On your marques!
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CM looks at the runners and riders up for the 2011 International Truck of the Year award
By Brian Weatherley THE 2012 International Truck of the Year (IToY) is a three-horse race – reminding us that Europe’s truckmakers no longer launch new or upgraded models every year. However, the trio, consisting of the Mercedes-Benz new Actros, Scania Euro-6 range and (arriving in the UK next year) Tatra Phoenix, is a real mixed bag.
Mercedes-Benz Actros
On paper, the favourite has got to be the all-new Actros from Mercedes – and it clearly helps when that paper is blank from the start. The Actros comes with all the advantages you’d expect from having a new cab, engine (the Euro5/6 0M471 13-litre straight-six) and chassis. It’s wowed various members of the trucking press thanks to its bold lines and improved interior space.
Moreover, following independently monitored on-road tests, it’s proved to have superior fuel economy at both Euro-5/6 compared to the current (we prefer old) Actros that is still in production. Moreover, the ride and handling deinitely has to be experienced to be believed. The Germans have pulled off the clever trick of making a big cab lagship tractor handle like a low cab leet machine – taut, but amazingly comfortable.
Scania Euro-6 range
By contrast, the latest Euro-6 range of 440hp and 480hp 13-litre engines from Scania arrived with typical Swedish under statement, not least when it came to questions of fuel economy, described at their unveiling as: “As good as Scania’s Euro-5 engines.” The message being that at least in terms of fuel costs, the step up to the next low-emission level won’t hit hauliers in their pockets. The new Euro-6 diesels are available under Scania’s G and R cabs – whether itted to a tractor or a rigid. CM has driven the Eu ro-6 Scania tractor and can conirm it’s lost none of its driver appeal – especially as continuing software control upgrades to the Opticruise auto box mean it’s getting closer than ever in performance to dedicated “auto-only” transmissions from Volvo and ZF. But is that enough wow factor to woo the IToY judges? We’ll have to see.
Tatra Phoenix
This year’s dark horse comes from the Czech Republic. We’re talking about the Phoenix range of tough on/off-road rigid multi-wheelers from Tatra. The Phoenix (covered in detail in CM 6 October) arrives in the UK early next year, giving UK construction and mining vehicle buyers – or indeed anyone with a real off-road mission – the chance to experience its tubular spine chassis.
The Czech truckmaker has taken the CF cab and 13-litre MX engine from DAF, and used them to create an all-new line-up of 4x4s, 6x6s and 8x8s with exemplary all-terrain credentials. Having driven all three, CM was impressed by how they shrugged off cross-country obstacles and romped over road surfaces at high speeds.
All thanks to Tatra’s trademark chassis with driven axles hanging off the centre-spine, which ensure that the wheels maintain contact with the ground no matter what.
The only doubt about the Phoenix is whether it’s just too specialised for the IToY judges. Is it just too niche?
So now it’s down to the 23 jury members (drawn from the top road transport magazines across Europe) to have their say. As soon as all the votes have been cast, we’ll let you know who the winner is! n
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