Sonia reveals 1991 powerplay
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• Scania has unveiled a host of major product changes including all-new gearboxes, more powerful engines and the first commercial application of turbocompounding.
Also included in its 1991 product line-up is a fully fitted aerodynamic package for heavy trucks, called Streamline, and electronic anti-spin control (ASR) which works in conjunction with the existing ABS technology.
All the revisions, with the exception of turbo compounding, are expected to come to the UK. Turbocompounding will initially be sold solely in Sweden until early 1992, as when Scania introduced EDC , (Electronic Diesel Control) on its R143 470 model. The new heavy gearbox family, the GRS 900, is a 12-speed (plus two crawler gears) synchromesh design using the same three position gate that Volvo adopted on its new gearbox range in early 1988. It too is a range-change and splitter unit, the former being controlled by a Leyland Daf Series 95-style collar on the gear lever. The splitter switch is of the rocker type, like Volvo.
Computer designed using the latest finite element techniques, the GRS 900 is said to weigh just 330kg. Ratios range from 16.38:1 in low crawler, to 11.27:1 in first gear and direct drive top.
The 14-litre vee-eight and 11-litre six-cylinder ranges are subject to changes, The EDCequiPped 470
(470hp) has been boosted to 373kW (500hp) by a combination of design changes. A new inlet side to the cylinder head, together with higher line pressures from the fuel injection pump and new eight-hole nozzles, now work in conjunction with a higher 17:1 compression
ratio. The result is 10% more torque at 2, 130Nm (1, 5711bft).
EDC, the electronic engine management system designed in co-operation with Bosch, is being extended to the 11-litre engine range. A 283kW (380hp) version will appear developing 1,660Nm (1, 2241bft) of torque at between 1,000rpm and 1, 50Orpin. It has a specific fuel consumption of 191grkWh. The 310/320/360 engines will be retained.
Scania has also launched a 400hp version of the turbocompounded 11-litre straight six engine which was first revealed two years ago. Rated at 299kW (401hp) at 1,900rpm and producing 1, 750Nm (1,2901bft) of torque at be tween 1,200rpm and 1,425rprn, this engine is 200kg lighter than the current 298kW (400hp) 14-litre vee-eight. The gain in the overall thermal efficiency made possible by turbocompounding has lowered the engine's specific fuel consumption to a claimed 186g/kWh.
Turbo-compounding is where energy escaping through the exhaust pipe is harnessed and converted into mechanical drive at the flywheel. This is done by mounting a second turbocharger-like turbine downstream of the actual turbocharger. The spinning turbine is geared directly to the flywheel through a complex clutch arrangement where it adds energy to the driveline.