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TS A IfNER
Page 39
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Page 41
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CM is delighted to present a full test of the brand new International Truck of the Year. The European judges wen certainly impressed, but does the Mercedes-Benz Actros hold the same appeal for CM's hard-bitten road testers?
Since the Actros made its debut in 1996 it has earned a more mixed reputation than any other truck we can think of. On the one hand it has attracted a loyal following as a high quality product befitting the threepointed star on the grille, both in the highspec-fleet and long-distance sectors.
But a significant part of the road transport world finds it hard to forget that the early Actros had reliability issues — not least because it pioneered the advanced electronics that even the most Luddite manufacturer now takes for granted.
Time moves on, and the relatively recent Axor, firmly targeted at the fleet market. has given Mercedes the opportunity to reposition the second-generation Actros as a premium product incorporating the sort of specification that not every operator needs, wants or is prepared to pay for.
Major changes include upgraded engines with 10% more torque across the range,a revised chassis and an all-new cab interior.
One of the key features of the new Actros chassis is the air tank position, between the chassis rails behind the axles.'This certainly tidies things up and creates space between the axles for fuel tanks or other equipment such as hydraulic gear. In this case the Actros comes with a pair of S&B alloy tanks with built-in steps and a combined volume of 735 litres — a respectable capacity for a 6x2.
ON THE ROAD The most noticeable feature of the Actros driving experience,unless you go for the fullauto, is the Telligent gearshift,so it's worthy of a few words to those not familiar with it, Essentially, this is a latter-day pre-selector system. Its controls are located atop the folding armrest on the driving seat. The stubby main lever moves forward for upshifts and back for down; the actual scope of the change being whatever the system decides is most appropriate.
There are two buttons on the edges of this lever; the left selects neutral while the right is a safety interlock. In front of the main lever is the horizontal splitter paddle — press down to change down.'This actually gives more positive control over shifts. as each click of the paddle gives a half gear, unless this would over-rev the engine.
Whichever method you use, your chosen gear is effectively stored.or pre-selected, electronically until the clutch is depressed and the change initiated. But unlike the Wilson pre-selector that some of our more mature Pio readers may recall,the chosen gear stays in the system's memory for only 10 seconds.
The biggest initial problem for a driver used to more conventional set-ups, manual or automated, is that the clutch part of the process needs to be given time to do its own thing. The pedal has to be fully depressed, and kept depressed until a relay clicks its approval, then for a moment longer.
Laziness and hastiness are treated just the same, with an audible warning and no gear selected. However.Telligent now administers its rollockings by way of a buzzer instead of the old clacking relay Negotiating obstacles such as roundabouts demands the right technique. Having slowed down sufficiently, when ready to go just come off the brakes. declutch and pull the lever back — the correct gear for moving away will be selected for you.'This takes a few seconds but you soon learn to anticipate.
The hill-hold feature, now standard across the range, does what it promises. During a short halt at a junction or whatever. as long as the dash switch is on, it holds the brakes on until the clutch and throttle move to commence the restart. It's a surprisingly useful feature, especially in traffic.
With its newly pumped up torque output the 460 engine would be happy to lug down, but the lighting up of the green economy band encourages you to keep it econornical.This, the biggest of the V6-engined Actros range, exhibits a pleasantly gruff tone when working hard. The cruise control is more than usually user-friendly, as it stays engaged during gear changes and check braking.The fact that it is engaged is usually confirmed by the info display on the dash, but for most of our journey this was over-ridden by a spurious warning of a blown bulb on the trailer.
Also linked to the cruise control, the twostage constant-throttle engine brake engages automatically at 4mph over set cruise speed.
With electronically controlled discs all round the braking is everything you would expect.The ride is smooth and well controlled, even on the unsprung passenger seat, while the handling demonstrates no ill effects from the non-steering second axle, turning in accurately as required.
PRODUCTIVITY
Being the first 44-tonner to attempt CM's newly revised Scottish route, the Actros takes the lead in the economy stakes by default. However, while the shorter route bypasses some of the toughest bits of the A68, the Actros is still pipped by two out of the three 400hp-plus 44-tonners to tackle the old route — figures confirmed by the results over the common sections of the old and new routes.
