MOTOR SHOW 88 REPORT
Page 38
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
3, 100kg at 6.15m.
With a 6.25m wheelbase the vehicle, in Wimpey plant livery, has an unladen weight of 12.3 tonnes giving a payload of 12,685kg.
Carrymaster is playing a variation on a theme with its latest triple-compartment 12.2m Euroftidge reefer trailer. The sections are cooled by evaporators from a single freezer unit. This allows a choice of ambient, chilled and frozen products to be carried at temperature ranging from —20°C to +30°C.
With production about to begin at its new £2.5 million 7,500m3 Doncaster plant, major supermakets are showing interest in the design. Highdensity polyurethane foam panels are used for the body, while a two-member chassis with a single-piece composite floor eliminates the need for cross-bearers.
The new Bedwas stand is being offered as a low-cost, air management option for newbuild rigid and trailer box vans. It consists of curved aluminium uprights and top section together with moulded GRP corner mouldings and adds only £50 to the retail price.
Bedwas is also showing a scaled-down model of the 50nun insulated side doors for its Maxop body system. The doublesealing doors slide on a doublebogie arrangement.
French reefer manufacturer Lamberet has its latest Cargofrigo semi-trailer body on display. It also has a composite floor that brings weight savings.
Another French manufacturer, Magyar, is displaying its first hazchem semi-trailer. It is one of five bought by TIP for over £200,000. With current orders such as the three chocolate carriers for United Biscuits, Magyar will have imported 50 tankers of various types.
While another tanker company, Charles Roberts, is busy selling to the major oil producers and distributors, its car transporter interest has grown to the point where it is having to open a new plant in Leeds. It has built 50 so far and is budgetting for 86 in the next financial year.
Alongside its new curtainsider, Van Hool's 2, 250th semitrailer built for Central Trailer Rental is on show and is one of around 80 supplied across Europe this year.
The Maxivol step-frame semi-trailer has SAF axles and air suspension with lift-lower as standard and dual king pin position. Peterborough based Lawrence David's exhibits include a curtain-sided body that was built onto a Mercedes 307D chassis within one hour from a boxed body kit during the first day of the show.
The kits are expected to be sold direct to truck dealers at 20% below the 22,100 retail price. It is available in 3.1, 3.3 and 3.7m body sizes for most of the popular makes and the company is hoping to sell around 1,500 in the first year.
Market trends are moving towards the use of air-operated disc brake on larger vehicles and with every major manufacturer currently trialling them, there are a number of different types to be seen at the show.
The Girling version featured on GKN's latest 18HA series drive-axle exhibit, is rated at 5,900kg. It is suited for midibus application, hence the one shown on an MCW model, but it can equally be used on LCVs.
Freight Rover is showing off its new air-suspension pack for the Sherpa 300-Series developed by Freight Rover and Aston Martin Tickford using Dunlop parts. The air suspension is powered by a Japanesemade electric motor which incorporates a small air dryer mounted on the offside of the engine bay.
The company also has details of the two-stage injection system fitted to the Perkins Prima DI diesel unit in the Sherpa 200-Series vans. The system will be available from January, and Commercial Motor understands that the improvements will also be fitted into Austin Rover Maestro vans next year.
The Sherpa 200-series also gets the new high-roof conversion which increases the van's total load volume by 0. 3m3 to 5.30m3.
The NEC Motor Show marks the UK show debut for the Fiat Citivan and Fiorino. Both vehicles will be tested by Commercial Motor soon.
Supplies of Fiat's SEVELbuilt Ducato van should increase slightly next year following the opening of the SEVEL factory at Ama, Italy.
Supplies to Europe will initially increase to 800 vans a day, rising to 1,000 per day. Forthcoming changes for the van, that is also sold as a Citroen C25 and a Peugeot Talbot Express, should include a new revised gear linkage (in June) and stronger side door mechanisms. The Fiat 1.9-litre 61kW (82hp) blown diesel engine should also arrive next year.
Despite early pessimism, it looks as though all the suppliers of the SEVEL-built van will take the new 4 x 4 version next year, although Fiat is talking to Quaife Engineering about the possibility of providing the 4 x4 system on the long-wheel-base versions, as well as the standardwheelbase vans that the system will come on at first.