New MAN has two faces
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by Brian Weatherley • The missing link in MAN's "2000 Series" product renewal programme is firmly in place following this week's official launch of its "two-in-one" M2000 middleweight truck range.
By the time you read this, Commercial Motor will have already driven the M2000 and our full report on it will appear in next week's issue.
Greener
But thanks to MAN Truck & Bus (UK) we are able to bring you advance technical information on the new medium range which offers operators the choice of two different cabs, along with greener four and sixcylinder Euro-2 engines, new front axles with disc brakes and a revised chassis frame with new variable ratio steering gear.
have a grown-up version of the Steyr-sourced narrow cab already used on MAN's 6-10 tonne L2000 range.
However, for those hauliers who want more room for longerhaul operations, and are less concerned with kerbweight, there's a "Type M" 17-tonner fitted with a cab from MAN's F2000 heavy truck. The latter option is also used on a 23tonne 6x2 rigid and a brace of lightweight M2000 urban artics.
Although the M2000 cabins look outwardly similar to those fitted to their smaller, and larger, stablemates, the L cab has been raised 60mm to accommodate the larger engines and has a new lower section with revised mudwings and step. The F2000 cab used on Type M M2000 17-tonners has steps which remain in place when the cab is tilted. Both L and M cabs are available as day or sleeper units.
As befits a truck range that is expected to operate well past the millennium, all M2000 models come with low emission Euro2 engines as standard, with three power options ranging from the mechanically-fuelled 155hp D0824 four-pot, fitted in the 12-tonne chassis, right up to the 264hp electronically. controlled D0826 in-line six used in the most powerful 14 and 17-tonners. Both of these engines have a wastegated turbo.
MAN's increasing preference for Eaton synchro gearboxes continues apace. Although ZF's six-speed S6-36 transmission is first choice on all 155hp models, Eaton six and nine-speed boxes are standard thereafter on the 220hp and 260hp chassis with ZF remaining an option.
Following the trend set by the L2000, the M2000 has front disc brakes on a reworked family of steering axles offering capacities from 5.0-7.1 tonnes. Suspension is a conventional all-round parabolic steel setup with rear air or full-air as an option. A new variable ratio ZF Servocom box is also fitted on M2000.
The M2000 does have one thing in common with the old M90—its 860mm wide frame, which now has tubular cross members at the front. Wheelbase options range from 3.2-6,3m. Production of righthand-drive M2000 models starts in May with delivery at the end of that month.
El Driving impressions of the latest M2000 range, together with comments from MAN's engineering team will appear in Commercial Motor next week.