ERF'S Turkish delight
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It's not every day that ERF launches new models—and its latest Turkish-built EP range is bound to make UK operators sit up and take notice. CM reveals the story behind its new "off-the-shelf" range of 14-18 tonners...
by Brian Weatherley and Bryan Jarvis • Last September Commercial Motor reported on the presence of a rather strange-looking truck at the Hanover Show. The vehicle in question was the Pro622 "Professional" 4x2 rigid, built by the Turkish truckmaker BIVIC with an unusual wedge-shaped cab styled by Pininfarina.
Quizzed by CM's reporters, BMC staff on the stand confirmed that the Pro622 I8-tonner would be launched in the UK before the end of the year. Little did we know that it would also be unveiled as ERF's new middleweight EP range.
In what's described as a "unique offering" by the Sandbach-based manufacturer, the EP will be sold from stock "ready to drive away in 5.9 and 6.3m wheelbases". It will have a Cummins engine, Eaton gearbox and Rockwell back axle and an overall specification that ERF says "no competitor can match".
That's quite a claim, but why go all the way to Turkey for a new truck? And where does the EP leave ERF's existing ES6 and EC6 middleweight rigids?
Turkey
ERF boss John Bryant replies: "Why Turkey? You could say 'Why has Volvo gone into Poland?'. The cost of production
is cheaper and over heads are significantly lower. That's why we'll be selling it at a competitive price." Bryant is quick to use the word "assembled" rather than "built" in Turkey. And he insists that underneath its radically designed day cab (there will be no sleeper version) is a driveline that UK operators will be more than familiar with, "It's a true 18-tonner and an ERF as well," says Bryant. "It's got the same axles, suspension and brakes as we already use. If you were to take an existing ES6 or EC6 with that power rating, axles and gearbox it would be identical to the EP apart from the frame and cab."
ERF is making great play of the fact that the EP will be totally unlike its "previously custom-built vehicles". EP stock chassis will be held at ERF dealers ready to he fitted with 22 or 24ft bodies.
Options
According to ERF: "The EP requires no further customisation or options as it already provides a comprehensive specification at an unbelievable driveaway price." What that price will be, ERF isn't saying— Bryant will only confirm that dealers will have a price list by the middle of this month.
Standard fittings will include: • Electric passenger window; • Heated mirrors; • Radio-cassette; • Reversing alarm; • Spray suppression kit.
The only optional extra with the EP will he a cab air management package.
While ERF is supplying the standard EP with many extras, there is no choice of driveline. Power is provided by a 5.9-litre B-Series Cummins six-pot which delivers a somewhat modest 212hp (158kW) with 700Nm (5161bft) of torque. For the moment the mechanically fuelled Euro-2 engine will be supplied to BMC's Izmir assembly plant from Cummins' Darlington factory.
BMC is no stranger to the builds B and C-Series engines under licence in Turkey. "They machine the blocks and heads themselves," Bryant reports. and some components are even supplied back to Cummins in the UK. BMC is currently working on gaining Euro-2 certification for its Turkish-built engines and once that happens, Bryant says the Darlington product will be replaced by the home-grown unit.
Mentor
Behind the B-Series is an Eaton six-speed synchro box driving a Mentor (Rockwell) back axle.
EP buyers will get ERF's existing parabolic leaf-spring set-up at both ends. The BMC chassis frame is an all-bolted construction and looks pretty hard-wearing. In line with the introduction of higher gross weights for two-axle rigids the EP comes with an 8Mtonne front axle and an 1L5tonne drive axle to suit operations at 18 tonnes GM.
But the most striking aspect of the EP6 is undoubtedly its distinctive all-steel cab.
Styled by the Italian vehicle designer Pininfarina, it has a radical rake which helps provide a drag co-efficient (Cd) of 0.52. ERF describes the EP as having a "minimal front overhang", although at 1.51m it's actually greater than that ot the Nem Ford Super Cargo (129m) or the Steyr-cabbed MAN 18224 (1.30m).
