In The News

Western Star’s ‘Rose’ attention-getter at MATS

By The Trucker
Posted Mar 31st 2008 3:31AM

Rose.jpgLOUISVILLE, Ky. – “The Ramblin’ Rose” showed off her tasteful yet slightly edgy good looks at the Mid-America Trucking Show here today, wowing passersby, many of whom stopped to take a picture.

This beauty wasn’t the flesh-and-blood kind, but a “tricked-out” Western Star 4900ex with 82-inch stand-up Stratosphere sleeper and featuring custom ostrich seats.

The Ramblin’ Rose and her white-and-tan paint job with red detailing was done by Outlaw Customs, a customs, accessory shop and product manufacturing firm based in Denver.

“We wanted to make it so corporations would like it but also make it slightly edgy,” said Outlaw Customs fabricator and part owner, Alex Gobel, who was on hand to show off Rose’s many charms.

Outlaw Customs is only about a year old and also comprises Alex’s brother and owner Andy Gobel, shop manager Jon Gill and product engineer Nic Gillan, who’s also a product developer.

They met up with Western Star representatives at last year’s MATs and decided it was a match made in truck-styling heaven.

The “Rose” was actually built in Portland, Ore., and since Portland is known for its roses, they came up with the rose theme, said Alex Gobel.

And while the “Rose” was turning heads in the expo center foyer, other Western Star trucks, such as the re-introduced LowMax, were getting plenty of attention inside on the showroom floor.

The LowMax now comes with an EPA 2007-compliant package including the DD60 or Cat C15 engine.

Western Star also is offering an increase in radiator size, a whopping 1,875 square inches, an asymmetrical spring system for improved handling, an aluminum fifth-wheel plate that saves 100 pounds — and this summer, an air-disc brake system for the tractors.

T.J. Reed, manager of product strategy, said the brand is definitely about “serious trucking” for serious truckers who like the old school look and for whom image is important.

“For the owner-operator and small fleets, reliability and dependability are key,” said Reed.

And as in the case of “Rose,” add to that head-turning good looks.

The Trucker Headlines