The Illustrious History of International® Trucks

The name “International” has resonated throughout the automotive industry for over a century. While it began as International Harvester, today’s International® trucks are produced by the Navistar International Corporation, owned by Volkswagen. As a leading American truck manufacturer, International® produces medium-duty, heavy-duty and severe-duty trucks which are widely used for transporting a variety of cargo all across the United States.

K. Neal Truck and Bus Center, with four locations in Maryland and Virginia, is your local International® Trucks dealer, serving Hyattsville, MD. Read on to learn about the fascinating history of one of today’s leading truck brands.

Early Days

In 1902, International Harvester was founded in Chicago, Illinois, as the result of a merger of two leading Midwestern manufacturers: the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and the Deering Harvester Company, along with three smaller local manufacturers: Milwaukee, Plano and Warder, Bushnell and Glessner.

Initially, International Harvester produced the Auto-Buggy in 1907, a simple motor car that could carry four passengers and had an open-air design. This durable vehicle was then succeeded by the Auto Wagon, which was considered to be the company’s first real truck and the forerunner of today’s pickup truck models.

From there, the company continued to design and produce a variety of light, medium and heavy trucks for commercial and personal use. Industrial Harvester vehicles were used as light delivery vans and farm vehicles in addition to their heavier industrial applications.

Transition

Following mergers and reorganizations, International Harvester changed its name to Navistar International Corporation in 1986 and retained the International® brand name. The company continues to produce medium- and heavy-duty trucks, as well as engines for a variety of different vehicles, school buses and bus chassis. 

Navistar International Corporation continues to operate out of Lisle, Illinois, a village in the Chicago metro area. With over 1,000 dealers in the combined regions of Canada, the United States, Mexico and Brazil, as well as 60 dealers in 90 countries throughout the world, International® trucks continue to be extremely popular around the globe.

Today’s Models

International® trucks can be sorted into medium-duty, heavy-duty and severe-duty, each designed to suit different purposes. Some uses for International® trucks include as emergency vehicles, cargo transport, towing and heavy-duty hauling.

• Medium-duty International trucks include the CV Series and the MV Series. 
• Heavy-duty International trucks include the Lonestar, the LT Series and the RH Series. 
• Severe-duty International trucks include the HX Series and the HV Series.

Ready to shop International® Trucks? Visit one of our four dealerships in Virginia and Maryland today to view our current stock of new and used International® trucks for sale. K. Neal Truck and Bus Center proudly serves Hyattsville and Gaithersburg, MD, as well as Lorton, VA.