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Surprising growth in 6x4s

THE ARTICULATED vehicle has been the favourite commercial vehicle configuration in this country since it was given a maximum gross weight advantage in 1964. There is no indication whatsoever of the popularity of the tractive unit/semi-trailer combination diminishing compared with rigid or drawbar vehicles and, according tothe Department of Transport, there is no chance of drawbars being allowed to operate at 38 tonnes.

In a summary in January of last year's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders registration figures CM described 1984 as "the year cv sales stood still". That general comment masked a pronounced growth in some sectors, including the one for tractive units over 29 tonnes gross combination weight.

In 1983 in this sector there was a total of 10,133 registrations. Last year that increased by 13.8 per cent to 11,528. In part this growth simply reflects a steady trend in recent years towards heavier (interms of gross weight), more efficient commercial vehicles.

Another influence must have been the long awaited Government action of 1983 to raise the maximum gross weight to 38 tonnes. Many operators had postponed purchasing decisions until the details of this legislation were published. Many more than was initially widely forecast are choosing three-axle tractive units. The growth in popularity of 6 x 4 tractive units has been particularly surprising to many observers.

The manufacturer which has benefited most from this trend is Foden — deservedly so it could be argued since it has done so much to promote the virtues of 6 x 4s. Though its share of the total 29 tonne plus market sector remains relatively small (3.5 per cent) Foden tractive unit sales rocketed from 213 in 1983 to 399 last year, and 55 per cent ofthis total was accounted for by the SIO6T, 6 x 4 models.

Foden's registration figures are also of interest because they seem to vindicate this tractive unit manufacturer's decision to be the first UK based one not to exhibit at a British Motor Show.

But if only one manufacturer had to be singled out for its performance in the UK tractive unit market last year it would be Scania. Unit sales in the 29-tonne plus sector increased by 324 compared with 1983, taking Scania past Daf to the number two position. The UK became Scania's largest market anywhere apart from Brazil.

British operators clearly have been favourably impressed by Scania's GPR range, including the unusual 6 x 2 models with their lifting trailing axles.

There is a strong consensus among observers of the cv manufacturing industry that General Motors, and therefore Bedford, will be the one to watch over the next few years. It is difficult to disagree with that view. GM's top management has let it be known that the strategy which dramatically improved its car sales over the past few years is new being applied to trucks. When the world's largest automotive group and one of the most powerful multi-national corporations of any kind throws down such a gauntlet other manufacturers are obliged to take notice. BEDFORD was part of the General Motors Vauxhall Motors car building subsidiary until 1982. when it joined the then newly formed GM Truck and Bus Group with headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan. This group was formed to rationalise the giant corporation's diverse worldwide commercial vehicle design and manufacturing arms. GM is the world's largest automotive group.

Bedford employs 8.173 in the UK at two locations, Luton and Dunstable. All of its tractive units are assembled at Dunstable. There are 39 Bedford TM dealers in the UK. plus 160 dealers for other models. In the rest of Western Europe there are 579 Bedford dealers, including 109 heavy truck locations.

In 1984 Bedford sold in the UK 176 tractive units plated at over 29 tonnes gross and a total of 1.405 commercial vehicles of over 15 tonnes gross. While last year was generally a good one in sales terms for Bedford (its share of the whole UK 3.5 tonnes plus market increased by 11.9 per cent over 1983) yet again this manufacturer must be disappointed with TM tractive unit sales.

The TM range was introduced in 1974 and has never really caught the imagination of large numbers of operators of articulated vehicles. whereas the TL is a favourite, notably with brewers. as an urban ar-tic operating at a gross combination weight of around 20 tonnes.

Now that Bedford's own 8.2-litre Blue Series engine is rated in turbocharged form at up to 156kW (209hp). TL tractive units are available with plated weights as high as 32,000kg (31 5 ton).

DAF's UK importer was set up in January 1973 by David Mansell (who later became a Daf main-board director) at High Wycombe. Things certainly moved fast in the Mansell company. Later in the same year it moved to new premises in Marlow and by the end of its first year in business had turned over £3.5 million.

The Daf success story in the UK has continued with barely an interruption ever since. Daf Trucks (GB) has always been a wholly owned Dal subsidiary.

In June 1983 (CMJune 25, 1983 ) the importer moved its truck and bus modification workshop from Marlow to a purpose-built £3m centre in Colchester, conveniently close to Harwich where Dafs enter this country from the Netherlands.

