DAF and MAN lead line-up at 2019 CV Show

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Friday 22 March 2019

Traton subsidiary MAN will launch its new D15 truck engine at the Commercial Vehicle Show (30 April – 2 May), which it is attending for the third year running. MAN (Stand: 5D10) will also show a complete vehicle product range from three to 250 tonnes gross weight.

Nick Hardy, head of product management, said: “We will be launching the UK version of the X-Lion which appeared last year at Hannover. It’s a special edition truck designed to incentivise drivers. As such it will be available across the range. We’ll show a 26.500 tractor, but the same features will be available on X-Lion editions of 8×4 tipper and 4×2 distribution chassis.”

On the engine front, the big news is the replacement of the 10.5-litre D20 engine with the nine-litre D15 unit. This heralds that introduction of Euro 6 D engines across the MAN range, and saves some 250 kg over the predecessor unit. The new nine-litre engine has a maximum output of 400 hp, and uses an SCR-only emissions control system.

MAN will also offer a low-platform version of the TGE, as a chassis-cowl, rather than a panel van, for specialist bodying.  It is front-wheel drive and 190 mm lower than the standard vehicle, allowing the weight and cost of a tail-lift to be saved. Purchasers can specify the vehicle with or without a cab roof fitted to facilitate the construction of different body types for the end user.

Meanwhile, UK truck market leader DAF will return to the Show with its largest-ever display of vehicles.

With its usual stand position in Hall 5 (Stand: 5A70) augmented by another display in the area immediately outside, DAF is concentrating on current offerings rather than concept vehicles with alternative drivelines, but will also be highlighting support services including DAF Connect telematics, and DAF Fleet Services, which helps operators keep vehicles operating out of multiple depots maintained, repaired, and inspected.

The Paccar subsidiary will also be launching its new driver training scheme: it now has 25 dealer-based driver-trainers and all new DAF CF and XF trucks will be delivered with a driver training voucher to ensure that a proper hands-on familiarisation exercise is conducted.

With the emphasis on increasing payload, innovative trucks on display will include a new CF 8×4 tipper, which offers 250 kg more payload than its predecessor, a lightweight ADR compliant CF450 FTP tractor for the petrochemical market with Safe Loading Pass, a lightweight LF City 7.5-tonner with Paccar factory-built box body, and a CF 6×2 FAN rigid with the latest innovative electro-hydraulic rear-steer axle.

The outside area will show DAF’s First Choice approved used trucks: a way for operators to update their fleet to Euro 6 standards without the cost of a new vehicle.

Environmentally-conscious operators can also find out how they can ‘green’ their fleets of DAF trucks by using synthetic, environmentally-friendly HVO and GTL fuels in place of conventional ‘fossil’ diesel.

DAF Trucks managing director Robin Easton said: “We’re delighted to be exhibiting at the CV Show again this year in line with our intention to attend the show on a two-yearly cycle. “The CV Show always provides us with a great opportunity to network with customers, both existing and new, plus a chance to exhibit our new LF, CF and XF product range – which, of course, we unveiled at the NEC in 2017.”

Trailers will be in the spotlight as well as trucks at the NEC – including those of British manufacturer Cartwright (Stand: 3A40), which will highlight the ‘soft services’ that it offers to the freight industry at this year’s event.

Engineering manager Chris Mitchell points out the company offers a one-stop solution to transport operators with a 6500-strong rental fleet and 1200 assets on contract maintenance.

“Rental, finance and leasing are all services we offer besides vehicle building: total cost solutions not just hardware.”

Cartwright will have five trucks and trailers displayed at the show:  a Vauxhall-based 3.5-tonne low-floor parcel van, a 12-tonne gas-powered Iveco box van, a double-decker fridge trailer with a tare weight of 14.5 tonnes, a tandem-axle, rear-steer urban trailer, and a new pillarless curtainsider.

Mr Mitchell said: “Everybody wants more capacity. The trailer market is buoyant and we have a good forward order book.”

British trailer operators have swung away from disc brakes and reverted to drums in the last seven years as total life costs are lower, according to axle manufacturer BPW, which will also be showcasing its wares at the NEC (Stand: 3D40).

“It appears that, in wet countries, the trend is very much to revert to drums,” sales and marketing director Neill Groves told Transport Operator at a CV Show press preview event.

“In the UK, operators also tend to drop and swap trailers more often. There are no compatibility issues when a trailer has drum brakes, but these do appear when a trailer with discs is pulled by different makes of tractor unit.

“These incompatibility issues see trailer discs doing too much of the work. Trailer disc temperatures can rise to 500 C, when the tractors’ brakes are running at only 80 C. At these sort of temperatures, the resin binding agents start to leak from the friction material, seals begin to fail and discs can crack.

“Drums, with their greater mass and friction area, are more forgiving. But discs are still popular in weight-sensitive applications, where increased revenue makes up for the higher running costs.

“Discs are generally more popular on trailers in mainland Europe than in the UK, but tractors and trailers tend to stay matched for longer in those markets.”

Meanwhile, declining sales of new trucks are good news for tyre specialist Hankook, as operators keeping trucks for longer buy more replacement tyres.

The Korean company, which manufactures tyres for the European market in Hungary, claims to have enjoyed a very good year, last year with the only problem being keeping supply up with demand.

Hankook (Stand: 5B50) will highlight its its SmartWork on/off-road construction tyres and SmartFlex regional tyres: both of which are now offered as original equipment by Scania and MAN, at the CV Show. It will debut the SmartFlex TH31 trailer tyre in 455/45 22.5 size: it is only the second manufacturer to offer this size of trailer tyre, and the first production tyres are undergoing trials with a Cumbrian timber haulier.

It will also show its UK market-specific range of alphatread bead-to-bead retreads for the medium-haul market. These reuse A1 condition Hankook casings, and are available in drive-axle patterns for sizes 295/80R22.5, 315/80R22.5 and 315/70R22.5, and trailer pattern 385/65R22.5 size. Drive alphatreads are designated R-DH and the trailer tyre R-TH. Retreading tyres saves both energy and material compared to the manufacture of complete new covers.