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DRIVING THE BIG SWEDE
Page 16
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• Climb into an FH16 and you're Immediately aware of Its 'limited edition' status from the Bass Green standard metallic paint finish and embossed door handles to the understated light and dark grey interior with muted terracotta trim. Leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel complete the package. In short, it oozes build-quality.
Given the F1116's power it's clearly meant to haul more than empty containers, and one key market will be amongst Northern Scandinavia's logging operators.
So CM'S first taste of the new 610hp D12C was in a Swedish-specced 24m-long 6x4 timber drawbar grossing 611 tonnes. How did it feel? At the risk of sounding underwheimed, it felt like any other truck with 10hp/tonne!
But it certainly delivered what Volvo promised— namely that on tough sIngie carriageway gradients, it will lug down to 1,000rpm and cling on to the revs like a limpet. With 6'10hp and 2,800f4m on tap, keeping to the 80km/h local limit was easy; in fact, the biggest problem was keeping an eye on the speedo as we soon found ourselves above it.
Make no mistake, the FH16 talks the torque and walks the walk. UK heavy hauliers won't be disappointed. But what's really impressive is how little fuss the engine makes: even when it's working hard, the 1:116C Just hums along.
We next tried another 24m drawbar at 60 tonnes but with the 550hp rating. Despite giving away 60hp and needing the odd extra half gear, It was never less than on top of the Job. Even at 60 tonnes it was easy to drive the FH16 in the green band; the only time we needed to take it up around 1,900rpm before changing was on steep hills and when pulling away from a 1-Junction where the massive drag demands healthy respect—and revs.
Not surprisingly, the best indication of the FH16's extraordinary performance came when we tried it at 40 tonnes (Volvo says that a large proportion of FH16s will be sold as 4x2 tractors).
No doubt, there will be some foolish UK owner-drivers who will insist on buying an 11116 and sewing It with a 610hp engine.
However, the 550hp rating is more than adequate for 44-tonne top-weight work—Just as you'd expect. Indeed, the trick is not to let it get away from you.
The main thing we didn't like about the new truck was the fact that you have to re-set the cruise control every time you dip the clutch (on split shifts It can be rather irritating), and the FH16's cable-operated gear change. We're Just not convinced it's as good as a rod linkage.
The 11416 is 'awesome" but the reality Is that it's a truck with limited operator appeal. In truth, UK hauliers will need to have one hell of a reason to Justify buying one— but if they do, then they'll be getting one hell of a truck.