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Past Issues

May 2005

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	THE new TGL range is ideal for both short and long distance work. From construction to waste to cherry picking, the new gearbox will prolong engine life and make the task of driving in start-stop executions that much less tiring for the driver. In closed body and taut-liner operations, the many TGL options offer great comfort for long-haul drivers with mod cons seldom seen on medium commercials.

It's been a long time coming but it's finally made its appearance on the world stage. We're talking of MAN's new medium TGL truck range. FleetWatch's Paul Collings accompanied MAN Truck & Bus SA's new CEO, Geoff Du Plessis and marketing director, Dave van Graan to the world launch in Germany to experience the '100% Trucknology' TGL first-hand. He arrived back with the firm belief that local operators have a lot to look forward to when it reaches our shores next year.
 

THE focus on high-tech, electronically driven engines combined with sophisticated cab features to enhance driver comfort has, in the main, been directed at the heavy, long-haul truck products of the world. In South Africa, this new era was heralded in by the Mercedes-Benz Actros which, albeit starting off on a rather bumpy ride, soon smoothed the road to allow the market to enjoy the new technology being experienced in Europe and other parts of the world.

Although in Europe the Actros had to contend with an early challenge in the high-tech stakes from its arch rival MAN marketing its new 'Trucknology' Generation trucks (the TGA), it is true to say that in South Africa the Actros had the local market to itself for some time. The TGA was only introduced into South Africa last year. Other makes have also come in with new, sophisticated product and South Africans are now getting a wide range of choice from the best the world has to offer.

That's the sector we've all been focusing on locally. Overseas, however, the research and development boffins have been working on putting the high tech contents into neat envelopes and posting them off to the medium segment. One company which stands out in this respect is MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG which for the past four years has invested 200-million Euros into the research and development of its new TGL range - the successor to the L2000. And from what I saw, it looks like every Euro was well worth it for the new range is sure to lift the stakes in this sector.

That MAN is confident it will do was given credence when MAN CEO, Anton Weinman, came out at the truck's world launch with all guns firing stating that the TGL "outclasses the competition in terms of weight, fuel consumption and power."

That's a bold statement and given that the new range is expected to hit our shores as early as next year, Weinman's words should provoke much debate among local competitor brands, be they from Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Isuzu, Nissan or any other MCV player. Here's some info to throw into those debates.

New engine
Let's start with the engine. Fitted with a brand new D08 engine which uses the same technology as the D20 common rail power plant, Weinman makes the claim that it has the highest torque in its class - 800 Nm @ 1 200 rpm. "Besides the power benefits, fleet owners can expect a fuel saving of around half a litre less per 100km," he says. When you extrapolate that figure across a fleet of say 100 vehicles, that's a substantial annual saving so that's one point that should have the competitors worried.

There are four engine choices available; three 4-cylinder derivatives (delivering 150 to 206 hp) and a powerful 6-cylinder (6 871cc, 240 hp and 925Nm @ 1.800 rpm) option. These engines look well equipped to handle South Africa's terrain but will be modified to meet local conditions. According to Peter von Korff, technical product planning manager at MAN, the South African TGLs will have bigger injector bores and the valves will be modified to suit SA diesel.
 

	The TGL range is impressive in the possibilities it provides medium-weight transport operators. Engine size, cab size, chassis length and wheelbases are interchangeable.

Next-generation engine technology
Compliance with Euro emission standards is central to the development of trucks in Europe and MAN considers its TGL trucks well equipped to meet the environmental challenges facing the trucking industry. As an aside, it is high time South African operators started looking more closely at environment developments as we seem to believe we are isolated from global environmental degradation. We are not and we should be doing a lot more to help the global environmental clean-up. But that's another debate.

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) comes standard on all D08 engines. By channeling some of the exhaust gas through a cooler and mixing it with charge air in the intake duct, combustion temperatures are lowered - as are Nox emissions. To comply with Euro 4 standards, MAN has developed the MAN PM-KAT particle filter system, a maintenance-free reducer of soot in exhaust gas.

Restrictions on truck noise are also about to be implemented in Europe and the TGL is geared to comply with these too. The TGL models tested on the day were extremely quiet all through the rpm range. "This is because of the single cylinder head design," says Von Korff. "Also, the new second-generation common rail unit from Bosch is fired by two-stage supercharging which delivers high pressures, output and torque. The power-to-weight ratio of 3.2kg/Kw is unrivalled in its class."
There's another 'leadership' claim.

Interesting is the extent of aluminium as an engine component choice. In order to lower the weight of the engine, MAN has chosen aluminium for pistons, air and coolant lines, flywheel and timing case. Lightweight forged steels for con-rods and synthetic materials for valve covers help cut the engine mass considerably.

