For over 100 years the name Mack has been synonymous with the trucking industry - Pure American-made muscle, powerful, bold and, if not a looker, then a rugged and iconic presence on roads around the world. I'm not sure how many kilometres that burly bulldog hood ornament has seen however it's certain to be a massive number! (Yes, I know Mack trucks are now not just made in America, I worked for Volvo/Mack here in Australia as a quality control officer for a short period).
A little while ago Mack, owned now by parent company Volvo, launched it's latest evolution of prime mover, the Mack Anthem. It's a combination of their proud heritage and styling married with that of the future, a more aerodynamic stance which has obviously borrowed heavily from Volvo.
The range of diesel engines offer up to 505 horsepower and 1,860 pound-feet of pull-the-hell-outta-any-damned-thing torque and it's aerodynamic styling cuts through the air more efficiently than ever before. The truck was designed around surveys of truck drivers and is a comfortable home away from home for the guys and gals who keep freight moving on roads around the world.
I like it, but then I like trucks period I guess. The thing is that this evolution could well be the last diesel evolution of its kind with the rise of electric technology. Instant torque, less moving parts, additional reliability and performance found through electric power could see the end of diesel power in trucks in the future. Of course range and recharge time would need to be improved for it to become viable I believe.
Mack Anthem YouTube video from Mack channel below:
When looking for a new Lego build recently I came across Lego's version of the Mack Anthem. They'd been approached by Mack to create it and have done an amazing job on it I think. One of the department stores here had a 20% sale on Lego a few weeks ago and I decided to take advantage of it by grabbing my own Mack Anthem. You can see a snap of the front of the box above in the main image.
This is a cool, and quite large set and model at 83cm (32 inches) long and over 2500 parts. This is a dual-model set too which means it can be taken apart and built into the Mack LR garbage truck also; I thought it was good value at 20% off. The video below will give you an idea of size.
Mack Anthem Lego Technic video from Lego channel below:
I'm yet to complete my Landrover Defender build as I'm waiting for a small part that was missing however my attention is starting to turn towards the next build now, the Mack Anthem.
I know you're probably sick of seeing my Lego posts but doing a post is a great way for me to document the build and collate some images. I'll do the same with the Mack and whatever I build next...I have a clue about what it will be but more about that later. I guess you could always go and look at out of focus photos of boulders or gates or flowers if you don't like my Lego posts.
Stay tuned, or not.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default
