Navistar Buys out Workhorse Chassis??

[LVJ58]

Driver, Just picked up blurb up from another forum this morning, can you confirm whether it's true or just another rumor, thanks.

"There was a flash on Bloomburg Business TV Channel this morning that Navistar bought out Workhorse Chassis for an undisclosed amount. Navistar is building some big factory's off shore."

Isn't Navistar the company that builds diesel engines used in Ford products? Wonder what's going on in the RV chassis arena.

[LVJ58]

Driver, Just picked up blurb up from another forum this morning, can you confirm whether it's true or just another rumor, thanks.

"There was a flash on Bloomburg Business TV Channel this morning that Navistar bought out Workhorse Chassis for an undisclosed amount. Navistar is building some big factory's off shore."

Isn't Navistar the company that builds diesel engines used in Ford products? Wonder what's going on in the RV chassis arena.

[Route 66]

According to Business Week Online, it's true.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan...=apn_home_down

[Kirk]

First GM couldn't stay in the market aginst the Ford chassis, and now Workhorse is throwing in the towel! I guess they forgot to check with Driver first!

[LVJ58]

Dirk, I checked out the link, thanks. I wonder if Navistar will continue to use the GM 8.1L v8 or replace it with their 6.0L PS diesel. It will be interesting to watch to see what happens down the road.

[twall]

Jim, That would be a great Motor home..
I had the 6.0l PS in a F250 loved the power and pulling it could do.
That engine as a replacement for the GM8.1Lv* would cause me to sell the workhorse I have and buy one with a front-end 6.0 L PowerStroke...
...

[GStream40]

With Navistar buying Workhorse that could make for some interesting and reliable engine combinations. A Class "A" diesel puller with real air suspension. That would be a big seller.

But the price would be driven up to the point of entry level pushers....

Ron

[Gary RVRoamer]

I wouldn't leap to any rash conclusions about the future of WCC. Remember, Freightliner Customer Chassis is a subsidiary of Daimler-Chrysler too and FCC diesel chassis still come with Cummins and Cats rather than Merceded diesels. Still, I would expect a Navistar diesels to become available on the R series sometime in the next couple years. And maybe a new low-end chassis series using the 6.0 Navistar block to compete with the 5.9L Cummins?

And WCC already builds a diesel chassis, so don't expect the Wxx series to drop gas engines.

I'm guessing that two factors are at play here. First, WCC shareholders get a chance to turn a nice profit on their investment, after making WCC a successful business venture. Second, Navistar gets a foot in the burgeoning RV chassis business.

[LVJ58]

RV Roamer, you may find this information a bit interesting:


March 21, 2005
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation
Introduces Mercedes-Benz MBE 926 Engine to RV Market

Gaffney, S.C."”Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) today announced the availability of the Mercedes-Benz MBE 926 diesel engine in an XC chassis, the first time this high-performance engine has been used in an RV application. As a subsidiary of a DaimlerChrysler company, FCCC is the only chassis supplier able to bring the famed three-pointed star to Class A motorhome owners.

The Mercedes-Benz MBE 926 is a high-horsepower, medium-duty diesel engine (330 hp @ 2,200 rpm) with high torque (1,000 lb.-ft.). The 7.2-liter, six-cylinder engine is designed to deliver excellent fuel economy and boasts long service intervals. Its rated output and torque make it ideal for motorhome applications, since many RV owners pull tow vehicles in mountainous terrain.

"Although ˜new' to the RV industry, this engine has a proud record of performance and reliability in the medium-duty truck sector and will prove to be a mainstay in the diesel motorhome market,"� said Dean Schaper, Director of Sales and Marketing for FCCC. "The interest in this new engine option has reached groundswell proportions with many premium diesel motorhome manufacturers designing their 2006 product offerings around the MBE 926 engine."�

"The exclusive offering of this superb Mercedes-Benz MBE 926 engine will be a great advantage for our RV customers,"� said Jack Conlan, President of Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation. "This is another example of Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation's commitment to continually develop our products while enhancing the RV experience for our customers."�

I also read somewhere Freightliner is developing a chassis with IFS for front end diesel pullers.

[rvten]

http://www.workhorsecc.com/news/press/20050705.asp You got to read a little more on this.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LVJ58:
I wonder if Navistar will continue to use the GM 8.1L V8 or replace it with their 6.0L PS diesel. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>You folks have to remember one thing from reading the release. Workhorse will remain Workhorse and the 8.1L will be the engine that will be used on W-Series motorhome chassis.

Unknown whether or not something will develop regarding engines in the commercial sector but the Duramax is the engine of choice for the WCC lo-pro bus chassis

WCC will still be doing business as usual with GM and I see no change there. It will be interesting to see if there will be a Duramax Powerstroke thing but I doubt it.

Even though IH makes their own diesel engines they are still one of the largest buyers of Cummins engines and Allison transmissions as well.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Kirk:
.... and now Workhorse is throwing in the towel! I guess they forgot to check with Driver first! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Workhorse is far from throwing in the towel having 90% of the market in class 6 gas chassis. WCC has reinvented the gas motorhome chassis as we see it today and any previous vestiges of GM influence in design and practice has now eclipsed. WCC is a very profitable small company that is highly attractive. Business is business I guess.

Don't look for any major changes to this continuing success story.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by twall:
... That would be a great Motor home....That engine as a replacement for the GM8.1Lv would cause me to sell the workhorse I have and buy one with a front-end 6.0 L PowerStroke...
... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>You're going to get a lot of folks that will argue the point that the 7.3L PSD is a better motor and that the Duramax is also a better motor than the 6.0L.

This has all got to work itself out. Don't be too anxious to see a FDP anytime soon because the numbers have been crunched and it doesn't look like it works out on paper.

Do keep an eye on WCC however for 2006. There are wonderful things coming.

The new 16K and 18K W-Series have made quite an impression on the OEMs.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GStream40:
A Class "A" diesel puller with real air suspension. That would be a big seller. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Ron, Like you said this platform would not be able to outsell an entry level RDP. I do not believe that a FDP would outsell an RDP given the same weigh ratings and who would want less GVW and still pay the premium for diesel.

Gas motorhomes right now are going for $171.000 with gas engines. Put a diesel into that equasion and you're quickly knocking on

Remember if you go with a diesel next logical thing would be a diesel generator. The pricing vs performance would no doubt favor an RDP.