Now Daf Trucks (GB) employs 135 at Marlow in sales, marketing, parts. service and service development, and further 64 at Colchester. All Thus, they overlap with the lightest of the TM tractors. Note that Bedford plates its tractive units at 32 tonnes rather than at 32 tons (32.5 tonnes) like other manufacturers, because it argues that the marginal reduction in payload is more than offset by the lower vehicle excise duty. this now being dependent on gross. not unladen. weight.

The most recent significant specification changes to the TM tractive unit range were made in 1982 when new engine options and revised drivetrains were introduced.

Spicer splitter gearboxes were replaced by the latest Eaton Fuller direct top. range-change units and Soma French-built drive axles were replaced by Rockwell and Eaton singlereduction axles, all in the interest of improved driveline efficiency.

Bedford is the only UK manufacturer to offer Detroit Diesel two-stroke diesels (built by another GM subsidiary) in its engine option list. In 1982 the "Silver92 Series became available in the TM and the all-new Cummins 10-litre soon followed as a TM engine option. to join the 14-litre Cummins models already fitted.

Unusually. one 4 x 2 TM tractive unit powered by a Cummins NTE 290 was tested twice round CM's Scottish test route at 38 tonnes last year once when the 40mph dual carriageway speed limit was in force, and once after it had been raised to 50mph. This comparative test produced some Daf tractive units are assembled at its main plant adjoining the head office in Eindhoven, though cabs and axles come from the company's Belgian plant at Westerlo.

There are 40 Daf service points in this country. 22 of which are main dealers. In the rest of Western Europe there are a further 484 Daf service points. Daf lays great emphasis on its after-sales service, particularly the ITS (International Truck Service) scheme under which a driver anywhere in need of assistance telephones one Eindhoven number.

In 1984 Daf registered in the UK 1,538 tractive units plated at over 29 tonnes gross and a total of 2,594 commercial vehicles of over 15 tonnes gross. In both these sectors Daf now occupies the number three position. behind Leyland and Volvo in the latter and behind Volvo and Scania in the former.

Though nowhere near as big as DaimlerBenz. Volvo, lveco or Scania in terms of annual vehicle production (in 1984 total vehicle production was a little over 13.500). Daf nevertheless shares these manufacturers' philosophy of using only its own engines.

Some of Dais most significant recent technical developments concern its 8.25-litre and 11.6-litre units. A re-engineering of the block and cylinder heads of the 8.25-litre engine in 1982 accompanied an uplift of power and torque ratings, taking its maximum net installed power rating to 244hp.

The DKX version of the 11.6-litre engine powers the 3300 models which also were introduced in 1982. This has a power rating of 330hp.

The latest product news from Daf relates to cabs. The Spacecab high-roof, high-specifica

interesting results and confirmed that the higher speed limit allows 38 tonners to be operated more efficiently.

The tester's general opinion of the TM4400 was that it had tended to be underrated. Despite its heavy 14-litre Cummins power unit. this TM had a competitively low kerb weight, and its average fuel consumption and speed were well up to standard.

The TM cab suffers a little from the driver's point of view in a comparison with some more recently introduced premium cabs. Our tester particularly disliked the mirrors fouling quickly, a roof hatch which persisted in blowing open and a heavy clutch action. He summed up the single bunk sleeper cab as "unglamorous, but comfortable enough and spacious".

tion cab was introduced last year, and the Dutch manufacturer has announced that, jointly with Enasa, the Spanish state owned commercial vehicle builder, it is developing a wholly new cab range.

An FT 2500 DHS 4 x 2 sleeper cab tractive unit was road tested by CM in 1983 at a gross combination weight of 32.5 tonnes. The results were certainly impressive. The tester reported "in weather conditions much less than ideal for good fuel economy. the 2500 set a new fuel consumption record of 38.07 lit 100km (7.42mpg), and furthermore at a highly respectable overall average speed of 65.63km, h (40.82mph)".

Low kerb weight was another factor which contributed to the 2500's impressive overall efficiency which prompted the tester to describe the vehicle as one which should not be overlooked by operators who continue to run at 32.5 tonnes.

The Dais "eagerness to work hard" was commented upon, but the tester did not like at all its heating and ventilation system. He described it as "inadequate by modern standards".

Full test: CM January 8, 1983 ERF, Sun Works, Sandbach, Cheshire.

