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The power and the glory
Page 24
Page 25
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With 680hp, a luxurious feeling interior and ACC2 to boot, MAN's flagship tractor is no chore to test.
Words: Colin Barnett / Images: Tom Lee
ONE OF THE contenders in last week's 2008 Cab Test (CM 17 April) was a MAN TGX XXL 680, currently the world's most powerful on-highway production truck. With the TGX going back to Germany within hours of the test ending, it was the perfect chance to grab the UK's first on-road press drive.
The Cab Test truck was lacking a few of the V8's production niceties, most notably the unique alloy wheels, but it was near enough.
Although the V8's count on the CM 'in-cab eadgetometer' was as high as you might expect from a flagship vehicle,
even the basics are enough to place the TGX at the head of the field.
Such things are a matter of taste, of course, but if a restrained, high-quality feel of a premium German car appeals to you, you'll love the MAN.
The instrument panel — circular white-on-black instrumentation with chrome bezels, a crisp information display and an extensive grid of warning lights — is as clear as it gets, while the steering wheel controls boast what is probably the best cruise control on the market. Heater and audio controls are pure VW/Audi. and the trim
materials are impeccably chosen. There is a generous helping of leather and carbon fibre for the V8. Neat touches include a handy clipboard holder on the side of the housing for the gear switch, a pop-up sunglasses holder close to the driver's hand, and the V8 logo embossed on the backs of the seats.
The 16.2-litre Liebherr-derived V8 Euro-5 engine, with common-rail injection and 32 valves, may lead the power race at the moment, but Volvo's similarly sized 660 delivers 100Nm more torque. Still, 3,000Nm is enough to be going on with; it is artificially capped to preserve the transmission.
The AdBlue tank raised a few giggles from rival manufacturers' staff at the Cab Test, an inevitable consequence of the UK importer's 'Add Nothing' campaign, but it's not an unusual sight in the manufacturer's homeland.
Power and responsibility
Our testing around the confines of the MIRA proving ground was enough to demonstrate that the truck's real-life performance would live up to its spec. While it doesn't seem that long since a good 40-tonner could dash from 0-801mM in a minute, the TGX did it in 36 seconds. But, as we turned on to the A5, we reminded ourselves it's the real world that matters. Press the right pedal gently and the whole shebang picks up speed effortlessly, but press it to the floor, into the kickdown zone, and it turns into a snarling monster, leaping away with the eagerness of an empty 7.5-tonner. The driver of the Daf 32-tonner who followed us on the uphill sliproad on to the M69 must have been checking his parking brake.
Obviously, cruising on flat motorways at %km/h, the TGX is no faster than the average shopping trolley, but in tough hilly terrain, or on routes with lots of slowing down for roundabouts, it should knock chunks off journey times. The ZF 12-speed automated gearbox operates as you'd expect, apart from the odd feeling it has been butched-up to handle the torque. A ZF Intarder is also standard on the V8.
There's an old cliché about power and responsibility, and the MAN has its share of the latter. Apart from the novelty of the power, we were even more excited at the prospect of using ACC2 in real-life UK situations. This second version of the Wabco-designed Adaptive Cruise Control uses all of the truck's braking resources to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Selected by one of three functions on the lower right button on the steering wheel, it has four range settings. Once engaged, if it detects you are getting too close to the vehicle in front, it will apply as much braking from engine brake, retarder and service brakes as required to maintain the chosen distance.
Fears that drivers will come to rely on it to do their thinking are tempered by the fact that, similar to a well set-up ESP system, it overdoes the braking slightly, making it quicker and more comfortable to drive properly. This saves ACC2 for when it's truly needed.
In addition, the test truck came with Lane Assist. Incidentally, the MAN's mirrors offered more than enough coverage for any situation, apart from pulling out of an oblique side turning. • FOR THE LATEST HEWS VISIT:
www.roadtransport.com/cm