Scania relents on R380
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EXCLUSIVE • Scania (Great Britain) has finally released a right-hand-drive version of the R113-380 tractor with electronic diesel control (EDC).
When the R113-380 EDC was launched in 1990 (CM 29 Nov-5 Dec), Scania's UK importer said it would not be taking it immediately as UK operators "were more likely to prefer the (non-electronic) R113-360 or R143-400". But it now has UK Type Approval and is available on special order in right and left-hand drive.
The R113-380 is the first 11-litre R-range model to be sold in the UK with EDC which was previously fitted only to RHD Scanias with the most powerful 14-litre vee-eight engine. As well as electronic fuel management the Bosch system provides cruise control and engine cold-start protection.
The EDC 380 11-litre engine has 7% more power and 4% more torque than the non-EDC 360 engine; in Scania's UK engine line-up it sits between the 11-litre 360 straight-six and 14-litre 400 vee-eight.
British buyers may feel that the 380 EDC engine's extra power and torque over the 360 engine does not justify its £3,000 premium. If so the veeeight R143-400 would be an obvious choice, but as reported by Commercial Motor last week,
the 14-litre 400 engine will be superseded in October by a more powerful, low-emission 420 veeeight. Operators who do not want the higher rating might be encouraged to look more favourably at the lighter R113-380.
The first R113-380 tractive unit, a 6x2 equipped with rear air suspension was supplied by Westruck of Bristol to Bendix Heavy Vehicle Systems-Europe.
The Bristolbased braking equipment manufacturer will use the tag-axle tractor as a test-bed for its AL2 antilock brake/traction control system. Bendix is also looking for ways to link its ABS to other electronically controlled vehicle functions.