E9 V8—a big Mack to go...Literally
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• As Mack develops the E7 straight-six, time is running out for its 16.4-litre E9 V8, offered in the Magnum at 560hp. According to Homcha: "We don't have long-term plans to modernise the E9." So how long is "long term"? Will it fall at the Euro-4 fence?
"Clearly it would," says Homcha. "By that time there'll be substantial evolution of the12-litre engine so the customer's needs would be taken up by it." Will it make it to Euro-3 in 2000? Officially Mack says no decision has been taken: it could depend on European operator response to the soon-to-arrive E-Tech E7. Whatever happens, Homcha insists: "We'll not pull anything away prematurely, but it's more popular in Europe and Australia than here...we virtually don't sell any E9s in North America." Either way, the days of the big V8 are definitely numbered.