a D7. A small-volume, oddball size where they can test the waters. They get a feel for how it goes once they're doing business in the market, refine and adjust marketing messages and support programs, get it all teed up just right, and then introduce in the more popular sizes. There's decent volume in set-back-steer, 11- and 13-liter vocational trucks so Cat dealers are happy, but inevitably, Cat's target market is owner operators and severe-application (read: 15-liter) fleets.

This story is just beginning. I think the big question is, "Will they ever get into long-haul trucks?" Given their vast volume superiority, I gotta think Cat dealers are anxious to cut a piece of that pie.

Video: George Taylor discusses the CT660 with FCP.com's Roger Mann

Larry

 

[imacatskinner2]

imacatskinner2

How is this thing a CAT. Engine, frame, cab, outsourced. Same running gear(axles, suspension, manual tranny) as any other truck. I guess the auto tranny from CAT is the only thing thats CAT. I would rather have a KW or Pete. What is CAT thinking? Not only that it's ugly and has a pansey front bumper with no friggin tow hook!

 

[ben46a]

Yeah, well, if it's got Navistar's engine, it'll be a dog from the get-go!

I dunno if youve driven the Maxxforce 13 international engine yet, but if you compare it to a mercedes or cummins fo the same size and power its closer to the top of the performance pile than the bottom!

 

[hammerman]

Why the almost of you say that it´s ugly? Under our european viewpoint the truck looks awesome!!! maybe I would put it on a meiller kipper attachment . I still don´t know anything else about engine,gear etc but really I like.

 

[RocksnRoses]

Perhaps some of of you fellers would prefer the Australian version, compared to the US one. I have put up pictures of both for a comparison.

One truck comes with a Fuller RTLO-18918B 18-speed overdrive gearbox, the other one a Fuller RTLO-20918B 18-speed overdrive.

Here are the specs, if anyone is interested.

http://australia.cat.com/cda/files/2446764/7/CT610+Spec+Sheet.pdf

http://australia.cat.com/cda/files/2446750/7/CT630+Spec+Sheet.pdf

RnR.

 

[Tiny]

I only see ugly until I crawl in the cab . I wanna know , Can you see out of it ? Will I feel beat up at the end of the day ? Will it stay together ? All questions I will have to wait on to be answered .

If ugly counted against ya , I would start out in to hole every time !

 

[ScottAR]

Hiya Rocks, wondering where you got off to. The yellow Cat above looks very much like an IH prostar with a different grill to me.
http://www.internationaltrucks.com/Trucks/

I've not ridden in a Prostar, but reports are they ride very well.

 

[RocksnRoses]

If ugly counted against ya , I would start out in to hole every time !

Don't worry, Tiny, there would be a few of us in that hole with you, you don't have the monopoly on the ugly stakes.

Their are a few reports coming in from the various truck magazines on the performance and road manners of the Cat trucks. They are mostly favourable, but one journo complained about the lack of foot room when driving it. Apparently the firewall protrudes into the cab to allow for the EGR turbo system to fit in the engine bay and this made driving it somewhat uncomfortable. Bear in mind, this is a right hand drive truck, so this may not be a problem with the left hand drive models. I am not a big fan of the EGR system, I just wonder how it will go in our hotter conditions.

Hello Scott, still here, we are really busy, but we are not complaining.

The Prostar does look similar to the Aussie Cat, you would imagine that they would use existing panels where they can to keep costs down.

I just wonder why they didn't have one cab, perhaps the US likes to be different to everyone else. All of the European truck manufacturers use one cab per model and it is sold world wide, it keeps manufacturing simple.

RnR.

 

[Asphalt/Dirtman]

We have a Cat truck running around here at the moment. A test truck loaded down with concrete blocks just accrueing miles.
Looks much better in person than the pictures do it justice. Specially the digital computer generated photos.

Contemporary design yes. You can pick it out from a mile away. But I think it looks good

 

[CEwriter]

The cab really is the Cat part of the CT660. Visibility, comfort, durability will determine whether or not Cat knows what it is doing on-road.

 

[Jumbo]

Images for new CAT truck out today on there website I can tell you I have never seen so much excitement for a new product like this at our dealership looking forward to seeing one in person http://www.drivecat.com/

I have yet to see one here in the Pacific NW set up as a log truck, I know they have been on the road elsewhere for test purposes. Is CAT afraid what a logger will do to their truck? Send one west so we can try to break it….

 

[Nac]

Here is a pic from the show

 

[DiamondLTruckin]

I was pretty disapointed when my Cat key wouldn't start any of the trucks at the expo.

 

[928G Boy]

I was pretty disapointed when my Cat key wouldn't start any of the trucks at the expo.

:falldownlaugh

 

[2004F550]

Got word today that one of the largest contractors in the area just received one from Cat on a trial basis set up as a tri-axle dump. It should be interesting to see how it works out.

 

[Macneil]

It is slowly growing on me. I am very excited to see one at the dealer though and take it for a spin!

 

[Greg]

It ain't growing on me. See my original comments on page 1.

 

[Sparkie]

I dunno if youve driven the Maxxforce 13 international engine yet, but if you compare it to a mercedes or cummins fo the same size and power its closer to the top of the performance pile than the bottom!

Compare anything to a Mecedes and it'll seem like top dog.. Just sayin..


I dont understand the grill on the CT. It does not seem like it would let alot of air flow.

 

[Lee-online]

So who is going to enter to win the new truck? I know some members on here can make a good video and we can all team up to vote.

http://www.drivecat.com/Pages/TruckBuzz/WinATruck.aspx