DAF 95XF 530
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IPRICE AS TESTED: £98,460 (ex-VAT)*. ENGINE: 12.6 litres, 530hp (390kW). GCW: 41.0 tonnes. PAYLOAD: 25.4 tonnes. AVERAGE SPEED: 747km/h ( 46.4mph). AVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION (laden): 7.51mpg (37.6 lit/100km). *525-litre aluminium tank. 1130: Speedline aluminium wheels, £1.680; lifting second steer axle. /3.560; full air management kit, 11,040: cruise control, 1110.
When a manufacturer paints one of its trucks in a bright colour we tend to expect a boost in performance; otherwise it's all show and no go. The top-of the-range Daf 95XF 530 with its new XE Euro-3 530hp engine is certainly bright enough and Daf is certainly proud of it. So they've talked the talk— but can this uprated flagship walk the walk? n
esting the 6x2, Daf 95XF 530 with the Super Space Cab is something of a treat for CM—but wait, what's this? Rumour has it that the 6x2 has already had its day and will be eclipsed by the 412's renaissance. Truck dealers are predicting that in the coming year many operators will be moving away from three-axle tractors and back to 4125, encouraged by the government's latest tax incentives and revamped VED rates.
But for now, at least, The driver's daily checks are particularly easy to do. three-axle rigs rule the roost.
Latest sales figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders suggest a five-totwo sales ratio in their favour, and the new 44tonne limit should consolidate this demand. A good thing too, because the orange-liveried 6x2 Daf 95XF 530 Super Space Cab certainly deserves a wide audience.
We were also keen to test another Euro-3 engine, especially following the good results achieved by Scania's Euro-3 6152 164.580 (CM 5-11 Oct 2000). Daf has developed solid, hardworking products right up to the very orange 53ohp Super Space Cab, and it still has the new CF range waiting in the wings.
The 95 has been Oaf's flagship motor for sorne years now. The mid-lift 6x2 conies with the 52.6-litre XE 530 engine delivering 5,733Nrn of torque across its green band (L000-i,5oorpm)—and it's ready for Euro-3.
Many manufacturers are starting to include Euro-3 engines in their line-ups; Iveco has taken the lead with an all-Euro-3 range for
2001.
The engine weighs 450kg less than its 14litre EUTO-2. Cummins predecessor, and it makes 24-valve technology available up to 53ohp. Daf says its extra torque makes for fewer gearshifts and better fuel economy; a claim we were looking forward to testing on the hilly A68 section of our Scottish test route. This version of the straight-six turbodiesel produces its maximum power at 5,900rpm; its 430 and 480 stablemates peak out at 2,00orpm.
Once again the familiar name of ZF appears on the spec sheet, with this Daf relying on the same 16-speed synchromesh gearbox as MAN's TG-A. It comes with overdrive and the very efficient Daf Engine Brake (DEB) as standard. Our test truck also sported the optional cruise control which adds a modest
filo to the bottom line.
A number of other options are available for the 12.6-litre engine at 43ohp and 48ohp; tractor choices run to a 4x2, 6X2S with twinsteer or tag axles and a 6x4, with 4x2 and 6x2 rigids for drawbar applications.
PRODUCTIVITY
Dais flagship romped over the demanding hills of the A68, as you'd expect with 53ohp on tap, and it was remarkably thrifty with an overall fuel consumption figure of 7.5impg. This beat Scania's Euro-3 652 RI64 580, which returned 7.46mpg, and Volvo's Euro-2 6x2 F Hi2 460 at 7.33mpg. Likewise, MAN's Euro-2 TG-A 460 FLT XXL did even better with 7.mpg, but that was a 46 ohp 452 running a tonne lighter than the Daf.
A number of factors will have affected the Dais fuel returns. As we travelled north during the first two days of the test strong wind and rain combined with a falling temperature to redistribute streams of water from recently flooded roads to the hedges and oncoming traffic. To counter this in some measure we had near perfect grey tranquility on the final day, with no less than zo minutes of sunlight at Consett. We also used Dais M&G box trailer with aerodynamics instead of CM's standard Tautliner test trailer normally used on these occasions.
