Volvo shows off new FH with viral video daredevil
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By George Barrow
THE FIRST PICTURES of the new Volvo FH appeared on the internet last week as part of a viral video shot by the Swedish manufacturer.
The three-minute video of world record-holding highliner Faith Dickey treading carefully between two moving trucks is a YouTube hit, with more than 2.4 million views, but more importantly it has revealed the first-ever glimpse of Volvo’s new tractor unit.
According to the YouTube description, the stunt was set up to show the precise handling of the new Volvo FH – but in reality it shows the new model in great detail. The raked windscreen has gone, and so too has the Volvo iron through the enormous new grille that is needed for Euro-6 cooling. Its roof takes on a more aerodynamic look – presumably to compensate for the upright screen – and to incorporate an added airtake into the roofline. The video also shows a glimpse of the interior (1min, 20sec), which has changed dramatically.
The traditional parking brake appears to have gone, replaced by what looks like a push button electronic handbrake. The new design also seems to have brought the entertainment controls a lot closer to the driver and incorporated several buttons onto the redesigned steering wheel. Finally the instrument panel appears to have gone digital, with just one large dial now centred in the console.
The Volvo top-end power output appears not to have changed, with a 750hp badge visible in the film, which was shot on an unopened highway in Croatia.
The new FH will make its first appearance to the media in a few weeks’ time, ahead of its official unveiling at the IAA Hannover show in September.
• Watch the video: bit.ly/SrO4AD