IN 1983. ERF celebrated 50 years as an independent commercial vehicle manufacturer. Now it can claim to be the only independent manufacturer in Britain.

The three letters of the name are the initials of Edwin Richard Foden who established the company. Before setting up his own company, originally called E. R. Foden and Son, he was engineering director at Fodens Ltd. which in the early Thirties was committed to steam powered commercials.

Edwin Foden was convinced that the future lay with diesels — 'oil engines'. Most of the equity of ERF remains in the hands of the Foden family or their friends (Peter Foden is managing director), though Hawker Siddeley, the Gardner Engines parent group, owns nine per cent.

ERF has 676 employees in the UK, most of these employed at Sandbach where all its vehicles are assembled. The company's parts and service centre is at Middlewich.

There are 25 ERF distributors and 12 dealers in the UK and a further 18 'service points' in the rest of FODEN TRUCKS, Division of Paccar UK, Elavorth Works, Sandbach, Cheshire.

THE COMPANY history of Foden falls readily into two parts — pre and post October 1980. That date is of particular significance because it was when Paccar, the American corporation which builds Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks, became the company's owner.

When the receiver was called in to Foden earlier in 1980 there seemed little hope of this long established marque surviving. Some drastic action. including a cutback in workforce from 1,950 to 350 initially, and the introduction of modern management techniques by the small Paccar team which was sent to run the company has given it a new lease of life.

First of all, the name of the company was changed to Sandbach Engineering, prompting speculation that truck building may eventually not be its major activity, but the name Foden Trucks was reinstated last year.

Foden now has 400 employees at the Sandbach plant where all its tractive units are assembled. From 1981 to 1983, following Ford's closure of its Amsterdam factory. Ford H Series (Transcontinental) tractive units were also assembled at Elworth Works.

Foden operates a two-tier dealer system with main dealers and service dealers. There are currently 51 dealers of both types in the UK. one Foden dealer in Greece and one in Portugal. Paccar has district offices in Singapore. Belgium, Greece, Bahrain. South Africa and Florida.

In 1984 in the UK Foden registered 399 tractive units plated at over 29 tonnes gross and a total of 745 vehicles over 15 tonnes gross. Sales of Foden tractive units in 1984 increased dramatically, with an 87 per cent improvement compared with the Western Europe. ERF has a South African subsidiary which assembles vehicles for sale in that region.

In 1984 ERF registered in the UK 1.115 tractive units plated at over 29 tonnes gross and a total of 1,526 vehicles over 15 tonnes gross Clearly the heavy tractive unit market sector is by far the most important one for this manufacturer. Last year saw ERF's share of this market increase slightly from 9.1 to 9.7 per cent.

The special feature of ERF tractive units is the cab construction method a steel frame clad with smc (sheet moulding compound) plastic panels, most of which are supplied by the ERE Holdings subsidiary ERF Plastics.

ERF has been using plastic cab panels for more than 20 years, but moved to the smc type only with the introduction of the B Series range in 1974. The current C Series range, with several detail improvements and an eight-year guarantee against corrosion, was introduced in 1982. The two major advantages of ERF's cab construction are freedom from rust. and lightness compared with the more conventional steel panels. This helps to give ERF tractive units good payload carrying ability.

ERF's long standing policy has been to allow its tractive unit customers freedom to choose engines from the ranges of Cummins, Gardner and Rolls-Royce. They are still able to do so, but in a move which surprised some observers last year ERF made it clear that its preference was the latest Cummins engines. With the introduction of the CP range at last year's Birmingham Show, ERF customers were told that they would face a cost and delivery penalty for C Series tractive units which were specified with other than the standard Cummins engine. Eaton Fuller gearbox and Rockwell drive-axle driveline. One of the major previous year in this 29-tonne plus sector The cornerstone of Foden's and Paccar's vehicle building policy is to custom build, which means using virtually whichever components the customer wants, so it is less easy to identify model developments with this manufacturer than with others.

However, it is clear that Foden is the strongest advocate of 6 x4 tractive units for 38 tonnes work in the UK and its arguments in support of this view appear to be convincing a growing number of operators. Last year 55 per cent of Foden tractive unit sales were accounted for by its 5106T 6x4 model. Most of these were Cummins powered.

