Glitz and grit: Mack premieres all-new Class 8 Keystone and redesigned Granite for vocational fleets

The night before ConExpo 2026, Mack Trucks took over the Las Vegas Motor Speedway track, as well as the sky above it, to launch two new vocational trucks—a redesigned Mack Granite and the all-new Class 8 Mack Keystone, the latter of which replaces the Pinnacle model. Said to be engineered with as much focus on the driver as performance, these two models are Mack’s way of marking its territory in the vocational segment.

The work truck sector is typically no-frills, but Mack pulled out all the stops to publicize the launch via a global live stream. Country rock blared, pyrotechnics exploded, and a fleet of drones assembled into the familiar bulldog and Mack logo overhead before Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks, and Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America (both in cowboy hats), introduced the trucks, which took a victory lap around the track before pulling up to the stage.

They both asserted that with the new work trucks, the driver and fleet will be the true winners.

“On a scale from 1 to 10, Keystone and Granite crank comfort level to an 11,” Randall said, noting the emphasis on functionality, visibility, and safety in the cab.

What’s underneath—the suspension—is just as important to driver comfort, and the trucks will employ a new MaxRide air ride system with eight electronically tuned airbags to offer optimal ride height control no matter the terrain.

This comfort and durability will lead to more productivity, Roy assured, adding, “The less stress and strain you put on your trucks and drivers, the longer both of them last.”

Roy also announced Mack’s new safety suite, Mack Protect, to reduce collisions and injuries on jobsites.

“This is Mack fundamentally changing our approach to safety technology,” he asserted.

The basic version includes the usual features, such as automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, while the Pro version includes blind spot detection and side pedestrian detection. The Premier package adds active steering and lane-keep assist.

During the presentation, Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO of parent company Volvo Group, popped out of the Granite, also wearing a cowboy hat, to hype the 126-year-old OEM's current rebrand as “an industry disruptor,” due in large part to Volvo’s $3-billion investment in Mack.

This new identity started last April in Brooklyn—where the Mack Brothers started the company in 1900—with Mack and Volvo Group leadership introducing the new flagship on-highway truck, the Mack Pioneer. A few months later, they unveiled the all-new Mack Anthem, geared toward regional and urban hauls. It was only a matter of time before Mack unlocked similar features on the work truck side.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect with the redesigned Granite and Keystone.

Mack Keystone

As the Pioneer was tied to Mack’s early roots in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Keystone clearly celebrates Mack’s presence in Pennsylvania for 121 years. The Mack Brothers then planted operations in Allentown in 1905. Sure, the official headquarters is now Greensboro, North Carolina, sharing a campus with Volvo Trucks North America, but the spiritual home base will always be the Lehigh Valley in the Keystone State. All Mack’s Class 8 trucks are assembled at the Lehigh Valley Operations plant in Macungie, with the Keystone being no exception.

The new heavy-duty lineup of over-the-road and vocational trucks not only shares a birthplace but a unified platform as well. This allows the Keystone to take advantage of the latest safety system and driver comfort innovations from the on-highway side, such as Mack Protect.

Roy said the Keystone was made for vocational customers in construction, agriculture, logging, and more, really anyone “who needs a tractor that can effortlessly switch from interstates to gravel pits and logging sites.”

The Keystone was designed to work exclusively with the updated MP13 engine and mDrive automated manual transmission, delivering up to 540 horsepower and 1,950 lb.-ft. of torque. The integrated powertrain improves upon the Pinnacle’s fuel efficiency by 6%. The mDRIVE’s grade gripper also prevents rollbacks, while rock-free mode helps the truck get out of sand. The mDRIVE’s creeper gears are suited for hauling heavy loads up steep grades and deep mud.

On the maintenance side, the Keystone comes standard with Mack’s integrated uptime solutions, such as GuardDog Connect, which provides real-time vehicle monitoring, remote diagnostics, and proactive service scheduling. Customers receive a complimentary five-year subscription to Mack’s telematics platform.

