Scania tops power table with 770 hp V8

Scania has stolen Swedish rival Volvo’s crown with the world’s most powerful production truck. Revisions to Scania’s unique flagship V8 engine range see its top offering now rated at 770 hp, while a new automated transmission and drive axle reduce parasitic drag and save weight and fuel.

First examples are expected to enter service in the UK early next year, with the 770 variant leading the way. Lesser engines rated at 530, 590 and 660 hp will follow.

Changes across the board to the 16.4-litre V8 include a new SCR-only emissions system with twin AdBlue dosing nozzles, and a higher-pressure fuel pump feeding the Scania XPI injection. These changes enable the deletion of the exhaust gas recirculation system found on the previous top-power engine, and the 770 hp unit also features a water-cooled bearing on its fixed-geometry turbocharger.

Interestingly, at 19:1 it has a lower compression ratio than the other engine ratings’ 22:1, presumably to cope with higher turbocharger pressures.

Further modifications include higher peak cylinder pressures, a new exhaust manifold for better scavenging, and new power-steering pumps and air-compressors to reduce parasitic drag. There’s a more powerful enginemanagement system too. With 70 components changed, up to 70 kg has been shaved off the engines’ weight.

All engines can run on renewable synthetic HVO fuel, and the 590 can also be specified to run on 100 per cent FAME, or similar biodiesel.

Higher torque outputs and broader torque spreads necessitated a new transmission. Scania said €400 million had been invested in all-new Opticruise automated manual gearboxes, which although confined to the V8s and highest horsepower straight-sixes at present, will eventually be fitted behind all Scania engines.

The highest-rated ‘box, for the V8s and 500 and 540 hp 13-litre engines, is the Opticruise G33CM, which has a maximum torque capability of 3,700 Nm.

A wider ratio spread combines with higher drive-axle ratios to lower engine speeds at cruise.

Compared to its predecessor, the new gearbox needs three litres less oil, and has an extended drain interval of up to one million km. The oil level varies according to workload and lubricant is sprayed onto the opinions. This has necessitated
the development of a new, exclusive-to-Scania, low-viscosity gearbox lubricant.

There’s a new free-wheeling retarder too, and the gears no longer require synchronisers, thanks to the presence of three shaft shift-brakes. The conventional reverse has been replaced with a planetary gear. A weight-saving of 60 kg over the previous gearbox is claimed.

Claimed fuel savings from the new powertrain over its predecessor are three per cent from the higher gearing, two per cent from the engine modifications and one per cent from the new gearbox.

Sixteen UK customers will be allocated special Flying Griffin editions which feature the 770 hp engine, the Griffin luxury cab package in a top-of-the-range S cab, and a custom-painted electric guitar!