LAS VEGAS, February 22, 2011 – Spartan Chassis this week expanded its engine options for custom emergency response apparatus by offering the MaxxForce® 13 heavy-duty diesel in its 2011 Gladiator® brand chassis. MaxxForce engines, which currently power more than half the U.S. commercial fire apparatus market, now offer custom truck buyers a new choice that provides outstanding low-end torque, reliability and aftermarket service, and the industry’s only no-liquid-urea emissions technology.
The 12.4-liter MaxxForce 13 engine provides 475 horsepower and 1700 lb.-ft. torque for demanding fire and rescue operations. Purpose-built Spartan Gladiator chassis are designed with aluminum cabs up to 99 inches wide with ample room for up to 10-man crews, equipment and storage. Multiple cab lengths, seating configurations, and roof options allow fire departments to customize vehicles for specific applications, including numerous roof trench options for specific aerial needs.
"Our Gladiator custom chassis are built from the ground up for every customer,” said Ed Dobbs, senior vice president of Spartan’s Emergency Response Chassis Division. “And giving our customers another engine choice helps enhance our product offerings to fire fighters to address their current and evolving needs – including the most customizable cab and chassis across the industry."
MaxxForce engines offer fire departments a combination of performance characteristics and emissions technology unmatched by competing diesels. “The MaxxForce 13 provides extremely high torque at low rpm, with a no-liquid-urea emissions system that is simple to operate and maintain, which allows fire fighters to focus on their priorities,” Dobbs said.
The MaxxForce 13, like all MaxxForce brand engines that meet current EPA emissions regulations, uses Navistar’s MaxxForce in-cylinder emissions technology to provide Spartan Chassis customers with significant “no hassle” operational advantages over systems used by other diesel engine suppliers. These include no additional wheelbase length to accommodate additional tanks, no secondary operating fluid to add (urea), no additional driver training, and ease of maintenance. And minimal diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration cycles are achieved through advanced electronic control module (ECM) calibrations.
MaxxForce engines from Navistar Engine Group command nearly 60 percent of the U.S. commercial fire and rescue vehicle market, powering International® brand commercial chassis and vehicles. Long known as “International” brand engines, these leading diesels were rebranded “MaxxForce” in 2006. Despite the name change, the respected and trusted platforms and base technologies remained the same. Now, these engines are available to manufacturers and buyers of custom fire apparatus.
“We’re proud of the fact that MaxxForce engines have earned the loyalty of fire departments across the country for their performance, reliability and serviceability,” said Eric Tech, President, Navistar Engine Group. “Now, we’re especially proud to also help serve emergency and rescue crews on the custom apparatus side through our partnership with Spartan Chassis.”
Another significant benefit of using the market-leading commercial engine in custom apparatus, according to Tech, is that it will enable fire departments to standardize their fleets to a single engine platform if they choose.
Spartan Chassis Inc., a subsidiary of Charlotte, Mich.-based Spartan Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAR), is a world-class leader in the engineering, manufacturing and marketing of custom chassis to non-vertically integrated fire truck manufacturers. Fire departments recognize and request the Spartan® Chassis brand, which consistently delivers superior performance, exceptional safety ratings and technological innovations that distinguish it from our other chassis. Learn more at www.spartanchassis.com.
Navistar Engine Group, an operating unit of Navistar Inc., produces diesel engines for consumer and commercial automotive and industrial markets around the world. Its global MaxxForce® brand line of engines offers models for a wide range of applications and for all global emissions standards. For more information, visit www.MaxxForce.com.
