MAN rings the changes
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• MAN is using next month's Hanover Show to unveil a host of new developments for its truck range. The highlights are an experimental city truck, disc brakes for high-power tractors, and a four-wheel-drive version of the UXT underfloor midengined tractive unit.
With Mercedes-Benz displaying its glimpse of the future with the EXT-92 heavy truck, MAN's response is the SLW 2000 7.5-tonner.
The prototype has frontwheel drive, a horizontal fourcylinder engine, four-wheel steering and hydro-pneumatic suspension with a raise/lower capability, all housed in a compact, aerodynamic body.
Reality
Closer to production reality, however, are the Lucas/Girling air-actuated disc brakes which MAN is introducing on the front axle of its high-power F90 19.502 tractor. The discs, similar to those used by Renault on the AE and R ranges, will initially be restricted to the .502 model, but MAN engineering chief Dr Klaus Schubert has hinted that disc brakes will eventually supersede drums across the range, especially on the front axle. He will not comment on possible introduction dates, however.
On the engine front MAN is now building two versions with the option of Bosch's Electronic Diesel Control (EDC): the 10litre five produces 235kW (315hp), and the 12-litre six 309kW (414hp).
Other engines will get EDC on a stage-by-stage basis.
Ratings
MAN can now offer all main ratings of its engine family in Euro-1 low-emission form.
The familiar UXT experimental tractive unit with an underfloor engine has undergone a further stage of development and now incorporates four-wheel drive. With substantially improved traction claimed for the new layout, the UXT is headed for extensive field trials, with series production provisionally scheduled for 1994.
Field trials are also going on with the HS semi-automatic gearshift, which combines the fingertip selection of ZF's latest Ecosplit 3 transmission with a Fichtel & Sachs' automatic clutch.
Other items destined for
MAN's Hanover stand include the new 198kW (266hp) rating of the 6.9-litre engine, and tractive units with front air suspension (both shown in Amsterdam — CM13-19 February), and the composite spring for doubledrive tipper bogies (seen at Geneva — CM23-29 January). El Full Scandinavian driving impressions of the UXT 4x4 tractor will be in next week's issue.
• MAN is bringing its multiwheeler range back into line with its other F90 heavy trucks by replacing the existing engines with a pair of more powerful units from the ECO family.
The new 8x4s, which wilt be on display for the first time at next week's Tipcon show, are also designed to be able to take advantage of the new 32-tonne GVW on offer for eight-leggers from next January.
The two new models, which as before are available with a choice of three wheelbases, are badged 32.322VF and 32.372VF. They take over from the current 30.262/30.292/ 30.332 trio.
As in the ECO tractive unit range, the mainstream 32.322VF model makes use of the most powerful version of MAN's charge-cooled 10-litre five pot, giving 235kW (315hp) at 2,000rpm and 1,370Nm (1,0111bft) of torque between 1,000 and 1,500rpm.
For tippermen who need more go, the 32.372VF gets a 12-litre six rated at 272kW (365hp) and producing 1,520Nm (1,122Ibft) of torque between 1,200 and 1,400rpm, making this 8x4 one of the more powerful chassis on the market, On both models the driveline combines Fuller's RTO 11613 13-speed constant-mesh gearbox with MAN's own hub-reduction tandem drive-axles,
Despite the potential of 32tonne operation, chassis changes are compara
tively modest, with most of the modifications confined to the springing: new four-leaf parabolic springs are used on the front axles, with a heavy-duty 11-leaf suspension at the rear (a lighter sevenleaf design is optional).
The frontbogie is uprated to 14.2 tonnes in anticipation of the 32-tonne GVW, although with the standard 11R 22.5 tyres it is plated at 12.6 tonnes. The longer 5.1m and 5.8m wheelbases have the outer-axle spread required by the higher GVW regulations. The MAN chassis remains fairly heavy, however: the kerbweight for the 32.322VF chassis-cab is expected to be over 9.2 tonnes.