Transport & Trucking Issue 133

www.truckandbus.net.au Issue 133 2020

$9.50 incl. GST

LORD OF THE DIAMONDS

ISSN 2206-1495

9 772206 149012 >

33

HINO’S SAFE NEW 300 ARRIVES UD’S NEW MEDIUM DUTY CRONER UD’S 8X4 QUON RENAULT’S LATEST TRAFIC

Anything & everything.

Brought to you

by Isuzu.

*According to T-Mark industry statistics. FSA/ISZ12707

There’s a simple reason that around one in four trucks on Australia’s roads is an Isuzu*. It’s because they deliver legendary reliability. And that’s why so many businesses trust them to deliver their cargo day-in, day-out, every day of the year.

To find the right Isuzu for you, visit isuzu.com.au

CONTENTS CONTACT DETAILS

FEATURES

PO Box 7046 Warringah Mall NSW 2100

14 LORD OF THE DIAMONDS

www.truckandbus.net.au admin@truckandbus.net.au Enquiries 02 9938 6408 Follow us on Twitter #truckandbusnews Follow us on Facebook at Truck and Bus Australia

Publisher Jon Thomson admin@truckandbus.net.au Editor in Chief Jon Thomson

Fuso’s new flagship is now known as Shogun, the name given to the Feudal war lords who once ruled the Land of the Rising Sun. It’s a bit of a misnomer really because far from being a nasty piece of work, the new Fuso Shogun is a flexible, easy to drive and very efficient truck that further aligns the drive lines across the Daimler family line up.

20 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The International ProStar is slowly clawing its way into fleets across the country and while many owners are first time International buyers,. there are plenty out there for whom history with the brand runs deep.

Down across Bass Strait on the Apple Isle, Dean Edwards falls into the latter category Dean’s, enthusiasm for International goes back to even before he was born, so it was only natural that he added a ProStar to his fleet now that the brand is back down under.

26 SAFE & SOUND

The safety features of Hino’s standard cab 500 series trucks have proved to be exactly what enterprising hydraulic hose company Hoses24 required for its operation based around the Queensland mining and agricultural hotspot in the Bowen Basin. We take a closer look at Hoses24 and its fleet of 13 Hinos.

32 SAFETY FIRST

Hino has unveiled the latest iteration of its light duty 300 series models with an increased emphasis on safety and technology, following in the vein of its 500 series, which has been a sales success for the Japanese brand since its launch early last year. We logged on to get the lowdown on the new ‘baby’ Hino and its safety package.

Art Director Fiona Meadows fiona@kududesign.com.au

38 LOCKDOWN LAUNCH

Advertising Sales Jon Thomson Mobile 0418 641 959 admin@truckandbus.net.au

44 GAS IT UP

Editorial Contributors Barry Flanagan, Mark Bean, Glenn Torrens, Peter Barnwell

Amidst the lockdowns, Volvo Group had little alternative but to launch its important new UD medium duty model, the Croner, as well as a few weeks later, the new 8x4 variant of its heavy duty Quon, via social media live video. We tuned into get the lowdown in a time of pandemic lock down.

Trucks are tasked with all sorts of roles in our day to day operations and one of those highly necessary daily tasks is transporting the LP gas that so many people need for doing everything from heating their houses to cooking dinner fuelling the backyard barbie, or just having a cuppa in the garden with the portable outdoor heater on—even in Tasmania, and even during COVID-19 self-isolation. We take a look at one such operation at TRB Gas in the Apple Isle.

50 EUROPEAN REVOLUTION

While sales of tipper dog truck rigs have for a long time seen American style trucks dominating European trucks are starting top find greater favour with the sector as has been the case with one of Melbourne’s leading sand, aggregate and pre-mixed concrete suppliers which has recently made the shift and purchased two new Scania G 500 XT tippers to replace long-standing American trucks. We take a look at Central Pre-Mix Concrete to see why they’ve initiated this European Revolution.

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56 TRAFIC -JAM

The lack of an auto has arguably held the nicely styled Renault Trafic back in recent years as more an more companies prefer a self-shifter for commercial operations, however this stylish French machine now has a six-speed auto mated to a new bigger two-litre turbo diesel along with some good pricing to sweeten the package.

60 WILD HORSES COULDN’T DRIVE ME AWAY

The badge on the dashboard says Fifty Five Years, but this machine has none of the signs of middle age , save for the fact that it wears the galloping horse emblem of its esteemed forbears and its shape mimics that of its antecedents. Giddyup!

DEPARTMENTS 04 BACK TRACKS

Musings from the Editor

06 HIGHWAY 1

News and info from all over

64 MONEY

Paul’s latest advice on finances

BUILT FOR SAFETY. READY FOR ANYTHING. THAT’S ANOTHER HINO

NEW HINO 300 SERIES WITH HINO SMARTSAFE. THE SAFEST JAPANESE TRUCK IN ITS CLASS.

It’s the truck you’ve been waiting for. Class leader in safety, power and efficiency. The new Hino 300 Series features Hino SmartSafe, a comprehensive safety package with advanced driver-assist technology that takes an active focus XAVIER_HINO37592.3/PCS

in protecting the life of drivers, passengers and other road users. Hino SmartSafe includes a Pre-Collision System.

If the system detects the possibility of a collision with a vehicle in front, using radar and image sensors, it will warn

you to apply the brakes. If you don’t respond, the truck can brake autonomously. Safety comes standard with the new Hino 300 Series. Find out more at hino.com.au

*Active safety systems are an aid to assist the driver and have performance limitations. The image used is for representation purposes only and actual product may vary. Please refer to owner’s manual for system operations and functionality.

AFTER A COUPLE OF VERY ORDINARY MONTHS

W

hen most truck company execs and sales managers were gnashing teeth and wringing hands over plummeting sales, the truck sales results in June put smiles back on faces and had the optimists pointing to a recovery, but that may be a little premature. The smart money is on a bumpy ride for the next few months and some further sales drops and a couple of small rises here and there.

In fact the sales in June made it the best industry sales figures for the month of June ever recorded in Australia and it also gave Hino its best monthly sales figures in the 55 year history of the brand in this country.

The main reason the sales in June blossomed so significantly – was largely down to the Federal Government’s $150,000 instant asset write off tax incentive as part of its response to the COVID 19 Pandemic. The fact is that massive sugar hit to the truck industry meant a lot of trucks and vans were sold before the end of the financial year, but that affect is gone now and there is likely to be a big hangover in July. There may be another smaller boost before the end of the calendar year but it’s unlikely to give the same boost that they delivered in June.

That brings us to the whole vexed question of incentives and the role they play or could play in renewing our national truck fleet and bringing more of the latest tech to our roads, to ensure safer and more efficient road transport, what a novel idea!

The reality is the carrot will always be more effective than the stick with human beings, and if you give people a reason to trade in their old machines and get them into the latest vehicles that will deliver better results than legislation, to get older trucks off the road or fines, for emissions or any other punitive measures.

If you look at some of the Scandi countries and the large uptake of zero emission vehicles in those countries, particularly Norway, then it is clear the incentives governments have offered to

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people to make the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles cheaper and more attractive, have made them extremely attractive and resulted in a boom in the green vehicle fleet in those countries.

Don’t think that the uptake of lower emission vehicles would be the only goal of a program like that for our commercial fleets. Incentivising the uptake of the latest Euro 6 machinery would not only mean lower emissions and better efficiency, but it would also deliver safer trucks that would help to lower road trauma and the accident rates across the land.

Let’s face it no operator is going to voluntarily park up their old trucks if they are still working and earning money and not costing them too much in maintenance and repairs. That is the case with a hell of a lot of trucks on Australian roads. They are roadworthy, they are still operating and they often don’t owe the operator much in terms of capital investment, so why not keep working them? Well the fact is that they pump out more emissions, they don’t have the same level of safety features as new trucks and they are noisier, hard to drive and more fatigue inducing than newer trucks.

Everyone wins if we can get new trucks on the road and get the old trucks off the highways. The public gets safer roads with less likelihood of truck crashes, the environment gets cleaner air as we will have reduced and cleaner emissions, truck fleets win because they get more efficient and more productive machines and they are incentivised to do it and the truck manufacturers and their dealers get to sell more trucks, which also generates more revenue for the government in taxes etc.

Obviously the devil is in the detail and if it is not planned properly and thoroughly it could become a minor disaster fairly quickly, but that is not a reason not to do it, it is a reason to make sure you plan it really well and make sure that it doesn’t backfire.

