September launch for 15
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• Seddon Atkinson's longawaited new 17-tonner — the T5 — will be available to UK operators from September. Commercial Motor has obtained exclusive photographs of one of the first pre-production models, sporting the same stylish cab as the Euro Cargo, but with the distinctive big "A" badge.
Minor changes
The first production versions of 15 are due to go down the Oldham-based company's assembly line this week and are expected to be virtually identical to the pre-production models, barring some minor changes to the mudwings and front spoiler/bumper.
As revealed exclusively in Commercial Motor last month the T5 middleweight will be offered with a choice of three engines: the Cummins B and C Series and the Perkins Phaser.
The B Series and Phaser will be fitted immediately; the C Series will be available from next June.
Both the Phaser and B Series engines are charge-cooled and come with an Eaton 4106 six-speed gearbox as standard with a ninespeed 6109 Eaton transmission as an option.
The rest of the T5 driveline is straightforward: a singleplate clutch driving through the Eaton box to a Rockwell S153E back axle with a choice of two ratios, Seddon's 15 will be available with either a day or sleeper cab. Apart from the identifying front grille panel, which appears to be the same moulding as used on the Strato, its cab is little different from that used on the EuroCargo.
Haulage work
Iveco Ford will be launching its own 17-tonner version of the EuroCargo, with an Iveco engine, in September.
There are three wheelbases for haulage work — 4.5m, 5.6m and 6.25m — and a single 3.8m chassis for tipper operations. Provisional kerbweights look competitive at 4.65 tonnes for the tipper chassis and 4.96 tonnes for the longest of the haulage models. Cummins B Series models are lighter by around 90kg.
After considering a number of names for the T5 Seddon Atkinson now seems likely to settle on model numbers which relate to gross weight and engine power.
The arrival of the T5, along with the Iveco-engined EuroCargo 17-tonners, will give the Iveco Group a formidable middleweight line-up in the UK, with both Seddon and IFT able to meet operator demands based on either integrated or proprietary drivelines.
Pack leader
In the market for two-axle rigids above 15.0 tonnes 2,455 chassis were registered up to the end of June this year. Leyland Daf leads the pack with close to 27% followed by Mercedes and Volvo. IFT is in fourth place with around 13%. But add Seddon's 3.5% share to IFT and the Iveco Group moves into second place. The arrival of new models will clearly bolster Iveco's assault on Leyland Daf's leadership in the medium weight market.