The Peterbilt 388 of 2006 was the 123-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab version of the 389. It took the place of the 119-inch 379 in the long-hood range and was sold until 2015, when Peterbilt folded it back into the 389 line as its 123-inch variant.
Peterbilt 388 at a glance
| Maker | Peterbilt Motors Company (PACCAR) |
|---|---|
| Production | 2006–2015 |
| Class | on-highway, Class 8 |
| Layout | conventional cab, long hood |
| Based on | 389 |
| BBC | 123 inches |
| Took the place of | 119-inch 379 |
| Renamed | 123-inch version of the 389 in 2015 |
| Cab | shared with the 389 and the 2005–2007 379 |
History of the Peterbilt 388
The 388 was introduced in 2006, the year before the 379 left production. Where the 389 had a 131-inch body, the longest ever built by Peterbilt, the 388 used a 123-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement that matched the 119-inch 379 more closely in size and was intended to cover the buyers who wanted a slightly shorter long-hood truck.
The model shared its cab with the 389 and with the final 2005–2007 379, so the family resemblance was complete: the same headlamp clusters, the same fender line and the same interior. The difference was in the length of the bonnet behind the grille, which changed the proportions and the position of the front axle relative to the cab.
The arrangement did not last. In 2015 Peterbilt renamed the 388 as the 123-inch version of the 389, which simplified the range to two lengths under one model name. The 388 therefore exists as a separate model only for the nine years between 2006 and 2015, and examples are now a distinct entry in the 379–389 story.
Design and features
- 123-inch body: a shorter alternative to the 131-inch 389.
- 389 family: the same cab, lamps and interior as the flagship conventional.
- Place of the 119-inch 379: it covered the shorter long-hood buyers as the 379 retired.
- Short model life: from 2006 to 2015, then folded into the 389 range.
Peterbilt 388 versions
- 388 (2006–2015): the 123-inch model.
- 389 (from 2006): the 131-inch flagship.
- 389 123-inch (from 2015): the 388 under its new name.
The larger model it was based on is the Peterbilt 389, and the truck it replaced in the range is the 379. The aerodynamic alternative is the 386; more in the Peterbilt collection.
Sources
- Peterbilt, English Wikipedia: 389 launch and 379 retirement, shared cab
- List of Peterbilt vehicles, English Wikipedia: production years, 123-inch BBC, renaming in 2015
