International has debuted its CV Series truck – the Lisle, Illinois, truck maker’s refreshed re-entry to the medium-duty vocational segment.
The CV Series were developed in partnership with General Motors. Chevrolet unveiled its Classes 4, 5 and 6 versions in March at the Work Truck Show under the Silverado name. The CVs are International’s version of the truck. GM handled the trucks’ powertrain development while Navistar was in charge of the design is handling manufacturing at its Springfield, Ohio, plant. An Isuzu/General Motor’s engineered engine and Allison transmission lie at the core of these trucks.
Available in wheelbases from 141 to 243 inches, in regular and crew cab – and in 4×2, 4×4 configurations – the Class 4/5 CV Series gets a 6.6-liter diesel engine under its forward-tilting hood that puts out 350 horsepower and 700 lb.-ft. of torque matched to the Allison 6-speed transmission. A right-side PTO mount is available.
That setup gives the truck the capability of handling a maximum GCWR of 37,500 lbs., and the new driveline is a considerable power upgrade over the 6.4-liter MaxxForce 7 and its 300 hp, 660 lb.-ft. of torque that was found in early iterations of the TerraStar model that the CV Series replaces.
For four-wheel drive units, the CV Series uses a Meritor heavy-duty, gear-driven transfer case – a departure from the chain-driven transfer cases typically found in the heavy work truck segment.
Its single high-strength frame rail – 50,000 PSI yield strength – was designed for upfitting and a segment-exclusive painted chassis is intended to stave off corrosion. HuckBolt chassis fasteners – a feature shared across the International Truck platform – provides better clamping force without re-torqueing and won’t come loose under duress.
Seven wheel bases are available for regular cab models and three for crew. The truck’s straight frame rails don’t use rivets on the top flange, providing a clean area from cab to axle that makes it easier to mount a variety of bodies. In order to provide flexibility for the many available upfit options, the CV Series offers a dual battery box mounted under the cab and includes multiple fuel tank options and optional exhaust outlets.
An air ride rear suspension, which provides a smooth ride and height adjustability, is available for users in search of driver comforts as are multiple infotainment options like an 8-inch color touch screen with navigation and – for the first time in an International truck – Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
“The CV Series has been compared to a field office with perks,” says Navistar’s President of Truck and Parts Michael Cancelliere. “Our philosophy is that driver comfort is critical to get the job done smoothly and efficiently, and the CV Series brings that philosophy to life.”
We’ve been invited to test drive the new CV Series and a follow up report from that will be posted in the coming days.