General Motors has started to sell its T-Series trucks in 1998. The vehicles were based on the Isuzu’s F-Series medium duty range of trucks and shared the same design and technologies with their siblings.
The Chevrolet T-Series range consisted of three models namely the T6500, T7500 and T8500, all powered by a 7.8 liter Isuzu diesel engine. All Chevrolet T-Series trucks had a cab over engine configurations and were equipped with various Allison transmissions.
The Chevrolet T Series was sold until 2009 and came with GVM (gross vehicle mass) ratings between 24,350 lbs. to 39,000 lbs. and 4x4, 6x2 and 6x4 axle configurations.
Freightliner has recently revealed the first details about the new Cascadia Evolution that will be introduced as a 2014 model. In a press conference held not long ago, the company declared that theirnew Cascadia Evolution will be able to offer up to a 7% fuel economy improvement compared with the current model.
To prove that they are talking serious about the performances of the new model the company had organized a series of real-world tests hosted at Freightliner’s manufacturing facility in Detroit.
Mr. Tim Tindall, director-engine & component sales for Detroit, was the host of the event and said that 40 new Cascadia Evolution models were handed in customers’ hands to be tested.
Ten of these tractors were equipped with DD13 engines and had day cab configurations, while the rest of 30 vehicles were fitted with the new DD15 engine and came with sleeper cabs.
Tindall said, “All of these trucks are equipped with the visibility package [which is part of Virtual Technician], so we can look at fuel consumption at anytime on any of these customer trucks. The program is aimed at showing that the truck does what we say it does and that the reliability is what we say it is.”
After the tests, Tindall revealed that the new Freightliner Cascadia Evolution scored a 6.7 % improvement in fuel economy compared to the original Cascadia.
The second step of this demonstration will be made in September, when 61 additional Cascadia Evolution trucks will be delivered for extra tests. The trucks will be fitted with both DD15 (35 units) and DD15 (26 units ) engines and 16 of the DD15 models will also get the new Detroit DT12 transmission.
The Iveco Cavallino is mostly sold on the South American market and was designed to deal with short or regional transportations.
The Iveco Cavallino truck is part of the heavy duty league and it features a cab over engine design. The truck is equipped with Iveco’s Cursor 8 engine combined with a 16 speed SF Over Drive transmission. The engine develops a maximum output of 320 hp and 1200 Nm of torque.
To be able to suit to a wide range of applications, the truck is offered with both day and sleeper cabs and a choice of 4x2 and 6x2 axle configurations.
BMC is a less known Turkish truck manufacturer which was formed in 1964 in partnership with the British Motor Corporation (BMC).
At the moment, the company is focused on building medium and heavy duty trucks and its lineup of models consists of three different cab configurations.
The Low Entry Cab model was designed to cope with the needs of refuse industry and it was specially engineered to offer easy access inside and out of the cab.
The BMC Low Entry Cab model is available in 4x2 and 6x4 axle configurations with gross vehicle weights (GVW) of 18 tonnes and 26 tonnes. The truck is equipped with the Cummins ISBe Euro 4 engine which develops 285 hp.
Dennis Eagle is a British manufacturer of medium duty commercial vehicles specialized in refuse trucks chassis and bodies. The company uses a single type of steel cabin which is combined with different bodies. The company uses the Elite 2 chassis which is a highly versatile product that is able to cope with a wide range of operations. The Elite 2 chassis is compatible with both Dennis Eagle body range and those manufactured by other refuse collection vehicle body suppliers.
The main advantage of the Elite 2 chassis is that it offers the lowest cab entry from the market. The Dennis Eagle trucks are available with 4x2, 6x2 and 8x4 configurations and are equipped with Euro 5 diesel engines supplied by Volvo and Cummins.
Freightliner has revealed its new generation of the Cascadia heavy duty Class 8 truck which will be introduced as a 2014 model.
The main trait of new Cascadia Evolution is its increased fuel efficiency and the improved aerodynamics. The truck is equipped with Detroit diesel engines and thanks to a few significant aerodynamic improvements and engine tweaks it offers up to 5 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the 2013 Cascadia.
Talking about the new model, David Hames, general manager, marketing and strategy for Daimler Trucks North America said “With the introduction of the Cascadia and Detroit DD15 in 2007, our priority was to help customers lower their total cost of ownership through improved fuel efficiency and performance. Now, with the Cascadia Evolution, we are building upon our commitment to maximizing our customers’ bottom lines with new product advancements that will deliver unprecedented fuel efficiency.”
The LPK model is part of Tata’s Construck range of trucks so the vehicle was especially built for construction sites and different harsh working conditions.
