1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194 
Buy a Renault — and drive a Mack
Page 73
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
RENAULT DEALERSHIP KTS Trucks of Faversham, Kent has come up with an unusual way of boosting sales: every customer will be given the chance to drive a big American truck "It's a 460hp 6x4 Mack tractor unit with a huge sleeper cab, and dates back to 2001," says used vehicle sales manager Fred Puttick. "We're shipping it over from the USA and it will be here soon. We operate in a highly competitive market and we felt we had to offer something different."
KTS had the idea about a year ago, and the truck it wanted took a bit of finding. "Most of the Macks sold in the States are pretty utilitarian,but we wanted something that really looked the part," says Puttick.
"It had to be a Mack because of the Renault connection. It couldn't be a Kenworth or a Peterbilt because both are owned by Paccar, which owns Daf and Foden. It had to be a bonneted truck too."
The big Mack represents a £27,000 investment.As well as a treat for KTS customers it will be used as a promotional tool, appearing at shows and other events over the next 18-24 months."It can legally be driven solo on the public highway,but not if it's coupled to a trailer," he says.
Even before it's arrived the Mack has started to pay for itself, with curious hauliers who have heard about this unusual vehicle ringing the dealership to find out more. "We've taken an incredible number of calls," Puttick smiles."We've already had at least one person contacting us asking if they can buy it,but we're not prepared to sell it yet.We 're also thinking of offering Renault buyers a free draw entry for a trip to the States."