Get FinancingKenworth’s Big Trucks, From 1960 To Today
Kenworth has a long and storied history in the trucking industry, and it has come a long way since its early days, when it made several major transitions from largely building delivery trucks, to building fire trucks, to military vehicles, and then back again. In other words, Kenworth had to adapt quite a bit from the 1920s through the 1950s, but when the 1960s rolled around, things began to even out to some degree. Rather than reinventing itself as the market dictated, Kenworth started leading the charge with its larger trucks and settled into a groove of constant innovation.
1960 To 1985
Kenworth hit the ground running in the early 1960s with the introduction of its W900 and K100 trucks. The W900 was unique at the time because it had a larger conventional cab than competing models and an instrument panel updated to reflect the needs of modern operators. The K100 was a cabover model that focused primarily on cargo capacity. Due to the popularity of these two new models, Kenworth had to build a new plant in Kansas City and ramp up production to keep up with demand.
From the 1970s through 1985, Kenworth continued to iterate on previous models, introduce new technologies, and grow in general. Things kicked off in 1972 when the company surpassed the 10,000 mark in unit sales for the first time in its history, and two years later, another plant opened, this time in Chillicothe, Ohio. In 1976, the company introduced its raised-roof Aerodyne sleeper cab, whose design placed as much emphasis on driver comfort as on power and performance. Then in 1985, Kenworth introduced the T600, which improved on the foundation laid by the W900 through improved aerodynamics; its slope-nosed design dramatically improved the truck’s fuel efficiency.
1990 To The Present
The company built a new facility in Renton, Washington, in 1993 and one year later it revealed the T300, which was a spiritual successor to the T600 and served as the company’s first medium-duty conventional cab truck. The T2000 would follow in 1996, then the T660 in 2007, the T700 in 2010, and the K270 and K370 in 2011. All of these trucks served different target markets ranging from on-highway, long haul trucking to urban and regional delivery.
In 2012, Kenworth introduced what is arguably its most popular truck today, the T680, which iterated on the W900, T600, and T660 trucks that came before it. The focus when designing this truck was to improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency even more than on previous models. In 2013, the company released the T880 vocational truck, and a year later Kenworth announced and celebrated manufacturing its one-millionth truck.
The Legacy Of Innovation Continues
Being a part of the PACCAR family has helped Kenworth keep its innovation streak going. For example, the T680 and other trucks now take advantage of the PACCAR MX-13 engine, which provides up to 430 horsepower and 1,650 pounds-foot (2,237 newton-meters) of torque. The engine is powerful but still lightweight enough not to negatively impact fuel efficiency. Another example is PACCAR’s 40K tandem axle, with a Pinion Thru-Shaft design built for maximum efficiency. Combine these innovations with Kenworth’s industry-leading truck designs, and you get some of the best-performing, most reliable trucks on the road today.
You’ll find thousands of new and used Kenworth trucks for sale every day on TruckPaper.com.