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OPERAVIONS Used truck test: Mercedes-Benz Actros MP2 MegaSpace The motorway
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section has also been modified, ;laying on the M42 as it bears left towards he NEC and Solihull.We then join the M6 astbound to Coventry before rejoining :he M69 back to Hinckley:The route now neasures 446.4km (see map).
So AY53 FEJ was a trailblazer on the new -outes: on the A-road section it returned 7.60mpg at an average speed of 36.1mph. With the help of the electronic 'average mpg' )ption we found the second part of the route, mm Crossgates to Ross-on-Wye, to be more trduous than the first part from Hinckley. The Actros purred through the motorway section to produce 8.91mpg at a decent average speed of 51 .5mph. Its pace and fuel figure both benefited from not having to deal with the roundabouts on our old route from the M40 via the A46/45 to the M69. Overall. AY53 FE! managed 7.99mpg at an average speed of 40mph —setting the benchmark for future used truck tests.
The weather on the opening day was glorious, with a cloud-free sky the second day brought plenty of clouds though the rain did hold off until we were finished. On the road M-B's Telligent gearshift splits driver opinion. But the paddle/nudge system is,short of full automation ,the most consistent, functional transmission on the manual market.
Gear changes from bottom to top are smooth and the box offers a host of tricks to save yourself too many manual changes. Pressing the right-hand button in and changing back will find the correct gear for any situation, though the system restricts the choice of take-off gear and the number of gears you can skip if yourjudgement is at odds with the CAN-Bus electronics.
For all changes the pedal has to be fully depressed. and kept depressed until a relay clicks its approval, and then for a moment longer.This process also helps extend the life of the clutch— but fail to follow the drill and a buzzer will sound in your ears. Four-overfour with a splitter is still the most traditional layout,but only when you drive Telligent do you realise that stick-shifting has its limits.
However,Telligent is unforgiving and will save itself from damage at your expense.Try something silly and it will leave you high and dry, regardless of what is bearing down on you at breakneck speed.
After three years' service.AY53 FEJ's box and clutch arc both still in decent condition with no sign of missing or grinding gears: the biting point was still halfway up the clutch pedal movement. right where it should be.
The V6 lump has also aged well. It offers well over the industry benchmark of 10hp/ tonne with no shortage of torque. It romped up Dolfor and Dinmore Hill —in the case of Dinm ore in 6H, holding comfortably at I ,200rpm,You certainly need a degree of trust as peak torque is on tap al 1,08Orpm, so when you see the needle drop down gradually you have to believe it'll hold on.
Unless you opt for power, and more fuel, lugging down is the Actros's preferred method of hill climbing. A green light on the dash prompts the driver to change and put the revs in the right place for economic running; it only appears if you stay in a gear too long, or if you are hill climbing— where the driver is often better positioned to judge when a change is called for.
AY53 FM's handling proved exemplary with the exception of tight turns out on the road, where the pusher axle tends to try to push the truck straight ahead. Mercedes-Benz does build a mid-steer, and it's certainly the preferred option for tight A-road corners, but it brings a weight penalty so operators like Hanbury Davies prefer to use the axle lift in tight spaces.
We didn't have to call upon the hill-hold too often,but it is certainly a clever feature, As long as the dash switch is on, it holds the brakes on until the clutch and throttle pedals are moved to take off. Very welcome, especially in heavy traffic and at tight junctions.
The right-hand stalk incorporates the cruise control and engine brake. Up turns it on. then up and down stalk movements change speed. Forward switches it off and back triggers the engine brake. One it has been disabled, a quick click-down re-engages the last saved cruising speed.
Cab comfort As you would expect after three years hard work, the cab hasn't escaped scot-free.'The cigarette lighter looks like it has been busy, and the light-coloured interior has dark marks on the back wall — but nothing that a decent valet couldn't remove. Dark interiors might make the cab feel smaller, but do tend to hide any marks created by the driver or passengers come disposal time. In any case, close scrutiny of this cab didn't reveal anything to put off a potential buyer.
The soft plastic car-like interior and walnut dash veneer with black controls and grey colouring work together well; the dash has aged gracefully. But what really makes this truck worth its weight is the flat floor.This feature should be mandatory for operators who provide motors for their drivers to sleep in Cross-cab access is unhindered thanks to the armrest transmission, which folds back ant out of the way.There's a ful11.9m of standing room with plenty of storage for trampers to stash their worldly possessions. If the lack of an engine tunnel doesn't offer enough space, the passenger seat folds up (or down ir you are lying in the bottom bunk).
The steering column also sits up and out of the way so it doesn't impede any stomachs making their way from the driver's door to the bunk.