Price for the basic model is L94,940, compared with /84,857 for the Scania RI64 58ohp and /89,160 for the Volvo FH12 460. With its optional extras our test truck climbed even closer to that magic roo,000 mark, and even self-indulgent owner drivers are bound to think hard about spending that sort of money. The tractor weighs in at a hefty 8.6 tonnes, still slightly lighter than Scania's R164 which tips the scales at 8.9 tonnes (giving the Daf a little extra payload at 25,400kg).
ON THE ROAD
If you have to spend most of your working week in a confined space watching red lights tear past or turn from green, at least a vehicle like the XF 530 will help ease the stress. It's an effortless drive with a sweet spot between 1,200-1,300rpm as you move through the box and an optimum speed of 7okm/h on the flat.
Half-gear changes are made at about 1,400rpm with whole gears ideally taken at r,5oo-r koorpm.
If you sink below the t,roorpm mark the engine lugs down as well as you'd expect with 53ohp available, but if it's fuel economy you're after try to stay around 1,200-1,300rpm, Occasionally when charging up a hill there's the temptation to use a little extra acceleration to counter lost momentum, but for the most part this is unnecessary. If you can move back up the box, a change at these points allows you to hold the speed in the next gear up.
Top gear is fairly flexible; the A74 stretch of our route was covered which is cancelled by a touch of the clutch or brake pedal and reactivated by a button to restore the original speed. Speed can also be reduced on the cruise control to match slower moving traffic on the open road when overtaking is not an option.
Over the hilly A68 the impressive torque from the 24-valve engine was able to cope with the occasional late gear change, and on Forteviot Hill we were able to accelerate and move up from six high to seven low with a third of the hill still to go. It held the gear in its sweet spot with enough to spare. Nice.
Coming down a mountain is a different story. The green band on the rev counter runs from 1,000T,6 oorpm before a yellow band takes over up to 2,000rpm, passing the maximum power point at r,9oorpm.
The blue ventures around to 2,400rpm, and this is where the exhaust brake is at its best. When the needle is at 2,200rpm it makes you realise that driving today is done more with the eyes than the ears, but don't exceed 2,400rpm.
The transmission is old school, with the range-change and the splitter on the stem in a four-over-four design, but it's what you're used to, isn't it? Moving up through the box is very smooth with no forcing or clanking of the gears, which gives the driver confidence to use each ratio to the full.
CAB COMFORT
From the outside the XU 95 looks spacious and capable of catering for all manner of driver. At 3.9om it's higher than the Scania R164 (3.84m) but not quite as tali as the MAN XXL cab (3.92m), so it doesn't look too much like an office block. Inside there's plenty of room for a strapping six-footer to move around in comfort. The Super Space Cab certainly has plenty of storage room (i,o8o litres, according to the manufacturers) with good sized cabinets for maps, food and clothes. Our test model came with the optional fridge under the bottom bunk. Lift up the bunk for access to space behind the seats and enough room for a larger fridge.
When it comes to entertainment most new trucks have taken the CD option but the DaPs multi-disc changer is still a luxury, so if you wish to play Francis Albert or Basement raxx you can accommodate them and more. And all within easy reach of your left hand.
The driver's door sports electric windows and electrically adjustable heated mirrors. The blind across the top of the windscreen gives the co-pilot the same cover as the driver so when heading towards the bright lights you don't have to reach across to the passenger's side for sunlight protection. But with a low front view thanks to the excellent over-screen storage, these blinds often won't come into play.
Our only gripe with the cab concerns the
exit. The door only opens to about 6o° with the steps just inside the hinges, so you have to angle your body in order to get out. In wet weather this might be your be undoing.
As you'd expect with a modem flagship, incab noise is minimal. The cab has four-point air suspension making the ride smooth on the motorway and comfortable even when negotiating the tough section over the A68.
SUMMARY
The Daf 95XF is already well established and the Euro-3 XE 530hp engine will enhance that reputation, helped by good fuel consumption, even in the harshest of conditions. The price might put you off a little but at the end of the day if you buy cheap you get cheap.
It has all the long-distance, long-hour comforts someone on the road needs—and then some. It could just come down to a question of whether you like your truck to stand out or blend in with the crowd.
• by Kevin Swallow