The International Extreme Truck Series, usually shortened to XT, was a range of very large pickups built by Navistar from 2004 to 2008. It marked International’s return to pickup production since 1975, and its trucks remain the tallest and heaviest pickups ever sold in North America.
International XT at a glance
| Maker | Navistar International |
|---|---|
| Production | 2004–2008 |
| Members | CXT, RXT and MXT |
| Idea | commercial-grade pickups sold to businesses and well-off private buyers |
| CXT basis | International 7300 severe-service truck, later the WorkStar |
| CXT engine | 7.6-litre DT466 turbodiesel six, 220 hp, with up to 310 hp from the 9.3-litre DT570 in 2007 |
| CXT gearbox | five-speed Allison 2500HD automatic with permanent all-wheel drive |
| CXT size | 108 inches tall, 14,500 lb curb weight, 25,999 lb gross weight, 20-ton towing |
| RXT basis | International 4200 medium-duty truck, later the DuraStar |
| RXT engine | 6.0-litre VT365 turbodiesel V8 with a five-speed Allison automatic |
| Assembly | Garland, Texas, and Springfield, Ohio |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia). No free photographs of the XT series were found, so the article has no new pictures.
History of the International XT
A pickup from a truck maker
The XT series was the first International-brand vehicle sold for non-commercial use since 1980 and the company’s return to pickups since the last Light Line trucks of 1975. Two of the three trucks were developed from International’s medium-duty range, and the third was a version of a military tactical vehicle similar in concept to the Hummer H1. The trucks were the largest pickups ever mass-produced for retail sale, and International sold them as dual-purpose vehicles: a working truck that also served as a “rolling billboard” for a business owner. They were assembled at Garland, Texas, and Springfield, Ohio.
The CXT
The Commercial Extreme Truck was the first XT to enter production, in September 2004. It was derived from the International 7300, a Class 7 severe-service truck later renamed the WorkStar, and was sold to business owners as a dual-purpose vehicle for towing, hauling and promotion. Only a two-door extended cab and a four-door crew cab were offered, with no day cab. The pickup bed came from a dual-rear-wheel Ford F-350 Super Duty, and a hydraulically operated bed lift was optional. Inside, the CXT matched International’s best highway trucks, with leather seats, wood trim and full carpeting, and options including a rear-seat television with DVD player, CD audio and a rear seat that folded into a bed. Power came from the 7.6-litre DT466 turbodiesel inline-six of 220 hp, with up to 310 hp from the 9.3-litre DT570 offered in 2007, through a five-speed Allison 2500HD automatic and permanent all-wheel drive with a Meritor two-speed transfer case. At 108 inches to the top of the cab it was the tallest pickup ever produced, and at 14,500 lb the heaviest ever sold in North America. Its 25,999 lb gross weight was chosen deliberately to sit just below the 26,001 lb threshold at which American drivers need a commercial licence, and it could tow 20 tons.
The RXT and MXT
The Recreational Extreme Truck appeared at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show, aimed at owners who wanted a commercial-grade tow vehicle for large horse, boat and caravan trailers. It was based on the smaller International 4200, later the DuraStar, and was sold only as a four-door crew cab. It sat about ten inches lower than the CXT, with a lower hoodline, a different grille, flush headlights, body skirting and an aerodynamic front bumper. Instead of the CXT’s severe-service running gear it used a 6.0-litre VT365 turbodiesel V8, the same engine as the Ford Power Stroke, with a five-speed Allison 2200 automatic, four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes and two-wheel drive. At 272 inches long it remains the longest mass-produced pickup sold in North America, and with a 20,500 lb gross weight it could tow 12 tons. Alongside the production RXT, International showed the ProjectXT concept with aerodynamic trim, a purpose-built cargo bed and twin roof skylights. The third member of the family, the MXT, was derived from the military tactical vehicle. Production of all three ended after 2008.
Design and features
- Tallest pickup: the CXT stood 108 inches to the top of the cab.
- Heaviest pickup: the CXT weighed 14,500 lb, far more than any other pickup sold in North America.
- Just under the CDL line: a 25,999 lb gross weight kept the CXT below the 26,001 lb commercial-licence threshold.
- Commercial towing: 20 tons for the CXT and 12 tons for the RXT.
- Rolling billboard: International sold the trucks to businesses as working vehicles and advertising.
International XT versions
- CXT (2004–2008): severe-service pickup on the 7300 chassis with all-wheel drive.
- RXT (2005–2008): long-wheelbase crew-cab pickup on the 4200 chassis with two-wheel drive.
- MXT: the military-derived version of the family.
- ProjectXT (2005): concept with aerodynamic trim, a purpose-built bed and roof skylights.
The XT’s chassis came from the DuraStar and the WorkStar, and its place in International’s history goes back to the Scout. More vehicles are in the International collection.
Sources
- International XT, English Wikipedia: models, engines, dimensions, production
