Kenworth unveiled its latest truck tonight at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway where truck dealers, customers and reporters were given a chance to get a close-up look at the newest addition to the storied W900 line, the W990.
Prior to introducing the truck, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president Mike Dozier paid homage to the historic W900—the longest running vehicle model in U.S. history. Production on the W900 began in 1961.
“It’s become a true icon within the industry and allows drivers to feel that sense of pride, to express themselves with the customization that goes into it,” Dozier said. “It raised the bar and made it incredibly important for us to get right what would be the next generation of W900.”
Nearly six successful decades for the W900 made it all the more challenging for Kenworth to build the W990. In other words, it’s a tough act to follow.
“We at Kenworth, what we represent—our slogan—is the World’s Best, the Driver’s Truck,” Dozier explained. “But there are certain products that when you get to design them, talk about them, what should they be…the replacement for the W900—it fits a special place.”
However, Dozier wanted to make it clear that the W900L is not going away anytime soon.
“I know there are a lot of questions. ‘What’s going to happen to the W900L?’ The W900L’s not going anywhere, but we’re planning for the future and so it’s another product to address what your business needs as well as addressing what drivers expect,” Dozier explained.
The Kenworth W990 is designed to maximize performance in line haul, pickup and delivery, regional haul, and heavy haul operations. The truck is hard to miss at 131.5 inches from bumper to back-of-cab.
Available in day cab, 40-inch flat top, and 52-inch and 76-inch mid-roof sleeper configurations, the W990 is standard with the proprietary PACCAR Powertrain consisting of the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated up to 510-hp and 1,850 pound-feet of torque, a 12-speed PACCAR automated transmission and PACCAR 40K tandem rear axles.
The W990 is built on the popular 2.1-meter cab platform used in the Kenworth T680 and T880. Comfort and style options include the Limited Edition cab and sleeper interior and the W990 Driver’s Studio package of premium options.
The W990 Limited Edition interior comes in midnight black with glossy Ravenwood door and dash trim accents. The special interior features rich black leather, embroidered W990 logo, Royal Blue double-stitched diamond door pads, black leather wrapped steering wheel with Royal Blue stitching, and driver and passenger seats with suede charcoal inserts and perforated leather with Royal Blue backing.
The W990 Driver’s Studio offers a 180-degree swivel passenger seat and rotating table for two people, drawer-style refrigerator, and convenient space ideal for a microwave.
Entertainment is provided by Kenworth’s premium audio package with 320-watt amp, 10-inch subwoofer and eight speakers; swivel TV mount for up to a 28-inch flat screen TV; and optionalEpicVue pre-wire for satellite TV. There’s a full-size wardrobe space for hanging clothes, multiple storage drawers, and large storage space under the lower bunk. The 1800-watt inverter includes a shore power connection and four standard 120-volt sleeper outlets to power a range of electrical devices. Convenient LED lighting provides ample interior light throughout the sleeper.
The W990 comes standard with the Kenworth TruckTech+ remote diagnostics system. Kenworth NAV+HD seven-inch, color in-dash display provides access to features such as truck-specific navigation, roadside assistance, vehicle data, hands-free calling, audio controls, blind-spot camera inputs and the Internet.
“The Kenworth W990’s excellent performance, classical styling, premium finishes and lifestyle amenities underscore a sense of driver achievement and pride,” concluded Dozier. “We are driven to provide the best equipment in the industry to get the job done.”
Dozier talks history of W900
Dozier talks history of the brand’s iconic W900
