In 1940 an initial order was placed with Mack for 90 heavy trucks in the 10-ton category under the designation NR-1. <ref name = MACK /> These trucks were similar to those provided to the British troops through the French order, but were not specifically equipped for tank transport. The NR-1 was a variant of a basic civilian version that was marketed in the 1930s by Mack; however with a solid grill to protect the [[radiator]] and headlamps, and an extra roof above the [[cab|Cabin (truck)|cab]] to prevent overheating. These vehicles were assigned to the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Middle East]] and the [[South-East Asian theatre of World War II|Far East]] theatres. The trucks were powered by a six-cylinder Mack-Lanova ED [[engine]] which could deliver 131 [[Horsepower|HP]] at 2,000 rpm; driving a TR 12 Duplex [[Transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] with five gears. The rear wheels, with tyre size 13.50-20, were the only with power, hence the [[6×4 (drivetrain)|6x4]] designation; the front wheels had a different tire size, namely 10.50-24,. The empty weight was just over 10 tons <ref name = MACK />. The cost per vehicle was around $ 9,000.