Lighter Cargo 4x2 sneaks in
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EXCLUSIVE by Danny Coughlan • Iveco Ford's rush to replace its entire line-up in just 36 months has masked the arrival of at least one new model. With the exception of Transcare. White Arrow and some other light tractor operators, few hauliers will have noticed the arrival of a light tractor range.
Tucked away at the back of the New Cargo catalogue is a bevy of small 4x2 tractors well suited to UK distribution. They offer power outputs from 154kW (207hp) to 198kW (266hp), and GCWs between 18 and 32.52 tonnes.
Together they replace several old Cargo models and in the case of companies such as White Arrow, will continue a firmly established manufacturer/customer relationship.
The New Cargo artic range has been available for 12 months. It is available in day and sleeper cab form, with steel and air suspension. A small number of seed vehicles were followed by sales at what Transcare describes as very favourable prices, in its experience at least. A good range of extras allows customisation to individual operations.
At Transcare, four 320E27s, the most powerful of the four models followed the seed truck. This has lveco's 8360.46, 7.68litre charge-cooled engine developing 953Nm (703Ibft) of torque at 1,400rpm. Peak power is developed at 2,200rpm.
A 381mm diameter singleplate pull type clutch takes the drive through to a nine-speed synchromesh range-change gearbox. Top gear is direct drive. From there a Rockwell 'reduction single reduction drive axle with a 3.21:1 ratio transmits the power through 19.5in wheels. Low-profile Michelin 305/70 =an tyres help to keep chassis height down.
Multileaf front and fourleaf parabolic rear steel springs suspend the chassis. There are also front and rear anti-roll bars for extra stability. Deep rear mudguards shroud the small rear tyres.
The transition from rigid to tractor chassis offers clean clear coupling. Our truck's Fontaine fifth wheel was mounted on a corrugated bedplate atop a chassis sub-frame. Combined the bolted assembly raises the coupling 95mm (3.7in) above the frame and clear of the curiously shaped guards. A neat alloy catwalk has a grab rail built in.
The day cab carries the Cargo badge. Transcare's tractor has a purpose-built spoiler kit from Aerodyne. The small wheels put the first step just 400mm (15.7in) above the ground, easing entry and exit. Inside there's an electric nearside window and remote-adjust mirrors. They're heated, too. The smooth rubber flooring should make cleaning easy. Large glass panels in the rear bulkhead improve rear visibility and aid coupling.
Claimed kerb weight for the bare 3.105m wheelbase, day cab model is 5,073kg. Transcare's fully equipped and fuelled machine tipped the scales at 5,260kg. The 200-litre plastic fuel tank accounted for the difference.
Maximum GVW is 15,000kg,
with the front axle plated at Power is provided by Iveco's
5,000kg and the rear at 7.6-litre straight-six engine. 10,500kg. Operated by Transcare as a four-axle 28-tonner the combination attracts a relatively low vehicle excise duty rate of £1,156.
Out on the road we found the 320E271 manoeuvrable, quick and quiet. The small tightly turning wheels made reversing into tight loading bays easy. Outright grunt is modest but at 28 tonnes performance is well up to par. At motorway cruising speeds the engine is turning over at around 1,780rpm keeping noise at comfortable levels. Car-like is an overstatement, but it's near to the mark.
Running with an empty trailer the 320E27 had a surprisingly good ride for a short-wheelbase steel-sprung tractor. Steering was light and precise.
We like the truck, but black marks for the cab tilt pump stuck out in the traffic on the offside. There's a real safety issue here, try tilting the cab on the hard shoulder with that. ABS is optional as the GVW is one tonne below the 16-tonne limit. Above that, it becomes mandatory on new trucks. Even so, Wabco ABS is optional.