Western Star is reborn
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Canadian manufacturer Western Star has launched the first all-new truck in its 30-year history—and dealers at the launch agree it was worth the wait. Commercial Motor's American correspondent was on hand to see how British truck expertise helped this former jewel of the British Empire develop technical excellence in the New World.
by Steve Sturgess • The new trucks, dubbed the Western Star Constellation Series, are bigger, more comfortable and better equipped than the current Western Star bonneted trucks, now named the Heritage Series. Dealers were enthusiastic, confident that the "wow" factor of the new cabs will result in conquest sales to current Kenworth, Peterbilt and Freightliner customers.
The new trucks feature a highly tooled steel cab with complementing semi-integral sleeper. Existing frames and running gear are retained, though an extra long-nose is added to the Western Star lineup
The cab design was initiated more than four years ago as a joint project between Daf and Western Star of Australia. The catalyst for this unlikely sounding partnership was Terry Peabody, originally the Australian importer for both nameplates. Peabody has since purchased Western Star in Kelowna and today is chairman of the now publicly held company.
Early in the newmodel program, financial troubles at Leyland-Daf led to engineers from Leyland, along with designers from the UK engineering and automotive consulting firm MGA, joining the Western Star team. While early designs were created in England, subsequent development by the Canadian team has made the resulting cab very much a Western Star Kelowna product.
Unlike the White-derived Heritage cab, which is made in the US by UK company Motor Panels, the Constellation cab and sleeper are built up from vendor-supplied stampings at Western Star's plant in Kelowna.
The cab and sleeper are semi
integrated, being bolted together and featuring a dual air-bag suspension system.
The new cab is larger in all dimensions but length. It is 356mm wider inside, with the seats 381mm apart for excellent access back to the sleeper. Sleeper entry is also improved with a lowered sill, increasing the height of the walk-through by 178mm. Cab headroom is up 89mm.
The profile of the dashboard is slim to give the cab 51mm more knee room and 102mm more belly room, yet with no increase in length.
Interior trim is in new, soft materials with traditional themes. Buttons and diamond stitch are still used, with vinyl and fabric choices in three different specification levels.
The dash can be specified as required vvith a choice of black aluminium or real wood, and as many as 20 convex-glassed instruments have bezels in black, chrome or genuine 24 carat gold. Rocker switches have integrated LED warning bars and are designed to be fully serviceable from the front. Neat air switches replace more conventional lever valves for the fifth-wheel slide, suspension dump valve and diff lock. International icons identify as many as 15 switches.
New warranty programmes go along with the new models, with up to five years on the cabs and frame. And Stars are so tough, mileage is unlimited.