Mercedes-Benz poised with a bigger Bremen van
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• Mercedes-Benz UK is extending its Bremen panel van and chassis cab range with two new 4.6-tonne GVW models, which are due to arrive at the end of August.
Operators hoping to see the new Daimler-Benz heavy truck cab (Commercial Motor, 28 March), will have to wait until autumn next year, at the earliest, before it arrives in Britain.
The latest 4.6-tonne Ti models, which takes the Bremen range above 3.5 tonnes for the first time in the UK, will consist of a dieselengined 407D and a petrolengined 410. Both models will have twin rear wheels, unlike the existing 3.5-tonne 307D and 310.
The 4070 is powered by the same 53kW indirect-injection 0M616 diesel as the 307D and the larger 5071) T2 model. The 410 uses the 70kW 2.4-litre petrol engine fitted in the smaller 310 panel van and chassis cabs.
Both the 407D and the 410 will have a five-speed gearbox, and will be offered in a downplated 3.5-tonne version.
The addition of the lighter kerbweight 4.6-tonne Ti models provides operators with "a more cost effective alternative" to the lightest T2 model — the 507D — which has the same gross weight as the 407D/410, but a higher kerbweight.
Despite the apparent overlapping of the two model ranges, M-B UK says it has no plans, at least in the short term, to phase out the 507D.
The Spanish-built MB100 and MB180 compact vans (Commercial Motor, May 9)
The arrival of the 4.6-tonne models will further extend the Bremen line-up in the UK which currently stops at 3.5 tonnes GVW with the 307D seen here.
will, however, not be sold in the UK, according to Mercedes-Benz.
0 Since the EPS-equipped 1635 and 1644 artic units were launched last year, over 9,000 have been sold throughout Europe, according to M-B UK's product marketing manager John Baker, with the majority being 1635 models.
Daimler-Benz will be revising its heavy truck range next year with the launch of the long-awaited newgeneration cabs on the Continent — expected in the middle of 1988.
To coincide with the new cabs, Daimler-Benz is also planning to produce a twinsteer 2044, and offer air suspension as standard on all its premium tractive units.
The current 186kW and 209kW engines, used respectively in the 1625 and 1628 tractive units, will also be uprated and revised to give greater flexibility. D-B, however, has not decided whether to extend its BPS gearchanging sytem downwards in its truck range beyond the current 1635 and 1644 Powerliner models.