A familiar name returns.

Those who have been on the roads for a long time may still remember the name Powerliner. In the late 1980s it stood for particularly powerful Mercedes-Benz Trucks that operated on many long-distance routes and left a lasting impression on numerous drivers.

Now the Powerliner is back. However, not as a single vehicle, but as a new drivetrain generation.

While Powerliner formerly stood for the vehicle itself, the name today denotes a further developed drivetrain in which engine, transmission and axle are matched as a complete system. The aim is to combine the individual components in such a way that efficiency, drivability and comfort in long-distance transport are further improved.

Under the name Powerliner, Mercedes-Benz Trucks combines the further developed OM 470 and OM 471 engines with new transmission and axle configurations into a harmonized drivetrain.

The different components are designed for different applications and together form the new Powerliner generation. The focus is on the interaction of all components. This improved interplay can reduce fuel consumption by up to four percent compared with a similarly equipped predecessor vehicle.  

This interplay is apparent, among other things, in the so-called Downspeeding strategy. Engine, transmission and axles are matched so that lower engine speeds at cruising speed become possible. This can reduce fuel consumption and at the same time contribute to a calmer driving experience on long journeys.

With the return of the name Powerliner, a piece of Mercedes-Benz Trucks history is brought into the present. At the same time, the idea that the name once stood for is being adapted to the requirements of today's long-distance transport.