ENGINES
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All three engines were Euro-4 specification with MAN and Scania using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and Renault Trucks using selective catalytic reduction (SCR). Swept volume varies from 6.9-litres for MAN and 7.2-litres for Renault to the much larger 8.9-litre for Scania, making the Swede’s engine the heaviest.
However, MAN and Renault offer identical power and torque whereas Scania has slightly less power, but more torque at its disposal. That additional torque helped the Scania P230 achieve the quickest overall time around the test route because it was able to lug through the peaks and troughs rather than rely on power for recovery and climbing.
The automated transmission in the TGM was very sensitive to added labour, or load, and changed early to maintain its optimum delivery for the task in hand. Driving with Midlum’s six-speed all three drivers felt that early changes, particularly on hill climbs, was preferable to lugging because the gaps between second, third and fourth gears were wider than the equivalent ratios on both other transmissions.
That said, at 18 tonnes Scania’s 8.9-litre, torque-strong engine might not be best suited for the weight-sensitive operations or the urban delivery network where torque isn’t best utilised. Stop/start journeys between traffic lights, roundabouts and traffic jams require power to get back up to speed, and additional driver training on maintaining the momentum to help keep the truck rolling where it can. Through Banbury and around Buckingham both the TGM and Midlum felt responsive to the stop/start progress while the Scania felt slightly more heavy-handed.