TIC recently called for another instant asset write off for up to $450,000 so that it would capture the purchase of higher

cost heavy duty prime movers, which is the area that had the least amount of growth in June. It’s not a bad idea, but the reality is a strategic program to convince the government that the latest Euro 6 standards and the latest safety technology would be a better call. This is a plea for an incentive to usher in safer and cleaner trucks, that goes to being for the safer and more efficient running of our roads, rather than appealing for a tax break.

The difficult thing for TIC is that at least one of its leading members has been actively resisting a move to mandated Euro 6 standards. Anyway we have to move on this and as Winston Churchill once said, ‘never waste a crisis’!

In this issue of Transport & Trucking we drive the new Fuso Shogun and its impressive new Daimler driveline. While on new Japanese product we take a look at UD’s new Croner medium duty models and its new 8x4 variant on the heavy duty Quon, while at the other end of the scale we have a rundown of Hino’s new safety oriented 300 light duty range.

We head outback to Central Queensland to look at a fleet of Hino trucks servicing hydraulics and hoses in remote mines and farms in the region, while we also head to Tassie to look at a fleet of Isuzu trucks transporting gas tanks, and in Melbourne we look at a Scania fleet servicing the concrete industry.

All that and a whole lot more in this issue of Transport & Trucking, stay safe and enjoy the read.

JON THOMSON

N O W

S H O W I N G

A T

A

D A I M L E R

T R U C K

D E A L E R S H I P

N E A R

Y O U

PRESENTS THE

STARRING COLUMBIA

CL112

INTRODUCING SAFETY FEATURES WITH LOW TARE WEIGHT AND ULTIMATE DRIVER COMFORT FEATURING DURABILITY, VISIBILITY, RELIABILITY AND AFFORDABLE TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP FREIGHTLINERAUS

FREIGHTLINERAUS

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the vehicle’s duty cycle.

This Allison says ensures the vehicle operates more efficiently, while still achieving the performance expected of an Allison. In addition, the 1000 xFE transmission is also equipped with a Low Rate Damper to further enhance driver comfort and reduce driveline shock, as compared to manual and automated manual transmissions.

The Allison 1000 xFE offers improved launch performance, increased productivity, smoother shifting, easier operation, and enhanced driver comfort, as compared to competitive manual and automated manual transmissions. It utilizes a patented torque converter for a launching device, which offers superior

HYUNDAI GOES FULL AUTO IN MIGHTY LIGHT DUTY HYUNDAI TRUCKS HAS ANNOUNCED THAT ITS LIGHT DUTY MIGHTY TRUCKS WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE AS AN OPTION WITH AN ALLISON AUTOMATIC, MAKING IT THE FIRST LIGHT DUTY TRUCK TO OFFER AN ALLISON AUTOMATIC IN AUSTRALIA. THE MIGHTY is now available in

“Allison is the most respected name

Allison says the 1000 xFE transmission

Australia with the Allison 1000 Series the four truck model range from the 4.5tonne GVM EX4 and 6.5tonne EX6

in commercial vehicle automatic transmissions and the inclusion of the Allison 1000 Series with xFE

allows the combination of unique hardware and Allison’s FuelSense 2.0 software means optimum fuel

to the 7.8tonne GVM EX8 and 8.5tonne

technology means the Hyundai

performance and recognises the

GVM EX9.

Hyundai Trucks Australia managing director, Dilip Kumar says that the

Mighty now has the best automatic transmission available in the market,” said Kumar.

market’s focus on fuel economy The FuelSense 2.0 software along with Allison’s DynActive shifting provides an

availability of the Allison 1000 xFE

“Having the Allison 1000 xFE in our

infinitely variable combination of shift

automatic will give the Hyundai great appeal in the light duty truck market and gives the Hyundai Mighty a clear

Hyundai Mighty will deliver greater durability, better efficiency and value as well as safer operation and it will

points according to the transmission maker, using a learning algorithm to continuously monitor and adjust

advantage over other light duty models from opposition brands.

give a clear competitive advantage over the competition.”

shifting for the ideal balance of fuel economy and performance, based on

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performance and eliminates clutch replacements.

This results in increased economic value due to productivity and reduced downtime versus traditional manual and automated manual transmissions.

Through the torque converter, the 1000 xFE will achieve optimised maneuvering in confined spaces whether in city conditions or on construction sites.

“Automatics are clearly the preferred option for the majority of light and medium duty truck buyers today and not having an automatic available in our range until now has been a significant challenge for Hyundai Trucks Australia,” added Kumar.

The Hyundai Mighty automatic is powered by the 127kW/608Nm version of Hyundai’s 3.9litre four-cylinder turbo inter-cooled diesel engine mated to the six-speed, fully automatic Allison 1000 Series xFE. The Hyundai Mighty automatic is now available through Hyundai Trucks Australian dealer network.

DAIMLER HAS ENDORSED the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) for encouraging the take up of cleaner and safer trucks.

benefit from the leadership shown on this issue by NHVR Chair, Duncan Gay, and its Chief Executive Officer, Sal Petroccitto.”

Daimler’s endorsement of the NHVR’s Plan comes at a time when the Federal government is still yet to

its Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner

make or announce any decision about the introduction of Euro 6 compliance

with Fuso Canter last year.

Daniel Whitehead says technology such as AEB, which has been mandatory for new trucks sold in Europe for years, should be more aggressively

that has the potential to help the Australian transport industry operate

and any other mandated safety advances for trucks.

T&TA understands that some other truck manufacturers have been stridently opposing the introduction of Euro 6, despite the efficiency,

more efficiently, cut emissions and

The NHVR recently released its Vehicle Safety Environmental Technology Uptake Plan, which sets out a pathway to remove red tape that currently limits the uptake of truck technology that reduces emissions and improves safety.

Daniel Whitehead says the NHVR Uptake Plan is a valuable contribution

and Fuso brands, first introducing Autonomous Emergency Braking as standard for the Mercedes-Benz Actros in Australia in 2010, before becoming the first manufacturer to introduce AEB for the light duty class

encouraged in Australia by lawmakers.

safety and emission benefits such a

“Fleets who have taken up this technology in Australia and some of Daimler’s overseas markets have

ultimately reduce road accident trauma.

move would deliver to the Australian

measured a dramatic reduction in

“The NHVR has a critical role in being able to help the increased take up of life- saving safety technology and

public and truck operators.

costs from nose to tail accidents that either don’t happen or just aren’t as severe,” Whitehead said.

improved emission technology, so it is fantastic that the team has stepped up to advocate for positive change,” Whitehead said.

“The transport industry stands to

Daimler’s endorsement of the NHVR comes with the enormous weight of its own industry leading position when it comes to safety and technology

“So, even from a purely economical perspective, this technology makes

Daimler has offered advanced

sense. But that doesn’t take into account the reduction of road trauma

safety technology for all three of

and human cost that those accidents

advances in its trucks and buses.

may have caused were it not for AEB.” When it comes to encouraging engines that meet Euro 6 emission standards, Whithead says it makes sense.

“Going to a Euro 6 engine reduces particulate matter by more than 99 per cent and reduces Nitrogen Oxide by more than 97 per cent, as well as being quieter,” he said.

“In our case, Daimler Euro 6 engines have also delivered fuel savings.”

Mercedes-Benz was the first truck manufacturer to offer a full range of trucks with Euro 6 engines for every power rating level when the fourth generation Actros was introduced locally in 2016 and late last year, Freightliner introduced the only conventional truck in Australia that comes standard with an engine that meets Euro 6 emission standards; the Cascadia. Fuso Australia is also preparing to introduce the world’s first series production all-electric truck, the eCanter.

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Hyundai goes full auto/D aimler

VIEWS FROM ACROSS THE

GLOBE

backs NHVR/ California Dreaming of clean air/Vo lvo in

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been a lot of news around about light duty truck safety lately, particularly

the trucks across its fleets in Victoria, South Australia and New

pedestrian detection capability of the AEB is fantastic because many

from those to truck makers.

One of the largest truck rental fleets

South Wales.

All Canters, except for the off-road

of these trucks operate in built-up areas,” Mr Jukes adds.

in Australia has clearly put safety first by purchasing Fuso Canter

4x4 model, come standard with AEB, a radar/camera system that can

All Hertz Canters can be driven on a car-licence and are specified

for its fleet, mostly because of the strong safety tech, notably its

automatically brake the truck if it senses an imminent collision. This

SAFETY seems to be on a lot of people’s lips in the truck industry at the moment, well at least with select manufacturers who have grasped the importance of it to road users.

With Hino’s launch of its new 300 with a full suite of safety equipment and Daimler’s endorsement of

Active Emergency Braking or AEB. The Fuso Canter was actually the first light duty truck in Australia with Active Emergency Braking beating the recently released Hino 300 by almost 11 months.

