Executive Editor
Peterbilt Unveils Model 589
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FORT WORTH, Texas — Peterbilt Motors Co. introduced its new Model 589 truck during an event at Texas Motor Speedway that included customers, dealers and media, transitioning its classically styled heritage model onto the same wider cab platform as other trucks in its lineup while staying true to the styling that resonates with the truck’s core buyers, the company said.
“The Model 589 takes cues from our heritage designs and incorporates essential customer feedback to bring it to life,” said Jason Skoog, Peterbilt general manager and vice president of parent company Paccar. Skoog unveiled the truck from a stage erected in the racetrack’s infield, which was packed with customers and dealers angling to get a look at a truck that’s set to replace the legacy Peterbilt Model 389. That truck, which debuted in 2007, will continue production through the end of the year.
Production of the Model 589 is set to begin in January, with order books opening in August, Skoog said May 10 during a media briefing that accompanied the event.
Customers who may be submitting those orders run the gamut from owner-operators to fleets that typically run anywhere from 30 to 400 trucks, he said. And these buyers are committed to the classic, long-hood design personified by the Model 589.
Peterbilt 589 dash by Peterbilt Motors Co.
“Those customers, as I know and am continually reminded, are a huge lifeblood of who Peterbilt is,” he said. “They’ve been buying trucks through multiple generations.” He noted that about 110,000 Model 389 trucks have been sold during the truck’s lifetime.
The Model 589’s wider cab stretches available room from 1.9 meters to 2.1 meters, adding about 8 inches between the seats and also adding space from front to back, Skoog noted. The transition to the wider 500-series cab from the 300-series cab brings the model in line with other Peterbilt models that have moved to the wider platform. Skoog said the oldest model now in the Peterbilt lineup, the Model 567, was launched back in 2013.
@PeterbiltMotors unveiled the new #Model589 at Texas Motor Speedway on May 9. It replaces the Model 389, which ceases production later this year. pic.twitter.com/yzIVCaz4Uq — Joe Howard (@JoeHoward_TT) May 10, 2023
The Model 589 will be available with the Paccar MX-13 and Cummins X-15 engines, and Paccar TX-12, TX-18 and Eaton Endurant automated manual transmissions. Manual and automatic transmissions will also be available. Manual models come equipped with an air-assisted hydraulic clutch. Day cab, sleeper and vocational variants will be available.
The design features an aluminum hood, a wrap-around grille crown with triple bars, a reintroduction of rectangular grille mesh, 15-inch air cleaners and 7-inch exhaust stacks and exhaust shield. The truck also features LED daytime running lights. Predictive cruise control, a standard 15-inch infotainment screen and available collision mitigation technology are also part of the truck’s offerings. The instrument cluster was designed to reduce glare, Peterbilt said.
The first 589 examples off the assembly line will receive numbered dash plates.
Peterbilt 589 Legendary by Joe Howard/Transport Topics
Peterbilt is also offering a so-called Legendary package on the truck, which offers specific trim offerings. They include vintage-script Peterbilt nameplates flanked by chrome spears on the sides of the hood, along with exclusive bright trim on the fenders and rockers. The interior features leather seats that include a script logo in the headrest, unique stitching and exclusive interior badging on the door pad and dash.
The truck’s exterior and interior designs incorporate input from customers, Skoog noted. “We took the time to talk and listen to all of the stakeholders,” he said.
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