Foden is the only UK based tractive unit manufacturer to offer the option of Caterpillar engines, both the 3306 and 3406 models. The influence of American engineers is also evident in other novel details of Foden tractive units. These include a cable gearshift system, torsion-bar drive-axle suspension, asbestos-free brake linings. and the extensive use of aluminium, for chassis cross-members for example. Eyen .before the Paccar takeover Foden had an unusual cab constructed from both grp and aluminium panels objectives of this change of policy was to improve manufacturing efficiency. The preferred driveline components were already by far the most popular for C Series tractive units.

ERF was quick to introduce a 6 x 2 twin-steer tractive unit to suit the 38-tonne legislation which came into force in 1983. Since then it has also launched a lightweight 6 x 4 so that it can now offer 4 x 2,6 x 2 and 6 x 438 tonners.

The most recent ERF tractive unit tested by CM was a 4 x 2 C Series with Rolls-Royce 290L engine. This vehicle was one of a group of four tested early in 1982 at 38 tonnes gcw before Parliament had decided to increase maximum weight.

Two points about the C Series which our tester emphasised were that the 213kW (284hp) net Rolls-Royce engine was clearly well up to the job of hauling 38 tonnes (the very high average speed dispelled any doubts there might have been about that) and that the day cabbed ERF was light enough to carry a very high payload. A lack of stowage space in the cab was criticised, as were the mirrors which became dirty quickly.

mounted on a tubular steel frame.

A Foden S106T powered by a Cummins NTE 350 was tested at 38 tonnes gcw, with our tandem axle Crane Fruehauf semi-trailer around Civls Scottish route in April last year. What impressed our tester most in comparisons he drew between this 6 x 4 and 4x2 38-tonhers which had been tested earlier was the Foden's ability to accept a wide range of kingpin loads and its good roll stability. He found little evidence of understeer, an expected disadvantage of the 6x 4 axle configuration provided, as he put it, "the available power is used sensibly when driving out of curves"

He was generally favourably impressed with the space and level of comfort provided by the double bunk Foden cab, though the heating and ventilation system came in for some minor criticism as a result of a stray draught around the driver's right foot He was ambivalent about the cable shift system for the Fuller nine-speed, range-change constant-mesh gearbox. Gear shifting, an important criterion on any heavy tractive unit, was described as "generally slick". but also -somewhat notchy" and "unforgiving" Full test: CM April 14, 1984

Test results in brief:

Foden S106T, double-bunk high-roof, 6 x 4 sleeper cab tractive unit. Cummins NTE 350 engine. Current retail price, excluding vat: £41,972 Design gcw: 55.000kg (54.14 tons) Tested gcw: 38,000kg (37.4 tons) Payload as tested: 24,I80kg (23.8 tons) Overall average fuel consumption: 44 Hy 100km (6.42mpg) Overall average speed: 67.7km/h (42.Imph) Power•to-weight ratio at 38 tonnes: 6.9kWi tonne (9.4hpiton).

FORD MOTOR COMPANY, Brentwood, Essex.

FORD has companies in 15 different European countries, all co-ordinated by the Ford of Europe organisation. The British company is by far the biggest of these, with about 52,000 employees engaged in car and commercial vehicle manufacturing. Like Daimler-Benz, Ford does not separate the car and commercial vehicle sides of its business so it is not possible to say exactly how many of these work on the cv side. But, Ford's Langley, Buckinghamshire plant, now the sole source of all Ford trucks for Europe, has a workforce of 1,969.

Since H Series (Transcontinental) production finally stopped at the end of 1983 after 81/2 years, all Ford tractive units have come from the Cargo range, first introduced in 1981. Ford concentrated on the lighter end of its new range at first. It was not until April 1982 that a 32-ton Cargo tractive unit was launched, and it was only last year that one plated above that weight, and powered by a Cummins 10-litre engine, became available. (As this supplement went to press a CM road test of the 10-litre powered Cargo was nearing completion. A report will appear soon).

Ford has 132 Truck Specialist Dealers in HMO, HCV Motor Vehicle distributors, HCV House, 10 Chesford Grange, Woolston, Warrington, Cheshire.

HINO Motors is Japan's leading manufacturer of heavy commercial vehicles. Its vehicles are exported all over the world. The company's major shareholder, Toyota, owns 22 per cent of the equity.

Although Europe takes 23 per cent of Japan's total vehicle exports (cars and cvs), only seven per cent of the country's truck exports at present come to this continent. The UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has been meeting its Japanese counterpart, Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) since 1975 at six monthly intervals to discuss the Japanese share of the UK market. Commercial vehicles have been included in those discussions since 1978.