The LPK isn’t at the same level with the European and Japanese trucks when it comes to build quality and reliability, but it comes with a fairly cheap price tag.
Thanks to its versatile platform, it can be used for a wide range of applications and it’s offered with GVWs (gross vehicle weight) ranging from 16200 kg to 25000 kg. With a wheelbase of 3880 mm and an overall length of 6830 mm, the Tata LPK is a pretty big medium duty truck and it’s usually used for light mining, construction and road work.
Under the cab, the Tata LPK can be equipped with two Cummins engines which develop 183 hp and 235 hp.
Tata decided to take a stab at the heavy duty segment and has come up with the Prima truck which will compete in the 40 tonnes segment with famous names like Scania, Volvo, Iveco and even Mercedes.
Tata plans to sell its heavy duty truck globally and not only in India and this is why it paid maximum attention in the developing process. The Tata Prima’s main objective is to combine strong performances with lower prices featuring strong engines and a generous load capacity. Tata claims that the Prima can cover 600 km with a single driver and 900 km with two drivers in a day.
The Chinese manufacturers are starting to conquer more and more markets and their vehicles have finally begun to offer satisfactory performances and prove that these guys are fast learners. However, some faults regarding the build quality and reliability still remain, but some sacrifices had to be done to keep the price as cheap as possible.
The new generation of Heavy Duty trucks from JAC is a major improvement over the previous models, but while we appreciated the technical upgrade and the more comfortable cabin, we’ll have to criticize the exterior design. There isn’t anything inherently wrong with it, but it’s almost identical with Scania’s trucks and you won’t need to be an expert to spot the resemblance.
Not many of you heard about JAC, mostly because it’s a Chinese manufacturer which until recently didn’t managed to catch much attention. The company however, has recently made a joint venture with Navistar and started to use Cummins engines for its lineup of trucks.
At the moment, JAC is also in full expansion and plans to conquer new markets. Its lineup of vehicles includes light, medium and heavy duty models and all of them are fairly versatile.
The Heavy duty range of trucks is offered in tractor, mixer, dump and lorry configurations with gross vehicle weights ranging from 13000 kg to 50000 kg.
CAT has a long history behind and the company is famous thanks o its strong engines and the heavy duty working vehicles that were designed to tackle the harshest construction sites without thinking twice. Recently, the company decided to try its luck in the transport industry and allied with Navistar to launch its first highway truck.
At the moment, the CAT CT630 is sold mainly on the Australian market and was developed especially for highway operations. Except for a few small differences, the truck shares the same design with the International ProStar, but is powered by a CAT C15 engine which develops 550hp. The CT630 also features a roomy cabin and an aerodynamic exterior design that was developed to enhance its fuel efficiency.
In US, CAT sells only its CT660 vocational model, but in Australia its lineup includes two models namely the CT 610 and CT 630. Both Australian models were developed by NC2, a joint venture between Navistar and Caterpillar and you won’t need to be an expert to see that between CAT’s trucks and International’s models there is a strong resemblance.
While the CT660 has a totally fresh design the 610 model is based on the International DuraStar and TranStar models. These vehicles don’t share only the exterior design, but also the same interior and technologies. However, the CT610 isn’t powered by Cummins engines, as at its hart sits a 470 hp CAT engine. The CT610 is as versatile as its International siblings and was developed especially for regional haul applications.
The Foton Auman is the biggest truck built by the Chinese manufacturer. The truck’s main advantages are that it uses Mercedes-Benz technology for its chassis and is powered by a range of Cummins engines.
While the Chinese trucks are still seen with doubtful eyes by the truckers from all over the world, the Foton Auman could prove to be of a different breed thanks to its American engines and the German technology used for the chassis.
The Auman is offered with a wide choice of wheel base lengths which range from 3400 to 6000mm and has a gross combination mass of up to 45 tonnes. In order to meet a wide range of operational needs, the Foton Auman is offered in various models including tractor, platform, dump and other.
The Volkswagen Worker is sold solely on the South American market together with the bigger Constellation model.
The truck was designed as a basic mechanical work horse which is able to do a wide range of jobs with minimum costs and maximum productivity.
The Volkswagen Worker range is offered with numerous wheelbases including 2,850, 3,300, 3,900 and 4,300 mm lengths with various GVWs (gross vehicle weights) that range between 8 tonne to 31 Tonne. Thanks to its long list of options and body versions the Volkswagen Worker is among the most versatile vehicles built by the German manufacturer.
