The Mack CL series was the long-hood conventional that replaced the Super-Liner in 1993. Mack built it as a longer-hood version of the CH600, and although it moved to a set-back front axle the CL continued to use the Super-Liner’s frame.
Mack CL series at a glance
| Maker | Mack Trucks |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1993, as the replacement for the Super-Liner |
| Based on | CH600, with a longer hood |
| Front axle | set back, unlike the Super-Liner |
| Frame | carried over from the Super-Liner |
| Type | conventional-cab highway tractor |
| Assembled | Macungie, Pennsylvania |
| Powertrain | Mack engines and transmissions, Hagerstown, Maryland |
There is no dedicated Wikipedia article on the Mack CL; this page is based on the Super-Liner and company articles.
History of the Mack CL series
When the Super-Liner RW-700 ended production after 1993, Mack needed a flagship conventional to take its place. The answer was the CL700, a longer-hood version of the CH600. The change of front-axle layout was the significant part: the Super-Liner had a set-forward axle, while the CL moved the front axle back under the hood for a shorter, more manoeuvrable truck. Underneath, though, the CL kept the Super-Liner’s frame, so it inherited the strength of the truck it replaced.
The CL sat at the top of Mack’s conventional range in the 1990s, above the CH and the aerodynamic Vision, and it was assembled alongside them at the company’s Pennsylvania plant. Mack has been part of Volvo since 2000, and its engines and transmissions are still built at Hagerstown, Maryland.
Design and features
- Long hood: the CL was a CH600 with a longer bonnet, giving it the classic American look.
- Set-back front axle: better manoeuvrability than the Super-Liner it replaced.
- Super-Liner frame: the chassis of the outgoing flagship carried over.
- Flagship position: above the CH and Vision in Mack’s conventional range.
Mack CL series versions
- CL (from 1993): the long-hood conventional tractor.
- CL700: the flagship designation, the direct replacement for the Super-Liner RW-700.
The CL replaced the Mack Super-Liner and was built on the same frame as the Mack CH series. More trucks are in the Mack collection.
Sources
- Mack Super-Liner, English Wikipedia: the CL700 as replacement, frame and axle layout
- Mack Trucks, English Wikipedia: company history and plants