The SMMT has "an understanding" with JAMA that Japanese vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross will not be exported to the UK. The Hinos sold by HCV of Warrington are not included in that understanding because they are assembled in Dublin by J. Harris (Assemblers).

Harris set up HCV in Warrington in 1980 and began to sell in Britain the three models which in the previous 10 years had won a significant share ofthe Irish market—the ZM 6 x 4 and 8 x 4 rigids and HE 336E 4x 2 tractive unit.

Sales of all these models stopped in the UK about 14 months ago after the introduction of National Type Approval, but HCV says that it has just finished putting a new tractive unit model, the SH273, through the Type Approval process. This model is expected to go on sale Britain. Of these 45 are "Linehaul Dealers" which hold the extra service equipment and parts stock required for Ford vehicles above 28.5 tonnes gross. In the rest of Western Europe there are 428 Ford Truck Specialist Dealers.

Last year in the UK 152 Ford tractive units over 29 tonnes gross combination weight were registered as was a total of 1,582 Ford commercial vehicles over 15 tonnes gross.

For a manufacturer which is the clear market leader at the lighter end of the cv weight scale these figures must be disappointing. Ford has never been able to find the right formula to sell tractive units in Europe as successfully as its van and 7.5 tonnners.

Many people in and outside the company thoght that the specification of H Series 44 tonners would have had a wider appeal. Ford's underlying strategy with that model was to assemble a vehicle using only the best components available. It was assembled in Amsterdam until the plant there was closed in 1981, when final assembly was contracted out to Sandbach Engineering (Foden).

Ford's total production of the H Series from 1975 to 1983 fell just short of the 10,000 mark.

The top-weight Cargo tractive unit models are now available with either day or sleeper cab (the Cargo sleeper cab shell is assembled and electrocoated by Motor Panels of Coventry.

Their main attraction must be very low kerb weight. When CMroad tested the 3220(D), with Deutz air cooled, 9.6-litre, V6, 201hp engine, in 1983 we could find no reason for disputing Ford's claim that this vehicle could carry "more payload than any other 32 tonner on the market". Our Crane Fruehauf, tandem axle van quite soon. The big change compared with the old model is a new sleeper cab with four-point coil spring cab mountings. The SH273's engine is an uprated version of the 13.3-litre naturally aspirated EK100 unit used in the HE336E. This drives through a Hino nine-speed, range. change synchromesh gearbox to the Hino single-reduction rear axle.

A new 8.8-litre turbocharged and air-to-air charge-cooled engine has been available in Japan for almost three years and is expected to make its debut here within about 12 months. The particularly interesting feature of this engine is its electronic fuel injection control, which helps to give the engine its exceptionally good specific fuel consumption and a generous power output (280hp net) for an engine of its size.

HCV employs 25 at Warrington.

There are 10 Hino dealers in the UK, and a further seven in the rest of Western Europe.

The only Hino model that CMhas road tested is the HE336E tractive unit at a gross weight of 32.5 tonnes. It soon became clear to our tester when driving this vehicle, why even then in 1982, Hino was planning to replace it. Among semi-trailer carried a little over 22 tonnes during the Cargo test.

As you would expect with a power-to-weight ratio of only 4.6kw/tonne (6.28hp/ton), the test vehicle returned relatively slow average speeds and hill climb times over the demanding Scottish Route. But although there were many sections where the Deutz engine and the driver's gear lever arm were kept working hard, the average fuel consumption was not at all bad. Nevertheless, the tester was unimpressed with the Cargo's range between fuel stops — its exceptionally small standard fuel tank may contribute to a low kerb weight, but it means that refills are required at least every 250 miles. Larger tanks are available as options.

The relatively high retail price of the Cargo surprised our tester. He pointed out that its basic price was some £1,500 more than a Mercedes 1621, before any discounting was taken into account.

Fall test CM June 11, 1983.

the features which the tester particularly disliked and thought dated were the limited cab tilt; poor access to the driver's seat; an "inelegant" Fuller gearbox installation; woolly steering with external ram power assistance; and a poorly balanced braking system. The vehicle's hillclimbing performance and fuel consumption were also decidedly unimpressive, indeed its average fuel consumption was found to be the worst in its class. Two redeeming features were a low price and low kerb weight.

