February 13, 2008
LoneStar Stands Out at Chicago Auto Show
CHICAGO – Of the 40-plus brands on display at the Chicago Auto Show, which is being held Feb. 8-17, Navistar International Corp.’s LoneStar makes the biggest statement, according to the Chicago Tribune. The vehicle, at 19,100 pounds and 11 feet tall, features a mass of chrome, lights, and more than 40 customizable options. The wraparound chrome bumper or distinctive grille was inspired by International’s 1937 D-Series truck.
The inside offers options in the cab’s sleeper “suite” that include an upgraded stereo system, a crescent-shape couch that pulls down to a 42-inch Murphy-style bed, a hardwood floor behind the front seats, a plasma television, and a choice of trims, including rosewood.
The truck costs about $135,000 with most of the optional features. International expects 80 percent of sales will be to individual owner-operators, with the rest to fleet operators who want to reward their best drivers with a shiny new truck.
Other standouts at the show include the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup, which can be outfitted with a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, a rearview camera, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and Sirius satellite television that receives shows from three children’s networks.
The 2009 Ford F-150 will offer some of the same features as the Dodge truck, plus a 700-watt Sony sound system and Sirius’ real-time information on traffic, weather, and gas prices. In the fall, Ford will offer a new F-150 Platinum that will have brushed aluminum interior trim, a leather-and-wood steering wheel and plush, shapely leather seats with “tuxedo stitching,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
International Truck's Lonstar