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Reliability
The Axor 334o with day cab is designed for a multitude of applications
that require rugged reliability.
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| Mercedes-Benz South Africa has expanded its Axor range to include an extra-heavy 6x4 truck tractor and freight carrier. The launch press release states that 'no terrain or operating condition is too rugged for this vehicle - a solid truck that can endure the toughest of environments'. It sounds good but are we going backward or forward asks
Patrick O'Leary?
The original Mercedes-Benz Axor range was introduced to the South African market in the fourth quarter of 2003 and without doubt, has made strong inroads and is an extremely successful participant in the extra-heavy segment with sales of more than 1 650 units retailed to-date.
It was perhaps a natural step then that the range be extended to include these 6x 4 models. As Peter Wraight, product manager, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles, said at the launch: "It was in line with our policy of continuous product improvement and alignment with changing market trends and needs'.
Going further into the rationale behind the launch of these models, Wraight added that mmarket research and customer feedback indicated that local conditions required a reliable truck without all the fancy add-ons and frills of some other sophisticated units designed for medium to long-distance operations.
"Apart from infrastructural issues, we also had to come up with a basic truck that was suited to the skills levels and requirements of our local operators - without compromising on safety," he added. To achieve this, Merc says it rejuvenated the Powerliner and built on the successful benchmark set by the Powerliner in the late 90s.
Wraight reckons the most apt way to describe the new Axor 6x4 is that it is a best-of-three-world's vehicle - combining all the best qualities of the Actros, the simplicity and performance of the Axor and the successful attributes of its predecessor, the Powerliner, into one truck.
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To be honest, the highly impressive laser show which unveiled the models made such a fuss of the attributes of the 'legendary' Powerliner that for a moment there, I thought maybe the Powerliner was coming back in. But no, not so. I was also listening carefully for some mention of the Actros in the script but there was none. And this is where my confusion begins.
For some years now, we've all been made to believe that the old technology is exactly that - old and outdated - and that the new tech trucks are here to stay. It's all been about electronics, Telligent systems, automatic gearboxes and this not only in Mercedes-Benz trucks but also via similar technologies in other marques like the Iveco Stralis, Volvo and so on.
Automatic gearboxes have, for example, been punted as the best way to achieve maximum fuel efficiencies as well as make up for the short-fall of qualified drivers in our industry. In short, electronics, CANBus systems - all this fancy stuff - has been punted as Africa's trucking future with no turning back partly, and understandably, due to overseas production lines being unwilling to manufacture a small number of models specifically to cater for a small market demands like South Africa's.
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Now, however, we're told that the new 6x4 Axor, which although a much higher spec in terms of driver comfort and features than the Powerliner, does not incorporate all the bells and whistles. We're also told that it is the culmination of ten years' planning and collaboration between Mercedes-Benz Germany and the local engineers at the truck research centre in East London, as well as the development centres in Turkey and Brazil. So what happened to the argument of overseas plants not being able to cater to our small niche market needs?
Interesting is that it wasn't long ago I was in Turkey with Mercedes-Benz to experience the ultra-modern Power-Shift fully automated manual transmission which, as I wrote in that story, allows for smoother, more comfortable and faster gear changes than can be achieved with manual or semi-automated transmissions. All this goes towards me having to ask the question: Are we going backwards or forward?
And here's something. Not even the customers are fully convinced of which direction to go. I sat at a table with customers at the launch function and asked the question of whether or not they prefer the new tech trucks or the older tech models. While some definitely voted in favour of the basic features as highlighted in these new Axor models, others were not so sure. Perhaps the best answer was given by one transporter who said: "Fuel consumption will determine it for me. Whatever gives me the best fuel consumption is the one I want."
On this point, there is no doubt that the new, automatic gearboxes such as the Power-Shift - already available locally in the Mercedes-Benz Actros 440 V6 and 500 V8 models but not in any of the Axor models - is the way to go. So why no option of an automatic transmission on the new 6x4 Axor models? I'm confused.
Be that as it may, the new Axor 6x4 is available in 350 and 400 horsepower models respectively. It is built on the OM 457, 6-in-line engine that made ADE famous and is upgraded with the latest electronic engine management system. (Aha! There comes the electronics hey). The engine is Euro 3 compliant.
Let's give the last words to Peter Wraight: "The new Axor 6x4 is a good, solid and straightforward vehicle and yet has the precise levels of sophistication to ensure it is reliable, economical and safe." Mmmmm! I'm still confused! |
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