Room on aL fl
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• by Colin Barnett Successful as it has been, the Alphas cab line-up of either day or low-roof sleeper has limited its scope in the market place. To broaden its appeal, Foden has introduced the XL cab, providing increased interior height and substantially more storage space.
Acknowledging that its predominantly UK-based support network means few Alphas will be bought for extensive international operation, Foden has targeted the new variant at domestic long-haul operators and owner-drivers, The bits that turn an Alpha into an XL are mainly above the windscreen top edge. The extension is formed from GRP on a steel frame. Although actually built and fitted by cab extension specialist Hatcher, the roof is very much an exclusively Foden design. Interior trimming is fully matched to the original equipment material and standards.
The XL roof section incorporates overhangs, approximately 140mm at the front and 100mm at the rear, which provide useful benefits to interior space. Above the screen, a full width storage area is accessed through two apertures with self-supporting, lockable lids. This section is fully soft-trimmed to eliminate noise and contains a half-height bulkhead in the centre.
The area between the two locker lids contains a vanity area, with a shaving mirror, light and 24V shaver socket. Each side of the extension contains a medium sized net-fronted storage pocket, and a pair of much larger bins are incorporated into the rear section. Each of these is more than large enough to accommodate a bulky sleeping bag. The horizontal surfaces of these areas are covered in a non-slip coating.
The centre of the roof area houses a manually opening glass hatch, but Foden recognises that many operators would welcome the convenience of a poweroperated itern. An interior height of 1.8m should provide adequate standing room for the majority of drivers.
Externally, the XL appears well integrated into the overall design and looks aerodynamic enough. The overall height is 3.7m, but for those operators running with maximum height trailers, an additional roof blade will soon be available as an option. The 100mm rear overhang is matched by cab side extenders which have a purely cosmetic function. The standard specification of the Alpha XL cab includes a single low-height bunk, but Foden reckons the optimum configuration will use the raised bunk with high storage capacity. This contains a considerable amount of extra space, including areas large enough for a TV or microwave. An easily removable second bunk is also available.
During our brief session on the road, no downsides to the cab were apparent. There was no noticeable increase in wind noise, nor were there any rattles or groans from the upper reaches. The extra 110kg of high-mounted weight had no adverse effect on the cab suspension's behaviour.
The XL cab will cost an additional £3,245 (ex-VAT) on a new vehicle, and is expected to be fitted to 20% of future production.
It will also be available as a retro-fit conversion on existing Alphas, carrying a similar price tag.