Mack has returned to the medium-duty truck market with the all-new MD Series. The truckmaker officially unveiled the trucks to the public at The Work Truck Show 2020 in Indianapolis in March.

Why re-enter the medium-duty market after so many years focused on heavy-duty? 

“The fact of the matter is that medium-duty is a solid market that Mack Trucks wants to be a part of. Looking at 2019, the Class 6 and Class 7 segments totaled somewhere around 100,000 units. And, we anticipate solid demand and growth in the medium-duty market going forward, particularly as customers continue to demand more and more last-mile delivery services,” noted Roy Horton, director of product strategy for Mack Trucks. 

The Mack MD Series is ideal for any application that requires a durable, reliable Class 6 or Class 7 truck. With that said, the truckmaker is initially targeting applications such as van and reefer, stake and flatbed, dump, and tank.

All-New Medium-Duty Options

To handle a variety of applications, the MD Series features three models: MD6, MD6 Low Profile, and MD7.

“Mack is extremely proud to reach even more customers through our medium-duty Mack MD6 and MD7 models,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of North American sales and marketing. “With these trucks, Mack now offers a complete lineup of Class 6 to 8 vehicles, and the Mack MD Series will enable us to meet the needs of those customers desiring Mack’s legendary durability in a lighter weight GVWR configuration.”

Differentiating the medium-duty units from their heavy-duty Mack counterparts, the Mack MD Series is built on an all-new chassis with a purpose-built cab exterior and interior built for the needs of medium-duty customers. 

“That solid foundation includes several unique features that differentiate us from other products in the medium-duty marketplace,” noted Horton. 

These features include: 

• 120,000 ksi frame rails for superior strength and durability.

• An air-suspended cab improves durability and ride comfort for less driver fatigue.

Several elements from Mack’s heavy-duty models have made their way into the Mack MD Series, starting with a Mack Anthem-inspired exterior design. 

“Inside, we’ve adopted several Mack heavy-duty cab features for our medium-duty cab. To provide MD Series customers with premium features, we included an ergonomically designed instrument panel featuring durable materials, a Mack Anthem-inspired instrument cluster, tough switchgear, a tilt-telescopic steering column with a flat-bottomed steering wheel for improved driver comfort, and easier ingress and egress. We also added power windows and locks, and an air-ride driver’s seat, all standard,” Horton noted.  

The Mack MD Series is also equipped with Geotab Go with one year of included service, which helps maximize uptime for medium-duty customers.

Truck Specs & Options

The Mack MD6, a Class 6 model, has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 25,995 pounds, and the MD7, a Class 7 model, has a GVWR of 33,000 pounds.

The Mack MD6 and MD7 models, available in 4x2 configurations, are ideal for dry van/refrigerated, tank truck, dump, stake, and flatbed applications. A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is not required to operate the MD6 model if the payload is non-hazardous.

All MD Series trucks are powered by the Cummins B6.7L, with six available horsepower options from the standard 220 hp up to 300 hp. Engines with 250 hp and higher are rated at 660 lb.-ft. of torque. 

Fleets can choose from a range of eight wheelbases that can accommodate typical van body applications from 10 feet to 26 feet. The vehicles come standard with 22.5-inch wheels. 

Offering a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability in tight urban settings, the all-new cab of the MD6 and MD7 models feature an industry-best short bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) measurement of 103 inches.

MD Series also offers a clear back of cab and top of frame rail to make it easier for bodybuilder adaptations. 

Additionally, Mack partnered with well-known and respected suppliers for the medium-duty components that do not exist in the manufacturer’s current product portfolio, such as the automatic Allison Transmission used in the Mack MD Series. 

The trucks will be assembled at the Roanoke Valley Operations facility in Roanoke, Va. Serial production is expected to begin in September 2020. 

Mack invested $13 million to establish the facility to produce the Mack MD Series.