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Tester's impression: Our biggest worry with the immaculate FM12 420
Page 48
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eight-legger belonging to small fleet operator Alan McGuiness was getting it dirty! McGuiness runs out of the Peak District, mainly on asphalt and aggregate work; fortunately he wasn't bothered about getting a bit of mud on his pride and joy; in fact no sooner had we finished our test circuit he was having ago himself. With 420hp/2,000Nm on tap the FM's D12D engine isn't working hard at 32 tonnes so journey and hill climb times were brisk with little noise. No doubt 420hp is less of a luxury in the Derbyshire Peaks.
It's a close call between ZF's AS-Ironic auto and Volvo's I-Shift; both are incredibly smooth. After 20 minutes of using I-Shift in a demonstrator McGuiness called his dealer and demanded it on his new eight-legger. As he puts it: "Anything that makes things easier has got to be a bonus." The two-pedal Swedish box is easy to operate via the foldlng selector lever; with some gentle feathering of the throttle pedal you can also prompt early up-shifts to save fuel. There's a manual override function (although you'll probably only use it when the truck's empty) and I-Shift also works exceedingly well with the Volvo Engine Brake. Push the VEB column stalk all the way down and 1-Shift automatically changes down the box to achieve maximum back pressure and retardation.
The EBS discs deliver confidence-inspiring stopping power with a progressive feel but why does Volvo charge -21,000 for them on the FM when MAN fits them on the TGA as standard?
For sheer driveability the 420hp D12D/I-Shift combination puts it just ahead of the MAN. The German eight-legger has a slightly better ride (the Swede's cab bobbed a bit more over road bumps) but in terms of roll stability its too close to call; they're both good.
It would be unfair to compare the customised interior of McGuiness's sleeper cab with the rest of the group so well only comment on the FM's basic dash layout (and even this has been enhanced by wood-effect inserts).
Volvo's trademark curving dash may not suit everyone, but it certainly puts everything within reach and the central instrument cluster is well laid out and easy-to-read. The excellent adjustment on the FM's steering wheel (and highback seat) ensures a good driving position too.
Storage-wise the FM sleeper cab has decent external lockers which can take wet kit and there's some useful space above the windscreen. Beyond that, for sheer pampering, McGuiness's highly individual Volvo takes some beating never mind the practicality.
We've previously grumbled about Volvo's big mirror cluster which can obscure the view, especially on roundabouts. This FM12 tipper is no exception although we understand the Swedes are working on the problem. In the meantime the Stoneman Stainless mirror guards fitted by McGuiness look substantial enough to avoid expensive replacements.
Last but not least the ground clearance on McGuiness's Volvo obviously suits his mainly on-road operation, so cab access is easy. If you need more clearance there's always the X-high 8x4 chassis variant with a 1,200mm frame height.
And despite all the extras it still carries 20.28 tonnes.