MAN G90 8.150
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Price as tested: £35,000 (ex-VAT). Includes Ferrari 545 crane; Franklen tipper/dropside body; Harsh tip gear; Mobile Power and Volvo PT-Os. Engine: 6.87-litres, 107kW (143hp).
GVVV: 7.49 tonnes. Body/payload: 4.51 tonnes.
Speed: 68.5knn/h (42.5mph).
Fuel consumption: 16.21it/100km (17.5mpg).
It was late 1987 and MAN-VW, like Leyland Daf and lveco Ford, were busy launching high horsepower models in the UK. Nowhere was that power race more obvious than in the non-HGV chassis where the 150hp 7.5-tonner was a natural progression from the 130hp chassis that had dominated the market since the mid-1980s.
Since then almost every contender in this sector has made the move to 20hp/tonne 7.5tonners, more often than not accompanied by disc brakes. Now MAN is about to unveil an all-new 7.5-tormer. With its Steyr cab the new truck has a lot of potential, but conservative hauliers appreciate well-proven designs and the current G90 8.150 still has a lot to offer.
As a change from our usual box-bodied test vehicles in this class we turned to Sheffield Auto Hire, which has reponded to an upturn in municipal business by commissioning a new breed of 7.5-tormer.
SAH's Patrick Riley explains that the utility companies and independent contractors want a sub-WV vehicle which is light, manoeu vrable and fitted out with specialist equipment. SAH also needed something tough enough to withstand the rigours of the rental business.
So it was that MAN's 8.150 became the basis of an assault on this demanding sector. Our test vehicle has been doing the rounds of prospective customers and, says Riley, has been well received.
• PRODUCT PROFILE
The G-range features a curious mix of MAN truck components and more van-like Volkswagen bits. The result is a 7.5-tonner which feels more like a big van than a small truck. This must be an advantage for a CV which can be driven on a car licence, as it will be for much of the time in a rental fleet.
The chassis, however, is pure truck. The five wheelbases from 3.1-5.1m are of straight construction with riveted crossmernbers. Body mounting brackets are included.
Progressive-rate parabolic springs are combined with telescopic dampers and anti-roll bars front and rear; rear air suspension is optional. A single 100-litre fuel tank is mounted low on the right-hand side with batteries, spare wheel and air filter on the left, just behind the cab.
The cab is the largest in Volkswagen's range; a 2,064mm wide-version of the model used on the LT range—coincidentally also used in the US on Peterbiles Mid-Ranger series.
The all-steel construction seats three, offers reasonable entry and exit and does not look too forbidding to novice drivers. It sits on a torsion bar tilting system offering 450 of travel. Below it is MAN's own six-pot D0826GF diesel. In Euro-1 guise, this engine develops 110kW (148hp) at 2,700rpm and 4.50Nm (3321bft) of torque at 1,300rpm to EC 80/1269. The Bosch fuel injection system comes equipped with an all-speed governor which is ideal for P1-0 applications.
Power is taken through a hydraulically operated single dry plate clutch to Volkswagen's 007 five-speed synchromesh gearbox with a direct top gear and a deep 6.43:1 reverse. Our test truck was equipped with a Volvo hydraulic PT-0 to drive the Ferrari crane or, by switching a valve, the Harsh underfloor tipping gear.
The propshaft-driven PT-0 powers a compressor and alternator. When in use this unit disengages drive to the axle. A safety system shuts down the engine if it is oversped on PTO work. Another circuit prevents PT-0 operation when the truck has less than a quarter ■ tank of fuel aboard so the vehicle won't be stranded after a day's work.
The alternator meets Gas Board TIN 12 standard; it produces 110V at four and six k'VA through 16amp and 32amp sockets at the back of the vehicle. Next them are twin air cocks for the compressor outlet. An electric fan-driven oil cooler is mounted between the chassis rails above the drive axle.
The specialist equipment was supplied and fitted by Mobile Power of Chesterfield, complete with visual and audible safety alarms.
Towing pins are fitted but as the MAN carries its own compressor the towing equipment doesn't see much action. All those extras slash the payload and only two tonnes, but that's a penalty many users will be happy to put up with for the ability to drive on a car licence.
• PRODUCTIVITY
Despite it age the G90 is no slouch in the fuel economy stakes. Helped by its low body the MAN managed a respectable 16.2lit/100km (17.4mpg) over our Welsh route including 18.71it/l()Okm (15.1mpg) over the motorway section, That figure is certainly better than the previous box-bodied none-Euro-1 8.150F tested back in 1988 and the 8.136 tested with a dropside body in 1985.
Performance is good but would have been better with a slicker gearlinkage. As you'd expect from this power-to-weight ratio track acceleration times were excellent. The 3.6mwheelbase model offers a body/payload allowance of 4.57-tonnes, which is on a par with comparable models in the New Cargo and 45 Series line-ups.
• ON THE ROAD
Car-like ride and handling will endear the G90 to less experienced drivers, but when negotiating nan-ow gaps novices will have to remember that the body is wider than the cab.
The steering is a touch heavy despite the large steering wheel and low-speed manoeuvring is not the G90's strongpoint. Its wedge actuated brakes are powerful but lack the finesse of discs: braking is pretty much an all or nothing affair. Many 7.5-tonners use disc/drum combinations or discs all round; MAN's full-air system seems best suited to drawbar conversions and a drawbar equipped version is available.
111 CAB COMFORT
On the whole this cab works well as a 7.5-tonner, with good visibility, comfortable seating and effective ventilation. It is let down by that ponderous gearchange and a narrow entry. The dashboard lies at one end of an expanse of black plastic. The controls, clocks and switches are well placed but it all looks rather dated.
Despite the cab's age interior noise levels are really quite good. Iveco Ford's all-new Cargo is only a shade better in this department. Let's hope the G90's replacement is at least as quiet.
A curious steel roof hatch can be used for added ventilation but the two door vents do the trick without letting in driveline noise or dust from the body. The expanse of glass in the rear bulkhead works well on tippers as it affords some glimpse of what's going on. SAH has wisely included an external tipper control to save the driver the trouble of jumping aboard every time he wants a bit more gravel. A tough rubberised lining allows the cab to be hosed out, which will suit the MAN's likely working environment.
• SUMMARY
"Good truck that," remarked one ex-ownerdriver who we happened to meet in a motorway service area. Once teething problems with engine liners, clutch and gearbox were sorted out, the G90 settled down to establish a reputation as a solid, well-made workhorse.
It offers good performance, acceptable economy and a useful payload. What it doesn't have is a full-size cab to compete against the New Cargo or 45 Series. Contract maintenance prices look favourable alongside those from Leyland Daf and Iveco Ford-the MAN's .C2,341 annual charge beats the Iveco Ford by £676.
Combining a tipper, crane and generator in a non-LGV vehicle is asking a lot of any truck. The MAN 8.150 has proved itself capable of meeting that demand; we suspect that Sheffield Auto Hire has made a good investment.
by Danny Coughlan