Hertz Australia Licensee, Australian Truck & 4WD Rentals, has recently taken delivery of its first 10 Canters fitted standard with AEB, Lane Departure Warning System, Electric

system can even detect, and start braking for, pedestrians.

Australian Truck and 4WD Rentals State Manager, Paul Jukes, says Hertz highly values the safety of its customers.

“We are very excited to have the Fuso Canter with AEB join our Hertz fleet,” Mr Jukes says.

“The safety of our customers is paramount, so it makes sense to

with Duonic dual-clutch automated transmissions.

“The Duonic is fantastic for us and our customers,” Mr Jukes says. “It just makes it easy for our customers to concentrate on driving without

the NHVR safety and emission technology uptake plan there has

Stability Control, dual airbags and a reversing camera. It will introduce

order a truck with the best safety equipment available. Having the

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having to worry about changing gears and managing the clutch. It also takes away the risk of clutch damage.”

The Canter 515 selected by Hertz also features independent front suspension and rack and pinion steering, which delivers a more car-like feel, while it also boasts class-leading tare weight.

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ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND

Hyundai goes full auto/D aimler

VIEWS FROM ACROSS THE

GLOBE

backs NHVR/ California Dreaming of clean air/Vo lvo in

good place post COVID

HYUNDAI WINS THE HYDROGEN TRUCK RACE HYUNDAI HAS ANNOUNCED IT HAS DELIVERED ITS FIRST 10 XCIENT HYDROGEN FUEL CELL TRUCKS IN SWITZERLAND, MAKING THEM THE FIRST MASS-PRODUCED FUEL CELL HEAVY-DUTY TRUCKS TO BE DELIVERED IN THE WORLD. HYUNDAI HAS BEATEN MANY OF THE WORLDS MAJOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MAKERS TO GET A MASS PRODUCED HYDROGEN FUEL CELL TRUCK TO MARKET, AS THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDUSTRY SCRAMBLES TO GET THE ZERO EMISSION TECHNOLOGY ON THE ROAD. THE FIRST XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks have been delivered in Switzerland and are part of a total of 50 similar

technology. Hyundai’s commitment is well established and the company has a hydrogen fueling station at its

vehicles like XCIENT Fuel Cell, will lead to a paradigm shift that removes automobile emissions from the

400km between hydrogen refuels, which was developed with an

trucks to be shipped there this year

Australian HQ in Sydney. That along

environmental equation,” he said.

for handover to commercial fleet customers starting in September.

The company says it plans to roll

with the many startups including Nikola, Rivian, Hyzon and Ballard adds a lot of weight to the argument

“Having introduced the world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell electric passenger vehicle, the ix35, and the

specific requirements from the potential commercial fleet customers

out a total of 1,600 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks by 2025, underlining

for hydrogen fuel cells.

Executive vice president and head

second-generation fuel cell electric vehicle, the NEXO, Hyundai is now

the company’s environmental commitment and technological

of commercial vehicle division for Hyundai Motor, In Cheol Lee, said that

leveraging decades of experience, world-leading fuel-cell technology,

skills as it works toward reducing carbon emissions through zero-

the delivery makes the XCIENT Fuel Cell a present-day reality, not a mere

and mass-production capability to advance hydrogen in the commercial

emission solutions.

Readers will know of our extensive reporting of hydrogen fuel cell

future drawing board project.

“By putting this groundbreaking vehicle on the road now, Hyundai

vehicle sector with the XCIENT Fuel Cell,” he added.

XCIENT is powered by a 190kW

technology as the power source

marks a significant milestone in the

hydrogen fuel cell system with dual

of the future and this has been reflected by the likes of Toyota, Daimler, Volvo, Iveco and Paccar

history of commercial vehicles and the development of hydrogen society,” said In Cheol Lee.

95kW fuel cell stacks. Seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 32.09kg

all embracing the technology for future product with some making

“Building a comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem, where critical

major economic commitments to the

transportation needs are met by

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optimal balance between the

and the refuelling infrastructure in Switzerland. Refuelling time for each truck is approximately 8-20 minutes.

Fuel cell technology is particularly well-suited to commercial shipping and logistics due to long ranges and short refuelling times. The dual-mounted fuel cell system provides enough energy to drive the heavy-duty trucks up and down the mountainous terrain in Switzerland.

Hyundai is developing a long-

of hydrogen.

distance prime mover unit capable of traveling 1,000km on a single tank, equipped with an enhanced

The driving range between refuelling for XCIENT Fuel Cell will be about

fuel cell system with high durability and power, aimed at global markets

including North America and Europe and potentially Australia.

Hyundai Motor Company formed

using purely clean ‘green’ hydrogen generated from hydro electric power generation. To truly reduce carbon

In December 2018, Hyundai announced its long-term roadmap, “Fuel Cell Vision 2030”, and

At this stage Hyundai is not specifying an exact range, but a lot will depend on how much

Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM)

emissions, all of the trucks need

reaffirmed its commitment to

hydrogen can be carried in the

In 2019 in a joint venture with Swiss company H2 Energy – which will lease the trucks to commercial

to run on only green hydrogen.

Switzerland is the country with one of the highest shares of

accelerate the development of a hydrogen society by leveraging its global leadership in fuel cell

tanks, the more hydrogen on board will mean longer range.

The truck uses a 350kW /3400Nm

truck operators on a pay-per-use basis, meaning commercial fleet

hydropower globally, and is able to supply sufficient green energy for

technologies.

Hyundai aims to secure a

Siemens electric motor powering through an Allison ATM S4500 six

customers will not have to make a large initial capital investment

the production of hydrogen. Once the project is underway in Switzerland,

700,000-unit-a-year capacity of fuel cell systems as part of the plan

speed automatic transmission, with a four-speed retarder and disc

for the trucks and fuelling.

Hyundai chose Switzerland as the

Hyundai plans to expand it to other European countries.

for automobiles, trucks, ships rail cars, drones and power generators

service brakes all around.

Interestingly the announcement

starting point for its business venture for a variety of reasons, including the Swiss LSVA road tax on commercial

As Hyundai looks to the future, zero-emissions mobility will play a significant role in the company’s

by 2030.

The XCIENTS being delivered in Switzerland are heavy rigids with a

fuel cell truck delivery was issued in Australia by Hyundai Motor Company

vehicles, which does not apply for

strategy. In addition to the XCIENT

4x2 configuration with a 5310mm

zero-emission trucks. That according to Hyundai almost equalises the hauling costs per kilometre of the

Fuel Cell trucks, Hyundai is also the manufacturer of NEXO, its secondgeneration hydrogen-powered SUV.

wheelbase and an overall length of 9745mm with a GVM of 19 tonnes and a GCM of 36 tonnes (including a

fuel cell truck compared to a normal diesel trucks.

By 2025, the company aims to sell 670,000 electric vehicles annually,

trailer towed behind the initial Swiss delivered trucks. The tare weight of

underlining the importance and weight being given to Hydrogen

Hyundai’s business case involves

including 110,000 FCEVs.

the cab chassis truck is 9.7 tonnes.

technology.

of the delivery of the first hydrogen

Australia, the factory owned distributor of Hyundai passenger cars not by Hyundai Commercial Vehicles, the privately owned truck distributor,

www.truckandbus.net.au 011

ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND

Hyundai goes full auto/D aimler

VIEWS FROM ACROSS THE

GLOBE

backs NHVR/ California Dreaming of clean air/Vo lvo in

good place post COVID

CALIFORNIA - DREAMING OF CLEAR SKIES WITH LANDMARK VEHICLE EMISSION LEGISLATION CALIFORNIA has rebuffed strong opposition from industry to adopted a

and other industries, opposed the measure, calling it unrealistic,

there aren’t a lot of new vehicle sales of any kind. But when they are

landmark rule that will require more than half of all trucks sold in the US

expensive and an example of regulatory overreach.

able to buy vehicles again, we think it’s important that they be investing

state to be zero-emissions by 2035, a move that is expected to improve local air quality, rein in greenhouse gas emissions and sharply curtail the

Truck and engine manufacturers also opposed the rule, and began a last-ditch effort in March to delay it, saying companies were already

in the cleanest kinds of vehicles.”

California’s new regulations put the state squarely at the forefront of U.S. climate policy,

state’s dependence on oil.

The rule, the first in the United

suffering from the effects of the Covid-19 crisis.

in diametrical opposition to the Trump administration, which has

States, represents a victory for communities that have long suffered from truck emissions — particularly pollution from the diesel trucks that feed the sprawling hubs that serve the state’s booming e-commerce industry. On one freeway in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, near the nation’s largest concentration of Amazon warehouses, a community group

However California, which two years ago set an ambitious target of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by 40 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, held firm.