However, the EP's upward
ly raked front bumper and lower valance will provide good clearance over high kerbs and other obstructions.
The WC cab rides on a twopoint coil-spring/damper set-up atthe rear with rubber bushes at the front. The driver gets an
air-suspended seat and adjustable steering wheel as standard. There's no sleeper option ERF is obviously aiming the EP at bread-and-butter distribution work.
Tweaks
Apart from a few minor tweaks the EP's interior is identical to that of the Pro622 rigid shown by BNIC at Hanover, down to its cloth-trimmed seats. Fog lights and cab marker lights are standard, and you can have it in any colour...as long as it's white!
Over the past five years or so there has been a gradual polarisation of trucks down to 7.5 tonnes and up to artics. So has ERF launched its new model into the wrong market?
Bryant believes the 17-tonne market is currently fairly static and predicts that: "7.5 tonnes will go back to 11 tonnes as Grandfather Rights run out, so we'll see moves back to the 16/17-tonne limit," However, he's not ruling out going to lighter weights on the EP (the press release describes the range as 14-18 tonnes). "There's always the opportunity," says Bryant.
ERF is depending on the EP to double its share of the heavy two-axle rigid market within its first year. Bryant says the company has set a target of 200 chassis at 17/18tonnes in 1999—it currently sells roughly that number of ES6/EC6 middleweights, giving it a market share of 2-3%, excluding municipals.
Although the El' will initially be offered with only one engine too, whatever the terrain, and it steers surely around town or between rows of parked cars.
Our 5,9m-wheelbase example with its heavy-duty 7.91m BoaHoy One7Liner curtained body weighed in at 7.7 tonnes. Being unladen it pulled away easily in 3L and was quickly up to speed. With a full load there should still be adequate power and gears to do the job.
For an inter-urban delivery vehicle the clutch pedal is too high and the action could be lighter. The sluggish treadletype brake pedal also needs a good shove to slow the truck down.
However, once you're used to its little foibles the uncomplicated EP grows on you. Its eye-catching £33,000 list price will certainly appeal, especially to intercity distribution fleets. ERF's little Turkish delight is aimed at a clearly defined market sector: with a little bit of tweaking we reckon it will hit its target. rating, Bryant says: "There's lots of plans with this particular exercise based on what happens. It's obviously going to be sold alongside existing product although we wouldn't expect it to put much of a dent into that."
Talks
So how long have talks with BMC been going on? "It's something we've been working on with BMC for a long time," he says. We were originally looking at buying the cab to replace the Steyr cab."
But Bryant stresses that the established Steyr-cabbed ES6 range will be staying in production, with ERF planning to use inure of "Steyr's parent company components".
Just how much ERF will take from MAN remains to be seen, but the off-the-peg philosophy should attract buyers who need a no-nonsense middleweight chassis in a hurry.
"This is a change of direction for ERF to sell from stock," says Bryant, "and we've specced it as high as possible so that nobody would want anything else."
SPECIFICATION
MODEL: ERF EP 6.22 RD2.
UK GVW: 17 tonnes (18 tonnes from 1 January 1999). ENGINE: Cummins B215, Euro-2, 5.9-litre sixcylinder diesel. POWER: 2 12hp (158kW) 2,500rpm. TORQUE: 516Ibft (700Nm) @ 1,500rpm. CLUTCH: 350mm-diameter, single disc, airover-hydraulic assistance. GEARBOX: Eaton 5206A six-speed synchromesh unit; direct-drive top gear. DRIVE AXLE: Mentor (Rockwell) S106E with 4.65:1 differential; cliff-lock as standard. SUSPENSION: Parabolic leaf springs, hydraulic dampers and anti-roll bars on both axles.
BRAKES: Dual-circuit, air-actuated. Spring brakes on rear axle operate park brake. Asbestos-free linings, drive-axle load-sensing valve, standard engine exhaust brake. STEERING: ZF8098 Servocom with integral power assistance.
CHASSIS: Pressed-steel, all-bolted Frame,
315x80x6.5mm section.
