ROAD TESTS AND APPRAISALS
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One of the best at its weight
IlLeyland Roadrunner 8.10
The British have a peculiar knack for self criticism which frequently extends to commercial vehicles. The 8.10 Roadrunner, however, can certainly take the knocks. Its excellent manoeuvrability, good fuel economy, well laid out cab and above average ride and handling, make it one the best 7.5-tonne light distribution vehicles on the market. It is more than capable of holding its own against any Continental non-HGV rigid.
Overall fuel consumption laden, 16.84 lit/ 100km (16.77mpg). Price as tested: £15,120 (excluding VAT but including £1,350 for Edbro steel dropside body, £480 for power steering, £150 seat belts, £140 radio/casette).
Commercial Motor, April 19.
Better than the Continentals
"'Leyland Roadtrain 17.34 At last Leyland has produced a Roadtrain which can surpass the best Continental tractive units and before long a very similar option will be available in Britain. This 38-tonner aimed first at the French market, stands head and shoulders above some Continental rivals in areas like cab design, brakes and handling. It has a Perkins (nee Rolls-Royce) Eagle 12,170cc 340Li engine and Eaton Twin Splitter gearbox. Price as tested: FFr 505,800 (£47.050) including optional air suspension and air deflector kit.
Commercial Motor, April 12.
Modern version of the venerable jeep
IIAMC Jeep Wrangler American Motors, largely owned by Renault, has introduced a modern version of the venerable Jeep, which remained largely unchanged since the end of the Second World War. The CJ is no longer made. In its place Jeep has introduced the Wrangler, known in Canada as the Jeep YJ. Motor, April 26, which tried it in America, says that according to Renault's French officials it will be marketed in Europe. But, asks Motor, who knows when?
John Rettie reports from the Arizona mountains that he was overtaken by two Range Rovers and could not keep up with them, adding: "Considering that the Range Rover is still rated as the best behaved 4wd off-road vehicle on the road, we felt the Jeep had acquitted itself well, especially when you consider that the Jeep costs $12,000 and the Rang Rover will probably cost over $30,000 when it goes on sale in the USA later in the year."
The new cab is a delight
• FX4S London taxi The spring edition of Diesel Times has appraised the FX4S, successor to the FX4R, supplied by Mann and Overton; the new vehicle has a Land Rover 2.5-litre diesel in place of the previous 2.8-litre engine. "The new cab was a delight to hustle through urban traffic," it says and it still turns on a sixpence.
Top speed in overdrive is said to be around 128krn/h (80mph) and fuel consumption is reckoned at 10.24 lit/100Icm (27.6mpg) for the manual (9.881ft/1001(in28.6 mpg automatic).
The new cab is being exported to the USA to fill the gap caused by the demise of Checker.
Cost: from £11,240 on the road. MERF 4 x2 E-Series A Commercial Motor (April 26) tester drove briefly a new ERF 4x2 E-Series tractive unit with rest cab and Cummins Super E 320 engine. He reported that a lot of effort has been made to give the new range driver appeal in areas where the ERF has been relatively weak. A comfortable driving position is easy to find.
"'Bedford Rascal microvan The Bedford Rascal went of sale in Britain earlier this month and Commercial Motor, May 3, is one of the first publications to appraise the vehicle. It is no secret that Bedford hopes to take the lion's share of the microvan with its latest lightweight, and CM's tester, on first acquaintance, reckons it could succeed. It is easy to get into, its 33kW (44hp) four-cylinder 970m3 engine makes it the most powerful micro on the market and it returned a motorway fuel consumption of 9.1 lit/100krn (31.1mpg).
• Mercedes-Benz 3836 AK The South African magazine Truck and Bus in its February issue claims a "world scoop" with an evaluation under working conditions of the Mercedes-Benz 3836 AK 6 x 6 dump truck with Meiller body: with a 17, 000kg payload average speed was 331(m/h (21 mph) and unladen 52km/h (33 mph), and at that time was one of only two such vehicles in existence. The journal reckons it's probably the most luxuriously appointed dump truck ever made, apart from the lack of air conditioning. "Out at Reitspriut on a typically hot Transvaal summer day the crew would either keep the windows closed and boil or they could open the windows and choke on the dust." The rated top speed off-road is 53km/h, its wheelbase is 4.575mm and its VIO engine produces 256kVV at 2.300rpm.
MACE Puma coach
Alternative Chassis Engineering of Hudders field has produced a "together" 31-seate: touring coach on a Daf-powered Van Hool bodied four-metre wheelbase package. It ha: no niggling faults, cruises at a comfortabl( 80krn/h (50mph) in sixth gear and its overall fue consumption is not bad, beating the 28.: lit/100km (10mpg) mark. Price as tested £63,820 (chassis £23,500).
Commercial Motor, Apri126.