The Keystone will be available in both axle-forward and axle-back configurations and three cab configurations: day cab, 44” sleeper, and 64” sleeper. Rear-axle configurations include 6x4, 8x4, and 8x6.

Customers can also spec Mack’s air suspension seats, which offer 4-way lumbar, adjustable swivel air shock, heat, ventilation, and even a massage.

“The Keystone is designed for terrain versatility; it thrives where the roads are unpaved, uneven, or even nonexistent, then transitions seamlessly to highway driving,” stated Fernando Couceiro, Mack Trucks vice president of highway trucks. “Whether you’re hauling logs out of a forest, delivering heavy equipment to a construction site, or transporting agricultural goods across rural roads, the Keystone is built to handle it all.”

Mack starts taking orders for the Keystone in late Q3 of this year.

Mack Granite

Roy and Randall related that the Granite addresses four major vocational customer pain points: “navigating unexpected terrain, expensive unplanned repairs, and driver fatigue [and] tight work schedules.”

Through a third-party blind study at Virginia Tech, 30 professional drivers were tapped to offer feedback on ergonomics, controls placement, and visibility.

“We focused on creating a driver-centric, commanding, ergonomic layout with wrap-around controls and high visibility," said Vince Lokers, specialist chief designer, Mack Trucks. "Features like our new steering column-mounted shifter, flat-bottom steering wheel and electric brakes were all positioned in their best ergonomic position based on direct driver feedback.”

The 2027 Granite was developed alongside the Pioneer with the intention of offering vocational customers an equally dynamic productivity tool.

“This is an all-new platform that was created to be applicable in both highway and vocational applications,” said Lukas Yates, expert chief designer for Mack. “We wanted this truck to look tough and confident going down the road, built to be very rugged and handle anything. The design emphasis was on durability and functionality while maintaining the Mack DNA that our customers recognize and trust.”

Under the hood, customers can spec Mack’s integrated powertrain, comprising the MP13 engine and mDRIVE, for higher efficiency and power. Rated up to 540 HP and 1,950 lb.-ft. of torque, the MP13 offers 3% better fuel efficiency over the previous model, thanks to the wave piston design. The MP13 also features the PowerLeash engine brake system for reduced brake wear and 25% stronger braking power.

The mDRIVE is available in 12-, 13-, and 14-speed configurations. Randall said it provides 30% faster shifts for “even more fuel efficiency and a better ride.” For applications hauling heavy loads up steep grades, customers may want the 13-speed, which features a low reduction creeper gear. The 14-speed includes a 32:1 ultra-low-speed reduction gear. Which Mack recommends “for precision work like curb pouring and loose soil conditions.”

Customers can also spec the Cummins X10 engine, rated from 350-450 HP and 1,250-1,650 lb.-ft. of torque, with an Allison automatic transmission.

Mack utilized a steel galvanized cab that is 9” wider at the B pillar than the previous version.

Mack’s ImpactShield, a lightweight windshield four times more impact resistant than the previous iteration, also comes standard on the Granite (and as an option for the Keystone). After the presentation, attendees were offered the chance to test ImpactShield’s durability by firing 60-mph chunks of ice at it.

Yates also noted the new stainless-steel grille “is the best grille we’ve ever done on a truck; it’s very strong and rigid, with a level of quality I haven’t seen on anything else.”

Mack also said the Electronic Park Brake, designed to prevent rollaways while shifting, is a first for a vocational truck. E911 auto-call, which alerts emergency services in cellular range during a rollover or collision, and also when the airbags deploy, also comes standard on the Granite.

The Granite comes in day cab and 44” sleeper configurations with axle-forward and axle-back positions, offering several front and rear axle ratings for various application needs. Order books open in the second half of 2026, and customers can choose between graphite and bright trim packages. Features include LED headlights, three-piece bumper options, and a sun visor. Snow plow operators can also spec an optional hatch to provide fluid access.

Upfitting overall has been improved with BodyLink IV software.

“You get plug-and-play ease for faster upfits and programmable safety interlocks so you know when the outriggers are stowed and make sure no one speeds up with the dump still in the air,” Randall offered.