D cania came to the party
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wearing its reputation as the drivers' favourite, and while MAN's /0(l. beat the Topline on paper, hi performance and driving comfort the Scania created gaps large enough to put it in a class of Its own.
The eerily smooth and quiet nature of the 15.6-litre VS is backed up by real grunt, as shown in the acceleration figures. The iron fist under the cab might not be hidden in a velvet glove, but a fine display of leather and walnut give the interior an opulence befitting the home of a long-distance traveller. This driver-friendly nature extends to touches like the switchgear, which is big and clear enough to be operated by a large gloved hand.
Access into the lower-than-par cab is easy. Inside, the lower bunk folds so the passenger seat can be extended all the way back, giving ample space for relaxation. The Topline's trademark frontmounted top bunk is a mixed blessing. It certainly creates a logical storage environment at the rear of the cab, but the limited headroom at the top of the foldaway ladder, and indeed In the bunk, can be difficult for larger frames.
Nobody's perfect, and the Scania did not escape further criticism. Its accumulated score in the Dekracalculated productivity section was well shy of the opposition's, not least because its list price in Germany is higher than that of the two local contenders. It also loses out in cab dimensions: that relatively tall engine hump steals space, whereas the others have flat floors.
Visibility for long-backed drivers is compromised by the low screen, and is not helped by that external sun visor. However, the large, well-placed aerodynamic mirrors do their best to compensate. Finally, the engine brake is the least effective and user
friendly of the group; the usual Scania retarder having been deleted in the interests of economy.
And the trick up the Topline's sleeve? Well, this test marked the first opportunity to try out Scania InfotronIcs' new fleet analysis system. Unveiled at the IAA Show in the autumn, the system should be available from this spring.
The way it is implemented means off-the-shelf proprietary hardware can be used rather than the more expensive bespoke black boxes, although the data acquisition software is Scania's own. The interface of the development trucks, including our test vehicle, comes courtesy of a Casio Cassiopeia Pocket PC mounted in a dashboard cradle. When removed from the cradle the machine is simply popped into a docking station attached to a desktop or laptop PC for downloading.
What data it stores is defined by the user, but essentially it acts as a super trip computer. Details about time and distance are obviously included, but so are truck-based information such as engine speed, pressures and temperatures. Operators can decide how much data they want to record, and also define the parameters of normal operations. If these are exceeded in any way the fact is flagged up in the extensive reporting function of the system. We look forward to evaluating this system soon.