Have you ever heard of the following dialogues? 

“Autobots, transform and roll out!”

“One shall stand, one shall fail.”

“Sometimes, even the wisest of man and machine can make an error.”

These are iconic phrases coming from Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, and one of the main characters in the movie series entitled Transformers. For truckers, the 1992 Peterbilt 379 semi truck is the equivalent of Optimus Prime. Both have shown strength and power. Both are leaders in their own line. Let’s take a peek at why a Peterbilt 379 day cab could be the real Optimus Prime.

Who is Optimus Prime?

Optimus Prime is the supreme commander of the Autobots. In the movies of the “Transformers”, the Autobots are the fictional protagonists protecting the earth. They are robots in disguise as cars, pickups, and trucks. They battle the antagonists in the movie called Decepticons. The Decepticons are also robots in disguise. They want to take over the earth and destroy mankind. 

Optimus Prime is the most courageous and strongest among the Autobots. His superior strength enables him to break up shockwaves with ease. As a semi-humanoid, he has a massive build with a thick barrel-like chest and powerful legs. The true powers of Optimus Prime came from his fearless strategies and intelligence to never underestimate his enemies. These traits make him stand up as a noble leader of a good force. The only weakness of Optimus Prime is his sense of generosity. This causes him to fall prey to the deceiving traps of their enemies. 

Features of a Peterbilt 379 Truck

Optimus Prime is a 1992 Peterbilt 379 semi truck. It is a Class 8 day cab with a 14.6-liter and 6-cylinder diesel engine. It is Peterbilt’s flagship model and the largest highway truck they have sold. The Peterbilt 379 was launched in 1987 and manufactured until 2007. During such time, it is a leader in modern truck amenities and technology. 

The Peterbilt 379 truck has two configurations. The standard hood length measures 119 inches from the bumper to the back of the cab. While the extended hood length measures 127 inches from the bumper to the back of the cab.

The last design of Peterbilt 379 used a Caterpillar C-15 engine (Cat C15). It is a heavy-duty diesel engine with 475 hp designed for fleets and long-hauls. It also offers different intelligent features such as:

• Battery backup
• Cold weather start-up
• Electronic self-diagnostics
• Real-time clocks
• Reprogrammable parameters

The truck has a front axle capacity of 12,000 pounds and a rear axle capacity of 38,000 pounds. It is built on a steel frame and a wide 250-inch wheelbase. The 22.5 low-profile tires are mounted in aluminum wheel frames. This makes the truck fuel-efficient although fuel consumption greatly depends on road conditions and the weight of the load. 

The Peterbilt 379 is designed with an extended front end and a dashboard curving towards the driver. This is to make it easy for truckers to keep all the controls close. It has an enlarged windshield with horizontally-mounted wipers. What makes it unique is the rectangular headlamps mounted in the fender as turn signals. 

Peterbilt 379 as Optimus Prime

The Peterbilt 379 semi truck appeared as Optimus Prime in the first Transformers movie, the Revenge of the Fallen, and Dark of the Moon. Yet, it has also been an eye-catching piece in other Hollywood movies. These include:

• The 1998 film, Black Dog.
• Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead 
• Joy Ride 3: Road Kill.
• The 2001 film Fast and the Furious 

Rick Hendrick, a NASCAR team owner, bought the 1992 Peterbilt day cab which starred in Transformers for $110,000. Chris Eubank, a famous British boxer, owned a Peterbilt 379 semi truck with 1 KO as its registration plate.

From 1987 to 2007, the Peterbilt day cab became the leader of innovation and technology in the trucking industry. Like Optimus prime, such a semi truck has formidable strength. Its axles, steel frame, and wheelbase make it strong enough to transport goods and heavy loads safely.  Its powerful Cat C15 engine can withstand long hours of travel. 

The Peterbilt 379 semi truck also has a massive build like Optimus Prime. It is the longest truck ever sold by the company. Its steel frame represents the supreme leader of the Autobots’ thick-barrel chest. While its wide wheelbase represents the robot’s powerful leg. As Optimus Prime endured shock waves, the Peterbilt 379 can withstand harsh road conditions despite extended travel time.

Just like Optimus Prime, the Peterbilt 379 semi truck has a great care for mankind. It aims to give truckers the comfortability in driving even if they drive for an extended time. 

As such, the Peterbilt 379 day cab truck is no doubt the true Optimus Prime of the road. 

But did you know you still have a chance to own a real Optimus Prime truck? 

We challenge you to visit UsedVending.com and find Optimus Prime from our list of Peterbilt semis. 

Let’s roll!