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DRIVING THE DYNA
Page 20
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• The first impression of the Dyna is the sheer awkwardness of getting into the cab. However good the grab-handles, these forward-control designs remain more difficult to access than "conventional" vans. The seating position is a little tight too, and won't be popular with taller drivers, but once on the move visibility is good and the controls are light.
The new engine is certainly the Dyna's strong point: it revs smoothly and willingly, remaining surprisingly quiet even at maximum power. The more powerful version in the Dyna 350 is particularly torquey, and frustrated drivers will be looking for a sixth gear: top 1s only geared for around 23mph per 1,000rpm. The gearing is fine for urban use (and the gearshift is sweet) but a quick run on the motorway showed that the Dyna could tackle trunking as well—it was surprisingly stable at speed.
The smaller Dyna 300 is handier on the backroads (the dropside body it no wider than the cab) but the 88hp engine feels nowhere near as strong at the 102hp version. Still, this is a distinct improvement on earlier forward-coni trol designs, and it could make inroads into the more mainstream chassis cab market—Cabstar and Convoy, watch out!