DINA HTQ Series Truck History

Unveiled in 1997, the HTQ series was DINA's most ambitious truck program: a family of Class 6, 7, and 8 vehicles styled jointly by BMW's Design Works subsidiary, Motor Coach Industries International (MCII), and Roush Industries USA, with a total investment of nearly US$100 million. The aerodynamic cab featured a 31-degree windshield, curved bumpers to channel airflow around the tires, and a front-bar occupant-protection structure — standards rare in the Mexican market of the time.

Models included the 55117572, 66121072, 77631072, 9400, and 65019570 designations, powered by Caterpillar CAT engines following a 1996 engine-supply agreement. In 1997 DINA also opened an Argentine assembly subsidiary (DIMEX) in Mercedes, Buenos Aires, reflecting an ambitious South American expansion.

The program collapsed when Freightliner (having acquired Western Star via Sterling Trucks) canceled a 9,000-unit HTQ contract in July 2000 — a blow from which DINA could not recover. The Ciudad Sahagún truck plant closed permanently in October 2001, and the HTQ chassis was subsequently repurposed as the platform for the 2008 urban-bus relaunch.