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Eurocargo goes Euro-6

5th December 2013
Page 7
Page 7, 5th December 2013 — Eurocargo goes Euro-6
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By David Wilcox

THE LATEST chapter in the 22-year history of Iveco's Eurocargo opened last week with the unveiling of the Euro-6 model. This is no Stralis-style facelift: the new Eurocargo looks the same as Euro-5 models, inside and out — we guess that it will be another year or two before they are refreshed. For now, the focus is on engines and a new transmission option.

The fourand six-cylinder Tector engines have gained extra swept volume, taking them from 3.9 litres to 4.5 litres and from 5.9 litres to 6.7 litres respectively. Iveco UK product director Martin Flach — formerly chief engineer for Eurocargo in Turin — described this as "right-sizing': Cummins, Iveco's partner in the former European Engine Alliance that jointly developed ISBe and Tector engines in the late 1990s, enlarged its ISBe engines in 2005 for Euro-4. Now, in terms of engine swept volume, Eurocargo is at last back on equal terms with its key UK rival, Daf's LF, which uses the Cummins engines.

But the similarities stop there, with Tector employing Iveco's patented SCR-only NOxreduction system instead of the alternative EGR plus SCR strategy. "We get the same result with one system rather than two," said Flach, adding that no EGR means Euro-6 Eurocargos are just 70kg heavier than Euro-5 models (about half the weight penalty of most rivals). In some respects, Tector is more conservative than Cummins/Daf equivalents. They use variable geometry turbocharging, whereas Tectors have simpler fixed geometry turbos; Cummins runs its common-rail at up to 1,800 bar whereas Tector has a maximum of 1,600 bar.

The most popular version of the four-cylinder Tector (now called Tector 5) for 7.5-tonners has the same 160hp rating as at Euro-5 but torque is up from 530Nm to 580Nm. The rated speed of all four-cylinder Tectors has been cut from 2,700rpm to 2,500rpm. Euro-5 four-cylinder Tectors stopped at 180hp/610Nm, but the new one goes to 210hp/750Nm. This is particularly appropriate for 12-tonners, saving 120kg by avoiding the need to move up to the six-cylinder Tector 7 engine. Iveco claims the 210hp Tector 5 is 4.5% more economical than Euro-5's 220hp six-cylinder engine. Lots of choice for operators The Tector 5 engine powers Eurocargos from 7-tonne to 16-tonne GVVV; Tector 7 is offered in models from 12-tonne to 18-tonne GVVV, plus the two 4x4 models (11.5-tonne and 15-tonne GVVV). The six-cylinder engine's nominal ratings of 220hp, 250hp and 280hp ratings are carried over from Euro-5. The 320hp/1,100Nm range-topper is new, replacing Euro-5's 300hp/1,050Nm. Gearboxes also carried over from Euro-5 are 5-, 6and 9-speed manuals from ZF, the 6-speed automated ZF AS-Tronic lite and Allison's 5-speed full automatic. The new transmission option is ZF's 12-speed AS-Tronic, dubbed Eurotronic by Iveco, available on any Eurocargo 4x2 with Tector 7 Flach floated the idea that a 320hp, 18-tonne GVVV Eurocargo with 12-speed Eurotronic would be "an interesting proposition for customers normally specifying heavier-duty chassis cabs" on the basis that it has "a more favourable performance/price ratio':

The range of drive-axle ratios is unchanged but Iveco may adopt a slightly longer ratio as standard in some models to take advantage of more torque. Fuel consumption at Euro-6 is claimed to be the same as Euro-5 on average (although this varies according to duty cycle, with Euro-6 motorway economy 2% better).

Electronic stability control becomes mandatory on new trucks in November 2014, so Iveco is already fitting its Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control on Eurocargo from 12-tonne GVVV and above as standard, and as an option on lighter models. A DAB radio/CD/MP3 player with Bluetooth for hands-free phone operation is standard on all models. "We were conscious that the gap between list price and transaction price was too much," said Flach, explaining why Euro-6 Eurocargo prices are lower than Euro-5's, whereas transaction prices are likely to be £3,000-£5,000 more. Iveco expects to have the first 30 to 40 new models in the UK by the year-end. •


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