Dynaverse.net
Off Topic => Ten Forward => Topic started by: Gambler on September 13, 2004, 09:11:48 am
-
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-09-13-newtruck_x.htm (http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-09-13-newtruck_x.htm)
International, the heavy-truck company, thinks buyers are pining for even bigger trucks than today's hefty sport-utility vehicles and full-size pickups, and this week it begins marketing the world's largest production pickup.
(http://images.usatoday.com/money/_photos/2004/09/13/newtruck.jpg)
Called CXT, for commercial extreme truck, it dwarfs the beefy Hummer H2 sport-utility pickup and even could call the hulking H1 military version "junior."
The CXT is 2 feet taller, 4½ feet longer, twice as heavy and totes more than five times the cargo weight of H2. "You can put the Hummer in back and take it with you," quips Nick Matich, vice president at International Truck and Engine.
It's also about twice the price of H2, about the same as H1. It starts at $93,000, runs $105,000 typically equipped and tops out at $115,000 with DVD player, leather upholstery, tilting dump box and rear-view camera.
Matich is planning only a few dozen ? perhaps 60 ? this year, but could gear up International's factory at Garland, Texas, to build thousands if CXT becomes the next "in" ride among those who think a Hummer's just not enough.
"People who got all excited about Hummer could be ready to move on to the next big thing," says Dan Gorrell at auto consultant Strategic Vision. "If it's got some style, panache, then there's probably a small market out there for it. It never ceases to amaze me what people want in the 'big' department."
The truck began as a "what-if" concept last year. International dealers quickly asked for production and have bought the first couple of dozen as rolling ads for their truck dealerships. Now International plans to pitch the rigs to consumers, mainly people with businesses who want their vehicles to make a statement. And to folks who just want more.
"You think about the people who haul big horse trailers, big boats, all that sort of thing. They have big egos, and you can see where that goes," Matich says. "I'll have a camouflage version next year. Hunting and fishing lodges should snap that up."
Matich says two CXTs will be at the Emmy awards pre-party next weekend. He figures the outrageous truck is as much image-enhancer for International as for-profit product.
Development was relatively cheap because the expensive hardware already is in production, used for International dump trucks, snow plows, concrete mixers and the like. The pickup box is a modified Ford unit. CXT has a commercial-duty diesel engine good for six to 10 miles per gallon of fuel; air brakes like you'd find on a semitractor; an Allison automatic transmission for severe duty; and all-wheel drive is standard.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeez, talk about overkill. Do we really need soccer mom's driving something that big?
-
Wonder if you would need a special drivers license for something that big?
-
Good question.
-
You will after the first fatal accident with one hitting a VW bug.
-
There's a Compensation Joke here somewhere. ;D
Stephen
-
There's a Compensation Joke here somewhere. ;D
Stephen
Been there, thought that. ;D
-
The funny thing is, This last weekend When I went up to Claremore To see my friend and his Family, His dad had Bought a 1968 Duece en Half, with 8000 Original Miles on It from a Government Surpluss store. I was looking at that Truck thinking, what in the World are you going to use that For.
He said It's to get around this Winter.
Stephen still thinking Billy is a bit Nuts.
-
Wonder if you would need a special drivers license for something that big?
Nope, as long as it is for private, non commercial use. One example would be to register it as a camper.
-
That is the biggest expression of tomfoolery that I have ever seen.
Only a person with more money than sense would even think of buying one of those things.
-
If I had a truck, rest assurred I would be feeling like less of a man right now.
-
That is the biggest expression of tomfoolery that I have ever seen.
Only a person with more money than sense would even think of buying one of those things.
But it will come in Camo colors so you can take it HUNTING! Big truck. Guns! Imagine the buck you could put in the back of that!
-
Wonder if you would need a special drivers license for something that big?
My Minnesota Class D says "Valid single unit and combinations up to 26,000 lbs , all recreational & farm vehicles. So I would guess that you wouldn't need anything special.
Edit: 100th post!
-
That is the biggest expression of tomfoolery that I have ever seen.
Only a person with more money than sense would even think of buying one of those things.
But it will come in Camo colors so you can take it HUNTING! Big truck. Guns! Imagine the buck you could put in the back of that!
I can imagine the BUFFALO that I could put on back of it... just ont the $90K pricetag that I'd be paying just toget a**raped at the pump every time I needed diesel for it.
-
For the price...you might as well look around and find something with a sleeper cab and a trailer.
If worse comes to worse you can at least make a buck.
-
That is the biggest expression of tomfoolery that I have ever seen.
Only a person with more money than sense would even think of buying one of those things.
Yeah but that is what I thought about those Hummers but you see those stupid things all over the place. Someone will be stupid enough to buy one, just wait and see.
-
That is the biggest expression of tomfoolery that I have ever seen.
Only a person with more money than sense would even think of buying one of those things.
Yeah but that is what I thought about those Hummers but you see those stupid things all over the place. Someone will be stupid enough to buy one, just wait and see.
Human Stupidity Knows No Bounds.
-
That is the biggest expression of tomfoolery that I have ever seen.
Only a person with more money than sense would even think of buying one of those things.
But it will come in Camo colors so you can take it HUNTING! Big truck. Guns! Imagine the buck you could put in the back of that!
Who needs guns? Rev your engine. The sound that will come from it will incapacitate anything within two miles and under two hundred pounds.
So it was two hundred ten pounds and is now running away? Fine, just chase it in the truck. What? Trees? Meaningless twigs that will snap under your giant rolling war engine. Rivers? Ravines? Mere children's pools to be forded and crossed. Mail Boxes, Lamp Posts and Street signs? Metal Scrap waiting to be recycled underneath your new buy's vicious maw. Pedestrians? Practice for when you're not hunting Mammoths, or other worthy prey.
Get yours today!
-
That is the biggest expression of tomfoolery that I have ever seen.
Only a person with more money than sense would even think of buying one of those things.
My thoughts exactly. What is the point? And what a waste of resources and money.
Our children will have to pay for our lack of restraint, and common sense. :( :( :(
-
At least it's not completely useless like most status symbols. Funny(OK not funny--ironic) that the least-thinking, worst driving fools will be first in line to snag those things.
-
At least it's not completely useless like most status symbols. Funny(OK not funny--ironic) that the least-thinking, worst driving fools will be first in line to snag those things.
:lol: I fear you are right on the head with that one!
-
You will after the first fatal accident with one hitting a VW bug.
Joe Bob: Dang Bubba, nice pick-up!
Bubba: Yeah, fully loaded, but the gun rack was extra!
Joe Bob: You found a gun rack for that?
Bubba: I had to. I need someplace to carry my howitzers!
-
At least it's not completely useless like most status symbols. Funny(OK not funny--ironic) that the least-thinking, worst driving fools will be first in line to snag those things.
:lol: I fear you are right on the head with that one!
It's always the case. Those who don't think when purchasing a vehicle are consistant in their behaviour: they don't think when driving it either. During the minimum-van craze, all the non-drivers were in minimum-vans. Now it's SUV's (not to be confused with real 4x4's!). You want to see an accident? just follow a pack of fad vehicles around for a while. The same is true of status symbol vehicles. The person in the vehicle wants to be seen in the vehicle, but is "too important" or "too busy" to learn to drive it well.