Deals on Wheels #464

New DEALS
become largely inherent in Mack. In short, the
all-important electronic control unit (ECU)
is equipped with the ‘smarts’ to not only
provide a higher level of compatibility and
smoothness in integrated powertrain (engine
and transmission) performance, but also
more precisely integrate the standard Bendix
Wingman Fusion safety package.
Two, while Anthem is largely based on
the same cab shell as Trident, Super-Liner
and the superseded Granite, it delivers
Mack’s first stand-up sleeper cab. In this first
phase, the stand-up cab only comes with a
36-inch (91cm) bunk but it won’t surprise if
somewhere in Mack’s near future a 50-inch
(127cm) sleeper is added to the armoury.
Three, and most critical of all, the updated
electrical system, the standard safety
package and the stand-up cab are also now
part of Trident and Super-Liner inventory. A
long time coming perhaps, but definitely a big
step forward.
So all up, Anthem is much more than simply
a replacement model for the utilitarian and
somewhat underwhelming Granite. In fact,
from the moment you step up into the cab,
you know this is a Mack with a difference that
goes well beyond the quirky snout.
Inside and Out
It was late afternoon by the time the five
Macks rolled into the Caltex roadhouse at
Coolongolook on the NSW mid-north coast
and it was immediately apparent that Mack’s
intention was to cover as many operational
bases as possible on its Evolution Tour.
The Anthems, for instance, were configured
as an eight-wheeler rigid tipper, a day cab
prime mover towing a 40-foot container on a
skel trailer, and a premium stand-up sleeper
model hooked to a curtain-sided trailer.
Meantime, and typifying much of its usual
workload, the day cab Trident hauled a tipper
body and four-axle dog trailer while the big
boy of the bunch was the 685hp (511kW)
Super-Liner also fitted with the 36-inch highrise
sleeper cab, towing a B-double set. All five
trucks were loaded to some extent.
In due course we’re hoping for a sleepover
in the high-rise Super-Liner but on this
occasion the model with the most appeal for
a relatively short 200km run down the Pacific
Highway was the premium Anthem with the
stand-up cab.
The official designation for this particular
model is ‘Anthem 64T 13L Air’ which
translates to a 6x4 truck for trailer work,
powered by the 13-litre MP8 engine and riding
on Mack’s Air-Ride rear suspension.
Like Trident, all Anthems are powered by
the Euro 5 MP8 engine and behind the 535hp
(399kW) rating in the demo unit was Mack’s
mDrive automated transmission. However,
rather than the standard 12-speed version,
this unit was fitted with what’s known as the
mDrive HD 13-speed shifter.
Above and opposite: On
the move. A quick glance
suggests there’s little
different about Super-Liner
and Trident but there’s
now far more to Mack
than meets the eye
141