When you've just launched The World's Most Powerful Series Production
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Truck', you can expect the world to sit up and take notice. With its latest 16.4-litre, 730hp 'Big Banger' topping off its revised V8 line-up, Scania will clearly attract the IToY jury's attention.
But is that reason enough to make it Truck of the Year? The real users of the R 730 will be the handful of STGO operators regularly moving 200-tonnes-plus (and Scandinavian timber hauliers). Engineering-wise, the R 730's all-new compacted graphite iron (COI) block looks interesting, sharing many of the features of Scania's smaller 13-litre in-line sixes, including its XPI common-rail fuelling system (developed jointly with Cummins), as well as pistons, cylinder heads and liners.
The 730hp V8 also gets its own special trim package befitting a fire-breathing flagship, including leather seats, special badging, xenon headlights, etc. Behind the 730hp vee sits a beefed-up 14-speed GR50925 synchro box with the latest two-pedal Opticruise gear-changing system (launched last year) fitted as standard doubtless to help prevent driveline abuse.
Meanwhile, if you don't need 730hp and 3.500Nm of torque, the previous range of 15.6-litre V8s at 500hp, 560hp and 620hp is carried over for Euro-5. The real question with the new Scania I/8 range is will the judges be swayed by the R730's power-play? IToY judges aren't emotionless automatons. So expect 'The World's Most Powerful Series Production Truck' to deliver the goods if the jury votes with its collective 'trucking' heart, rather than an accountant's head. Yes, it's a niche product. Yes, it's irrelevant to fleet operators. Yes, we shouldn't believe all the hype. But be prepared for the bookies to make it odds-on favourite. There's no replacement for displacement.