Raising the roof at Amsterdam
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Innovations at the RAI show ranged from high-roof driverfriendly cabs to some very clever bodywork...
• Are Dutch drivers the tallest in Europe? Or is Daf s 3.8m-high 95 Series Super Space Cab just designed to make it look that way? In the late seventies the long-distance hauliers' destination was the Middle-East. Now it's Moscow and beyond, and that's the "niche" market that the Dutch maker is aiming at with its Super Space Cab: long-haul transport with drivers not just sleeping in their trucks but living in them, often for weeks at a time.
That wasn't all the Dutch truck maker unveiled at last week's RAI Truck Show in Amsterdam. With the arrival of the Super Space Cab Daf has at last joined the 500hp club, although it took an electronically-controlled 14-litre Cummins Celect engine to do it. The top-ofthe-range 95.500 sports a Scottish-built 373kW (500hp) straight-six with a lusty 2,102Nm (1,5501bft) of torque available at 1,100rpm. To accommodate the taller Cummins engine, Daf engineers had to remount the 95 cab 100mm higher. With the 14-litre comes the option of Cummins C-Brake—an engine compression brake similar to a Jake Brake.
Commercial Motor was the first magazine in Europe with on-the-road impressions of the Super Space Cab 95.500 (CM 1016 Feb) so we won't dwell on the virtues of the Euro-2 four-valveper-cylinder charge-cooled Celect engine.
Other features include Hydraulic Gear Shift (HGS) which replaces the mechanical linkage between the gearlever and gearbox. It has a conventional H-pattern lever which pivots on top of four hydraulic cylinders laid out in a cruciform. When the driver selects a gear pressure is transmitted hydraulically to actuators on the gearbox which engage the gear. The system is selfadjusting and, unlike a mechanical linkage, is not prone to misalignment.
For the time being HGS will only be available on the 95.500 but it clearly puts Daf on the road towards semiautomation with the ZE Ecosplit transmission. bunk cab is 200mm longer than the "normal" Space Cab. Its 225m cab floor-to-ceiling height is only beaten by the EuroStar Alto from Iveco. Inside there's over 10m3 of space with 1.1m3 of storage space.
While the Super Space Cab doesn't come with the kitchen sink you can have air conditioning, a fridge, night heater, microwave cooker, coffee maker and a Philips LCD television with video recorder.
Although it has already sold two Super Space Cabs in the UK Leyland Daf believes potential is limited, which is why it will initially sell it only in left-hand drive. This poses a problem: if a UK operator wants a right-handdrive 95 Series tractor with a standard sleeper cab and a 14litre Cummins, he's out of luck.
The Super Space Cab launch tended to overshadow Scania's 1.95m-ceiling Starline sleeper; an unusual all-steel conversion by Dutch importer Beers. It has 25cm more headroom than the factory-built Topline sleeper and Scania Great Britain can get Starline cabs for UK buyers, although "price is on application". Beers charges DG14,000 (£4,900) for a "complete con version".
Mercedes-Benz also got in on the high-roof act at the RAT with its face-lifted 1938LS EuroCab, although you could be forgiven for missing it as the facelift is minima). Apart from a revised grille and corner air deflectors, the familiar SK Powerliner cab remains the same. There are, however, some more noticeable improvements inside with a smarter trim and smaller steering wheel from the T2 van.
The "new-look" affects all SK cabs down to 17-tonnes; righthand-drive models will start filtering through between May and July.
MAN made great play of its Euro-2 engines; the optional "Greener" power units are available across its entire range and in April there will be another 150hp Euro-2 engine for the recently launched L2000 lightmiddleweight.
Safety items Two safety items caught GM's eye. The first was an optional front-under-run bar fitted to a L2000 7.5-tonner; it costs £180. Marketing manager Euan Harron says: "Considering what's already required on trucks, it's probably going to be the next thing in terms of physical legislation."
The second was an electrically heated windscreen on yet another high-roof tractor—the Commander XTF90. Say goodbye to ice scrapers, aerosols and steamed up windscreens.
Also at the RAI was the narrow (2.2m) N-cabbed six-wheeler, complete with all-wheel drive and a 12-litre engine. IV1AN's UK subsidiary is considering a lightweight six-wheeler for tipper and mixer buyers, but not yet awhile. A light 6x4 with the current Ncab and existing 198kW (265hp) seven-litre engine used in the M90 17.272 drawbar chassis would fit the bill nicely.