The new Hino tractive unit model has taken much longer to arrive here than was expected, but our tester's comment of three years ago remains valid. Compared with the unhappy HE336E, the SH273 looks as though it will be much more akin to what the European heavy vehicle operator expects.

Full test CM April 3,1982 IVECO (UK), Iveco House, Road One, Winsford, Cheshire THE NAME Iveco is an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation. Iveco BV, registered in Amsterdam, was formed 10 years ago when Fiat's commercial vehicle business, which by then included the French Unic company, was merged with that of the German Kleckner Humboldt-Deutz group which built Magirus Deutz vehicles. Subsequently, Fiat bought out KHD's share of the business with the result that Iveco became Fiat's commercial vehicle manufacturing arm. It is now the second largest truck builder in Europe.

In the UK the Fiat and Magirus importers and their dealer networks were kept separate until 1980 when lveco UK was formed and moved into new premises at Winsford, Cheshire. Today lveco (UK) has 174 employees based there.

Following the closure last year of the Unic plant at Trappes, near Paris, all Iveco on-road tractive units are now assembled in Turin. There are 60 "main and service" Iveco dealers in the UK, and some 3,500 service points in the rest of Western Europe.

In 1984 in the UK Iveco registrations of 29-tonne-plus gross combination weight tractive units totalled 616, while inthe over 15-tonne cv category it recorded a total 997 registrations. Both these figure represent a slight improvement over the previous year in market share and in volume.

The range of right hand-drive Iveco tractive unit models has widened considerably in recent years and now extends from a 24-tonne gcw plated, 240hp, 165-244 x 2 to a 44 tonne gcw LEYLAND VEHICLES, Lancaster House, Preston, Lancashire.

THE LAND Rover-Leyland group within BL encompasses all the state owned manufacturer's commercial vehicle building divisions, from Freight Rover's light vans to Scammell's heavy haulage units. In 1981 the Leyland Vehicles part of this group was split into three clearly defined business units Leyland Trucks, Leyland Bus and Leyland Parts.

Of the 12,000 Leyland Vehicles employees, Leyland Trucks has 7,650 at four sites Glasgow and Bathgate in Scotland, at Scammell, Watford and at the main assembly plant at Leyland, Lancashire. It has been confirmed that the Bathgate plant will be closed completely by 1986 with the loss of 1.700 jobs.

With the exception of the 20.32 6x2 Roadtrain and all Scammell heavy haulage models which are assembled at Watford, all Leyland tractive units are assembled at the Lancashire plant in an impressive assembly hail which first went into operation in 1980.

There are 157 Leyland distributors and design weight, 380hp, 220-386 x 2. A lighter 6 x 2, the 220.30 with 300bhp in-line six cylinder engine instead of the hefty 17-litre V8, has also become available in the UK since last year's CM specification tables were compiled.

The company appears not to be planning to introduce its latest tractive unit models, designated Turbostar, in this country in right-handdrive form. However, the first left-hand-drive Turbostars to be sold here have now gone into service. In the rest or Europe more than 3,000 of them have been sold.

It is widely agreed that the Turbostar models are probably the best Ivecotractive units to date. They are aimed squarely at the long-distance international haulier and boast a host of cab features for maximum driver comfort.

The cab is wider and taller, and thus much more spacious, than a standard model, for example. And cab suspension and chassis suspension have been completely revised on the new models, as has the driveline.

The Turbostars are fitted with two new variants of Iveco's in-line-six 14-litre and V8 17-litre engines, rated respectively at 330hp and 420hp.

The first metric single-reduction-drive axles to be built at the new Cameri plant, owned jointly dealers in the UK and about 200 in the rest of Western Europe.

In the over 29 tonnes gross combination weight tractive unit sector Leyland had 1.226 registrations in the UK last year, and 5.099 registrations of all vehicles over! 5tonnes gross. This last figure made Leyland the clear market leader in the combined over-15-tonne sector.

During the past five years Leyland has renewed its complete truck range from six tonnes upwards, beginning in 1980 with the launch of the Roadtrain 4x2 day cab tractive unit. This, the first of the 145 models, was the replacement for the Marathon.

Initially Roadtrain was available only with Leyland's own TL12 engine, as formerly used in Marathon, but when production of that ceased it was replaced by propietary engines from Cummins and Rolls-Royce.

