Ready to rough it

13th May 2004, Page 75

13th May 2004

Page 75

Page 75, 13th May 2004 — Ready to rough it

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If your operation takes you off-road Fourtec has a lot to offer — you won't want to miss the Spanish Santana and Italian Bremach mud-pluggers.

NorfoLk-based Fourtec was established to import Santana 4x4s from Spain; since then it has added the Italian Bremach specialist all-wheel-drive range to its portfolio.With customers among utility companies who need effective off-road vehicles, SED is an important showcase for Fourtec. If the Santana PS10 has a surprisingly familiar face there's a good reason for it. Santana built some 300,000 Land Rovers between 1958 and 1985 and has assembled models from Suzuki's off-road range in the same plant at Linares in southern Spain since Land Rover production ended.The Land Rover-inspired Santana 2500, was built into the early 199th Clearly Land Rover was the inspiration for the PS10 too — its rugged, no-nonsense

construction is designed to appeal to military and industrial customers looking for a capable and dependable off-road vehicle. Santana has applied its 45-year expertise in building offroad vehicles to the construction of the PS10.

Inside there's a modern wipe-clean dashboard and up-to-date instrument display. Under the bonnet, Iveco's 2.8-litre commonrail Euro-3 diesel from the Daily range delivers 123hp (92kW) and 275Nm (2031bft) of torque. Four-wheel drive can be selected on the move in high range.

While Land Rover switched to coil springs some years ago, the PS10 uses parabolic leaf springs front and rear to provide a stable towing platform. A GCW of 6.05 tonnes gives a braked trailer weight of 3.0 tonnes with 3.5 tonnes as an option. Other vital statistics include an approach angle of 50°, a departure angle of 30° and gradeability of 45°.Wading depth is an impressive 500mm. The Fourtec stand will feature three PS10 variants: a five-door, two-seat van; a five-door,

five-seat double-cab van; and a chassis-cab capable of handling a variety of bodywork from a high-lift access platform to a dropside or tipper. A five-door, nine-seat PS10 station wagon will be on show in the 4x4 demo area; it offers a onetonne payload which earns a full VAT refund.

Sharing space on the Fourtec stand will be a selection of models from the extensive Bremach range of specialist 4x4s. They're built round a tubular chassis that's designed to provide serious off-road capability. Powered by the same Iveco engine as the Santana PS10, all Bremachs feature permanent four-wheel drive, a centre locking differential and a four-range transfer box providing 24 ratios as standard and up to 40 as an option. Locking front and rear diffs are available too.

Two variants of the Bremach Extreme, available in 3.5 and 5.0-tonne versions, will be on display. On the Fourtec stand you'll find a 5.0-tonne GVW long-wheelbase Extreme equipped with a Versalift access platform —after SED it will go on the road as a Fourtec/ Versalift demonstrator. In the Tipper Live! demo area will be a short-wheelbase Extreme equipped with a shortened Hydromech tipper body designed to carry a wood chipper. The Extreme is available with a range of

standard bodywork including single, double and triple chassis-cabs with seating for up to nine. Van bodywork offers up to seven seats.

Like the Santana, the Bremach uses parabolic leaf-spring suspension front and rear. Disc brakes are fitted all round with ABS as standard on 5.0tonne models and optional on 3.5-tonners.

Minimal overhang and high ground clearance gives the Extreme impressive off-road credentials, like an approach angle of 42°, a departure angle of 44° and a wading depth of between 450 and 950mm (or higher, depending on specification).

Fourtec has 11 UK dealers, some with three or four branches. The company is extending its dealer network across the UK and is currently in discussion with several potential dealers.