On the lighter side, Ford launched the latest airbag-equipped Courier. Stocks are already in UK showrooms but there's still no sign of a heavier payload version. Also on the stand were a high-roof Escort van conversion and Courier and Escort "Celebration" models. They come in silver with a revised front bumper/spoiler incorporating the headlights. Standard seats are replaced with Recaro models and there's a leather cov ered gearknob. The 56kW (75hp) petrol-powered Escort gets 195/50 15in tyres on alloy rims; for the 60hp Courier there are 185/55 14in tyres on RS alloy rims. Tempted? Well You'll have to go to the Netherlands for one because they won't be sold in the UK, unlike the Opel Corsa van, which goes on sale over here with Vauxhall badges on I March. The Corsa joins big brother Combo with the same petrol and diesel engines. The Opel on display at the RAI was fitted with the Isuzu 1.5-litre diesel that powered the Novavan. For the UK it will get the 1.7-litre 44kW (60hp) Ism diesel: petrol versions will have a 1.4-litre 44kW (60hp) engine. Payload is around 400kg: full details will appear in the next Light Vehicles News.
Nissan and Toyota created a new van sector around 10 years ago with the Vanette and Liteace. The Vanette's days are numbered now and Nissan showed its likely replacement at Amsterdam. The Serena van is based on Nissan's popular compact people carrier and, in diesel guise, has the same 49kW (66hp) two-litre engine as the Vanette. With a GVW of 2.2 tonnes, payload is around 700kg, slightly down on the Vanette. Don't rush to your Nissan dealer though, Serena vans are not likely to appear in the UK much before the end of next year.
It's hard to believe that the latest Toyota Hiace has been around for over four years. In most manufacturers' terms that means it's facelift time, but judging by the models at the RAT, the changes are minimal with no more than a redesigned grille and a new badge. Alongside the conventional Hiace was a 4x4 model but there's no indication whether this will be available in the UK, where 4x4 panel vans have not sold in great numbers. boxes. Designed to run with a 6x4 tractive unit, the chassis comprises two 6.1m sections; a short front end with single axle that is normally in the raised position, and a rear tri-axle section.
They mate via a long drawbar up the centre that can extend to carry a 13.7m (45ft) box or allows them to be separated. At this point the foremost axle lowers as the air couplings are disconnected, so the short tri-axle drawbar trailer can be parked up while the unit and stubby front section deliver its 6.1m box.
Successful
As reported from last month's Geneva Show, the successful use of Akzo's Twaron aramid fibre material in tyre manufacture has been taken a stage further by Belgian tanker and trailer specialist LAG. It has made its first 57m3 powder tank, spun from Twaron and polyester and weighing half as much as an aluminium version.
Next month the tri-axled tanker goes into service with Dutch haulier Boerman Transport; LAG's next version will be a 9.2m (30ft) dry bulk container. Twaron aramids are also used by Norfrig in its body panels, enabling it to save 300kg on a 13.6m reefer. Its show trailer with Carrier Maxima fridge unit was built for Visbeen Transport and weighs 7.86 tonnes.
Leaky dykes are generally plugged quickly in the Netherlands, but they take their time with leaky transport laws.
Overall lengths are given for unladen vehicles and there is an allowance that takes account of a slight load overhang. Heiwo's interpretation of this is a reefer with an 800mm extension that can carry two extra pallets but must be retracted when the load has been delivered. This body extension moves electro-mechanically; another version from the CombiGroep has a hand crank system. The presence of firms like Wilson Double Deck, GR 1) Massey, RO-R, Hendrickson Norde, Dover and Henderson Doors reflected UK successes in pan-European trade.
Deckers demonstrated the safety value of Henderson's latest insulated wide-slat shutter which is able to sense any obstacle lying on the threshold, such as a hand or foot. It will stop and retract immediately.
Rondaan's Carrosserie chose Dover's insulated shutters for its drawbar reefer which is able to close up and load straight through. To do this it has modified an Estepe drawbar, enabling it to close up hydraulically for the Trouillet bodies to seal together. Nooteboom's latest offering is an ultra-low extendible trailer with four steering axles.
Its 9.2m loadbed with 2.7m neck is down to just 790mm and it can be reduced by a further 90mm when the air (or hydraulic) suspension is exhausted. When double extended, it will add another 6.7m in length.