The sleeper cabbed, Cummins E290 engined Roadtrain is widely regarded as a better vehicle all round than the first Roadtrain model. Higher powered Roadtrains, with the latest "i" 300hpplus engines from Rolls-Royce (whose diesel engine division is now part of the Perkins Engines group) are now being sold in France.

The first Cruiser tractive unit, the replacement for the Buffalo. was launched in 1981. Cruiser tractive units now are available at 20 and 24 tonnes gcw with Leyland's 400 Series engines, and at 28, 32.5 and 35 tonnes gcw with Leyland's TLI I engine. The latest development of this 11.1-litre engine took its power rating up to 260hp. Leyland is known to be developing a charge-cooled version which probably will take its power output even higher.

Leyland was not among the first to respond to the 38-tonne legislation of 1983 with a 6 x 2 be Iveco and Rockwell, are used in the new models. From a driver's point of view one of the most impressive Turbostar features is remarkably low interior noise levels. Exceptionally low rated engine speed helped Iveco achieve this.

Less exotic than the Turbostar. but in its own way just as interesting, is the 165.24 tractive unit which was introduced to this country at the 1982 Motor Show.

CM's test of one at 32.5 tonnes gcw published in July 1983 revealed it to have an attractively low kerb weight, a very competitive price, and the ability to chalk up a record breaking overall average fuel consumption of 37.8 lit/100km (7.5mpg). Our tester also commended this vehicle for its low internal noise level.

On the debit side, the 165.24 could manage only a low overall average speed, but the tester did not expect that to stop it "figuring prominently" on many 32-ton tractor shopping lists

Full test CM July 23, 1983

tractive unit, but when its Scammell Roadtrain 20.32 was launched just before that year's Scottish Motor Show it soon began to attract considerable interest. The 6 x 2 had the advantage of being designed from scratch to suit UK operating conditions and one of its major points of appeal was a steel spring suspension which, though relatively light and uncomplicated compared with air, apparently worked just as well in sharing load between the second steer and drive axles. This suspension recently won Scammell Motors a 1985 Design Council Award.

CM's road test of the Scammell 20.32 was published in October last year. Our tester was impressed with the Scammell's all-round ability, describing it as having "a well balanced blend of power, economy and payload carrying ability." He specifically liked the matching of Cummins latest Super E320 14-litre derivative. with a net installed power rating of 304hp, with Spicer's SST1010 10-speed splitter gearbox. One of the few, minor criticisms the tester made was of an occasionally rattling gear lever.

Full test: CMOctober 27, 1984. THE MUNICH based truck and bus manufacturer MAN (Maschinefabrik Augsburg Nurnberg), owns only a small share of the UK company which imports its vehicles. Since 1982 80 per cent of MAN-VWT Truck and Bus has been owned by VAG (United Kingdom), the Lonrho subsidiary based at Milton Keynes which sells Volkswagen cars and commercials here.

VAG's commercial vehicles division employs 121 in the UK. There are 22 MAN-VW Truck Centres in the UK and a further 10 service-only dealers. In the rest of Western Europe there are approximately 650 MAN service points.

All MAN tractive units for Europe are assembled at Munich.

In 1984, 377 MAN tractive units over 29 tonnes gcw were registered in Britain, and a total of 560 vehicles over 15 tonnes gross.

THE UK importer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, cars and commercials, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler-Benz AG in 1974. The main objective of the world's largest manufacturer of vehicles above 16 tons gross in making this move was to improve its then miserly share of the UK truck market, then and now the biggest market in Europe.

That share certaily has improved significantly over the past 10 years, with the biggest gains, particularly in the tractive unit sector coming during the past few years.

Last year, 1,058 Mercedes tractive units over 29 tonnes gross combination weight were registered in the UK as was a total of 2,481 vehicles over 15 tonnes gross.

During 1984 Mercedes-Benz (UK) progressively moved its parts division, and most of its head office departments, from seven locations in West London to one 35-acre site formerly occupied by General Motors at Milton Keynes.

Now 750 of Mercedes-Benz (UK)'s total staff complement of 1,056 (in both the car and truck sides of the business which Daimler-Benz does not separate) are based at Milton Keynes.

In the UK there 56 Mercedes heavy truck dealers and further 2,013 in the rest of Western Europe (of which 1,300 are in West Germany).

