1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202 
M AN's latest 7.5-12-tonne TGL (Trucknology Generation Light) range makes no
Page 59
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
secret of its roots in the well establishedTGA line-up, and it's cab is just as wide as the old L2000. But underneath it beats the new common-rail D20 engine with the option of an automated gearbox.
As MAN unveiled the TGL with the usual razzamatazz of drummers, strobe lights and dry ice, talk instantly turned to its decision to launch the 7 and 8 Series at 7.5 tonnes.The reason's simple: hire fleets account for a large slice of this sector in the UK and MAN's research indicated that these operators wanted a basic vehicle.They're catered for by the 7, leaving the more sophisticated 8 Series for the professionals. The 7 has fewer drive line options and is designed for flatbed, dropside and box bodiesmarketing director David Burke says there will be fewer panels for rental drivers to damage! It will be cheaper than the 8, but is bound to have weaker residuals too.
This two-market strategy is designed to expand MAN's slice of the 7.5-tonne cake from 15% towards a target of 18% ."We are fourth at the moment but we aren't making any wild predictions about increasing our market share," says Burke."Customers are looking for better vehicles to help driver retention and improve safety which is why the CAN-bus for EBS andABS, is so important."
With full-scale production due to start in June TGLs should be widely available by the autumn. Production is expected to concentrate on the 7 by a ratio of four to one, but Burke would like to see that reverse in favour of the 8 Series.
A 10-tonner will be available on special order but the 7.5-tonners main stablemate will be a 12-tonner.
The UK options list includes three manual gearboxes plus the ZF Tipmatic which is something of a novelty at 7.5 tonnes.The basic maximum plated weight for the front axle is increased to 3.4 tonnes for the 7 and 4.0 tonnes for the 8 to cater for diminishing loads and to reduce the risk of axle overloading up front.
Specifications The common-rail DOS engine inherits its design from the D20. It meets Euro-3 but is said to be capable of moving up to Euro-4 and even Euro-5.The 4.6-litre direct-injection four-stroke, four pot turbo-diesel can be supplied at 147hp,177hp or 202hp; if that's not enough for you there's a 6.9-litre 236hp V6.
There will be a choice of three cabs: C, an entrylevel day cab that is likely to find favour with the hire fleets;L. a long-haul sleeper equivalent to the well provenTGA cab; and LX, a premium sleeper designed for double-manning.
Impressions MAN invited us to a rainswept Munich to check out a variety of new-look TGEs; we took three for test drives. First up was a TGL 7.180 with a typically German-spec drinks body.
The 177hp straight-four with its six-speed ZF transmission served as a reminder that 150hp isn't really enough these days. It pulled strongly and handled well, retaining the driver-friendly feel of the bigger TGA.This 7.5-tonner felt like a big truck in a small environment, which is fine for truck drivers but might not be such a strong selling point for novices The 8.180 felt almost identical so we were keen to get our hands on a 12.210 with the Tipmatic transmission.
This eagerly anticipated truck didn't disappoint. It helped our tester who was busy coping with LHD on the wrong side of the road -to concentrate on the restrictive speed limits, to the point that at 60km/h on the equivalent of a British B-road he annoyed a car transporter driver and many car drivers by sticking punctiliously to the German speed limit.
The changes were smooth and consistent: this will be a welcome addition to the UK lightweight truck market. In fact Iveco might be wondering why it missed out after introducing it to the Daily range up to 6.5 tonnes and working down from the Stralis lineup. At 7.5 tonnes this automated transmission should earn MAN some new converts. •