The state’s clean air regulator, the California Air Resources Board, voted unanimously in favour of the rule at a meeting on Thursday.

“This is exactly the right time for this rule,” Mary Nichols, the board’s

prioritised rolling back a slew of environmental regulations .

The state has already led a regulatory revolt against Washington over the Trump administration’s rollback of emissions standards for cars and light trucks , vowing to stick to more stringent requirements and taking the matter to court. California previously committed to buying only electric public transit buses by

recently counted almost 1,200

chairwoman, said in an interview.

2029, and to turn the entire bus fleet

delivery trucks passing in one hour.

Oil companies, together with farming

“We certainly know that the economy is in a rough shape right now, and

electric by 2040.

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The new rule, which sets sales

requirements for zero-emissions, electric versions of everything from big rigs to box trucks and delivery vans starting in 2024, has clear benefits. Under the rule, the percentage of electric trucks that must be sold would gradually increase each year, with an eventual goal that 100 per cent of trucks be electric by 2045, from near zero today.

Transportation makes up 40 per cent of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, and is a major contributor to smog-causing nitrogen oxides and diesel particulate matter pollution, which are linked to health problems including respiratory conditions.

Of those transportation sector emissions, as much as 70 percent of smog-causing pollution and 80 per cent of particulate matter are from diesel trucks, even though they make up just 7 per cent of the 30 million vehicles registered in California.

GOOD MANAGEMENT HAS PUT VOLVO IN STRONG POSITION TO WEATHER THE COVID 19 STORM THERE IS NO DOUBT 2020 will be a tough year for truck maker, the Volvo Group, but according to a new report, careful management could see the Swedish company come through the crisis in a healthy state.

The combined impact of COVID-19

the sector, but its fate now lies firmly in the hands of the coronavirus, and May truck registration data published by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) makes for difficult reading.

Commercial vehicle registrations

World, even after five years of recovery – a period which will include Volvo’s sale of UD trucks – the Group’s sales in 2024 will only be back to levels last seen in 2017, and well out of reach of the 2019 peak of 221,600 units.

and a long-anticipated cyclical downturn in the truck industry have

across the European Union (EU) decreased by 44.4 per cent in May,

The GFC in 2008 was the last time the truck industry suffered a major

been a major setback for Volvo Trucks globally in 2020, and that

with the sharpest declines in Spain, down 59 per cent year-on-year

drop in sales volumes, but in March this year, Volvo saw a 75 per cent

One of Volvo Group’s key themes prior to COVID 19, was building resilience and at the time it was anticipating cyclical downturns in 2020 across most of its major truck and bus markets, with South America being the one exception.

is true for all truck makers, but for Volvo, this will mean a reduction in

and Germany down 47.9 per cent.

The impact of the pandemic is all

decline in net order intake compared to February.

That resilience, including record net cash in the industrial division at the

consolidated sales in 2020 of almost 90,000 units compared to 2019.

It was clear in late 2019 that Volvo

too plain to see: a ‘routine’ cyclical downturn would have produced far less dramatic numbers.

Subsequently this turned negative as cancellations exceeded orders for new trucks in the wake of lockdowns

end of 2019, is what is standing the company in good stead as the

was preparing for a downturn,

However, May registrations in Europe

in most major truck markets.

impact of coronavirus has markedly steepened the downturns in all its

but also to ensure it had the resources to develop new power trains and systems in preparation

saw a slight improvement over the previous April as markets began relaxing lockdown restrictions.

Volvo has been here before; in the third quarter of 2008, the truck maker’s European orders fell 99.7

markets, taking demand well below the levels which the company had anticipated.

for a zero-emission future. This saw the company reducing sales

New heavy truck registrations over 16 tonnes across the EU fell by

per cent year-on-year, sliding into negative territory in Q4 of that year.

The report analyses the company’s

inventories, reducing staff levels and consolidating operations, which clearly led to the sale in late 2019 of

59.7 per cent, down to 11,783 units in May, and by 41.1 per cent year on year to 76,232 in the first five

All Volvo Group truck brands, including

the UD trucks subsidiary to Isuzu.

months of the year.

The recent announcement that Volvo was joining Daimler in a joint venture to develop hydrogen fuel cell drive

May also saw EU demand for new medium and heavy between 3.5 tonne and 16 tonne trucks shrink by

of order cancellations for the Volvo truck brand that stood out, especially

trains demonstrated the group’s

56.9 per cent, the 11th consecutive

intent to prepare for the future.

The European truck industry had long expected 2020 to be a bad year, for

month of decline.

However according to a new forecast by industry publication Automotive

Volvo, Renault and Mack suffered declining orders, but it was the speed

after its experience in 2008.

The report by Automotive World, reviews all of Volvo’s operations, from its joint venture with Daimler on hydrogen fuel cell technology to the sale of its Japanese subsidiary,

UD Trucks, along with the recent announcement that it would cut 4,100 white collar jobs in response to coronavirus-related falling demand.

position, and how these actions will shape its production outlook over the next five years.

“Market conditions are currently tough for all automakers and truck manufacturers, but the report retains some optimism for Volvo.

“While 2020 is not going to be anything but a bad year for Volvo,” the report concludes, “the company has put itself in good shape to weather the storm.”

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FUSO’S NEW FLAGSHIP IS NOW KNOWN AS SHOGUN, THE NAME GIVEN TO THE FEUDAL WAR LORDS WHO ONCE RULED THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN. IT’S A BIT OF A MISNOMER REALLY BECAUSE FAR FROM BEING A NASTY PIECE OF WORK, THE NEW FUSO SHOGUN IS A FLEXIBLE, EASY TO DRIVE AND VERY EFFICIENT TRUCK THAT FURTHER ALIGNS THE DRIVE LINES ACROSS THE DAIMLER FAMILY LINE UP.

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he Covid 19 crisis has had so many impacts on our society, and in the bigger scheme of things, the fact that the Australian truck trade press has been unable to get out and drive the new trucks being introduced, is not high up the list of deprivations that various professions have had to endure.

Still it was blessed relief after almost three months that we finally got a chance to slip behind the wheel of a test truck again and head on down the highway to give some new product a hit out on Aussie roads.

When the Daimler Trucks PR guy called to ask if we might be available to give the production version of its new flagship model, the Shogun a test we could not say yes quickly enough.

When we drove the pre-production test

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version of the Three Diamond’s new heavy duty model back in February 2019, it didn’t officially have a model name, instead we christened it in honour of that great 1990s funk band, the Brand New Heavies. This Brand New Heavy was however destined to be named in honour of another type of heavy , the Shogun, the military hard men that ruled feudal Japan from the early 17th Century to around 1870.

While Fuso had initially planned to do some media test drives in Victoria, the obvious Covid 19 restrictions, lock downs and travel bans meant this couldn’t happen. As the restrictions were slowly rolled back, the company decided they would bring the truck to the media. So it was that we found ourselves at Daimler Trucks’ Sydney operation in Huntingwood near Sydney Motor Sport Park ready to

climb aboard the new Shogun painted in a vivid blue and coupled to a single trailer grossing at close to the maximum of 42.5 tonnes.

The truck we would drive was powered by the Daimler 10.7-litre straight six turbo diesel mated to a version of Daimler’s D12 12 speed automated transmission.

It is a part of the ongoing rationalisation of the drivelines in Daimler family trucks that will see the adoption of the same engines and transmissions across the Corporation’s European Mercedes-Benz, American Freightliner and Western Star and Japanese Fuso trucks. Sure the engines may wear different badges, but they will increasingly be the same donks. Similarly Daimler’s proprietary DT transmissions are now the dominant force across the range as can be seen in this new Shogun.

Daimler is pragmatic and honest enough to admit that the engines across its various brands are exactly the same, even though they may wear different branding on the various valve covers. Some other brands may talk about their ‘family’ engines having the DNA of a particular brand when we all know the reasons why truck conglomerates share technology and engine architecture. This strategy makes it more cost efficient for the manufacturer and the operator, and as long as the engine works and does the job well, it doesn’t really matter what the supposed DNA is or whether an engine in a Fuso is different to one in a Mercedes or a Freightliner.

So hats off to Daimler for that degree of honesty and pragmatism.

Save for the fact that it emanates from a right-hand drive market in Japan, and so

has its transmission shift want on the lefthand side of the steering column, the Fuso’s 12 speed AMT is also the same as the one you will get in a Mercedes or a Freightliner here. The DT family of AMTs just seems to get better and better as development delivers seemingly smoother and smoother shifts that match the torque of the engine and ensure both good performance but also a terrific drive experience.

