Mack Upgrades Interiors of Pinnacle, Granite Models
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Mack Trucks has introduced interior and exterior updates to its Pinnacle and Granite models.
New interiors for both trucks were developed to support customers’ efforts to attract and retain drivers, Mack said, and bring the trucks’ interiors in line with Mack’s new highway model, the Mack Anthem, which was launched here Sept. 13.
The new interior features include a new gauge cluster and dash layout; switches that are repositioned higher on the dash and which feature laser-etched labels that Mack said will not fade or rub off, a repositioned shift pad for the truck’s Mack mDRIVE automated manual transmission shift pad that is within easier reach; HVAC controls that now include automatic temperature control that maintains the temperature set by the driver. The trucks also feature a new nonslip pad on top of the dash features two USB charging ports and a racecar-inspired flat-bottom steering wheel — a trucking industry first. according to the truck maker.
The new Mack Pinnacle. (Mack Trucks)
The flat-bottom wheel permits easier entry and exit both into the cab and into the sleeper berth, Stu Russoli, a Mack product marketing manager, said during a Sept. 14 media presentation at the company’s Mack Customer Center. He also noted that the laser-etched switches’ durability can help buyers’ impression of the brand in the used truck market. “If you only buy used trucks, your impression of us is of a used truck,” he said.
“The new interiors for the Mack Pinnacle and Granite speak to the design team’s focus on driver comfort,” Jonathan Randall, senior vice president of sales for Mack Trucks North America, said in a statement. “Everything from the dash to the racecar-like feel of the steering wheel was carefully designed to make things better for drivers and owner-operators and, consequently, for fleets looking to retain them.” The changes resulted from feedback from thousands of drivers Mack polled about features that matter to them, according to the truck maker.
Outside, a new grille for the Pinnacle brings its exterior in line with the Anthem.
The Anthem will replace the axle-back Pinnacle model, while the axle-forward Pinnacle model will continue, said Roy Horton, Mack’s director of product strategy.
Greensboro, N.C.-based Mack is a unit of Volvo Group.
