D hen MAN unveiled its TG-A tractor last May it
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grabbed the kind of headlines that marketing men push their grannies over for. Commercial Motor's three stablemates were not sparing in their praise. "Seldom have we been so impressed with a new model," declared Truck. "Puts MAN squarely in the top rank," said Motor Transport "The Trucknology Generation MAN will stuff the Actros!" Truck & Driver proclaimed in its usual, understated way.
And CM? "It drives well, looks good, is comfortable and has innovative features that drivers will warm to, without compromising MAN's traditional engineering appeal to fleet operators."
But a truck seals its reputation on the road, not at glitzy launches. So when MAN offered us a TG-A 18.41oXL for test at 40 tonnes we took a precautionary dose of cynicism before heading North for our three-day trial. And even that didn't work.
PRODUCT PROFILE
MAN's new TG-A range has materialised slowly. The top-of-the-range tractors and drawbar models with a 2.5m-wide cab were the first to arrive. Then, at the recent Frankfurt Show, the narrower (2.3m-wide) fleet tractors took a bow, offering high-sleeper, standard-sleeper and day-cab options. Our silver machine, the TG-A 18.41oFLT, is close to the top of the tree, being equipped with the full-width XL cabin with 7.8m3 of interior space. Only the high-roof XXL offers more. Both cabs sit on a four-point air suspension set-up that's electronically controlled.
It's never a good idea to change everything at once, so MAN has sensibly carried over its 12-litre engines from the prrsviotis F2000 Evolution, albeit tweaked to Euro-3 with exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR) to cut down on NOx emissions. Other refinements include an uprated cooling package, quieter alternators, a crankshaft-driven water pump and a gear-driven fan with an electromagnetic clutch.
While operators placing an order for a TG-A now will get a Euro-3 engine as standard, a few lucky buyers have been able to get early production TG-As with a Euro-2 lump. Our i8.4toF LT also "just happened" to be a Euro-2. A touch of gamesmanship? Perhaps, especially as pundits are predicting an acrossthe-board deterioration in fuel economy with Euro-3. We can hardly blame MAN for trying to get the best possible result, but would-be buyers should take note.
The 24-valve, EDC electronically controlled D2866 LF32. in-line six is rated at a nominal 4iohp, though maximum power is actually 4o3hp. From 9oo-1,3oorpm it pumps out a healthy 1,8512iNm of torque. The "sweet spot"
for best fuel economy is around 1,300rpin, which is easy to keep to out on the road, particularly at a steady 5omph.
Behind it there's a single-plate clutch and the familiar ZF 16-speed Ecosplit box-with the optional overdrive top cog. With the launch of TG-A, MAN has introduced its own "Com fortshift" system on the ZF box, which allows a driver to make full-lever movements or splits in high range without having to work the clutch. To do either, all you have to do is press a button on the side of the lever with your thumb and the clutch is operated automatically.
Power is laid down via MA N's own singlereduction back axle, which takes a 3.36:1 ratio when you run with the overdrive Ecosplit box. The TG-A has a conventional front parabolic/rear air-suspension set-up, with full electronically controlled ABS discs on both axles. On top of the standard XL spec, our test tractor boasted 13,033 worth of air-management kit, including Fold-back side deflectors, and Alcoa rims. Pausing only to brim the standard 4ro-litre alloy tank with diesel, we got stuck in.
PRODUCTIVITY
Since top weights increased, nearly every tractor that comes our way is a 6x2, in line with current buying patterns. As a result we've only tested two other 4o-tormers—hardly a definitive databank. Both were Foden Alpha 3000s: one with the 38ohp Cummins Mn, the other with the 383hp Cto Cat. After three days hard graft the TG-A's solid overall result of 7.95mpg (35.51itfiookm) places it well ahead of the Cat's 7.54mpg, but some way behind the MIT'S 8.34mpg.
However, it was quicker than the M38oE, not least over the severe gradients section. And judging by its results over the tough motorway section of our route, where it delivered better than 9.0mpg, the TG-A has the potential to deliver good economy. A longer-legged rear axle might help boost economy further on the motorway, but probably not by much.
Against a selection of similarly powered 41tonners it beat the Cursor ro EuroTronic, Seddon Atkinson StratoCruiser, Scania's R114380 and Volvo FEIt2.46o. But with one less tonne and only five axles to drag around, it's not the ideal comparison. We look forward to testing a twin-steer TG-A as soon as possible.
But beating the old model is always a good sign, and the TG-A bested the frugal F2000 twin-steer 26.414 FPLT tested by CM a year ago which delivered 7.85mpg at 41-tonnes. Weight-wise the 18.41oFLT is on the right side of good productivity, tipping the scales at 6,897kg with alloys, so 26 tonnes is possible with a 4o-tonne curtainsider.
ON THE ROAD
We can harp on about fuel consumption till the cows come home, but if the truck's a dog to drive economy goes out the window. Conversely, keep the man behind the wheel happy and the chances are you'll end up with a pretty productive truck. The good news is thai the TG-A is the best handling top
weight tractor we've driven for a long, long time. Compared with the sort ride on a Scania 4-Series or Mercedes Actros, the new MAN is noticeably firmer but without ever being hard.