WHEELS & TYRES: 295/80R 22.5in Goodyear tyres on steel 8.25x22.5 rims. ELECTRICS: 24V negative-earth-return, 55A alternator, 2x12V/120Ah batteries.
FUEL TANK: 230-litre steel rectangular tank, mounted on the offside.
CAB: Steel forward-control day cab. Tilts to 300 for service checks or 50° For major work. WARRANTY: 24 months on whole vehicle.
WEIGHTS & DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase 5 90m 6.30m
Front overhang
1.51m 151m
Rear overhang
2.70m 2.95m
Cab height
(unladen)
2.8 9m
2.89m
Turning circle
(theoretical) 11.5m 12.1m
PLATED WEIGHTS
Steer axle Drive axle GVW
UK
7.1 tonnes 11.5 tonnes 1 7.0 tonnes
Design
8.0 tonnes 11.5 tonnes 18.0 tonnes
UNLADEN WEIGHTS (Chassis-cab with Full tank, oil and water)
Wheelbase 5,900mm 6,300mm Front 3,700kg 3,700kg Rear 2,020kg 2,060kg Total 5,720kg 5,760kg
IMPRESSIONS
From ahead the EP cab's upward flare reveals a hint of an ancient Leyland pedigree, but few modern cabs will better it's gaping door entry or its sensible wideopen staircase that encourages you to leap in and out easily and safely. However, the sombre interi or, though practical enough, smacks of austerity from the black plastic trim and rubber floor mat to its '70s-style fascia, instrument panel and TMlike instrument panels and column control levers.
Stowage space is adequate for this class of truck and daily checks are easy to carry out. Most drivers will find the fully adjustable Grammer seat comfortable and the controls are well positioned, from the switches to the park brake lever behind the gearshifter. If you need to get aver to the nearside you can slither between the engine hump and centre binnacle. Driving visibility is well up to par and the EP is simple and easy to drive. Noise levels are a reasonable 60dB(A) at tickover and 72dB(A) at 80km/h in top (1,900rpm). Handling is good, largely because ERF changed the springing to suit UK conditions. The ride's pretty good
13 THINGS YOU
DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BMC
• BMC is part of Cukurova Holdings, whic is one of Turkey's biggest holding group with 95 companies in eight different sector! 24,000 employees and a gross turnover c £2.76bn a year.
A third of all trucks sold in Turkey over tonnes GVW carry the BMC logo.
• The company was founded in 1964 in lzmi to produce trucks, pickups, tiactors an engines under licence from Leyland an British Motor Corporation.
By 1976 the locally produced canter had grown from 35% to 90%—BMC is no) one of the largest automotive manufactur ers in Turkey.
The 200,000m2 factory is 11km fror Izmir and includes a foundry that make engines, gearboxes, axles, steering compc nents and brake discs which are use throughout the Turkish industry.
• BMC's engine division can build up t 22,000 units a year—its chassis and bod division has a 21,500-vehicle capacity, usin assembly lines with ISO 9000 certification.
• The company offers a huge range of car struction, municipal, military and genera haulage vehicles as well as personnel carrier: Its defence industry products carry AQAP1 IC In 1983 BMC signed a licensing agreemer with Volvo Truck Corporation; two years laic it began building Cummins engines befor developing its own turbo-diesels.
• The Yavuz and Fatih truck ranges marke the start of serious exporting.
o BMC's Professional truck range too eight years and £75m to develop—it is no, sold or assembled under licence in mar than 50 countries.
• BMC's biggest step towards internatiom recognition was to exhibit a Professional 82 6x4 rigid with its distinctive upswept cab c the 1996 Hanover Truck Show.
Before setting up its joint venture wit ERF the company planned to win UK Typ Approval for its Cummins-engined two an three-axled Professionals as a prelude t setting up a dealer network and sellin them to UK operators.
• Once BMC's Izmir plant starts buildin Euro-2 Cummins engines on line they will als be supplied from Turkey.