Renault completes Euro-6 line-up
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WHEN RENAULT Trucks revealed its whole new range of trucks for Euro-6 in June, the D range of distribution trucks went no lower than 10-tonne GVW — leaving 7.5-tonners noticeably absent. That was fixed at last week's Solutrans truck show in Renault's home city of Lyon, where the Euro-6 line-up was completed with the unveiling of D range models at 7.5-, 6.5-, 5.6and 3.5-tonne GVW. Specifications remain sketchy, but all use a 2m-wide cab — the rest of the D range has either 2.1m or 2.3m cabs — and have a 3-litre engine. The engine is rated at 180hp and 540Nm in the 7.5-tonner; it is 150hp in the other three. A manual six-speed gearbox is standard in all models, with an Optitronic six-speed automated box — presumably
ZF's AS-Tronic lite — as an option in the 7.5-tonner.
The new model is engineered in partnership with Nissan Motor, which will use its version as the successor to the Spanish-built Atleon.
Right-hand-drive versions are not scheduled to arrive in the UK until 2015, when they will compete in particular with Japanese compact models like Fuso's Canter, Isuzu's Forward N series and Hino's 300 series. These accounted for 25% of all 7.5-tonners sold in the UK last year, so Renault Trucks believes that the time is ripe to make the switch from the heavier Midlum 7.5-tonner.