It’s official: Kenworth to sunset classic truck model W900, T800, and C500
The rumors of the beloved Kenworth W900’s demise have not been greatly exaggerated. They were spot on, according to a March 19 press release from Kenworth, which is owned by Paccar. This news was expected as Kenworth had sent a letter to dealers in February.
In addition to sunsetting the W900 (both W900L and W900B models), the Kirkland, Washington-based OEM is ending the prodigious run of its other legacy 1.9-meter cab Class 8 trucks in 2026, the T800W (wide-hood) and the C500. The final period to order these classily beautiful semis will be announced later this year. Contact your dealer for more info.
The reasoning was tighter emissions regulations and “component constraints as the industry moves forward with new, more efficient, and better integrated technologies and products,” Kenworth stated.
The writing was on the wall as new Class 8 trucks released by Kenworth and other OEMs are all purposely built for greater aerodynamics and to accommodate more safety technology like collision mitigation sensors. Instead of the sharp angles that exuded toughness and once defined the trucking industry, hood fairing, like on the redesigned T680 Next Gen, are now smooth and sleek. The benefit is the ability to more gracefully cut through the wind and reduce fuel consumption.
Kenworth is steering users of these fading classics to the newer W990 and T880, which “are well-positioned to continue Kenworth’s tradition of excellence, offering best-in-class driver comfort, efficiency, and reliability.”
The T880S, for example, has a newly designed performance hood that is compatible with the Cummins X15, rated up to 605 hp and 2,050 lb.-ft. of torque, so it can handle current T800W applications.
Fleets love the reduction in costs at the pump, though old-school truck lovers are lamenting the loss.
“This is devasting news to me," said Chace Barber, founder and CEO of Edison Motors, on Instagram. Edison is a clean truck startup that retrofits diesel-electric powertrains—and has a stockpile of 1969 W900s. “We have already lost the Peterbilt 389, now we're losing the W900 and C500. We're losing 60 years of history and we're moving from metal tough trucks into the more plastic highway trucks. I don’t like it...I really don't."
The discounting of these trucks leaves a massive hole in the market.
“We know these legacy Kenworth models are an integral part of our history here at Kenworth, which makes this decision a difficult but necessary one as we enter the next era of trucking,” said Kevin Haygood, Kenworth’s assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “As we transition to future products, we remain committed to honoring the spirit of these iconic trucks by delivering innovation, efficiency, and the same level of craftsmanship that our customers and drivers have trusted for generations.”
W900 Series
The W900 was introduced in 1963, and “is one of the most iconic trucks in North America’s trucking history, known for its classic long hood, conventional design, rugged durability, and driver-focused comfort and style.”
To many, the 1974 W900A that appeared in the film “Smokey and the Bandit” was what made them fall in love with trucking.
“The W900 is truly historic in that it’s helped shape North American trucking culture and tradition as we know it today,” Haygood noted.
But it wasn’t just for sneaking the “Banquet of beers” past Sheriff Buford T. Justice. As Kenworth described, the W900’s “versatility and customizable platform made it a reliable choice for long-haul, heavy-haul, logging, dump, and other vocational and on-highway applications,” Kenworth stated.
While the production of new W900s is ending, Haygood did note the classic design will be seen “on our roads and at truck shows for many years to come.”
T800
The T800 was introduced in 1986 for the vocational market and the T800W has "remained a favorite among operators in heavy-haul and off-road applications and is built to accommodate large engines with increased cooling capacity and rugged components,” Kenworth said. “The tried-and-true toughness of the T800W has made it ideal for specialized heavy-haul, oilfield work, logging, and other demanding jobs.”
C500
The C500 came out in 1972 and Kenworth stated its “one of the toughest and most rugged vocational trucks ever built,” operating where no other truck could. It could offer a gross combination weight rating of up to 1 million lbs. in specialty heavy-haul applications, the OEM said.
It earned its tough reputation on oilfields, logging forests, and mines across North America.
About the Author
John Hitch
Editor-in-chief, Fleet Maintenance
John Hitch is the award-winning editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, where his mission is to provide maintenance leaders and technicians with the the latest information on tools, strategies, and best practices to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving.
He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in the B2B journalism space for more than a decade. Hitch was previously senior editor for FleetOwner and before that was technology editor for IndustryWeek and and managing editor of New Equipment Digest.
Hitch graduated from Kent State University and was editor of the student magazine The Burr in 2009.
The former sonar technician served honorably aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723), where he participated in counter-drug ops, an under-ice expedition, and other missions he's not allowed to talk about for several more decades.