Our test would see us head south from Sydney on the M7 motorway and then continuing on the Hume toward Marulan where we would turn around and head back. The run would give us plenty of stern climbs up into the Southern Highlands and across the rolling hills of Highway 31 while the outbound run would see us battling into a strong Sou-Westerly headwind that while it

didn’t seem to affect the performance of the truck did generate more wind noise and cost about 0.1 km per litre in fuel economy. This was only made obvious when we turned and headed for home at Marulan. The quietness inside the cab was immediately apparent with the wind behind us, not that it was intrusive on the outbound leg, just more noticeable and with this gone the silence in the Shogun was golden.

All of that is enhanced by the smoothness and fuss free work of the 10.7 litre overhead cam straight six turbo diesel we were sitting on top of. The new engine is designated as the Fuso OM470-T4 and is rated with a maximum of 455 horsepower produced at 1600rpm while maximum torque is 2200Nm at 1100rpm.

That is the same power and torque as

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from the previous 12-litre engine in the Fuso Heavy but of course a higher specific power output from a smaller and more efficient twin cam engine. It also delivers its maximum power 300 rpm lower than the previous engine and the new engine is also 150kg lighter than the old one, with all of the fuel efficiency benefits that delivers. The new engine is also a newer tech common rail fuel injection type, which clearly also contributes to the higher levels of performance and fuel efficiency.

One of the other benefits from the new Daimler 10.7 litre is the extended 50,000km/12month service intervals which is a welcome increase for operators and fleets eager to maximise up time and serviceability.

The first and most immediate impression we get from the new engine is its flexible nature and honest, hard working muscle.

On its first big test up the Aylmerton Hill on the Hume, the Shogun hit the incline with plenty of momentum, but even so this is a hill that saps power from the best of them . The Shogun only dropped down two cogs to tenth and worked away hanging on till the climb flattened and it quickly gained speed again, marching away down the road. Similarly on the next big test, on the long hard climb off the Nattai River Bridge to the Welby Hill, again it hung in in tenth and held around peak torque at 1100rpm, the 12 speed transmission doing a great job at shifting at the absolute optimum time, ensuring both road speed and engine speed are maintained for peak efficiency.

The Shogun’s 10.7 litre features a very flat torque curve which works hand in hand with the 12 speed AMT to deliver earlier upshifts to help save fuel while still delivering strong acceleration thanks to that strong pulling power from low revs.

Fuso gives the DT12 transmission the label Shift Pilot and it has a number of ancillary functions within its well thought out system. It is, like many AMTs, supremely easy to use and features the ability to select either the default Economy mode or a Power setting which prioritises power over economy when chosen. As well as that the active cruise control system mates with the trans to enable EcoRoll to select neutral at speeds above 47 km/h when the truck is on a downward slope where it can roll. The AMT also features a RockFree mode that will help rock the truck free if it is stuck in a low traction situation.

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While leaving the AMT in automatic is the easiest way of doing things, the driver can manually select gears by simply pushing down or pulling up on the AMT stalk. However the reality is no matter how confident you are in your gear changing intuition or ability, the computer inside the box working in cahoots with the vehicle’s ECU will always outperform the mere human behind the wheel, so settle back relax and let it do the work.

Unlike the test truck we drove out of Albury a little over 12 months ago, this Shogun was on air bag suspension not the steel spec of the earlier truck. Final drive ratio was a 4.625 with the 6x4 prime mover sporting LSDs in both drive axles.

The Airbag suspension ensured very high levels of ride comfort for the occupants in the cab as we ambled down the Hume.

Inside there has been an overhaul of the dash and interior design matching up with Daimler’s move to unify its electrical and electronic architecture across of all its truck and bus models. Subtle reminders of this include similar switchgear to Mercedes and Freightliner models and as we mentioned earlier, while the gear selection for the 12-peed automated box is on the left-hand side of the column it is the same selector you will see in its sibling Benz Actros models and across the Freightliner range.

The interior is trimmed in blacks and dark greys with the instrument panel trimmed in a faux carbon fibre look but it doesn’t detract from the overall look.

It is a very driver focused dash layout with the electronic instrument layout that Fuso calls the MID or Multi-Information Display which features a large speedo and a large tacho gauge on either side with both a smaller fuel and air pressure gauge just below the two big instruments.

Inside the fuel gauge is an AdBlue gauge, while there is an array of colour coded warning lights monitoring all other vital signs. In the centre is a 4.1inch MID screen displaying a whole bunch of useful information from fuel economy to trip info and efficiency along with various warnings when needed or urgent. Controls for the MID info and to change menus and screens is on an easy to use touch pad on the steering wheel opposite the cruise control and phone controls.

The driver gets an air suspension seat with a multitude of adjustments and shift points that allows drivers of all sizes to select a comfortable and safe position.

There are also a plethora a of storage

“ THE FIRST AND MOST IMMEDIATE IMPRESSION WE GET FROM THE NEW ENGINE IS ITS FLEXIBLE NATURE AND HONEST, HARD WORKING MUSCLE”

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bins and compartments including three under the centre console , one under the squab of the passenger seat and two in the overhead console. Along with that there are also several cup holders and pockets in the doors.

The first and most obvious thing that strikes you in driving the Shogun is the very low noise levels inside the cabin.

The truck complies to Euro 6 which means it has to achieve lower levels of both exterior and interior noise readings and that alone should be something drivers and other road users should be cheering for. It just makes things a while lot easier and also reduces fatigue over a day at the wheel.

Chatting to my offsider for the test drive, Fuso technical trainer Kevin Youngman, was easy, even when the Shogun was working its way up the big climbs. When the wind was behind us and the active cruise control was in use, and it kicked into its ‘E’ mode when the DT12 slots into neutral and it rolls downhill, then the noise levels were so low it was almost eerie. Most people don’t realise the fatigue inducing implications of noise in a vehicle.

Just try sitting in a really noise truck or car for eight hours and understand how tiring it can be. By comparison a quiet cab can deliver longer attention spans better focus and less fatigue. Try it.

The Shogun has a number of new styling and aero changes around the cab including a new wide V or U shape to the bolder integrated grille with new headlight design.

The new headlights use an LED low beam and a Halogen high beam which Fuso says

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give a longer service life and better nighttime visibility, although in our test was purely during daylight so we did not have the chance to test their effectiveness.

Like its German and US siblings from Benz and Freightliner, the new Fuso Shogun boasts all of the necessary electronic safety systems including automated emergency braking as part of the maker’s system, which it calls Active Brake Assist 4, delivering varying levels of warnings or intervention depending on the speed and dangers it can sense.

The culmination is 100 per cent braking effort to avoid collision. Thankfully we did not have the need or situation to try its effectiveness on our test and we are happy to accept Daimler’s word for its efficacy.

The other safety features include EBS, Lane Departure Warning, Electronic Stability Program, Hill Holder and Proximity Control Assist. Most significant is the inclusion of Active Attention Assist which monitors the driver’s face and other vehicle inputs to detect signs of driver fatigue and erratic control. A small device above the instrument binnacle houses a camera looking at the drivers face, and some LED warning lights as well as a warning buzzer. The system combines a number of inputs and again while our fatigue levels and driving focus didn’t trigger the system it will be a major boost to road safety and in battling driver fatigue.

The run back into Western Sydney from Marulan had a few more climbs but mostly some long and difficult descents and the Fuso coped with these admirably. If left

in Cruise, it will automatically engage the engine brake or the service brakes if necessary. If driving without the Cruise engaged the three-level engine brake works well and can hold the truck on the big hills without drama.

While the service brakes are taper roller drums unlike the discs on its Benz siblings, they still perform well and deliver excellent feel and performance.

All very easy and straightforward really.

By the time we arrived back at Daimler Huntingwood the MID was telling us we had averaged 2.3 km/litre, which is pretty good given the headwinds, hills and a load of a shade over 40 tonnes. While the 6x4 Shogun prime mover is rated at 63 tonnes, enabling it to be rated for B Double work, most users won’t operate it massed out to the max but will run it at 40 to 50 tonnes at volume levels rather than mass. Still its more than capable of coping whatever you might throw at it.

The new Shogun is a very good and welcome addition to the Japanese built sector of the heavy truck market, joining UD’s already excellent Quon and Isuzu’s sales chart-topping heavies. Hino is set to launch an all new version of its 700 later this year ensuring buyers will be absolutely spoilt for choice, but rest assured the new Fuso is a worthy and accomplished competitor in what is a tough market.

It might be named after Feudal War Lords but the new Shogun is a user friendly comfortable and pleasant machine that should win plenty of friends in the transport industry.