With the exception of the 2033 model which goes to the Daimler-Benz owned company

NAW (Nutzfahrzeug Arbon and Wetzikon) in Switzerland for final assembly, all Mercedes tractive units, indeed all Mercedes vehicles with gross weights from six to 26 tonnes, are

Though this still represents a small market share, it is beginning to grow. Richard Ide, MAN-VW' s managing director since 1982, has made it plain that his target is five per cent.

MAN tractive units have long had a reputation for fine German engineering, but it was not until the introduction of the 320hp 321 and 280hp 281 models in 1983 that they attracted much attention in this country. When the Construction and Use Amendment which allowed 38 tonnes began to focus interest on three-axle tractive units. MAN reacted quickly by introducing its tandem steer 281 and 321 models which were already sold in Germany.

Both of these models use MAN's own in-line six-cylinder, 11.4-litre engine which has a novel ram tuning system, the heart of which is a resonant chamber built into the induction manifold. The main effect on the engine's performance is to give it a torque curve with a long plateau.

For a long time MAN has been a strong advocate of air suspension for tractive units and is now beginningto see more operator interest in this area. The most recent MAN tractive unit CM tested had air suspension on its drive axle. It was a 19.361, the model which made its international debut at the Frankfurt Show in 1983 and which first became available in right-hand drive last year.

This vehicle's 12-litre engine is a bored and stroked version of the 11.4-litre unit and shares its ram tuning system (tuned induction resonance as MAN calls it). Power output has gone up to 265kW (365hp) at 1,800 to 2,000rpm and peak torque is boosted by some 13 per cent to a healthy maximum of 1,500Nm (1,1061b /ft) between 1,200 and 1,600rpm. This 360hp MAN assembled at the giant Worth plant in West Germany. D-B's three commercial vehicle components plants are also all in West Germany, at Gaggenau. Kassel and Mannheim, producing, respectively, gearboxes, axles and engines.

At the 1979 Frankfurt Show Mercedes revealed details of its latest NG (New Generation) 80 tractive unit models. The most significant changes were a revised chassis frame design and an increase in the swept volume of the 90 deg V8 Mercedes engine. A wider bore and a longer stroke increased its swept volume by 14.5 per cent to 14.6 litres. Four new gross power ratings then became available, 250 and 280hp for naturally-aspirated engines, 330hp for a turbocharged version, and 380hp for a turbocharged and charge cooled engine. The latter was available only on chassis fitted with a wider and taller (Grossraum) cab. Mercedes still has no intention of making this available in the UK.

The 1625 and 1628 models, at 250 and 280hp respectively, appeared in right-hand drive chassis from shortly afterwards, but UK operators had to wait until 1983 before they could

In the 19.361 it drives through a ZF, 16-speed Ecosplit gearbox to an MAN 13-tonne hubreduction drive axle. The 4.04:1 axle ratio of our test vehicle gave a theoretical maximum speed of 76mph, but a Lucas Kienzle top speed limiter reduced that to 67mph. We never exceed the 60mph legal maximum during operational trials so that would have proved no handicap. Indeed, this MAN set a new journey time record for our Scottish route — the 1,185km (737 miles) were covered in only 16 hours 39 minutes' driving time at an average speed of 71.2kmih (44.3mph).

Our tester liked the way the drive axle air suspension made height adjustment easy for trailer coupling or uncoupling. He was also impressed with all the 19.361's standard equipment and the way it "cruised quietly past everything that was laden to 38 tonnes, especially on the long climbs". The 19.361 MAN was summed up as offering a lot of value for money.

buy Mercedes tractive units powered by the 330hp engine.

CM's road test of a 4 x 2 1633 tractive unit at the then newly authorised 38-tonne maximum weight limit was published in July 1983. The tester had little doubt that this was the best all-round Mercedes the UK had seen. Despite his infrequent overriding of the 1633's standard engine speed limiter (a kickdown device on the accelerator pedal allows the driver to do this) during the 1.185km test our tester found this vehicle's forte' to be "hauling 38 tonnes at high average speed over all kinds of terrain".

At an overall average of 42.2 lit/100km (6.7mpg) the 1633's fuel consumption was a little less impressive, but our man at the wheel noted that "it is not difficult to obtain reasonable fuel economy from the 1633 at 38 tonnes without resorting to fuel pinching driving techniques" It was in the general performance areas of ride, handling and braking tht the 1633 was rated most highly — indeed it was described as "leaving many of its competitors way behind".