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MEE AXOR 1840LS ! PRICE AS TESTED: £48,266 (ex-VAT)*. ENGINE: 12
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litres, 396hp (295kW). GCW: 40 tonnes. PAYLOAD: 26.1 tonnes. AVERAGE SPEED: 72.6km/h. AVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.93mpg (35.61t/100km).
* Includes basic chassis-cab. 144,620: air kit (including side skirts), /1,873; metallic paint,I1,300; and Jost sliding fifth wheel, £470.
The Mercedes-Benz Axor is obviously a product of the German truck industry, but it is also very much a product for the UK transport industry. Created to plug a large gap in M-B's tractive unit line-up, the Axor draws on both ends of the range and both sides of the Atlantic for its content. So what's the result: fish, fowl, or just a feathered flounder? We've got the answer. ime was, if you wanted a Mercedes-Benz tractor you could have a top-weight Actros or a lightweight Atego. Mind you, the Atego has obvious limitations for maximum-weight operation, while the Actros, well, you make your own excuses. Many potential customers have done just that—the electronics are too complicated... you can only have it with a V6 or V8... or maybe it's just that the seats are too colourful.
Whatever the excuse, and however unjust it may be, the fact is that the Actros has never made the inroads into UK fleet operations that it probably deserved.
But now, with arrival of the Axor, DaimlerChrysler finally has a weapon to aim at the UK fleet volume market, leaving the zoo; Actros as a more-high-tech-thanever flagship. The Axor is also available in France and Germany, but at its launch the factory took pains to point out that it was developed with the British fleet market in mind. The UK is expected to account for a good third of all Axor sales.
PRODUCT PROFILE
The Axor, then... a parts bin special with an Atego cab plonked on an Actros chassis powered by an engine from M-B's Brazilian outpost? An accurate, if cynical and over-simplified view; but the Axor's total is greater than the sum of its parts.
The engine, in particular, best known for powering relatively basic M-B, Freightliner and Sterling products on both sides of the Panama canal, is more sophisticated than its humble roots might suggest. Although the cylinder block and conrods are made in Brazil, the 0M457LA straight-six is built at Mannheim. It's been re-developed for the European market—four-valve heads, pistons, camshaft and electronically controlled unit pump injection are all European-specificand it's designed to produce higher-than-average torque outputs.
Keeping it simple, the standard transmission is a double-H nine-speed manual, and the brakes are non-EBS discs, although ECAS is specified for the rear suspension.
Unlike many test vehicles our Axor was built to a bog-standard fleet spec (except a coat of photogenic metallic paint, Jost s ing fifth wheel and full aerodynamic kit). the way, could the roof spoiler be called Axor blade? Sorry...
The Axor line-up is refreshingly sirni you can have a 3,600mm-wheelbase 4x.2 tor or a 6x2 with a 3,9oomm OAS, wit choice of 35o, 400 or 43ohp. The low-roof sleeper cab comes as standard with the opt of a high-roof version. Other principal °pti. include the r6-speed Telligent pre-select gi box and a range of PTO and fuel tank choil And there's no truth in rumours t Mercedes is planning a tractor for 32-101 operation, and calling it the Junior Axor.
PRODUCTIVITY
A glance at our comparison table revt what appears to be an inconsistency, as Axor's overall fuel result is slightly below two most recently tested 40-tonners, whilt section-by-section figures are noticeably I ter! The explanation is that the section figu are taken on the tough third day of Scottish test route, and the Axor fared] well on the relatively easy first two days. overall figure of a fraction under &nil respectable by any standard.
Whatever the going, the Axor mana some impressive journey times; its aver speeds belying its sub-rohp/tonne power weight ratio. There was nothing betw, Birmingham and Glasgow to trouble Axor's gearbox—even Beattock was takei top, willingly lugging down to 85orpn the steepest point.
The Axor's bare weight of less than tonnes is fattened up nearly half a tonne of f aero kit and driver, but its payload with a 7.o-to) trailer remains on the ri side of 26 tonnes. Payl famished operators cc improve on this by fitt alloy wheels and air tanks a smaller fuel tank.
One intriguing fact to cc out of preparing our comr son tables is the way the ti views the residual value oft tors below a badged 42c After both three and five ye CAP predicts that a Rem Premium 420 will be vv( over three grand more than German pair, even though
ault's actual output is just 4o6hp. bviously the market is taking a rather plistic approach, but it's something to ware of, given that a Axor 1843 costs under £2,700 more than the 1840. outine maintenance points are easily hed, with the washer bottle filler in the rsicle step and oil and coolant fillers nd the front grille. Access to the suzies a non-slip steps in the right-hand side through the opening air deflector el. The bumper includes a fold-down for screen cleaning, helped a couple of dy grab handles, while another step and number plate hide the towing pintle.