Its four-point cab suspension isolates you beautifully from road shock without ever separating you from the chassis, so you always know what's happening where the wheels meet the road. It's also very steady around corners, thanks to its rock-solid roll stability, so you can hustle a TG-A through twisting roads with real confidence. Only on one occasion, when we were climbing the damp switchback approach to Carter Bar, did we get the message that we might be pushing on a bit too hard, but the excellent feel through the driver's seat was enough to tell us to back-off.
Underpin all that with steering that's tight, precise and with plenty of feedback and you've got a truck that's a real driver's machine.
We were advised to pull away in 3L, but probably more for economy than clutch life. If we had to pay the bills we'd start in 2H! Revving to r,600rpm the TG-A takes whole gears at a Lime; apart from fine-tuning on hills the splitter is pretty much surplus to requirements.
Which leads us neatly to Comfortshift. Is it a "gimme girnme", or just a gimmick? Although we were encouraged to use it from the start, we ended up using it sparingly. It's undoubtedly great for an effortless split when hill-climbing—simply move the splitter toggle, thumb the button and it's sorted. But it's not particularly fast; we compared split shifts with Comfortshift and without, and found that the clutch pedal was significantly fas So we weren't persuaded to use Comforts for lever changes in high-range, particulart the TG-A's clutch is light anyway_
What did impress us is the D2,866LF1 lugging power. Normally we'd expect to n low range to haul 40 tonnes over the seN A68 with 4o3hp on tap, but the IC shrugged it off, thumping down to T,000r in 5L and coming back fighting on nasty h Not only can the TG-A go, it can sl During our emergency braking tests fr 64km/h its EBS discs produced outstand deceleration and ultra-short stopping tances—shorter than the Daf 85 and Hi with two tonnes less. The excellent brakes complemented by the TG-A's Exhaust V; Brake (EVB), which works across an imp sively broad rev range.
On the long drag down Carter Bar it heli to a steady 35-4omph with no need to beyond 2,500rpm or touch the footbr more than once. Running into a roundat it will rein you in right down to L000ri where most exhaust brakes have long gi up the ghost.
CAB COMFORT
The TG-A may have a smart new interior, it's still an MAN. Nowadays every tr maker uses plastic and rubber in their ci boards, but MAN has managed to use t without compromising its "brick-outhot reputation. It's also resisted the temptatio go for a deep curving dash, so cross access is considerably better than in m rival tractors. The XL's flat floor further that easy movement.
The choice of trim is typical MAN: no fi
no nonsense, just practical, but without being Spartan. The light/dark-grey colour and fabric panels are easy on the eye but won't show the dirt: the rubber floor mat is fleet friendly too.
The control layout is pretty good. While we like the FVB switch on the end of the column stalk, and the cruise control next to it, the spokes of the steering wheel obscure the driver's view of both of them so you need to remember where they are and how they work by touch, For years we've railed against the plethora of controls on truck seats. Mercifully, the TGA has few—and they all work well. After three days in the saddle we didn't feel a twinge. But what we really like is the relationship between the seat and steering wheel, which can be instantly adjusted for rake and height by pressing a floor-mounted button with your right heel. In less than half a minute you can get the ideal driving position, no matter how long or short you are.
Other plus points include the multi-function module in the driver's door which controls windows, mirrors and mirror heaters: it's part of a ledge at the top of the door that's wide enough to rest your arm on. The pull-out coolbox can take various bottles and is handy when you want it, but it slides back out of the way when you don't. The adjustable can holders in the dash are also welcome and drivers will appreciate the 2.2x0.79m bunk, which is one of the biggest in its class.
So far no one has made a perfect truck, and MAN is no exception. While the TG-A's forward visibility and view from the mirrors are good, the mirror surrounds need to have a deeper lip to help stop rainwater collecting on the lenses. The XL cabin also sits fairly high up (the floor is 1.47m off the ground) and we're not completely convinced the step spacing is quite right. As the bottom one is so low (at just 3o3mm) you tend to go for the next one up, which probably isn't what was intended. At the launch we also said that the pop-out chart tray in the new head-height tacho would get hit by a driver moving around the cab if it was left hanging out. Having watched MA N's demo driver bash his nut on it as he climbed in the truck, we have to say we're right. Sorry, Stuart, next time we'll push it back in.
Daily checks are easy—an oil test button in the dash means you don't have to get out of the cab to check the oil in the morning, which is just as well as the dipstick is under the cab.
SUMMARY
Truck operators have every reason not to believe the hype that surrounds every new truck, but in this case the reality comes very close to the billing. If you're looking for a solidly built artic that can handle 4o/41 tonnes with ease, and can deliver good economy and payload into the bargain, then the new MAN ought to be on your shordist—not least due to its attractive list price when compared with its rivals from Daf. Volvo and Scania and a three-year R&M package.
But if you want a truck that a driver will go out of his way to get into, and will be happy to do a day's work with, then your shortlist might well shrink to just one. Building a truck to please both the driver and his gaffer has never been easy. But with the TG-A MAN has managed to hit the target dead centre, with both barrels.
• by Brian Weatherley