Telling,ly,perhaps,theERF and Scania were rated at 420hp.indicating that this may be the optimum rating for 44tonnes,while the Volvo 460 was just adrift of the Merc. lithe Actros doesn't take the major silverware for economy its acceleration figures are unbeaten at 44 tonnes: surprisingly so,given the pedestrian feeling invoked by the Telligent change. It matched the 460 Volvo on the tough Castleside climb but the tables were turned up the relatively gentle motorway drags on the M18 and Ml.
The Actros's kerbweight of 8,665kg looks a tad heavy until you realise that it includes 735 litres of fuel, some 300 litres more than we would usually expect.
CAB COMFORT
Of all the changes made to the Actros. the greatest are those to the cab. Not that there was a huge amount wrong with the old one, although the person responsible for some aspects of the decor has presumably been reassigned to something less challenging.
This time around, the result is rather more successful.There's extensive use of 'soft' car-quality plastics and a much more tasteful grey velour trim — even the dark wood-effect is reasonably subtly done. It's all much better co-ordinated than before, although we still spotted the odd styling mistake, like the ashtray which is a different colour and texture to its surround. Minor stuff, of course, but if a job's worth doing. etc.
Compared with Daf, which probably still has the best trimmed cabs on the market, the Actros offering, while different, is now close enough that the verdict is down to individual taste. Observers may be slightly puzzled by the proliferation of what seems to be tiny blue fairy lights throughout the cab. Apparently this produces an ambient glow well suited to driving in the dark, although our test schedule didn't present the opportunity to try it for ourselves.
The folding passenger seat fitted to our test truck is one of three options, and seems the best from a resident's point of view In conjunction with the folding arm-rest on the driving seat (which, you will recall,takes the gear change with it), the ease of movement it provides around the flat floor cab is commendable.
The smoothly curved wrap-round dash has gauges for road and engine speed flanking the information display panel. Secondary gauges only monitor fuel and air contents, all other functions coming via the info display.
The expected switchgear in the central area includes controls for the hill-hold feature. traction control over-ride, dift-lock and two for axle lift, including one for a quick dump for traction. One unusual aspect of the switches is that they are housed in modular blocks which can be relocated by M-B workshops to suit individual tastes. The dash also includes an alarm clock, with a choice of radio or buzzer, and the control panel for the night heater, which is fully integrated using the main heater vents. Aircon was an option on our Long Distance but comes as standard on the Executivelhere's a cigar lighter in the ashtray and two more power points around the dash.
The steering column and stalks are unchanged from the previous Actros. although the column is now topped by a multi-function steering wheel controlling radio/CD player, trip computer/information display and integrated mobile phone. when fitted.
The latest incarnation of the MegaSpace cab definitely justifies the name. M-B claims 200% more storage space: whatever the figures there's certainly very little of that precious commodity wasted. Above the screen are three large lidded and carpettrimmed bins at the top level with two more below; the right hand end accommodates the standard radio/CD player and tachograph, as well as the assorted switches for interior lighting and roof hatch.
In the centre of the dash is a drawer which is just right for tacho charts, specs and the like with double-decker shelves each side. those on the left being deep enough to swallow A4 folders whole. The dash is topped by a telly-sized flat area.
Two large drawers live beneath the central bunk area.the top one incorporating a popout table and removable bin,while the lower one can be refrigerated, Beneath the ends of the bunk area is yet more storage: two lower lockers for tools and wet kit. topped by two more with both internal and external access. Each end of the bunk has loads of oddment space, although there is no hanging space for the more sartorially aware driver.
Drivers with painful memories of the old three-piece mattress should be soothed by the new offerings.The lower bunk has an interior sprung mattress which is approved by the German AGR Spinal Health Campaign,as indeed are all seats and bunks:The upper bunk is even wider than the lower and has a unique design with support from adjustable "palms suspended on rows of slats.
Access upstairs is helped by the steps that foldout of the lower dash and a grab rail in the aperture for the electric steel roof hatch. A quick-release net between the seats retains luggage in the daytime and sleepers at night. The black screen curtains seem sufficiently opaque: cross-cab curtains are provided for but apparently are rarely specified. •