TEST DRIVE
BEAST M O D E Anyone who gets close to the Freightliner Cascadia can’t help but be impressed, unless, of course, you’re the competition.
T
he Freightliner Cascadia was launched in the US in 2007 and was the focus of a major update in 2016. In excess of 200,000 Cascadia’s have been built to date and the Cleveland plant in Charlotte, North Carolina currently produces America’s most popular heavy duty truck at the rate of 106 per day. The Cascadia holds an enviable 40 per cent share of the US Class 8 market which is the equivalent to our own Heavy Duty sector and after comprehensive engineering attention and exhaustive testing regimes, America’s most advanced conventional cab truck is at last available in Australia and New Zealand. 54
j u n e 2 0 20
Australian road transport is unique for its heavy gross weights, relatively high average speeds and our climate’s high ambient temperatures. Some manufacturers in the past have found to their own detriment that something which may work satisfactorily in North America or Europe can be left struggling here. Freightliner may have North America’s most successful truck in the Cascadia but there has never been any indication of it being foisted onto the Australian market without exhaustive assessments to ensure it was absolutely fit for purpose and suitable for Australian applications. Backing
Freightliner’s admirable intentions has been an astonishing $100m investment in developing the right hand drive models destined for Australia and New Zealand. It’s obvious the money has been well spent and, all things being equal, should ultimately return Daimler Trucks a healthy dividend. However, the money hasn’t been just directed at engineering or simply creating a mirror-image dashboard to suit the relocated steering gear. A sizeable chunk has also been spent on testing and evaluation and subsequently addressing any areas found to be wanting. Customers can no longer be used as test beds or canaries in a mine, and the North
