Mack Trucks on Tuesday reintroduced its Anthem model as the company's new regional haul tractor.
Anthem made its debut in 2017 as Mack's over-the-road truck and replacement for Pinnacle axle back models. However, the introduction of the Pioneer model in April reshuffled Mack's product line, allowing the company to slot Anthem into a segment where it is currently enjoying success.
At Pioneer's launch celebration, Fernando Couceiro, vice president of highway trucks at Mack Trucks, noted Anthem – Mack's highest selling model since 2022 – has excelled with daycab fleets, but it hasn't found similar traction in the sleeper market.
Mack now will attack both trucking segments (short- and long-haul) with two new trucks launched almost exactly two months apart.
Pioneer and Anthem feature many similar styling cues and upwards of 90% in parts and components commonality, but Couceiro stressed Tuesday there is more new to the new Anthem than its potential customer base.
"This is not a facelift or a refresh," he said. "This is a brand-new truck from the ground up."
Maneuverability and efficiency
The new Anthem is available in six different wheel bases, ranging from 16 feet to 19 feet, but its most noteworthy differentiator is a bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) length that is 12-inches shorter than Pioneer (113.5 inches versus 125.5 inches), and 4 inches shorter than the previous Anthem.
With a 45 degree wheel-cut, the truck has a turning radius roughly 12% better than previous models and features a redesigned three-piece hood that improves forward visibility by about 12 feet compared with previous designs.
“If you want to prioritize fuel efficiency, the Pioneer is the answer. If you want to prioritize maneuverability, the Anthem is the answer,” said Couceiro, adding that the new Anthem is up to 10% more fuel efficient compared to the previous model.
Much of that improvement comes from aerodynamics. Powertrain Sales Development Manager Kent Worthington noted the truck's new roof design and side skirts work together to send air down the side of the truck and optimize air flow, while the deeper slope of the hood sends air over the one-piece windshield and the roof fairing.
Much of the aero package, like ground skirts and the roof fairing, are options that can be spec'd off.
The rest of the improvement comes from powertrain improvements, including an MP13 13-liter diesel engine that is about 3% more efficient than the outgoing MP8.
Anthem won’t offer the big sleeper configuration available with the Pioneer, but the two trucks share the same interior dimensions, features and finishes.
Interior
The new Anthem and the Pioneer share the same interior dimensions, features and finishes, but the new Anthem won’t get the big sleeper configuration available with Pioneer.
Offered in day cab, 44-inch sleeper and 64-inch sleeper configurations, the new Anthem cab interior is nine inches wider than the previous model. New wide-base seats feature optional ventilation and heating and massage functions, while the stand-up sleeper options provide enough headroom for drivers to fully stand up.
Anthem also has new safety features, including a standard front airbag, and an Integrated Curtain Airbag (ICA) system. The ICA system is mounted in the overhead compartment above the driver’s left shoulder and deploys in rollover events to protect the driver from impact with side glass. Additional integrated driver assistance systems have demonstrated a 43% reduction in near-miss incidents during controlled testing.
Tech
At least some of the new technologies available on the new Anthem are designed to maximize safety in the urban settings that regional trucks operate most often, including radar systems that identify objects, vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in the driver's path and in the truck's blindspots. An optional digital mirror system is also available.
The new Anthem features Mack's telematics platform Mack Connect and through the MyMack driver app, drivers can pre-heat or cool the cab, check fluid levels, and monitor tire pressures from their phone.
Over-the-air programming enables overnight software updates without service appointments and an predictive maintenance system has been shown to reduce unplanned stops by 20%. Integration with Mack’s GuardDog Connect automatically transmits service data to dealers, reducing by 37% overall downtime compared with previous-generation trucks, according to Mack Trucks Head of Leasing and Service Solution Sales Todd Shakespeare.
The new Anthem will be available for order starting in August, with production beginning in January.
