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International Truck of the Year marks 45 years of hi-tech engineering and innovation
From humble beginnings in England, the International Truck of the Year award has become an essential feature of the European truck industry. Since its inception the basic criterion has been “for a truck introduced into the market in the previous 12 months, which has made the greatest contribution to road transport efficiency’. The adjudication panel has now grown to 24 and the judging criteria currently include technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental footprint and total cost of ownership. There have now been 45 previous winners, documenting the tremendous advances made in European road transport. Here, Fleet Transport, in association with UK publication representative Road Transport Media chronicles the winning brands and their trucks over the past four and half decades.1977 – Seddon Atkinson 200
With the MAN 280 the Truck of the Year became International
winner, with its “commendably simple design having the ability to earn revenue at low cost, perform adequately with the utmost safety and to keep on working with minimum interruption” pushing the new Volvo F10/12 into second place.
Volvo’s great little load-carrier, the F7
Oldham Athletic – Seddon Atkinson’s first and last win, from 1977
1979 – Volvo F7 With the jury now comprising of seven nations, the award was made to an entire truck range – the Volvo F7 – for the first time. At the heart of the two, three and four axle rigids, and two axle tractors, was the 6.7 litre TD 70 engine, which was the first production Volvo to be offered with intercooling. This, and the stylish new cab, helped the F7 triumph over the F10 which was still eligible for consideration.
The Truck of the Year award was initiated in 1977 by the late Pat Kennett, editor of Truck Magazine, and his choice for the “best new truck of 1976” was the Seddon Atkinson 200. The 200 was a single model for 16 tons GVW, powered by the unfamiliar International D-358 straight-six engine, matched to an Eaton 5-speed box, Eaton drive axle, and fitted with a day cab derived from its larger brother – the successful 400 Series. 1978 – MAN 280 For the second year of the award, Pat shared the decision-making responsibilities with colleagues from four Northern European countries, with the panel duly electing the MAN 280 as the FLEETTRANSPORT | APR - MAY 22
Improved combustion from the MAN 321
