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Pic k o f t h e cro p The past year has seen Commercial
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Motor get to grips with a more diverse group of vehicles than ever before. With 35 vehicles given the full test treatment, and many dozens more driven, we have continued to give the most in-depth coverage in the UK. Our programme of testing real trucks that you can actually buy off a used dealer's forecourt has also gathered strength, so much so that we created separate categories for used rigids and tractors.
Some of our test categories have seen unusual trends, a reflection of what the manufacturers have been able to make available. We've made just five trips around our Scottish route in full-sized artics, and didn't get to test a single new tipper. By contrast, the distribution rigid sector has been so busy that we've had to split them at 7.5 tonnes. Some, such as the Scania 6x2 26-tonner, marked the first test at that weight for many years. Our test group also included an industry first, as a lot of effort ensured we got to exclusively test an Iveco Cargo equipped with Allison's latest medium-duty full-auto transmission. In the van categories, another varied mixture has seen us trying to compare apples with pears.
Now that engines have settled down to their latest cleaner emissions standards, the most obviously developing trend is to look after the diminishing band of heroes prepared to drive commercial vehicles for a living, and long may it continue. You can count on Commercial Motor's testers to be by your side!