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Bonnets on top
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The 1996 IAA Show in Hanover was as impressive as ever: Mercedes' Actros was the obvious star of the show, while other manufacturers concentrated on refinements and additions to their ranges. Most were showing bonneted trucks, and claiming status as "world truck" builders, but lesser-known manufacturers such as Liaz and BMC are also hoping to attack the Western European market.
Report by Brian Weatherley, John Kendall, Toby Clark, Charles Young and Bill Godwin Photography by Tom Lee.
3 The Hanover Show continues until Sunday 29 September.
• Four-cylinder Renault dropped the fourlitre four-cylinder Perkins Phaser engine in the Midliner a while back. Now the 7.5-tonner gets a similar Renault engine to replace it for Euro-2. The engine is derived from the 6.2-litre six-cylinder powering the new Premium Distribution models. Two ratings: 134hp (100kW) and 147hp (110kW) will be offered, alongside a 147hp six-cylinder model. The four-cylinder 147hp engine offers 10% more torque than its six-cylinder counterpart.
• Most of lveco's show vehicles were developments of existing models, but one surprise was this 8x8 EuroTrakker. The MR410 E 42W is rated at 40 tonnes GVVV; it will go into production next April. Other new vehicles included a EuroTech tractor with a natural-gas version of the 9.5-litre engine rated at 220hp (162kW); versions of the EuroCargo with a double cab and an automatic gearbox; an 18-tonne EuroCargo with rear air suspension; and the Daily City Van fitted with an automatic clutch.
• The most striking of the many bonneted trucks at Hanover was Iveco's 500E44 6x4 tractor, developed and designed by its subsidiary ITAL (International Trucks Australia Limited) to run at 50 tonnes GTW. The cab is based on the EuroTech design, while the driveline is ditional: a Cummins N14-435E engine is matched to an Eaton 10-speed box and Rockwell axles. Iveco also showed an Indian Cargo built by Ashok Leyland but has no plans to sell either vehicle in Europe.
6=0•141....a .01.1+4. elemownr..... •
• Big news from Schmitz was the launch of a trailer running on Mercedes-Benz's own trailer axles with Actros-compatible disc brakes. This is the First trailer to be built on M-B axles: it features air suspension by Weweler of the Netherlands. More details next week.
• Straight front axle beams on Daf 85 Series six and eightwheelers will be adopted on right-hand-drive models before the end of the year— along with the hinged, swingup step previewed at last year's TipCon. With 295/80 R22.5 tyres fitted, ground clearance beneath the axle goes up from 280 to 380mm. It should appeal to muckaway men—there's no change in kerbweight. • New MAN EVB exhaust valve brake turns engine into a compressor providing extra retardation like a Jake Brake {For full description see CM 1-7 August). EVB is likely to become standard on righthand drive trucks from 17 tonnes upward. MAN Truck & Bus UK is also looking at bringing in a six-wheel tipper/mixer chassis with the lightweight E2000 cab and 260hp 6.7-litre engine. If all goes to plan it could appear at TipCon '97. • Scania showed no completely new trucks, but used Hanover to introauce the final members of its 4-Series range: the bonneted 1-cab, and this CrewCab for fire and rescue work. The company also showed a 6x2 tractor featuring a hydraulically steered tag axle and the company's electronic braking system. Also on show were the latest six and eight-wheelers. Scania's most dramatic new vehicle was the aluminium-bodied OmniCity bus, developed at the ex-DAB factory in Denmark. It's a "kneeling" low-floor design with discs all round.
• The US-built Euro 2000R refrigerated semi from the Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co of California highlighted the contrasts between European and US practice. The Euro 2000R is already in use in the Middle East and Russia. It incorporates CFC-free "foam-in-place" insulation to give an unbroken thermal envelope. Following US practice, particularly in piggybacking, landing gear is particularly substantial. European
ype gear can be specified; its sideguards are another feature not seen in the trailer's home market.
• Volkswagen's Caddy Pickup has the same platform as Skoda.'s Felicia; it is identical except for a different grille and plusher interior. A glass-fibre hardtop can be ordered direct from the factory with two swing doors at the rear. The model pictured here is an after-market version by German company Boesenberg. The Caddy Pickup is likely to reach the UK in November with a payload of 530kg and a load area of 2.0m2.
• ZF announced that Iveco will have exclusive rights to its AS-Ironic gearbox for a year: it will not be made available to other chassis builders until autumn 1997. The electronically synchronised constant-mesh box will initially be available in 12and 16-speed versions, with two-pedal semi or fullyautomatic operation. The production version of the box is 65mm shorter and 50kg lighter than the conventional Ecosplit equivalent, while savings in linkages and controls should offset the slightly higher cost.
• With EU legislation in the air Volvo will offer a frontunderrun bumper for the F1-1 from early next year. It is fixed to the bumper and chassis behind the front air dam and adds 30kg. Volvo says 4,000 people are killed every year in head-on collisions between cars and trucks. • Vo -io replaces the Mercedes 12 van range spanning 4.8-7.49 tonnes GVW. Developed from the 12, it has modified body panels and interiors, two direct injection engines, extended service intervals and four-wheel disc brakes. Power comes from either the 90kW (122hp) five-cylinder Sprinter engine or 100kW {134hp) 4.2-litre four-cylinder engine used in the 814 truck. It has three valves per cylinder and electronic engine management.
