Price as tested: £73,210 (ex-VAT): includes Neville CharroId aluminium tipper
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body, Edbro tipping gear and vertical exhaust stack. Engine: 9.97 litres, 235kW (318hp). Tested GVW: 30.49 tonnes. Body/payload: 21.38 tonnes.
Overall speed: 67.3km/h (41.7mph).
Overall fuel consumption: 36.91it/100km (7.66mpg).
It was at TipCon in May that MAN chose to unveil its ECO-engined range of highpower eight-leggers to the tipping fraternity. The news that day was that the old 8x4 line-up,comprising the five-cylinder 30.262 and six-cylinder 30.292 and 30.332, were on their way out.
Enter the five-cylinder 32.322 and six-pot 32.372 with bags more power and torque, all ready for the revised 32-tonne weight limit due next year. This high-powered pair will take the Munich truck maker's four-axle range well into the middle nineties and for that reason we were keen to get our hands on one for test.
After waiting for MAN Truck and Bus UK to find one for us we finally called up T Tulip & Sons of Heddon on the Wall near Newcastle. The family-run firm's new 32.322 took pride of place on the MAN stand at Harrogate so who better to ask to borrow one for test? The reply was yes, and we're grateful to the sons Tom and Malcolm, transport manager "Watty" Watkins and the truck's regular driver Keith Simpson for all their help.
Our test of Tulip's 32.322, at the current 30.49 tonne four-axle rigid weight limit, follows neatly on from last year test of the old five-cylinder 30.262 (CM 13-19 June 1991), also borrowed from an operator. We summed up that machine with the words: "This four-axle tipper is not the sort of wagon that breaks records, but it is a rugged, dependable eightlegger that offers useful performance at a competitive price." And that statement became our target to beat.
• PRODUCT PROFILE
By trimming its 8x4 range to just two models MAN Truck and Bus UK has clearly defined its own market place. While it's anybody's guess as to who wants, or even needs, the 276kW (370hp) found in the 12-litre 32.372, the smaller capacity 32.322 should find a home among the traditional small fleet buyers who don't want that much power.
When the ECO-MAN tippers were first shown at Harrogate they were pretty "Green". However, more changes have now been made to their fuel injection timing, fuel pumps and turbochargers to ensure they meet the forthcoming Euro-1 emissions legislation.
Meanwhile Tulip's tipper has the same power and torque as its Euro-1 successor; all that differs is the shape of the latter's power and torque curves which are not detectable on the road although specific fuel consumption has risen on Euro-1 versions.
With new weight limits applying from January there have also been some minor changes to the spec of the 32.322 tested here. These include the use of 295/80 R22.5 tyres on the front bogie to handle the heavier front end loading resulting from the new rear bogie limits. However, the rear tyres remain unchanged at 11R R22.5.
Changes to weight and emissions aside the most notable feature of the 32.322 remains its distinctive five-cylinder engine. The 10-litre D2865LF lump produces 235kW (318hp) at 2,000rpm and 1,370Nm(1,0101bft) of torque from 1,100 to 1,500rpm. For the number crunchers that represents a rise in both power and torque over the old 30.262 of 24%. Its long and flat torque curve is characteristic of all the engines in MAN's ECO diesel stable which, on paper at least, suggests a forgiving nature by adding flexibility at low and medium engine speeds.