Stream line cab saves o n fuel
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• Scania has released more details about its new 1991 heavy truck range — revealed in Commercial Motor last week — which includes cleaner engines, a lighter two-spring back bogie on its eight-legger and the arrival of a new air sprung tag-axle 6x2 tractor designed specifically for the UK market.
Wind-cheating
Among the first new products to arrive in this country, however, will be the windcheating Streamline cab, which Scania claims can cut wind drag by up to 15%.
The Streamline cab has a revised front below the windscreen with a smoother grille and more curved front corner panels. The doors have been extended downwards to cover the top two steps and air scoops round the headlights direct dirt-laden air away from the side panels and windows. There is also a moulded under bumper air dam.
Scania is offering additional optional removable side skirts for tractors as part of the Streamline programme. These attach to a subframe between the axles and are designed to complement the smoother cab.
The Streamline cab will be available in the UK from late spring next year and offered as an option to either the existing day or sleeper R cab on trac tors or rigids. Operators who specify the Topline high roof will automatically get the Streamline cab as standard.
The cost for the Streamline cab will be some 22,000 on top of the current price of a Topline. On other non-Topline cabs it will cost 23,000. Side skirts and cab deflector kits cost extra.
The Swedish truck maker says that in long-distance operation the smoother cab can cut fuel consumption by 4-5% or some 2-3 litres less dery per 100km.
With an annual mileage of 120,000km this could mean a saving of 2,400 to 3,600 litres of fuel in a year.
Scalia says the extra cost of the Streamline cab can be recovered within 18 months — based on a long-distance trunkMg operation covering 160,000km a year.
Standard cab
For the moment Scania will continue to produce Streamline and regular R cabs in tandem but the former design could become the standard Scania truck cab within two years, according to Bengt Palmer, Scania vicepresident of development and production.
Scania has reduced exhaust emissions from its engines and boosted power output on specific units. The previously turbocharged 157kW (210hp) 8.5-litre engine is now chargecooled and pushes out 164kW (220hp). Likewise the old turbo 187kW (250hp) gets the same charge-cooling but retains the same nominal power rating. The existing charge-cooled 209kW (280hp) engine also keeps the same power rating. All three engines have a higher compression ratio, revised timing and uprated turbine.
The 11-litre 239 and 269kW (320 and 360hp) diesels have been made cleaner and will be used in equivalent models as the engines they supersede. The 231kW (310hp) diesel stays for non-Type Approved applications such as fire engines.
The latest engines have higher compression ratios, revised pistons and new turbochargers and uprated inlet tracts. Despite launching a 238kW (380hp) 11litre engine with Electronic Diesel Control on the • Continent, Scania (Great Britain) says it will not be offered in the UK initially "because it is felt that, for this market, 360 and 400hp engines are preferred".
The non-EDC 298kW (400hp) and 336kW (450hp) versions of Scania's 14-litre yee-eight engines will continue to be offered in the UK. However, from October of next year the latest 373kW (500hp) EDC-equipped 143 tractor will replace the existing 143.470 model.
The 143.500 will be the first right-hand-drive tractor to appear with the new Scania GRS900 gearbox described last week.
The lighter, innovative, 298kW (399hp) turbocompound 11-litre EDC engine due to be officially launched at the Brussels Show next January will be restricted to selected Continen tal markets until at least 1992.
But from September next year Scania (Great Britain) will be offering a new 6x2 tag-axle tractor with parabolic front springs and, for the first time, air suspension on the drive and tag axles. The 2,94m wheelbase 6x2 offers better weight distribution for 16.5m combinations and has an air lift on the back axle. From next spring Scania will also offer a 3.6m wheelbase as standard on the two-axle 143 tractor with 3.4 and 3.8m continuing as an option. Completing the UK product changes for 1991, there will be two and three-axle 113 MV low-height drawbar rigid chassis with full air suspension for demount work plus 4 x 2 and 6x 2ML normal height chassis with P or R cabs available with either full air suspension or without front air suspension. MV and ML rigids will be introduced in October.
As predicted by Commercial Motor, Scania will switch to a two-spring bogie on its 8x4 in the autumn of next year, although an 8x 4 with twospring bogie will be exhibited at Tipcon in April 1991.