Mack's powerful comeback
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• Mack is back in Britain with the arrival of its Ultra-Liner tractive unit, sold in the UK by the american truck builder's sole importer Western Truck of Leyland in Lancashire.
With its massive 16.4-litre vee-eight charge-cooled E9-500 engine developing a maximum nett installed 360kW (483hp) and a peak torque of 2,174Nm (1,6031bft) at 1,350rpm, the Ultra-Liner is arguably the most powerful tractor currently available in this country. While the recently-launched DaimlerBenz 1748 artic has a similar 358kW output, it will not go on sale in the UK until October.
For those operators less concerned with power, however, the 6x4 Ultra-Liner is also available with an 11-litre charge-cooled in-line six engine, nominally rated at 261kW (350hp) and with a maximum torque of 1732Nm (1,2771bft) at 1,250rpm. Both of the Mack-built engines have a single turbocharger and four valves per cylinder.
According to Western Truck director Rick Roberton, the vee-eight-engined Ultra-Liner is about to complete UK Type Approval, while the in-line six version has already gained it.
The Ultra-Liner will be sold in Britain as a left hooker only—right-hand-drive UltraLiners are built in Australia, but the cost of shipping them to Britain would be too high says Roberton.
Operators will also be able to choose from a choice of seven gearboxes, although Roberton claims that the 12speed constant-mesh TRTXL 1070B Mack transmission with its 14.44:1 first gear is likely tc be specified for heavy haulagt work, while for normal 38 " tonne work, Roberton expects customers to opt for Mack's nine-speed range change box.
The vee-eight Ultra-Liner has a kerbweight of 7,778kg, while the 261kW tractor tips the scales at 7.3 tonnes.
Western says that it can supply the Ultra-Liner in a variety of wheelbases including one which will allow it to couple up to a 12.2m trailer within the overall 15.5 metre artic length limit.