Sterling shows its metal
Page 21
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Steve Sturgess • America's newest truck company, Sterling Truck, has launched vehicles aimed at the construction, heavy-duty and premium owner-driver sectors in the US. They have a suspension system that could find its way into the Mercedes line-up.
Sterling was set up in Willoughby, Ohio by MercedesI3enz-owned Freightliner at the end of last year after it acquired Ford's heavy truck business.
Sterling's trucks are based on Ford's Class 8 platform: the AeroMax and Louisville models introduced two years ago. The smaller Ford Cargo is now sold under the Freightliner and Sterling badges.
Sterling will market its trucks as the A-Line and the L-Line 8500 and 9500. A medium-duty 7500 has been developed from the heavy truck design.
With an eye on the premium owner-driver market, Sterling has taken the long-nose A-Line, produced the cab in aluminium, added a 77in (1.96m) aluminium sleeper and launched it as a topof-the-line tractor called the Silver Star.
At the launch one was even powered by Cummins' latest Signature 600 engine, which will be available in the A-Line chassis from July. The medium. duty 7500 has many big-truck features and extends the Sterling family to include chassis from Class 6 to Class 8 on/off-road construction models.
The Cargo cab carries over from the Ford launched in Europe in the late '70s, but the cabs are now mounted on a Freightliner Business Class chassis. The new Tuf Trac suspension, designed primarily for tippers, mixers and municipals, includes a high-articulation twopart spring combining steel parabolic leaves with a rubber etasturner mounting.
The suspension is maintenance free, and is said to offer good articulation and even ground pressure for off-road performance.
TufTrac suspension is expected to be fitted to the Mercedes-Benz range in time.