Meeting all aspirations
A key aim of the research and development boffins in the heavy sector has been to produce trucks which meet the aspirations and desires of both management and drivers - which are more often than not conflicting. Company managers wants trucks that will stay on the road 24/7 operating at the lowest cost possible while giving maximum payloads to optimize profits. Drivers, on the other hand, want a truck that will provide them the same comfort features in their 'offices' that their managers enjoy in their offices. Living on the road as they do, long-haul drivers want the cab to offer a 'home from home'. It is thus we have seen the drive to incorporate technology that positively impacts on operational expenses such as fuel while at the same time providing cabs that offer superior comfort features.

MAN has embraced these aspirations in the development of its TGL range with the new MAN TipMatic gearbox (based on Eaton product) which is designed to make driving easy and operations more fuel efficient. The 4-cylinder TGL comes with an automatic gearing option, based on a 6-speed predecessor with electronic gear selection and engagement via four hydraulic cylinders. New CEO of local MAN operations, Geoff Du Plessis, sees this as a great help to drivers who are faced with multiple delivery points.

It also has an on-board computer which changes the gears at optimal revs. This serves to keep fuel consumption at a minimum irrespective of driving style - something local operators are sure to appreciate. Weinman adds to the pitch: "Even with different drivers per truck, gentle operation of the drive components is guaranteed and driving with high clutch wear is now a thing of the past."

Safety is also a keynote of the TGL range. With disc brakes all round and Wabco's EBS electronic brake system operating them, the range has some serious stopping power. Integral to the system is anti-lock (ABS) and anti-spin is an optional extra. An engine vehicle brake (retarder) is also an optional buy, but a necessary one when considering our extreme road descents. 
 

Plenty of options
The TGL range is impressive in the possibilities it provides medium-weight transport operators. Engine size, cab size, chassis length and wheelbases are interchangeable and MAN is geared to "meet every commercial transport need, be it local deliveries or long haul," says Weinman.

Payload, the primary driver of the transport business, was another prime consideration of the design philosophy of the TGL range and more food can be added to the competitor's debate via Weinman's comment that the new TGL trucks will deliver 250 kg more payload than their predecessor. "This has been achieved using lightweight materials on the cab, chassis and engine, as well as lighter axles," he says.

The range comes in 7.5, 8, 10, and 12-ton versions. Four wheelbase lengths are available for the 7.5 ton TGL while the other three models come with wheelbases from 3.050 to 5.200mm. This allows for a load body of up to 10 metres on the 12 tonner. 
 

The array of demo models available to be test-driven by the media at the Munich launch was really impressive with almost every MCV application accounted for. The cabs, both day and overnight versions, are spacious and comfortable designed to make work a pleasure. Equipped with aircon and listen to this one - heated seats - drivers can concentrate their energies on the road rather than their thermodynamics. Other features include a lower step, a cooler box and an alarm clock. All these features augur well for attracting new female drivers into the profession locally.

(Editor's Note: We doubt whether the 'heated seats' will be incorporated into the local models but since we're trying to attract women into this profession to alleviate our driver shortage, MAN might take into consideration the comment of my neighbour's wife who said the heated seat in her Jeep was 'pure bliss' at that certain time of the month. Yes - well!)

Will the tech fit the job spec in SA?
Great attention to detail has essentially pushed the 'home-from-home' concept of long-haul trucks down into the new TGL models. MCV's locally are generally used for high-frequency deliveries and municipal applications - demanding work in anyone's language. Given the slick, hi-tech nature of these beauties from MAN, one can only wonder, come 2006, if the local fleet buyer will not find them a little too fancy? Will there have to be another education process towards the high-tech arena in this sector as there was in the 'heavy' sector?

To this, David Van Graan answers: "There is a misconception in South Africa that hi-tech is overkill in local trucks. This has not been our experience with the TGA range which are sophisticated trucks with two executions; long haul and on/off road. The local professional driver doing long haul work is on a par with his European counterpart and now so too is his truck. The TGA has moved us into the era of high-tech, high comfort trucking while for those operators involved in harsh off-road work, we have the WW range."
 

Local adaptation will be done and on this point, Van Graan points out that full co-operation will be received from MAN in Germany. "Basically, MAN sees its growth coming from exports. The company is geared up for a worldwide product onslaught and is willing to make vehicles adaptable to specific regional environments." He cites as an example the fact that for our market, the new TGL range will be assembled to Euro 2 standards without EGR for our market.

"The rest of the advanced technology will be incorporated and will offer local operators many benefits such as improved overall operating costs and reduced fuel consumption through better combustion, TipMatic shift to help prevent accidents by freeing up the driver and CANbus technology which greatly reduces the number of wires and connectors which suffer corrosion and damage. In fact, the technology is designed to send information to specifically prevent destruction - so all the benefits will be there. The TGL marks, without doubt, a new era for the medium commercial sector and I predict that our local operators will warm to it. So too will our drivers." 

Well put Mr Van Graan. FleetWatch is looking forward to seeing many TGLs on our roads next year driven by tech-wise truckers with big smiles. Good luck MAN!