Freightliner Trucks
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Automotive |
Founded | 1942 (as Freightliner Inc) |
Headquarters | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
Key people | Roger M. Nielsen, President, CEO John O'Leary, CFO |
Products | Commercial Vehicles, Luxury vehicles |
Owner | Daimler AG (since 1981) |
Parent | Daimler Trucks North America |
Website | freightliner |
Freightliner Trucks is a truck brand of Daimler AG, which owns the premium automobile brand of Mercedes Benz. Freightliners are manufactured in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
History
[change | change source]Freightliner began in 1929 as the truck-manufacturing division of Consolidated Freightways in Portland, Oregon.
In line with the company name, during the 1930s, Freightways Manufacturing began to brand its truck production under the "Freightliner" name. In addition to their shorter length, the trucks underwent weight reduction to maximize use of engine power (needed to climb mountains in the western United States).
In 1942 Leland James renamed it Freightliner Corporation. As part of the launch, the company made the first truck with an all-aluminium cab. Shifting to military production during World War II, Freightliner resumed truck production in 1947. In 1949, Freightliner sold its first vehicle outside of CF (to Portland-based forklift manufacturer Hyster. The vehicle is preserved in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C.
Models
[change | change source]Model Family Name | Production Years | Cab Configuration | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
WFT (White-Freightliner) | 1958-1976 | Cabover/COE | |
|
1974-1976 | Conventional | First White-Freightliner conventional
120-inch BBC |
|
c.1987-1997 | Cabover/COE | |
|
c.1987-1997 | Cabover/COE | |
|
1976-1986 | Cabover/COE | Largely the same as WFT COE, renamed to reflect the discontinuation of White Motor Company distribution. |
FLL-Series | 1976-c.2000 | Low-entry COE | Low-cab forward COE, intended for vocational applications.[1] |
Argosy |
|
Cabover/COE | COE derived from C-Series structure |
|
1977-1987 | Conventional | Model update in 1984
Setback axle version produced 1984-1987 FLC112 is unrelated, part of Business Class |
|
1987-2010 | Conventional | "Aerodynamic" conventional with skirted sides and curved bumpers and fenders.[2]112 and 120-inch BBCs
Classic series (using FLC hood) introduced in 1990 (see below) FLD SD (severe-duty) is equipped with "Classic" (non-aerodynamic) hood and fenders |
|
1990-2010 | Conventional | FLD-based conventional with "traditional" hood design.[2]
Classic = 120inch BBC Classic XL = 132-inch BBC Replaced by Coronado |
|
1996-present | Conventional | Replaced FLD-Series in multiple phases
Century Class and Columbia replaced FLD 120 Coronado replaced Classic/Classic XL (FLD 120 SFFA/ FLD 132) Cascadia (2008) replaces both Century Class and Columbia; second generation of model line New Cascadia (2017) is third generation of model line. eCascadia is the electric variant |
|
2011-present | Conventional | Severe-service/vocational variants of the M2 Business Class
Also includes 122SD (Coronado since 2013) |
Model Family Name | Production Years | Cab configuration | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
|
1985-2007 | Conventional | First-generation Business Class, shares cab with Mercedes-Benz LKN |
Condor | 2001-2013 | Low-cab COE | Developed nearly exclusively for refuse applications.
Also produced by Sterling Trucks and American LaFrance. Available in a semi. |
EconicSD | 2018–present | Low-entry | Low-entry COE derived from Mercedes-Benz Econic COE
Replaces Condor |
|
1999-2007 | Low-cab COE | Continuation of Ford Cargo production, adapted to FL-Series chassis
Also sold by Sterling (SC7000/SC8000) |
|
2001–present | Conventional | Second-generation Business Class, Freightliner-designed cab
M2 106 - 106-inch BBC M2 112 - 112-inch BBC |
Model Family Name | Production Years | Cab configuration | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
|
c.1995-present | Step-van chassis | Produced by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation
MT50e is the electric variant |
Freightliner Sprinter | 2001–2021 | Full-size van | Badge-engineered version of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter; first company to sell the model line in North America.
Sold as cargo van (completed in United States from CKD kits) and passenger van (imported from Germany). Mercedes-Benz announced Freightliner Sprinter sales will be discontinued as of December 2021.[3] The Sprinter will continue production and sales through the Mercedes-Benz brand. |
1996–2006 | bus chassis | Cowled bus chassis designed from the Business Class FL chassis; based on FL60 and FL70. | |
|
2001–present | Cutaway-cab/chassis | Cutaway cab version of Business Class M2 10. |
2003–present | bus chassis | School bus chassis designed for the Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 body. |
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "Freightliner Trucks: 75 Years of Innovation". freightliner.com. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Background: A Tradition of Innovation - Freightliner Trucks | Freightliner Trucks". freightliner.com. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
- ↑ "Mercedes-Benz Is Ending Production Of The Freightliner Sprinter Van". Motor1.com. Retrieved 2021-02-10.