Hyundai presented the heavy duty truck, Xcient.

Hyundai Motor Company has become a major player in the car market, but it seems that is not enough, so the South Korean company now wants to have a bigger share on the commercial vehicle market. To do that Hyundai introduced the Xcient, a name that combines the biggest unit measuring data (XC) with the word "efficient".

The new truck offers a complete lineup including cargo, tractor and dump versions, but only two diesel engines are available. First we have the 10 liter H-Engine with 420PS (409kW or 414hp) and 1961Nm (1447lb/ft), the other option is the Powertech unit producing 520PS (382kW or 513hp) and 2501Nm (1845lb/ft) of torque.

Hyundai also made changes to the cabin of the Xcient, creating a more spacious for the driver. The height of the cabin has been raised by 330mm (13 inches) to 1895mm (74.6 inches), and so was the size of the bed which now has 800mm (31.5 inches) in length, an increase of 150mm (5.9 inches) over the previous model.

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Volvo Trucks presents the new Volvo FM

 

Better late than never. The new Volvo FM has been seen several times on several roads throughout Europe for the last several months and recently Volvo finally decided to fully reveal the new FM. If you are wondering what FM means, it's "Forward control Medium height cab".

The exterior, while it looks the same in comparison to the current model, suffered several changes, like the new heads lamps with LEDs, new body panels, among several other new things, but the most interesting changes happen underneath the new Volvo FM.

The 11 and 13 liter engines all meet the Euro 6 requirements (starting from 2014 all engines must comply with this standard). The D11 will range from 330 to 450hp and the D13 from 420hp to 500hp. One of the systems that allows for a 5% saving in fuel consumption is the I-See technology. It works, together with I-Shift transmission, by saving information about the topography of the roads on which the truck is driven and can even be downloaded in advance.

Another cool new feature are the three steered axles, one at the front and two at the rear on the 8x2 with tridem, two at the front and one at the rear on the 8x2 with two front axles. Something that gives the truck a smaller turning radius and helps save the tires.

The interior was redesigned to give it a better look, but also a safer environment. The new seat can be tilted forward an additional four degrees, while the backrest is now 10mm slimmer, allowing for a better driving position, an improved lumbar and side support, and more legroom.

The new instrument panel is angled towards the driver allowing it to easily reach every button. The steering now has several controls, like the cruise control, phone, Dynafleet and navigation. Has an option you can fit your own FM with a radar/camera-based driver assistance system Forward Collision Warning. Another optional system is a remote control for easier load handling.

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Is this a Hyundai truck testing in Scandinavia?

According to the German website, Verkehrsrundschau, Hyundai is testing their new truck near the arctic circle, meaning that the Korean company might bring their heavy trucks to the old continent. When questioned about that the company refused to comment.

What we do know is that a few years ago Hyundai sold the the HD in several European countries and promised to bring more models, and with the Euro6 standards soon to be forced on every manufacturer and the hard European market, Hyundai doesn't have an easy task at hands, so they better keep getting that truck until everything is flawless.

Source: verkehrsrundschau

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Short News: Drawings from DAF

There are people in the world who have an amazing ability to draw, either by hand or using a computer, creating images that are incredibly realistic and full of details. And if you think it's hard to create a car, then what about a truck?

The DAF has released some images of their latest designs so we can verify the skills put into them. Enjoy.

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Short News: Volvo Trucks buys the last shares from Renault Trucks

The French automaker, Renault SA, sold the last shares (6,5%) they had in Volvo AB for 1.458 million Euros ($1.92 billion Dollars) ending a connection that lasted for 11 years as the largest owner of the Swedish company.

This sale has a clear objective, Renault needs money to reduce its debt and invest in France, Russia and China. Still in the near future both companies will continue to use the same components. Renault uses the same drivelines used by the Swedish company, and the FL and FE types are basically Renault Trucks.

Source: iepieleaks.nl

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What does it take to design and build a truck? Volvo Trucks design team tells us how they did it [Video]

 

All of us who like vehicles of all types, also find interesting how they are created and how they go from a simple drawing to the final form. And the guys all Volvo Trucks showed us how they do it.