Operator

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THE INTERNATIONAL PROSTAR IS SLOWLY CLAWING ITS WAY INTO FLEETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WHILE MANY OWNERS ARE FIRST TIME INTERNATIONAL BUYERS, THERE ARE PLENTY OUT THERE FOR WHOM HISTORY WITH THE BRAND RUNS DEEP. DOWN ACROSS BASS STRAIT ON THE APPLE ISLE, DEAN EDWARDS FALLS INTO THE LATTER CATEGORY, DEAN’S ENTHUSIASM FOR INTERNATIONAL GOES BACK TO EVEN BEFORE HE WAS BORN, SO IT WAS ONLY NATURAL THAT HE ADDED A PROSTAR TO HIS FLEET NOW THAT THE BRAND IS BACK DOWN UNDER.

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S

ince 2005, Dean Edwards has owned four International Eagles, his most recent, a 9200, is still on fleet showing 1.3 million kilometres, with the only mechanical issue having been a turbo replacement at around the 1.2 million kilometres mark – and that’s pretty good going, according to Dean.

“My Dad’s still got an Eagle which has done about 1.3 million kilometres and is due for a ‘heart transplant’ because it is getting a bit tired in the engine, but it is still a bloody good truck,” said Dean.

“The ProStar has some big shoes to fill, that’s for sure,” he said.

“All of the Eagles I’ve had over the years have been fantastic trucks and have been very reliable, so when International returned to Australia, I was keen to give this new one a go.”

Dean’s ProStar features the Cummins X15 engine rated at 550hp (410kW) and 1850 Lb Ft (2,508 Nm), coupled to an Eaton 18-speed RoadRanger – most of the trucks in Dean’s seven-strong fleet are manuals, the exception being an Iveco Stralis.

“The drivers are comfortable with this drivetrain combination and are very familiar with it,” Dean explained. If it’s working, why change?”, he said.

While his heart is with the Inters, Dean was forced to look to other brands when the Inter brand ceased being sold here in the early ‘teens. He finished up buying two Western Stars and also two Kenworths which are still part of the fleet.

“I have never been too fond of the Stars, they haven’t ever floated my boat but I had to find something to buy as the business was expanding,” he said.

He went on to buy a couple of Kenworths, including a 909 and a 409 SAR, which he likes but reckons they are very expensive when compared with his ProStar.

“Look the ProStar was a demo that had 60,000km on the clock when I got it, but even so the deal I did was amazing, but the International would still be considered good value if I’d bought a brand new one at full freight,” said Dean.

Based in Flowerdale in Northern Tasmania, the ProStar sleeper cab normally hauls single and B-Double livestock crates all around the state, often picking up in the south of the state and delivering to Burnie where the trailers are uncoupled and then taken to the mainland on the Toll ships.

A boilermaker by trade, Dean learned the truck driving trade from his Dad and his Grandfather who were both in the transport game and both International fans.

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Dean Edwards and his beloved Inters

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“Yeah my earliest memories were of Dad having a series of Inters, including a 3070, some T Lines and 4700 Transtars so I have always been around International,” Dean said.

“Inters have always been popular in Tassie and you could see that all over the island and Tassie farmers were particularly fond of the Acco as farm trucks, in fact we used to say Tassie farmers are Whacko for Acco,” he laughs.

While he did his time as a boilermaker Dean quickly moved into driving trucks.

“I got plenty of practical welding experience in my apprenticeship, welding up the livestock trailers and doing repairs, but I bought my first truck in 2005, a Cummins powered 7500 Powerstar,” said Dean.

He went on to own two 9200 Eagles and a 9900 Eagle and he still has one of those 9200s on the fleet now.

“When they stopped bringing the Eagles in, I was a bit lost but now that Inter is back, I reckon the ProStar is a pretty good truck and is doing a good job,” he added.

Aside from the stock hauling application, Edwards Transport also

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engages in a range of work including logging, fertiliser, machinery, oversize and fodder work, showing the adaptability that keeps Dean and his team extremely busy.

Dean said that the life of trucks in Tasmania is generally pretty tough given the state’s undulating topography.

“Coming out of the south of the state with a fully loaded B-Double and heading north, you’re either on the throttle or on the jake brake,” he said.

“It’s hard going, so you need a truck with plenty of power and torque and the ProStar is taking it all in its stride.”

According to Dean, the ProStar has been returning some pretty impressive fuel economy figures in what is a very tough environment for any truck. Recent figures show the ProStar returning around 2.1km per litre while hauling a BDouble stock crate rig.

“That is pretty impressive because with similar loadings in the Kenny 909 it only returns about 1.8km per litre, so the Inter is trumping the Kenworth on fuel economy, not just on purchase price,” he added.

With its swept back design, wrap around windscreen and streamlined bumper and

guards, International claims the ProStar is up to 10 per cent more aerodynamic compared to more traditional, squarebonneted vehicles.

“Brett says that the ProStar really cuts through the wind well and that it’s whisper quiet in the cabin, a good indication that the truck is slipping through the air nicely,” Dean said.

While a full sleeper cab spec. truck was not essential to have, Dean said it always comes in handy.

“Most of the trucks in our fleet are sleeper cabs – it’s nice for the driver to have that extra space,” he explained.

“You also never know where you might get held-up and need to rest. Sometimes if we have a job in the south of the state, Brett might leave the night before and stop to sleep somewhere along the way, so that he can get a few hours’ head start on the next day’s work.

“So far the truck is doing everything right and Brett is thrilled with the new workhorse.”

So for Dean Edwards the return of International has been a welcome thing and he reckons he’ll be buying plenty more in the future.

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Operator

SAFE & SOUND

THE SAFETY FEATURES OF HINO’S STANDARD CAB 500 SERIES TRUCKS HAVE PROVED TO BE EXACTLY WHAT ENTERPRISING HYDRAULIC HOSE COMPANY HOSES24 REQUIRED FOR ITS OPERATION BASED AROUND THE QUEENSLAND MINING AND AGRICULTURAL HOTSPOT IN THE BOWEN BASIN. WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT HOSES24 AND ITS FLEET OF 13 HINOS.

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O

ut in the centre of Queensland conditions can get very rugged particularly when you need to access machinery in some of the biggest coal mines in the country or on some of the state’s biggest cattle stations and broadacre farms. For a start there is the high temperatures, then there are the bumpy tar roads and even rougher gravel ones and there are the long distances. There’s a whole lot of factors that together make life pretty tough for a truck, or for that matter any vehicle.

For Hydraulic Hose service company, Hoses24 the need to operate a fleet of trucks out in and around the Bowen Basin has seen it rely heavily on a single brand of medium duty truck to deliver reliability, durability and safe operation in what can be a hazardous environment.

David Jones and his wife Jessica started Hoses24 from the work shed on their own property in the town of Emerald in Central

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Queensland, with a focus on servicing the big mines as well as agricultural and transport operations in Central Queensland.

Starting with just one truck the company has grown rapidly over the past eight years and now operates a fleet of 13 trucks, all of them Hino 500 series medium duty, with most of them the latest FE 1426 models along with an older FC version.

When Dave started the company back in 2012 he bought a single Hino FG 1022 and that truck performed so well it led him to add more of the Japanese brand to the growing fleet.

“I’ve always been a Toyota guy, I’ve always had Cruisers and such so I had a predisposition toward the Hino, so when I started Hoses24 we looked at both the Isuzu and the Hino, and the Hino was the right choice,” said Dave.

“It proved the right choice because it has performed really well and hasn’t missed a beat.”

That Hino FC 1022 manual enabled Dave to establish and build his business covering the Bowen Basin loaded with tools and spares to repair and fit not just hydraulic hoses, but all auxiliary hydraulic, pneumatic equipment for those machines across the region.

“The 10 tonne GVM on that first Hino was a bit restrictive because we always need so much gear on the trucks, but when the new Standard cab 500s came out we chose the 1426 FEs which gave us more payload and the ideal spec for what we need,” Dave said.

Each of the Hoses24 Hinos is fitted with a purpose built body that are equipped as mobile hydraulic hose repair workshops and parts stores.

“We put a lot of work into designing and redesigning the bodies specifically for our trucks and they are built for us by a specialist body builder in Brisbane and they do a brilliant job. Years of experience operating out of trucks in mines, on farms

“WE PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO DESIGNING AND REDESIGNING THE BODIES SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR TRUCKS”

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and various work sites taught me what was needed on a truck and that enabled us to design and specify exactly what was required,” he added.

In fact the first purpose built body that Hoses24 commissioned back in 2012 is still in use and still working well. Each truck can carry up to 10,000 spare parts as well as having the tools and equipment to cope with any eventuality with hydraulic systems in the field.

