1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190 
SPACE 1 NifliDER
Page 58
Page 59
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Iveco certainly has every reason to be positive — Stralis is on the up and it has gone big with the presence of a flagship cab which will be key to lveco's plans to double its share of the 18-tonne-plus market to 15% by 2011.The Cursor engines are already in place and the cabs have been revamped to set the standard for the Eurocargo, which is next on the list for an update.
The Active Space Super3 is a cabin to rival flagship motors across the industry. It has 20% more internal space than the previous 'big cab' available from Iveco in the form of Active Space, and 15% more storage. Both space and storage are key issues when it comes to drivers' needs.
Having a flagship motor means more top-end business from operators who like to reward drivers and owner-drivers looking for something to stand out in a crowd. Moreover. it will carry stronger residuals and give Iveco a better starting point for the rest of the tractor range.
Euro-5 will be the only option and it will come with on-board diagnostics, or OBD2, making it eligible for the £500 VED rebate. Combined with oil change intervals set at 150.000km, which Iveco says are the longest for any Euro-5 driveline on the market, this new offering is all about keeping the truck on the road for longer.
Iveco has moved to quell fears over increased AdBlue usage and pinned the number to around 4-6%. From Euro-3 production in 2002 when the automated Stralis cut adrift from its manual competitors, it has surpassed preceding models to be the most successful tractor in its history.
Going for the advanced Euro emission level, and automation, means Iveco is serious about its credentials. It can only hope the road transport industry has the same sentiments.
On the road
Market perception of Stralis, and perhaps Iveco in general at the heavy end of the market, isn't as rosy as it ought to be. However, this truck does signify a coming of age for the Italians. Getting a driver into the cab to change his opinion may be a challenge —but once in, there is little for him not to like.There's no clutch, automated is standard, and the biggest issue is getting comfortable for the journey.
The AS440S50 6x2 Cursor 13 500hp Active Space Super3 is the flagship Iveco has lacked. It is airy and spacious, with more nooks and crannies than a cliff face.
The improved ergonomics benefit the driver, although the controls for the transmission sit on the top of the dash, a little away from the traditional placing next to the driver's seat.
The upgraded internal material covering the dash and the leather seats in the Super3 are a nice touch, while the pull-out ladder from the pull-down top bunk is a neat addition.
Fine distinctions
Overall, the Stralis has many similarities to its competitors. The internal layout, especially for storage, resembles Volvo's Globetrotter; the top bunk is a scaled-down version of Renault's Global cab option; and the V-shape grille resembles Scan ia's R-Series.
As with cars, individuality is hard to achieve once the best aerodynamic design has been settled upon, and there are only so many places to put the steering wheel and bunks, arrange the storage, or create space for the customer's name and livery.
Unsurprisingly, 500hp doesn't stress the driver unduly, so perhaps the better test environment is the Active Time cab and 450hp engine. It duly delivers, and its Cursor 10 characteristics aren't too far removed from its bigger stablemate.
Both deliver a stress-free environment that allows the driver to concentrate on all the madness that happens outside of the cab; faster cars and motorbikes, errant cyclists, vans, pedestrians, traffic lights, speed cameras... you get the picture.
More importantly, both drivelines have torque surpassing the 2,000Nm mark — so they remove those hill climbs, improve average speed and do it in style.
On both trucks, though, steering felt light. Twin steer does mean the tractor won't fight your chosen direction when negotiating a corner and it offers a little oversteer.