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' FLEET OF
Page 64
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FANCY
There's much more to the new MAN heavy truck line-up than the headline-grabbing 680hp V8. Andy Salter takes a spin in the new TGS fleet-spec tractor unit.
When MAN unveils the newTG Series at the Amsterdam truck show next week, the top-ofthe-range 680hp,V8-enginedTGX will undoubtedly be the centre of attention. But with registrations of that vehicle unlikely to hit triple figures, MAN will want to sell plenty of the rest of the range.
At a recent driving event near Munich, we tried out a number of fleet-spec trucks around a decent mixed route of tough A-roads and motorway All versions of the TG Series put up an excellent show,particularly those equipped with the new front-axle set-up.
We'll come to the driving details shortly, but for the uninitiated here's an outline of the new range. MAN's heavy truck line-up now consists of two model variants sitting under the TG umbrella.The TG A model name is consigned to history and in its place comes the TGX for long-distance and international operations, with the TGS for short haul, distribution and tippers.The main difference between the two is the cab employed and the horsepower options. The TGX employs the full-width cab in XL, XLX and XXL versions and engines covering 360 to 680hp.TheTGS uses a narrower cab in three versions— L,M and LX. Power in the TGS is from 320 to 540hp.
Although there are some changes to the chassis,particularly the front axle on the TGX, the cab receives the most attention. On the outside, improved aerodynamics are reckoned to give a 2% fuel saving, while wind noise is reduced by 30%.A new roof spoiler for the XLX cab is also claimed to contribute to improved fuel efficiency. On the inside storage is dramatically increased and the curtains have been thickened considerably.
TGX tractors come with single-leaf parabolic springs on the front axle, saving 46kg per vehicle, while the rear axles are now equipped with a cast X-section control arm instead of forged, shaving 23kg off the weight.
Under the cab, the D20 (10.6-litre) and D26 (12.0-litre) engines power the TGXJTGS.They employ EGR plus particulate trap technology to meet Euro-4 and will be available in Euro-5 format with EGR next year. For now, MAN buyers are offered an SCR solution to meet Euro-5 RPC requirements.
On the road
Encouragingly, we found consistent performance and build quality in the models we tried.We kicked off with a TGS 400hp fleetspec model with the 10.6-litre engine. At this power, 1,900Nm of torque is on offer, which is ample for most applications. Indeed, in more high-powered variants there's a tendency, particularly on tight, unfamiliar A-roads, for things to happen a bit quickly.This shouldn't be overlooked when you're speccing trucks.
Unusually, in these days of high-tech transmissions, our test truck was equipped with a 16-speed ZF Ecosplit box.Although the truck was barely out of the box, the shift — aided admittedly by the Senmshift power assistance—was smooth and well-defined, with a good gear match for the conditions.
In all the models we drove, the most striking thing about the TG Series is the low interior noise levels, with both engine noise and wind intrusion reduced. Combined with the improvements to the interior, the driver is presented with the sort of high-quality place to live and work previously reserved for Daf,Scania and Volvo users.The softtouch materials in the dash ooze opulence and there are improvements to the 'storage while driving' options.
The overnight experience is enhanced by attention finally given to the curtains. New light-proof material — why you'd want curtains made from anything else is a puzzle —ensures prying eyes are kept at bay and again storage is improved.The bunk construction receives attention with a new frame, although the skinny mattress remains.
The TGS tractors don't have the new singleleaf front axle, which is a pity, as the new set-up makes a significant difference to the truck's handling. After a few minutes behind the wheel of aTGX we were struck by the absence of a need to saw at the wheel to hold a good line through the tight German A-roads.The steering felt much more direct and the truck gave the impression of being planted onto the road, minimising chassis roll through the sweeping German motorway approach lanes.
While we'd promised we wouldn't indulge in a spin behind the wheel of the 680hpTGX, the prospect of flattening every hill on the route was just too much and we had to have a go.The V8 treated the steep hills on the route with contempt and gave on-road performance previously reserved for unladen trucks. •