Servicing the vast central Queensland mining sector, as well as the agricultural and transport industries means the Hoses24 trucks have to cover some pretty big distances each day on give and take roads, so it is vital they are both reliable and safe and can take the punishment the environment dishes out .

“Our guys start from our Moranbah depot and can cover a 500km radius either on a schedule run or in an urgent call out so it

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is very important that the trucks are safe, comfortable and can do the job,” said Dave.

In a break from normal practice for trucks operating in a rural environment Dave has specified all of his new Hino 500s with the optional Allison automatic transmission.

Normally favoured by operators battling stop start traffic in our big cities the automatic transmissions give Hoses24 some distinct advantages in getting into difficult off road conditions in mines and farms where the automatic delivers smoother torque and better tractability.

“The autos have worked really well so far and the guys really love them because they give nothing away in terms of on highway performance and they make them so much easier to drive on the dirt and in difficult manoeuvring situations,” said Dave.

“We have some pretty steep climbs and descents in the haul roads in many of the mines we service , some of them are up

to a 12 per cent grade and if you have to follow a water cart up one of those hills and you choose the wrong gear you will become stuck .

“The Allison auto means you are always in the right gear and the transmission is doing the work for you,” he added.

‘There is also less wear and tear on the truck with an automatic, the engines don’t get over revved and you never have to replace a clutch or repair an over taxed manual gearbox,” he added.

They have toyed with the idea of four wheel drive trucks but Dave Jones said that the reality is that the need for all wheel drive would amount to just a few days a year, so that just doesn’t justify the extra capital and running costs of the all wheel drive truck.

Dave points out that with a diverse range of staff with a diverse range of driving skill across a rotating crew of up to 40

technicians there is a wide spectrum of driving abilities which was another reason why he chose the Allison automatic option.

“We’re not hiring truck drivers, we hire tradesmen who can drive a truck, so you have to make the job of driving as easy as possible particularly given the conditions and environment we operate in.

Safety is also a vital part of the Hoses24 operation and the Hino 500’s suite of safety features, which were introduced to the range in early 2019, were a major attraction for Dave to ensure his workers are protected in case of an accident or incident.

“The Hino safety package is very impressive and when you have your guys having to tackle such long distances both day and night on ordinary roads you want to give them the best protection you can,” Dave said.

“Features such as the autonomous braking, lane keep and stability control

all help make it safer for our guys behind the wheel and made the new Hinos the best choice for us,” he added.

“We work a night shift and so our trucks are out on the roads in the dark so the collision avoidance and other systems are a very important inclusion.”

The company has augmented the Hino’s safety package recently fitting Guardian fatigue management systems to each truck, monitoring driver alertness and also video recording heavy braking and other avoidance and crash situations.

They are innovators in many areas of their business and they are loyal followers of the Hino TRAQ system.

The Hino developed telematics system enables Hoses24 to keep an eye on the speed, location and efficiency of the truck.

“The combination of TRAQ and the Guardian system ensures we can make sure our trucks are operating well and safely no

matter where they are,” said Dave.

The company has its own in house mechanic to handle all maintenance and service but Dave Jones says the trucks have performed superbly so far.

“The new Hino 500s with the five-litre four cylinder is really terrific, very torquey and our guys really love driving them,” Dave Jones said.

“We equip each truck with a fridge in the cab and the small sleeper bunk enables us to carry a range of catalogues and brochures that our guys use at the various worksites they visit each day, it works really well,” he adds.

With the Hino fleet proving itself for Hoses24 Dave Jones believes they will be the mainstay of the fleet for some time to come and will continue to pound the roads of the Bowen Basin flying the colours of the enterprising hydraulic hose company.

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New Product

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he new truck has been launched with the slogan, ‘Built for Safety, Ready for Anything’, underlining the safety credentials of the new truck.

The new 300 Series trucks feature what Hino calls its SmartSafe package, which it describes as a ‘comprehensive safety package with advanced driver-assist technology focussing on protecting the life of drivers, passengers and other road users’.

The 300 series safety package includes its Pre-Collision System (PCS) which boasts Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Pedestrian Detection (PD), Lane

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Departure Warning System (LDWS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Reverse Camera and a suite of other standard safety features.

Hino took a chance with the 500 Series it launched last year, packing it full of safety equipment as standard, betting that the old automotive maxim ‘safety doesn’t sell’ had seen its use by date and fleet buyers would embrace its new offering. Hino was right and the market, and in particular bigger fleet customers have embraced the safety proposition. The company is putting the same strategy into play with the new 300 and you can assume that it will also play

it out with its new 700 Series due this time in 2021.

Given the requirements of the Covid 19 restrictions the launch for the 300 Series was held on Zoom with the trade press tuning into see the new features and listen to Hino executives explain the strategy behind the new truck.

Hino’s manager of product strategy, Daniel Petrovski said that it’s been about 20 years since Hino first entered the lightduty truck market in Australia with its Dutro model, a truck that morphed over time into the 300 Series.

“Dutro at the time was the safest light-

HINO HAS UNVEILED THE LATEST ITERATION OF ITS LIGHT DUTY 300 SERIES MODELS WITH AN INCREASED EMPHASIS ON SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGY, FOLLOWING IN THE VEIN OF ITS 500 SERIES, WHICH HAS BEEN A SALES SUCCESS FOR THE JAPANESE BRAND SINCE ITS LAUNCH EARLY LAST YEAR. WE LOGGED ON TO GET THE LOWDOWN ON THE NEW ‘BABY’ HINO AND ITS SAFETY PACKAGE.

duty truck to be launched here and the latest iteration of the 300 Series continues to be class leading in many ways,” said Daniel Petrovski.

“At Hino, safety is paramount, and the new 300 Series boasts a list of standard safety features that makes it the safest truck ever offered by a Japanese manufacturer in the Australian light-duty truck market,” he added.

The introduction of new 300 models, Hino says will open up new market opportunities for the company in the Australian market.

“Over the last 20 years, we have offered

our customers a large range of light-duty models, building an enviable reputation for performance, reliability and safety,” said Daniel Petrovski.

Hino has expanded the range to more than 60 models with the choice of standard, wide and wide crew cab variants with both a four-litre and a high horsepower five-litre power plant to choose from, mated to either manual or automatic transmissions, or a new version of the 300 Hybrid.

The company emphasised that the 300 is the only light duty Japanese truck to boast a full automatic transmission, in

this case the Aisin six speed, rather than an AMT unit available in Isuzu and Fuso light duty models.

“The key advantages associated with a true automatic transmission are superior start-ability and take-off; no torque interruptions between gear shifts resulting in a smoother drive and quicker acceleration; lower whole of life costs and no clutch replacements,” said Daniel Petrovski.

“All of these benefits mean car-licenced drivers can easily take the wheel of a lightduty truck.

“Currently almost 80 percent of our light duty 4x2 sales are automatics – given the

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current driver shortage, and the changing market, this is a figure we expect to increase,” he added.

The range has also been expanded with the introduction of its new 721 models, featuring the five-litre J05E-UJ engine boasting 205hp and 600Nm of torque, mated to the six-speed double overdrive true automatic transmission, along with a 3.5 tonne towing capacity.

“The new 721 opens up many opportunities in the 6.5 tonne GVM class for tradespeople and local councils, with the true automatic transmission matched to the most powerful and highest torque engine in its class,” said Mr Petrovski.

Petrovski added that the 721 is available in multiple wheelbases, as well as single and crew cab models and fills an important gap in the market for Hino.

“We have listened to our customers, especially councils, who have conveyed to us that the availability of a 6.5 tonne GVM true automatic transmission model is a particularly important factor in their purchasing decision, so it is an area we have focused on,” he added.

The new line-up starts with the entry level 616 Standard Single Cab boasting independent front suspension, 4.5 tonne

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GVM, 8.0 tonne GCM ratings and powered by the four-litre N04C common-rail turbodiesel with 150hp and 420Nm of torque.

It’s available with both manual and auto transmission and features towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonne on a car licence. The increased capacity of the automatic has meant the towing limit could be increased from 2.8 tonne to 3.5 tonnes. Along with the Standard cab it is also available in Wide and Crew Cab variants.

The 616 Standard Cab can be upgraded to a 5.5 tonne GVM with a light rigid truck licence.

Wide Cab models start with the 616 and 617, both of which have a standard GVM of 4.5 tonne for car-licenced operation and can be uprated to 5.5 tonne GVM on a light rigid truck licence.

