Powerful Unimog in site
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• Both Mercedes-Benz and Scania launched models at the triennial BAUMA construction show in Munich last week.
The U2400 is the most powerful Unimog yet, with a 177kW (237hp) LEV version of Mercedes' 0M366LA
engine. But unlike the lighter Unimogs scheduled for launch at Hanover next month (CM 9-15 April), there are no plans to bring the U2400 to the UK.
The vehicle caused considerable interest at BAUMA, where vehicles of this type are frequently used in drawbar operations with special load carriers.
Scania's 6x4 two-spring bogie chassis, as tested in CM last week, meets EC "road friendly"
suspension requirements, enabling it to run at 26 tonnes GVW. It is not expected in the UK before the end of the year, but current demand in Germany encouraged the Swedes to launch the chassis at BAUMA. The new P93 MK chassis has high ground clea rance and single rail main frame members. It is intended primarily for mixer work. Also at Bauma, Iveco's EuroCargo got its first full-scale outing in construction vehicle guise; the British contingent at the show was restricted to plant and machinery specialists.
While UK tipper operators have suffered badly in the recession, their German counterparts are having a better time.
A recent phenomenon of the German heavy truck market has been the growth of the eightwheeler sector.
BAUMA had its share of fiveaxled vehicles — for mixer and concrete pump applications — but the presence of eightwheeled rigids from all the major truck exhibitors confirmed their popularity in muck-shifting and other site work.
They don't come cheap though: a Mercedes-Benz 2538 8x4 tipper with Meiller body carried a DM399,261 price tag: about £140,000.