• Citroen's new high-cube, the Berlingo, is available as a passenger carrier in Germany with five seats and a small load area with four tie-down points. It may be introduced in the UK as the Multispace, depending on reaction at the British Motor Show. Citroen hopes to sell 2,700 Berlingo passenger carriers in Germany, compared with 2,000 vans. UK prices will be announced at the Birmingham show. • Renault's Premium made a first appearance at Hanover and the company took the wraps off its new Magnum engine at the show. Based on the 12-litre Mack E7, it replaces the 12-liire Renault engine with power ratings of 385hp (287kW), 424hp (316kW) and 464hp (346kW). Basic engine compo
-f rY,T nents are sup
, plied from the US and Renault adds most external components. The fourvalve engine has electronic engine management and Jacobs engine brake.
• Latest addition to the Kogel "kit system" of trailer construction is the "comfort" range of curtuinsiders. The show model was a double-decker with a 2.7m ceiling. A version is also available with up to 200mrn extra headroom for use with low-height tractors. Unladen weight has been reduced by up to 450kg.
• Hanover was the launch pad for three Mercedes-Benz models: Actros, Vario and Unimog UX100. Among the wood and sackcloth, or mounvins and valleys as Mercedes would have you believe, Actros even had its own "Theme Park." It's a long way up into the Mega Space cab with its Magnum style flat
Floor. No doubt long drivers will appreciate the benefits alongside the advanced technology the new model packs. • This big 11m3 mixer from Meierling Alustar looks like a 10x4 rigid but it's actually a close-coupled artic consisting of a four-axle 360hp Scania P113 pulling a single axle piggyback trailer. Air-suspended SAF trailer axle has hydraulically operated
steering mechanism. The semi •-et trailer • Turkish manufacturer BMC started by licence-building British designs in the sixties. Now it plans to return the compliment by selling its Professional 4x2 and 6x2 rigid chassis in the UK. The Professional is fitted with Turkish-built Cummins B or C-Series engines and an all-steel cab styled by Pininfarina. A full-width version is being designed. BMC has yet to establish a UK dealer network, but plans to win UK Type Approval by next Summer. The company already exports its Fatih l"Conquerorl model to 40 countries.
• The passenger version of Citroen's new Dispatch, marketed in Germany as the Jumpy, is a cheaper alternative to Citroen's similar sized people carrier, the Evasion. It has been available in Germany since the beginning of 1996 but there are no plans to introduce it in the UK, although a windowed version will be available which can be converted into a minibus. • ROR Rockwell showed this low maintenance Indair independent air suspension concept trailer axle with discs mounted inboard For easier pad changing. The axle maker claims it should take no more than 15 minutes per axle. Other exhibits included Flexair Lite consisting of TE9000 axle with narrower brake shoes and hubs which weighs in at 395kg complete with FL9000N suspension with lightweight brackets and slimmer trailing arms.
• German bulk tanker specialist Rohr has expanded its Megatrailer production for use in supermarket and similar distribution operations. The prototype of the new tri-axle Rohr double-deck unit bears a remarkable resemblance to the well-prove Wilson DoubleDeck design which was also at Hanover. The Rohr semi has room for 52 Euro pallets. • Czech manufacturer Liaz is now trading as Skoda Liaz, selling both Liaz and Tatra ranges. Alongside the Steyrcabbed Liaz range Skoda Liaz showed this 400-Series design concept to demonstrate Skoda's SKI. method of cab construction using composite panels on an aluminium spaceframe. The truck could feature Detroit Diesel power or a new 12-litre engine designed by Skoda Liaz. The six-cylinder turbodiesel is rated 400hp and should meet the forthcoming Euro-3 emissions standard using electronic unit injectors.
is located on the rigid chassis by a conventional fifth wheel and rear overhang which fits inside into trailer Frame.
• The Nissan Eco-T.160 (90) is new for the German market, taking the Eco range through its 7.5-tonne ceiling. The 9.0tonner was previously available only in Spain and Italy. It uses Nissan's B6-60 Ti (L) sixcylinder turbo-diesel Nissan sold 5,000 CVs in Germany last year.
• Latest SAMT B semi-auto box from Eaton is based on 16-speed S-Series synchro box rather than the old Twin Splitter 12-speed. Revised and repackaged electric rather than pneumatic selectors offer faster shifts. With EDC engines, SAMT B improved software gives greater flexibility and driveability. It will be offered as an option by MAN early next year. • Volvo's long-awaited 7.5-tonner hits the UK in volume next JanuJry (CM 19-26 Sept). FLC represents a major departure for the Swedish truck maker by having a 135hp Perkins engine, Eaton gearbox and Rockwell back axle. The FL cab has been given a minor facelift, too. Volvo has gone back to usin steel, rather than plastic composite bump with the lights mounted on the chassis so minor knocks shouldn't affect alignment. Indicators have also been moved higher into integrated side deflectors.
• Krone is confident that its "swap trailer", with a 15.45m load deck, will win legal approval. It has now applied the concept to a prototype mega trailer with a clear internal height of 3.0m. At Hanover the company also showed a discbraked coil carrier and a close-coupled N-type drawbar unit. • The L200 picku Mitsubishi will launched in the UK Motor Show. G, operators can c between a single c( a double cab, but c single cab will be in the UK. UK mod be a 4x2 2.5-litre and a 4x4 2.5-litre diesel. In Germany DM30,990 (21'; including tax.