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A winning Magnum
Page 15
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Renault's Magnum has always had a commanding presence on the road, but some drivers felt all at sea. Sloppy cab suspension, indifferent handling and engines that lacked flexibility didn't help sales.
Happily the good ship Magnum has upped its game considerably the recent relaunch saw the Magnum set sail as a better product altogether (CM 17 February) and all our complaints have been tackled.
The interior has been upgraded to give drivers a much more comfortable home from home for those trans-Continental jaunts. The living space is much better utilised with a swivelling passenger seat, fold-up table and various bunk configurations.
It remains something of a niche product though, aimed squarely at long-distance so finding potential customers at the CV Show wasn't easybut there were plenty of people with strong views on the big Frenchman.
Owner-drMer Warren Jones from Garstang in Lancashire runs an FH12 but reckons the Magnum would be just too big for his general-haulage work.
"It is better with the table and chair inside, but a driver who is out for a week deserves a good cab. I think we should be going in the direction of Scania's big cab [the EXC; CM 7 November 2002]."
Jones and fellow owner-driver James Dawson from Skipton both stress that a vital issue when buying a truck is its second-hand value. Jones' FH12 and Dawson's Daf 95 both have strong residuals and they question that aspect of Renault's flagship.
Gary Swift, who runs out of Barndey in Lincolnshire, reckons the Magnum is ideal for long-distance work. "But the layout inside is similar to the office pack I have in my Volvo FH12. I'm surprised at how low the ceiling is though I would have expected it to be higher." A Warren Jones (left) and James Dawson Norfolk-based Chris Barker thinks that while the Magnum looks good, it's impractical for the type of work he does. And a more serious worry is voiced by Birmingham-based Derick Lewis: "What's it like on fuel? That's the biggest consideration now."