Replacing the uniquely styled 5700XE is more than just a product refresh. It’s a redesign that brings Western Star’s highway offering to the front of the pack technologically, while offering drivers a luxurious on-road experience. “This is the most advanced and innovative Western Star truck on the highway,” said Anthony Pires, brand manager for Western Star Trucks, when he gave reporters a sneak peek near Detroit, Mich., last week. Added Anthony Mignardi, vice president – on-highway market development, “We listened to our customers and built the truck from the ground up.” The 57X is the third and final product in the family, joining the previously released 47X and 49X, each with a more professional flavor. The truck maker is dubbing these three trucks as: “The Trilogy of Tough.” The goal, Mignardi explained, was to merge the best of Daimler’s over-the-road truck technologies to create a better driving experience. But there have also been many changes in style. (Photo: James Menzies)
57X external
The rear-cabin (BBC) bumper has been extended to 129 inches to provide a longer, more aerodynamic hood, explained Ryan Major, director of product marketing – Highway. Configurations will include: day cab; average ceiling 60 inches. average ceiling 72 inches; and a 72-inch Stratosphere bed. Gone is the 82-inch base offered on the 5700XE, but Major said the new 72-inch replacement actually offers 22 percent more interior space thanks to the added height and width. The X-Series’ shorter sleeper and aluminum cab with steel reinforcements shaved about 1,000 pounds off a 5700XE with an 82-inch sleeper, Major said. The front of the truck reveals a new two-piece aerodynamic bumper with vents that help direct air around obstacles and where it can be used for additional cooling. Heated LED headlights are standard, as is a three-piece hood. The air intake and C-loop mirrors are carried over from the other X-Series trucks, and a new one-piece windshield is 28 percent larger than the two-piece found on the 5700XE. The frame rails have been opened up so the engine can ride lower for improved aerodynamics and visibility. A stainless steel sun visor – optimized for aerodynamics – is an indelible feature. You’re getting one whether you like it or not, but few Western Star purists will complain. For operators who drive the truck on gravel roads or rough construction sites, a new “hard glass” windshield that resists cracking and shattering may be specified. New frame fairings have been added to the truck to improve fuel economy. The aerodynamics, when combined with powertrain improvements, will give operators a 5.8 percent improvement in fuel economy over the 5700XE, Major said. (Photo: Western Star)
Inside the cabin
A new electronic vault houses all of the truck’s CPUs and fuses behind an easy-to-remove panel on the passenger side of the dash. Drivers or technicians can easily access them from inside the cab for quick diagnosis or replacement. “The key is that it’s all in one location,” Major said. “If you need to service it, everything is pretty much there on the dash.” Everything inside the 57X is new except for the center section of the steering wheel. A “smart” wheel has buttons to control everything from music and the 12-inch driver display to cruise control settings. In addition to the 12-inch live driver display with information, there is a 10-inch touchscreen in the B panel, capable of running Apple CarPlay. Currently, this display is not compatible with any third-party electronic logging devices (ELDs) – a Ram base can be used for those – but I’m told it’s something Western Star is looking into. Information on both screens can be displayed in French. The steering wheel is now infinitely adjustable for improved comfort. Laredo leather seats with elegant cross-stitching can be ordered ventilated for heating and cooling or swivel. The sleeping area is spacious and comfortable. Two seats and a table provide a comfortable place to work or eat. When it’s time for bed, these fold down and a Murphy bed can be pulled down from the back wall. The whole process takes seconds. Double bunks are available, but if only one is required, there is tons of storage space where the top bunk would be. If double bunks are required, a telescopic ladder makes access to the top bunk safe and easy. Airline-inspired storage spaces offer more storage options. A 2.5 cu.-ft. The refrigerator comes standard with larger offerings available through the aftermarket, and there’s room for a microwave up to 1 cu.-ft. All interior lighting is LED and infinitely adjustable. (Photo: Western Star)
The tech
When the first Western Star trucks were built in Kelowna, BC, in 1967 for loggers who required a more robust rig, the technologies available in the 57X would have been unimaginable. The truck can only be specified with a Detroit engine, including the DT12 automated manual transmission mated to a Detroit DD13, DD15 or DD16 engine.
New to the 57X is the Detroit Assurance 5.0 suite of active safety systems. Active Brake Assist 5 uses cameras and radar to detect road hazards and apply full braking if the driver does not react in time.
Adaptive Cruise Control maintains the following distance and can bring the truck to a complete stop in traffic. Optional Active Lane Assist helps keep the truck centered in its lane. When it detects that the driver has taken their hands off the wheel, it offers a series of warnings before bringing the truck to a complete stop after one minute of hands-free driving. This could be a lifesaver should a driver fall asleep or become incapacitated.
Active Side Guard Assist detects objects – including pedestrians and cyclists – next to the truck and/or on the blind side of the trailer. This feature will help save lives (and traffic lights) in urban areas, but will also warn drivers of smaller vehicles in their blind spot on the highway when attempting to change lanes.
Assurance 5.0 also offers speed limit sign recognition and warns the driver when they are 10 mph over the posted speed limit. If they do not respond, the cruise speed can be reset to the posted limit. At 20 mph over the limit, the cruise will disengage completely. This is a feature that the safety department will love, but many drivers hate. However, it can be overridden by the pedal, and fleets that find interventions to be severe can program it so that warnings are displayed but no punitive action is taken.
The new Western Star 57X marks the completion of a complete product refresh for Western Star. The 5700XE, which will replace the 57X, has not been produced since late 2021. That means Western Star buyers looking for a highway tractor this year may have been sidetracked.
“We really worked with our dealers to stay in touch with those customers,” Major said. “At the time, we couldn’t tell them [about the 57X]. You always want to go for the big bang when you release them, but we drove them. “Something’s coming.” “We’re hanging on.” So far, in all pre-series conversations with customers, we’ve given them little snippets and sneak peeks to show them what it could look like. They are very excited.”
Of the three models that make up the X Family, it’s the 57X that makes the biggest leap forward in terms of style and technologies. It’s a dramatic departure from the 5700XE, and the truck’s signature hard edges have been smoothed out for the benefit of fuel economy. Had to be. With fuel prices being what they are and the cost of a new truck being what it is, aerodynamics and fuel economy just have to be a priority for a highway truck.
However, despite its more rounded form, the truck remains unique. It remains a Western Star. Just a noticeably more comfortable and technologically advanced Western Star.
Western Star is now accepting orders for the 57X and production is due to begin in early 2023.
