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Iveco X-WAY Tipper – ‘21st Century Bronze Age’

Iveco’s continued development of its ‘WAY’ model line-up has now directed its focus on the grittier end of the transport business. Following on from the well-received and highly praised S-WAY, the Italian manufacturer has now enhanced its construction range with the X- WAY.

In line with S- WAY, which many consider the most stylish truck on the road, Iveco’s X- WAY also comes with good looks as standard, and its styling elevates the truck above any preconceived prejudices often aimed at the tipping fraternity. The profile goes well beyond attractive styling and as all good design should, it delivers true functionality in addition to future-proofing the appearance. The truck’s high stance lends it a determined profile that is as essential as it is attractive, and offers an impressive approach and departure angles of 28º and 18º respectively.

‘Iveco’s heritage in the tipper sector stretches back to MagirusDeutz, followed by the Eurotrakker and the Trakker and now with the X-WAY

The driver’s door opens to 90 degrees which aids access and egress and while the steps are somewhat small, they are well positioned and well-spaced. One criticism is a fixing bracket mounted halfway along the right-hand grab rail: this means the driver cannot slide their hand up along the bar and must remove it while climbing in and out. After the first couple of times it ceases to be an issue, nevertheless, it is something that could be addressed relatively simply.

With a rear window behind and a vision panel in the near-side door, the ‘Active Day’ cab feels light and airy, where often a low roofed day cab with a dark interior trim could feel cramped and oppressive. There is adequate storage for folders, documents, and cup holders, and the X- WAY is fitted with sufficient USB ports as well as 12V and 24V charge points. Iveco has also included the simple things such as coat hooks for jackets and wet gear. The overhead shelves are suitable and though they are not enclosed at the front, are deep enough to hold items without bouncing out. The dash is finished in a modern black trim which manages to be attractive, easy to clean, durable and should prove suitable for the task.

From the driver’s seat, the dashboard binnacle is well laid out and easy to read with standard gauges rather than digital readouts. It is worth noting that even with the vision panel, Iveco has managed to fit a fully lowering electric window in the near-side door. Enhanced by this panel, visibility around the truck is first class, although the large infotainment display does impede slightly. The rearview mirrors provide an accurate image for the driver and while the assembly is relatively large, any possible blind spot is reduced by the arms being set quite far out from the body allowing the driver to see between the A-pillar and the mirror itself.

The overall fit and finish of X- WAY is very appealing and more importantly, there is a marked improvement in the build quality. As is the modern trend a myriad of functions can be controlled from the steering wheel and while this may take some getting used to, it is time well spent and worth the effort. In addition, the connectivity afforded with the ‘Iveco On’ telematics programme is superb and allows operators access to valuable real-time information about how their truck and its driver are performing.

Once on the road in our X- WAY test vehicle which was powered by Iveco’s Cursor 11 engine, we found it moves well and is noticeably quiet in its operation. The 11.1 litre is matched to the Iveco’s 12-speed Hi-Tronix, based on ZF’s TraXon

which is fast becoming an industry standard and deservedly so. With 480 hp on tap, one would expect the X- WAY to perform and on that score, it did not disappoint. 480 hp is a comparable power rating to many tractor-units plated for 46 tonnes, therefore running at 32 tonnes should never be too strenuous. With the 2,300 Nm of torque coming in from 970 rpm, it means the Iveco picks up the pace quickly and eases the driver’s workload in heavy traffic and urban driving, all of which should result in good journey times.

Our particular test unit came with a 4.125:1 final drive ratio which had the tachometer needle at 1,450 rpm when travelling at 85 km/h and at 1,550 rpm at 90 km/h. While this ratio may not suit everyone, X-Way has axle ratio options from 4.50:1 to 2.83:1 so there are plenty of alternatives to suit whatever the nature of operations might be.

The suspension and stability of the high standing Iveco is well balanced, and the same high ground clearance should help to reduce the potential for damage when off-road. However, one aspect we were impressed with was the agility of the X- WAY, which for an 8x4 was very nimble and came arguably with the best steering dynamics we have had from an eight-wheeler for quite some time. In the tight manoeuvring spots driven, X- WAY handled more like a tridem than a conventional 8x4. A point worth noting for service and utility applications that may have to operate in confined city centre locations.

At first, the brakes were found to be a touch soft with more than expected travel in the pedal though after a short time it became the norm. Nevertheless, the dependence on the service brakes reduced dramatically once becoming familiar with the excellent 5-stage Iveco Engine Brake, which then managed all the slowing and stopping. This is a must to include in the vehicle specification and sensible use will pay dividends in all types of driving on or off-road.

With Iveco’s modular configuration, X- WAY is available in a wide range of chassis options from 4x2 and 6x2 tractors to 8x2 and 8x4s conventional and tridem rigids. This is in addition to three engines - the Cursor 9, 11, and 13, and layouts ranging from standard day cabs to full-size sleepers. With so many options available Iveco has made it simple to configure an X- WAY to exactly suit the needs of any operator, especially those engaged in weight-sensitive transports. For these operators using the lighter 8.7-litre Cursor 9 engine rated from 330 to 400 hp, it’s possible to realise a kerb weight of around 9 tonnes. Alternatively, some may prefer to go large with the Cursor 13 delivering 570hp, which simply demonstrates that the choice of drivetrains and ancillary equipment such as PTOs is almost endless.

Overall Iveco’s X- WAY is deemed to be a highly competent truck and one that can easily cover all areas of work within the construction sector in a simple and unfussy manner. The X- WAY just does the job. Although with the vibrant bronze paintwork on the test unit, this X- WAY also does it with an added amount of style.

Text & Photos: Paul White – paul@fleet.ie

SPEC CHECK

Make / Model Iveco X- WAY - AD360X42Z OFF

Chassis / Cab 8x4 Twin Steer / Day Cab Engine / Euro Rating 11.1-litre - Iveco Cursor 11 / Euro 6 (D) Hi-e SCR system Rated Power/Torque 480hp (360kW) 1,465-1900rpm / 2,300Nm 970-1465 rpm Transmission 12-Speed Hi-Tronix 12TX2010TD (AMT) Braking, Stability, Safety Ventilated Discs All Around, EBS, EBA, ASR, LDWS, TPMS ACC, AEBS, Hill Holder, Rocking Mode, Hi-Traction Eco Efficiency Systems Driver Evaluation, Eco-Mode, Eco-Roll, PCC (Hi-Cruise), Retardation 5-Stage Iveco Engine with 1586Nm @ 2,800 rpm Suspension FT / RR Front: Parabolic Leaf - Rear: Parabolic Leaf with Shocks Drive Axle / Ratio MT23-150D Single Reduction / Axle Ratio 4.15:1 Wheels / Tyres Steer Axle/s: Michelin Multiway 3D XZE 315/80/R22.5 Drive Axle/s: Michelin Multiway 3D XDE 315/80/R22.5 Fuel/AdBlue Capacity 290 Litres / 50 Litres Body/Trailer/Equipment Boweld Taperlite Body / Edbro Single Tipping Ram