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Model: PS10 4x4 Tipper
Page 51
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Tester's impression: The 4x4 Santana tipper we tested on and off road was a LHD pre-production prototype, without even a chassis number. Models offered for UK sales will be RHO, with different rear springs and a gearbox sourced from ZF. It featured an alloy tipping body with a one-tonne payload, electrohydraulic tipping gear and four-wheel drive.
The Spanish-built Santana is distributed in the UK by Fourtec , and powered by a strong 2.8-litre Iveco engine with adequate if not outstanding power for the task. Off road is pretty much unstoppable, thanks to a transfer box and
incredible suspension travel that makes the most of the ladder chassis' ample ground clearance. This tough terrain of irregular sided muddy ditches and steep loose gravel hills saw it in its element, demonstrating why it won the CM Tester's Choice and 4x4 Magaohe awards.
On the road the bodywork just hasn't been sufficiently matched to the chassis. Looking at the load bed, 60% of it is behind the rear axle. Even with a level evenly spread one tonne load there's just too much weight hanging behind the tail. "If we just put a finger under the front bumper and lift, it'll tip without raising the body," observed our bemused Volvo loader driver.
Behind the wheel it soon became obvious that the poor weight distribution made the steering horribly light. Off-road the Santana under-steered in soft going, on-road it yawed so much we daren't exceed 50mph. It climbed the road route's solitary hill steadily enough, but needed two changes down the box to do so and at 30mph near the crest wasn't popular with following traffic.
The slightly extended cab is an improvement on the Land Rover Defender with far better seats. Eminently suited to easy-clean hosing out it's a no frills environment, with almost no storage space.
View the Santana tipper as a work in progress. With some sorting out it might fill a strictly off-road specialist tipping and towing niche, on road, well we'd rather not until the chassis is completely sorted.