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S ISSUE
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This week's roadtest brings you a number of firsts: the first test of a five-pot Scania; the first test of a distribution P-Series; and the first solo test of any EGR Euro-4 truck.
Nat having tested a new Scania for a while, it's probably worth a recap on its line-up. With no trucks in its portfolio below 18 tonnes, Scania could be seen as having a single modular product with lots of options, but in reality it is split according to which of two cab families is fitted. Unlike most manufacturers' large' and 'small' cabs, though, both of Scania's are the same width, differentiated only by a 310mm higher engine hump in the P Cab thanks to the R Cab being mounted one step higher.
The P Cab we look at here comes in three lengths. The standard CP14 cab is identical to the CPI 6 Day cab apart from an extra 280mm behind the seats.The CP19 Sleeper has another 270mm in length and 220mm in headroom. With a few basic jigsaw skills, this is enough for an adequate bunk while keeping the cab rear wall only just beyond the wheelarch.
While the modular approach means almost anything is possible, a typical distribution rigid will have a GVW of 18 or 26 tonnes with a P Cab and a five-cylinder engine. Our test truck goes by the name of P 270 DB6x2*4MNA, which effectively means it's a 6x2 with a positively steered tag axle and a 270 engine rating.The cab is the CP19 Sleeper.
The all-new (in 2004) 8.9-litre, in-line, five-cylinder engine is quite unusual given the fashion for overhead camshafts. Being of a modular design shared with its larger cousins, the DC9-17 features four valves per cylinder surrounding centrally located unit injectors, all operated via pushrods by a single camshaft mounted about halfway up the bores on the left side of the block.Twin internal balancer shafts counter the potential vibration inherent in a five-pot.
The result of this layout is a very compact unit, a welcome feature given that its Euro-4 emissions status is achieved by EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation), which requires plenty of cooling to function.
The range has three power ratings, nominally 230,270 and 310. In the case of the 270 tested, which has an actual output of 267hp, the move to Euro-4 has seen no change in peak power and torque figures, although the position of the peak is down from 1,900 to 1,800rpm, and the torque plateau extends from 1,100 to 1,450rpm— an extra 50rpm. Both these changes should benefit driveability.
The transmission in the test truck is the standard eight-speed direct-drive range-change box, with nine and 12-speed options available.The Opticruise three-pedal automated system can be specified with the eight and 12-speed units
On the road
This particular Scania was originally a rental truck before joining the central demonstrator fleet. Its gearing is unusually high, being fitted with the optional 3.07:1 diff ratio rather than the standard 3.42.The result is that the speed limiter is encountered at just 1,350rpm in top gear.The A-road limit sees the engine barely running a fast tickover at less than 1,000rpm.
We expected 267hp moving 26 tonnes, especially with such long gearing, to be a recipe for a leisurely drive, and the stop watch proved our expectations. Compared with its 300hp-plus rivals, it loses a good 10 seconds on the 0-50mph dash, and similar times on the in-gear figures. We did note that such was the engine's broad spread of power that from 30 to 50mph, we saved nearly four seconds by staying in sixth rather than changing to seventh part way through.
The high gearing contributed to the lack of success on the proving ground hill starts. Although we found the secret of overriding the clutch protection system, which limits engine speed at very low road speeds, the Scania didn't want to know about the 1-in-4 restart.
In terms of the driving experience, the gearing means spending a lot more time than you would expect in the lower gears Top is virtually out of the question driving legally on single-carriageway roads, and sixth is frequently called for when it gets hilly. Although the engine is very willing, and is happy to lug down tol ,000rpm for short spells, the numbers are against it.Around town and through tighter roundabouts, it is necessary to go into low range far more often than is normal, which becomes a bit tiresome. If you stray off easy motorways too often, a more suitable driveline would be worth considering. As it is, it makes a good advert for Opticruise.
The gear change itself is quite user-friendly. It has quite a long travel fore-and-aft but its rather close side-to-side spacing needs watching if you're not to take the sharp edges off the reverse gears.The range-change switch is ideally located on the front of the lever.
The service brakes, ventilated discs allround, impressed with a stopping distance close to that of a typical 3.5-tonne van. However, the exhaust brake,operated by the initial travel of the footbrake, seemed less impressive,partly because it didn't make much noise, With a couple of downshifts to move engine speed beyond 2,000rpm, it provided a fair degree of slowing power — but it's no retarder.
