The Ice Road received a universal response by both film critics and the public as being a rather mediocre film, but in 2021 there certainly has been a shortage of car and trucking films. The film stars Liam Neeson of Cold Pursuit, another film that features some cool vehicles including a memorable snow plow.
The Ice Road sees the British actor race across frozen Canada to rescue some trapped miners with vital survival equipment. Along the 300-mile journey is a predictable set of dangers, a battle for survival, and a corporate plot is afoot. Co-star to Neeson and Lawrence Fishburne are their Kenworth T-680 and Kenworth W990 semi trucks with big stacks and large grills. They are iconic big rigs perfect for The Ice Road. They are now up for sale at a used car dealer.
The film works as a perfect advertisement for the manufacturer, helping the actors save the lives of the miners and exposing the mine's support of profit over workers' safety. The Kenworth's most powerful engine is a PACCAR MX-13, a mighty 12.9-liter unit that is capable of over 500 horsepower and more than 1,800 lb-ft of torque along with an 18-speed transmission.
Black Kenworth W990: Where The Semi Is Today
Movie studios often want to recoup as much of their cost as possible once a film has released, auctioning off everything they can. This includes props, costumes, and even set pieces to collectors or other studios. Frequently, vehicles get wrecked in stunts and car chases, but the Black Kenworth W990 used in The Ice Road has come up for sale with a truck dealer who online goes by the name Andy The Kenworth Guy.
The dealer describes the truck as a new/gently used truck. With the use of CGI, film crews can avoid damaging vehicles, saving them money but also keeping a vehicles' reliability intact. Driven by the bad guys, the black truck had around 3,000 miles on the clock.
The dealer makes the vehicle's extra chrome paneling a talking point, as this makes the truck look more imposing than Neeson's. It's specified with all the features that a trucker expects from a premium big rig for the 2020 model year. Looking at the part of a long-distance big rig, the truck has a 76-inch sleeper cabin and hasn't had the scratches from filming the movie removed, the dealer refers to this as “character.”
The W990's Custom Details
Movie vehicles often have stripped-out interiors to aid in filming or are just bodies on much cheaper or bespoke vehicles. The trucks for The Ice Road are different. The black W990 comes with diamond-stitched door panels, leather trim on the steering wheel, and a lined mattress area that is complete with a bedside table. The dashboard is complete with a full gauge pack, wood veneer trim and the passenger seat remains.