The T700 was Kenworth’s wide-body aerodynamic conventional for the early 2010s. It replaced the T2000 for 2011 production, wore a larger grille and fender-mounted headlamps, and was discontinued in 2014 after only a few seasons.
Kenworth T700 at a glance
| Introduced | for 2011 production |
|---|---|
| Replaced | Kenworth T2000 |
| Model | wide-body aerodynamic conventional |
| Distinguishing features | larger grille, fender-mounted headlamps |
| Discontinued | 2014 |
| Replaced by | Kenworth T680, introduced for 2013 |
| Maker | Kenworth, a PACCAR company |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on Kenworth; the T700 is described there in the company history, so this page covers only what that article states.
History of the Kenworth T700
The T2000 had been the wide-body aerodynamic conventional since 1996. For 2011 production Kenworth replaced it with the T700, which kept the wide-body approach but adopted a larger grille and headlamps mounted in the fenders instead of the bumper — the detail that made the T2000 recognisable.
The T700 had a short life by Kenworth standards. For 2013 production the company introduced the T680 as its third-generation aerodynamic conventional, and the T680 was intended from the start as a single replacement for both the narrow-body T660 and the wide-body T700. The T700 was discontinued in 2014; the T660 lasted until 2017, thirty-two years after the T600 that started the line.
With the T680 in place, Kenworth’s aerodynamic range was reduced to a single conventional family, while the long-running W900 remained in production alongside it. The wide-body cab developed for the T680 later served the T880, the vocational conventional introduced in 2014, and the W990 of 2018.
Design and features
- Wide body: the successor to the T2000 in the wide-body aerodynamic line.
- Larger grille: the most obvious change from the T2000.
- Fender-mounted headlamps: replacing the bumper-mounted lamps of the T2000.
- Short production: built for only a few model years before the T680 took over.
Kenworth T700 versions
- T700 (2011–2014): the wide-body aerodynamic conventional.
- T2000: the model it replaced.
- T680 (2013–): the single replacement for the T660 and T700.
The T700 replaced the T2000 and was replaced in turn by the T680, which also took over from the T660. The long-lived long-nose conventional beside it was the W900. More trucks are in the Kenworth collection.
Video: 2011 Kenworth T700 In depth look
Video by Trucker_Trav6132 on YouTube.
Sources
- Kenworth, English Wikipedia: T700 of 2011, larger grille, fender headlamps, discontinuation in 2014, T680 replacement