K Axor users are unlikely to venture .ss the Channel, which is just as well as prominent roof-mounted air intake turn looks vulnerable if driven on the rig side of the road.
initially felt that when the going got ;h, the extra ratios of the optional i6 'der would have been beneficial, but policy of letting the torquey engine lug n paid dividends in fuel consumption. e view ahead showed a downshift to be sable the Axor would willingly do its stuff a 830rpm. In fact the engine displayed arkable pulling power throughout our behind the wheel.
he "power-away" system works well up to >int. but once any significant slope is dved the electronics benefit from a judis boot on the accelerator pedal. Getting right balance between stalling and kangang takes a bit of familiarity.
:le nine-speed gearbox is precise but s a firm effort to move (getting reverse is a hefty shove on occasion too); the i-across' range-change is positive with no lency to bounce back.
!sting the Axor's hill restart and park :e abilities was restricted by the trailer's under-run bar grounding on the roach to the test hills, so its actual perforice will be better than recorded. The twoe engine brake system (constant throttle :e initially, then joined by an exhaust buty) is quiet in operation but doesn't really :e a huge contribution on serious ents, even at higher revs.
le brake pedal displayed a disconcerting ■ unt of travel during the test track emer:y stop tests but the end results were impressive-and in normal use the pedal travel assumed more normal proportions. Even under normal braking cab nod is quite noticeable, becoming pretty dramatic in a panic stop.
The ride is definitely towards the firmer end of the scale, but only the worst road imperfections are transmitted to the driver. The up-side of that firm suspension is excellent handling and responsive steering.
CAB conironT
Because of the cooling requirements of the upright six-cylinder engine the cab sits one step higher than it does in the Atego, but as the three steps sit proud of the cab side, access is easy. The Axor cab certainly contains elements of both Actros and Atego, but there are enough unique features to give it a subtly distinctive identity of its own.
The cab might be narrow on the outside but it's still plenty wide enough on the inside. A well-specced air-suspended Isringhausen driver's seat has integral belts and includes adjustment of the cushion and backrest angle, height and cushion length; it also takes account of the driver's weight. With its grey/blue cloth trim, the seating would be fine in any comfortable can If the Axor's soft furnishings are a little on the plush side for a fleet truck, at floor level things are more utilitarian, with a hose-clean
D floor covering that is commendably free of corners to trap dirt. The engine hump houses a plinth for the park brake, a 12,V DIN socket and electric adjustment of the thermostatically controlled heated mirrors, next to a usefid multi-compartment oddments tray which is also easy to clean (but allows hard objects to rattle annoyingly).
The instrument panel displays engine and road speed, brake and suspension air pressure and fuel tank contents. Coolant temperature, among many other functions, is integrated into the multi-function information display system. The instruments are generally a model of clarity but if you drive at night, you'll have to think metric, as the speedometer's mph marking are invisible in the dark.
The steering column has a self-locking tiltand-reach mechanism. The right stalk accommodates the two-position engine brake and cruise control; lights, wipers and horn are on the busy left stalk.
A panel on top of the central dash forms a document/clipboard slot and hinges back to create a useful table top, while a pair of shallow shelves and spare DIN audio housings live above the screen. The secondary switch panel on the dash includes controls for the electric windows, diff-lock, work light and 1.2./24V power socket selection. Kienzle made the interim model tachograph but the RDS radio-cassette player is pure Mercedes.
Oddment storage at the front of the cab is provided by a small glove box, ashtray and cupholder, with a device which could be used as a small bin or flower vase, depending on your personal tastes and habits.
The single bunk has a pleasantly firm mattress and a folding safety rail, with a net hammock above to hold bulky items. There's plenty of space for one, although it can be a bit claustrophobic if the hammock is full, and the curtains are a little on the thin side.
Equipment includes a swivelling reading light and a remote switch for the standard Webasto night heater. There is plenty of storage space in four compartments beneath the bunk, with a further small externally accessed locker in the left wheelarch for wet or dirty kit.
SUMMARY
The Axor was either going to be the be both worlds, or neither one thing or anoi Fortunately for DaimlerChrysler's UK at tions it falls more into the former camp productivity and performance results az there with the best of the sector, while its f biased specification proves that simple dm have to mean spartan.
With a genuine identity of its own, the knows where it's going. and in doing sole the way clear for the Actros to go its c more glamorous way too.
It's not often that we reach the end test and suggest you don't buy the sub. but in this case we will. Don't buy an 1840—buy an Axor 1843 instead, and c; the residual value system.
And even if you're leasing, the figures probably talk for themselves anyway now what's your excuse?
• by Coln Smelt