The Volkswagen Constellation is almost completely unknown in Europe and US, but in South America the truck is pretty successful. The truck is manufactured since 2005 in cooperation with MAN in Brazil and is available with gross combined weights between 14.3 tons - 62.8 tons.
The Volkswagen Constellation is the biggest vehicle in Volkswagen’s lineup and was designed for long haul and other distribution operations. The Volkswagen Constellation features a cab over engine configuration and is offered with numerous wheelbases and specifications. The truck comes with a range of Cummins and MWM diesel engines which come in three power outputs.
The Scania G Series is the perfect compromise between the bigger R Series and the smaller P Series. The truck is as versatile as its other two siblings and features the same fluid design that is so appreciated by truckers from all over the world.
Under the hood, the Scania G-Series is powered by either a 13-liter inline 6-cylinder or a 9 liter engine. Thanks to its versatile character the truck is offered in four pre-configured specifications for a variety of applications. The Scania G Series is also available in 4x2, 6x2, 6x4 or 8x4 configurations with Day, Sleeper or Highline cabs.
Mitsubishi’s range of heavy duty trucks received recently a host of upgrades which make it able to deal better with the competition. The truck received new engines, new transmissions and a host of useful features, most of them being based on Daimler’s products.
Thanks to the new upgrades, the Mitsubishi Fuso Heavy has made an important step forward, being closer to the requirements of today’s transport industry.
Mitsubishi’s Fuso Heavy range includes two models namely the FP and FV models. The trucks come with a choice of three diesel engines and with GCM (Gross Combination Mass) ratings between 40.000 – 58.000 kg.
UD’s trucks were never among the most technologically advanced models in their class, but they had a pretty flexible character and thanks to their rugged, robust and unpretentious configuration they’ve always had their place in the transport industry.
However, now we are leaving new times and the pretentions of the transport industry are bigger than ever. UD had do come up with a few improvements if it wanted to survive in this highly competitive segment and the main change was to introduce a host of new automatic transmissions.
The engines were also improved and now are meeting the Euro 5 emission norms. The 13 liter turbo diesel develops from 390 hp to 470 hp. The UD Quon range includes 4 models including the CW 26 400 rigid, and GK 17 400, GW 26 400 and GW 26 470 prime movers with GCM (gross combination mass) ratings between 40.000 and 70.000 kg.
Mitsubishi’s medium duty truck was built with versatility in mind and is available in a wide range of version with GVMs (Gross Vehicle Masses) ranging from 10400 kg-24000 kg.
The Mitsubishi Fuso fighter has undergone a full model change in 2009 when it received a more comfortable cabin and a host of technical upgrades to make it able to compete with success against its rivals.
The truck is offered with a choice of two engines which develop 177 or 199 hp with maximum torques of 686 Nm and 785 Nm respectively. The interesting part is that recently the Fuso Fighter’s transmission lineup was completed with an Allison automatic unit which is now offered together with the manual gearboxes.
Heavy duty trucks are the strongest “weapons” of any truck manufacturer and they are usually equipped with powerful engines and an ultra resistant frame which serves as a reliable base for the arduous jobs of the vehicle.
In Hyundai’s lineup, the heavy duty league is represented by the HD range of trucks which are available with a plethora of engines, suspensions and wheelbase lengths. All models share the same exterior design and the same interiors.
Thanks to its flexible character, Hyundai’s heavy duty HD series can take many forms and can be used as a Tractor, Dump, Concrete Mixer or Cargo. The Hyundai HD range is offered with a choice of 4x2, 6x2 or 8x4 axle configurations.
The Isuzu Gigamax is the biggest truck built by the Japanese manufacturer and was designed for heavy duty applications. The Gigamax has a cab over engine configuration which is usually typical for the European trucks and comes with a gross combination mass (GCM) of up to 70 tones.
The truck is sold globally and incorporates Isuzu’s latest technologies being equipped with strong and torquey Euro V diesel engines which develop between 415 and 510 hp. Isuzu was always appreciated for its proven reliability and the Gigamax makes no exception offering a standard 3 years or 500.000 kilometer warranty.
Isuzu’s F Series is one of the most versatile ranges of trucks available on today’s market. The vehicles have a good reputation regarding their reliability and they also receive good marks when it comes to fuel efficiency.
The F Series shares the same cabin with the stronger FX model, but compared with its bigger brother it has a more serene and subdued character. The Isuzu F Series is available with a choice of four engine outputs ranging from 200 hp to 300 hp and GVM (gross vehicle mass) ratings between 10400 kg - 16.500 kg. Specialist F-Series models include full-time 4 X 4 and 6 X 2 freight carriers, a 6 X 4 refuse compactor and truck tractors.