The positive rear steer, which comes into play when the front steering angle exceeds 5°,provides a respectable 14m turning circle. The steering is precise but a little low geared; strangely, we counted almost one more turn lock-to-lock than the 4.9 listed in the spec sheet.
The ride is firm but well damped and the cab is free of unwanted movement, although we noticed a few creaks with the window open. Unlike the last Scania distribution 26-tonner tested five years ago, which achieved the nearimpossible feat of recording a sub-50dB(A) noise level at tickover, this example was merely quite quiet at 54.7dB(A).Subjectively, the new five-cylinder engine certainly doesn't seem to be quite as quiet as its predecessor.
Productivity
Given the amount of time spent in the lower, indirect gears, we expected economy to take a hit. Despite a minor diversion to avoid the new 18-tonne limit on the bridge atThe Rose Revived on the A415, we were pleasantly surprised by the fuel economy.A helpful weather window, the day before Tewkesbury was flooded, played its part in not spoiling our run, and we ended with figures of 10.2mpg overall, and 11.4 and 9.7mpg respectively on the motorway and A-road sections.This represents an improvement of more than 12% on its Euro-3 260 predecessor tested in 2002.
As mentioned, performance wasn't at the top of the tree.The effect onjourney times is negligible on easy motorways, but onA-roads the cumulative losses in slower stop-start going begin to add up. For example, the relatively easy climb north out of Monmouth, which you might hope to conquer in top gear in many trucks, took 15 seconds longer than the norm.
With a 5,300rnm wheelbase (6,855mm OAS), the test truck has the eighth longest in a range of 12 wheelbases, and was fitted with a straightforward 25ft 6in curtainsider from Leicester's Transport Enterprises.The longest wheelbase allows for a body of up to 31ft 7in. As tested, with a full tank and our mythical 75kg driver on board, the P270 has a body payload allowance of 18,186kg — not a record but at the better end of the scale.
Cab comfort
In the low-slung P Cab, the driving position is cosy but far from claustrophobic.The top of the engine hump is roughly level with the seat cushion, although the gear lever position and the need for the driving seat to be moved well forward to fit the spacer cushion into the bunk cut-out mean recreation time is best approached from the passenger side.The seats are half-leather trimmed, and the driver's perch is adjustable every which wayThe steering column is also fully adjustable.
The passenger seat folds in two directions: cushion up to provide good access, or backrest down to provide a table-top surface, As in many such cabs, the passenger's seat-belt mount is fixed but too high for comfort.
The little Pcab shares its wrap-around dash layout with its bigger brothers, even if its modest spec means quite a few switch blanks are evident.The clearly laid out instruments have a large matching speedo and rev counter, with smaller dials for fuel, coolant and air pressure. A comprehensive trip computer function and displays of individual rear axle weights are included in the panel.
The lower edge of the pad of the four-spoke steering wheel houses the buttons for the cruise control and navigation through the driver information display.We had initial reservations about this location and, after our longest drive yet, remain convinced that the ends of the top spokes would be a safer place.
The top of the dashboard in front of the passenger has a tray that lifts to reveal a very shallow rubber-floored receptacle. Below this is the electrical panel, access to which is a screwdriver job.
The sun visors are neat, not only staggered to avoid gaps but with a semi-hard design that folds tightly beneath the over-screen storage facility.The one on the left is attached to a very handy drop-down compartment, which houses the box of spare fuses in one of its sections.The right-hand unit incorporates the tachograph and two spare DIN housings, and a useful shelf with a custom-built document folder.
The flat non-slip floor has a small oddments bin on the left edge,matching the ashtray on the right edge. The left side of the central dashboard has two clearly labelled power outlets, one 12V and one 24V, but they are both of the less versatile DIN type.Our test truck came with a dealer-fit flip-front CD/radio, made by Clarion and badged by Scania.
Befitting the PCab's likely use for an occasional sleep-over rather than regular long haul accommodation ,the bunk area is sparsely equipped: just a pair of reading lamps and a remote control for the night heater, with space for radio controls if a factory-fit radio is specified — but that's probably enough for most needs.The central underbunk area houses a spacious pull-out drawer, flanked by a pair of decently-sized chests behind each seat,