Creating a car is not easy and a truck is even worse. It is a huge design challenge to create lines that are both attractive and functional. According to Rikard Orell, Design Director at Volvo Trucks, “Coming up with solutions where design and function go hand-in-hand was one of our most important tasks” and "The design challenge we were given was to create something that was exciting and fresh, while at the same time retaining and carrying over all those elements that were so highly appreciated in the previous model"

It was a process that took over 5 years where everything was checked, from the sound and feel of every button, plastics and textiles to how each part is connected with each other on the inside and outside, and many meetings and decisions later we get the final product.

Source: CommercialMotor

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Mercedes-Benz Arocs. New heavy duty work truck range

 

With presentation schedule to April 2013, at the Bauma trade fair in Germany, Mercedes has revealed a few images of its new truck lineup for construction and on/off-road applications.

The new vehicles comply with the Euro-6 standard and will be available has dump trucks, all-wheel drive dump trucks, concrete mixers, tractor units and drop-side construction-site delivery chassis vehicles available as two, three and four-axle models. In the engine department, Mercedes will have available 16 power outputs from 238 to 625hp from four Blutec 6 engines displacing 7,7, 10,7, 12,8 and 15,6litres respectively with the latter being the all-new OM 473 engine with a maximum torque of 3.000Nm.

All those engines will be connected to Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmission especially configured for a tougher use.

The drive configurations available right from the factory goes from 4x2 two-axle versions with rear-wheel drive to the 8x8/4, a four-axle rigid with all-wheel drive to two steering front axles. Four-axle versions with one front and three rear axles, a wide range of air-sprung vehicles, or a load-optimised concrete-mixer chassis with single-tyred drive tandem.

Mercedes will have 6 cabins available in 14 different versions with 2,3m wide, there will also be a 2,5m version with a level cab floor.

The radiator grille has what is called 'bucket-teeth' look, which looks like the teeth normally found in an excavator. This is what Mercedes had to say about that, "It sends a clear message: the sturdy 'teeth' stand for biting one's way through and knuckling down to the job. Steel elements on the bumpers, a robust radiator guard and optically integrated construction-specific folding entry step harmonise form and function for the hard-work specialist."

There will be two new product groups 'Loader' and 'Grounder'. The first has a low kerb weight capable of carrying big loads, while the second is designed to operate under extremely difficult conditions in safe conditions.

Source: CommercialMotor

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MAN doesn't want to stay behind the pack, will also build a hybrid truck.

Meet the Man Metropolis, a truck that works kinda like Top Gears Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust. It is driven only by electricity but has a range extender V6-TDI engine borrowed from Audi to help charge the batteries.

It is based on the MAN TGS 6×2-4 and it will be operated by SUEZ Environment from Antwerp. The electric engine is rated at 203kW in addition with a 105kWh battery, it helps keep it efficient and quiet, which were two main objectives for a vehicle of this type.

The range isn't important for a truck to operate in that region because, on average, an 8-hour day a garbage truck completes two runs of 30 kilometres (18,64miles), yet it depletes the batteries is just 15km (9,32miles) so the diesel engine turns on to help charge them, but the main problem is the constant stops and starts.

This is still a conceptual project, so don't expect to see many of these vehicles on the road. The testing will continue for th next two years and MAN wants to achieve a reduction of CO2 emissions by 60 percent as compared to conventional diesel counterpart.

Source: TransportEfficiency

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DAF XF press demos in Spain.

The new DAF XF was revealed a few weeks ago and now it is time to let the journalists test the vehicles in an event that takes place from November 18 to December 4 in Malaga.

Over 180 journalists from 32 countries have the chance to test the truck in the road and be better informed about the totally new chassis, the new drivelines with equally new Euro 6 PACCAR MX-engines, the new external design and the renewed interior.

Production will start in the spring of 2013.

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Ford Trucks. Yes, real trucks. The 1846T

Seems Ford wants to enter the truck market in Europe and to help achieve that they released the new 1846T the first product developed according to the company’s new “One Ford” strategy that entails an integrated design and production capability using Ford subsidiaries worldwide.

 

The new truck will be sold in about 80 countries in several regions like Russia, Eastern Europe, Turkic Republics, North Africa and the Middle East, and will be built by Otosan in Turkey in collaboration with Ford Turkey and Ford Brazil. For now Ford can't enter the European market because it doesn't have an engine that meets the Euro6 standards.

 

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