El ressed to impress Daf's new CF and LF have
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been given an impressive face-lift but it comes at a price DAF TRUCKS' 21-year-old CF cab has been subjected to another face-lift and will take the manufacturer's popular fleet tractor and heavy rigid chassis into Euro-6 next year. Similarly, the new Euro-6 version of the LF, Daf's lighter range, will continue to use the same French-made cab sourced from Renault Truck for the past 12 years. New frontal styling, which allows more cooling air to the radiator, skillfully disguises the cabs' age and gives both the CF and LF a strong family resemblance to the big XF tractor unit, which underwent a face-lift for Euro-6 last year.
Getting closer to the XF Both CF and LF ranges have new chassis, designed to accommodate their Euro-6 engines, much bigger radiators and new component layouts that create room for exhaust after-treatment systems. The CF range shares its chassis with the XF, with its main rails flaring outwards at the front to accommodate a wider radiator and new front axle, with a wider track to suit the 2.55m-width limit. The standard suspension is two-leaf parabolic and paired with 315/70 R22.5 tyres instead of 295/80s, which uprates the front axle plated capacity to deal with the additional weight of the Euro-6 emissions kit. Despite trimming 100kg by means of a new drive-axle and rear suspension, Daf said a Euro-6 CF 4x2 tractor weighs about 140kg more than the equivalent Euro-5 CF85.
However, specifying the new 10.8-litre MX-11 engine (CM 21 March) rather than the 12.9-litre MX-13 saves about 180kg, so operators prepared to downsize the engine -_can shed a little weight. There is scope for more weight saving if operators opt for the lighter single-leaf front suspension and stay with 295/80 R22.5 tyres. The twin-overhead camshaft, common-rail MX-11, which replaces the 9.2-litre PR and the lower end of the current MX engine, covers five nominal ratings (290hp, 330hp, 370hp, 400hp and 440hp) and Daf expects about 85% of UK CF buyers to choose it rather than the MX-13. Daf said operators will be rewarded by fuel economy that is up to 3% better than the MX-13's. Those preferring the bigger engine can choose one of three nominal ratings in the CF: 410hp, 460hp and 510hp.
The manufacturer has dropped the 45, 55, 65, 75 and 85 suffixes for the LF and CF ranges; all are now simply either LF or CE denominated only by their engine power ratings. Smaller CF models, such as twoand three-axle rigids, are also available with the 6.7-litre PX-7 engine. Gearbox options are unchanged — either ZF AS-Tronic automated boxes with 6, 12 or 16 ratios, or manual boxes with 6, 9, 12 or 16 ratios — but the manual boxes now have a cable rather than a mechanical linkage, reducing noise transmitted into the cab.
Inside, the CF's dashboard is essentially unchanged but switch-gear, instruments and the steering wheel have been upgraded and are now the same as those in the new XF.
The focal point of the instrument panel is a central Sin colour screen featuring Daf's Driver Performance Assistant system, giving fueleconomy coaching feedback on anticipation, braking and gear-shifting.
The new LF The LF range, covering the 7.5to 18-tonne GVVV rigid sector, is equipped with the new Euro-6 Cummins-supplied ISB engines, described as Paccar PX-5 and PX-7 by Daf. The four-cylinder, 4.5-litre PX-5 engine has three nominal ratings (150hp, 180hp and 210hp); there are four ratings (220hp, 250hp, 280hp and 310hp) of the six-cylinder, 6.7-litre PX-7 LF drivers get a completely new dashboard, once again featuring the same central information display screen as the XF. The other major change in the LF cab is moving the gear-lever from the floor to the dashboard, with cable operation used here too. There are also new seats and a different steering wheel.
The additional weight of the Euro-6 emissions kit means that lighter LF models will be about 100kg heavier than Euro-5 equivalents, while an 18-tonne LF will be about 150kg heavier. The disc brakes have been upgraded to electronic control (EBS), with vehicle stability control available as an optional extra. Other options include cornering lights set beneath the new galvanised steel bumper. Even LED headlamps, just like the XF's, are on the option list, but only for the CF, not the LE Daf is looking for a price increase of about 12% for the heaviest CF models — about £8,500 on a typical 6x2 tractor — rising to 17% on lighter LF models. "That's how much we need to recover the development costs and to pay for installing new equipment to assemble them," said Daf Trucks UK MD Ray Ashworth. If the market baulks at this increase, Ashworth said Daf is prepared to sacrifice a little market share — currently 27% — in return for a better margin. The bitter pill of this steep price increase is sweetened by Daf's inclusion of a three-year driveline warranty on all Euro-6 models; CF and XF models also have a two-year repair and maintenance contract as standard. Production of both ranges will start in November. • A This page, clockwise from top left: the new Daf CF's dashboard and interior, and the new Daf LF Opposite page: the new CF comes with a 10.8or 12.9-litre engine