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Mercedes' new baby must lose weight for UK debut
Page 16
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Mercedes-Benz wants to add another truck to its UK line-up, but it need
to diet first. Andy Salter reports.
MERCEDES MUST shave at least 300kg off the latest -lightweight" Axor eight-legger chassis before it can debut in the UK.
The new four-axle rigid, based on the narrower Axor cab and equipped with the 12-litre straightsix 0M4.57 turbo-diesel, makes its debut at the Amsterdam truck show next month. It offers up to 450kg more payload than an equivalent Actros 8x4 with the wider cab and V6 engine, but remains too heavy for UK aggregate operation.
M-B UK has gone back to the factory in Germany with a request to shed more weight from the lefthand-drive chassis.
Specifically, it wants the hubreduction drive axles to be replaced by a single-reduction back-end. Further weight could be shaved through revisions to the chassis and front suspension.
If a lighter Euro-3 Axor 8x4 is not forthcoming before the NEC Show next year, it seems increasingly likely that M-B UK will go straight to a Euro-4 chassis.
However, insiders believe a chassis weight of around nine tonnes is achievable on the Axor 8x4, even with SCR.
M-B (UK) is believed to have conducted UK trials of a "homebuilt" prototype Axor eight-logger using the lighter 7.2-litre engine that powers the Atego 6x4. However, it concluded that a 12-litre engine was a must-have for 32tonne operation.
Power ratings on a UK Axor 8x4 are likely to be between 350400hp; the compact Axor S-cab fitted has been made 180rnm deeper to make room for kit behind the rear seats.The lowered engine tunnel is said to improve cross-cab access Although Mercedes has offered an Actros 8x4 in the UK for some time,it's aimed primarily at heavyduty muckaway work. Up 10 70% of the UK eight-wheeler market (currently running at around 3,100 units a year) is taken up by chassis sold for lighter aggregate/tipping work and Mercedes has been noticeably absent from this sector.
• For more pre-Amsterdam launches see page 14