The 616 Wide Cab model comes with the 150hp four-litre N04C engine coupled to the six-speed automatic while the 617 manual gets the 165hp/464 Nm version of the NO4C mated to Hino’s six-speed double overdrive gearbox.

Moving up to the 6.5 tonne GVM 716 and 717 Wide Cab models powered by the same four litre engine, with a choice of either the Aisin automatic or a manual transmission available.

The 816 Wide Cab model is equipped with the automatic and is fitted with 17.5inch wheels, higher rated tyres, and axles, which increases the GVM to 8.0 tonnes and boosts the payload offering.

The 917 model pokes up into the medium duty sector but retains the four-litre engine mated to the six-speed manual with an 8.5 tonne GVM requiring a medium rigid truck licence, while it can be rated to 7,995kg for light-duty truck customers.

The 920 is fitted with the five-litre engine option with a manual transmission and can be registered for a light or medium rigid truck licence, with GVMs of either 8.0 or 8.5 tonnes respectively. The 921 uses the automatic transmission with the high horsepower five-litre engine, delivering 3.5 tonnes towing capacity. It can also be configured with either an 8.0 tonne GVM for light rigid truck licences, or 8.5 tonnes for medium rigid licences.

Last but not least, the new Hino Hybrid electric-diesel model has been updated and is available in four variants, starting with the 616 Standard and Wide Cab car-licenced models through to the 716 Wide Cab and the 916 Wide Cab, with a maximum GVM of 8.5 tonne.

Daniel Petrovski underlined the safety

“ THE ADDITION OF HINO SMARTSAFE IN THE NEW 300 SERIES WILL REAFFIRM ITS POSITION AS THE SAFEST JAPANESE LIGHT-DUTY TRUCK IN AUSTRALIA”

credentials of the new 300, saying that the foundation of the safety specification is the truck’s Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), which has been a feature of the 300 Series for almost 10 years.

“The addition of Hino SmartSafe in the new 300 Series will reaffirm its position as the safest Japanese light-duty truck in Australia,” said Petrovski.

If the system determines that a collision is imminent, it can autonomously apply the brakes to minimise the damage or even avoid the collision.

“Pedestrian Detection or PD can detect a pedestrian in front of the vehicle - if the system detects a pedestrian, it will warn the driver to apply the brakes using both visual and audible alerts and, if the driver takes no action to avoid a collision, it can autonomously apply the brakes.

Petrovski says Hino customers have embraced the active safety system and have been requesting its introduction across other Hino models since its introduction as standard on the 500 Series Standard Cab last year. The company says that 30 per cent of truck crashes are rear end collisions due to driver distraction or inattention.

Accitionally the system’s Lane

Departure Warning System (LDWS) alerts the driver visually and audibly if the truck is deviating from its lane without the turn indicators being engaged. Hino says that 40 per cent of truck accidents are as a result of what it describes as ‘off path accidents’, where trucks wander out of their lane or off the road limits.

Other features that distinguish the new 300 from its predecessor include Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) along with the PCS radar in the bumper and an updated grille.

“The DRLs are a unique feature for Hino in the light-duty truck segment – they ensure that if headlamps are not turned on in low light conditions, the vehicle will still be seen, adding to the overall safety of the vehicle.”

Other carry over safety features from the previous 300 include dual SRS airbags, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD).

The 300 Series Cab has been tested to the UN ECE R-29 cab strength certification and features narrow A-pillars which ensure a nearly uninterrupted forward view.

Forward vision is complemented by heated and electrically operated external mirrors.

“When combined with the high

definition waterproof and infrared Reverse Camera, the new 300 Series offers near 360-degree vision for improved safety when manoeuvring the vehicle,” said Petrovski The updated Hybrid models are still Australia’s only electric-diesel hybrid light-duty trucks according to Hino.

While the conventional models are Euro 5 compliant, the Hybrids meet Euro 6 emission standards using EGR and DPR combined with SCR. Hino has updated the Hybrid system with changes to hardware and software, aimed at improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.

The battery has been reduced in size but retains a 6.5 Amp Hour rating and is still a Toyota Group-sourced nickel metal hydride unit, while the Power Control Unit (PCU), which encompasses the battery, inverter, Engine Control Unit (ECU) and DC-DC Converter, have been redesigned for lighter weight and smaller packaging, resulting in a PCU weight of 85kg, down from 113kg.

“The engine and transmission have also been improved with the aim of further fuel consumption reductions,” Petrovski said.

The N04C-WR four cylinder commonrail turbo-diesel produces 150hp and

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HINO’S SUCCESS WITH ITS SAFETY ORIENTED 500 SERIES MODELS IS A TEMPLATE FOR FURTHER SUCCESS WITH THE NEW 300 470Nm of torque, which is delivered in combination with the electric motor from just 1000RPM, while the revised automatic is now a six-speed replacing the five-speed in the previous model and is coupled directly to the electric motor.

Hino says the additional ratio and the wider spread of gears enable the engine to spend longer in its most efficient rpm ange, resulting in maximum driving efficiencies.

Hino has also improved the interior with comfort and functionality upgrades which it points out are especially important for professional drivers spending so much time behind the wheel.

“The interior has been designed with the driver as the central point. An improved dash layout includes a new driver instrument panel with an enlarged and centralised speedometer to improve readability, and a new easy-to-read high contrast 4.2-inch TFT LCD Multi Information Display.

“New steering wheel controls operate both the Multi Information Display and the multimedia unit, which features a large 6.5-inch high definition, capacitive touch screen,” said Daniel Petrovski.

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An ‘intelligent’ multimedia unit is standard across the entire Hino range and boasts AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth music streaming and mobile phone connectivity with voice dialling as well as being capable of connecting up to four multi-position cameras. It also features an Android operating system, and Wi-Fi connectivity for over-the-air software updates.

Options for the multimedia unit include a digital video camera recorder (DVR), tyre pressure monitoring system, and truck-specific satellite navigation that takes into consideration parameters of the truck such as weight and height.

All models are fitted with an ergonomically designed fully-adjustable driver’s seat for maximum comfort.

“The driver’s seat in the Wide Cab models also feature torsion-bar suspension and a large slide adjustable range on inclined rails, to accommodate varying occupant heights to maximise comfort and reduce driver fatigue,” said Daniel Petrovski.

Hino is also trumpeting its Hino Advantage business solutions as another advantage to buyers, offering a suite of

business solutions designed to reduce costs over the life of the vehicle.

“Our Hino Advantage solutions include Hino SmartSafe, capped price servicing, telematics, Hino Genuine Parts, 24/7 Hino roadside assist, our finance options, and customer support provisions via our Customer Care Centre,” he continued.

All of the new 2020 Hino 300 Series models come with a three years or 100,000km standard warranty (whichever comes first), and the option of extending the warranty to five years.

With a boom in last mile delivery as a result of the burgeoning on line ‘e-tail’ market, which has seen so many consumers switching to internet shopping, the arrival of the updated Hino 300 comes at an opportune time, particularly with the growing emphasis on work place health and safety by major fleets and corporate buyers.

Hino’s success with its safety oriented 500 Series models is a template for further success with the new 300, but ultimately the market will decide if its safety features will give the light duty Hino a sales boost enough to challenge the market leading Isuzu N series range.

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New Model

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AMIDST THE LOCKDOWNS, VOLVO GROUP HAD LITTLE ALTERNATIVE BUT TO LAUNCH ITS IMPORTANT NEW UD MEDIUM DUTY MODEL, THE CRONER, AS WELL AS, THE NEW 8X4 VARIANT OF ITS HEAVY DUTY QUON A FEW WEEKS LATER, BOTH VIA SOCIAL MEDIA LIVE VIDEO. WE TUNED INTO GET THE LOWDOWN IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC LOCK DOWN.

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T

he two live video events were separate, and a month or so apart but it was the only way the company could give the media a briefing on the new trucks.

Given the circumstances, Volvo’s newly appointed media relations manager Matt Wood handled the Croner briefing solo but for the Quon 8x4 in early June he was joined by UD Trucks newly appointed product manager, David Roset. While it would have been great to get up close and personal and touch and feel the trucks live as well as getting the chance to drive them, the fact was this was another victim of the Pandemic that has turned the world upside down.

UD has always been known for its strong engineering credentials that set it apart from its other Japanese truck brand

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counterparts. Being a part of Volvo’s family has only enhanced that further over the past decade or so, but where it will go from here on, given it is now owned by Isuzu is another question altogether.

UD has not had a lower medium contender for almost a year as the production of the Croner was switched from Japan to the UD plant in Thailand but now it is here and the details were revealed in the live walkaround on the Facebook page.

A few weeks later VGA’s Japanese brand rolled out its new 8x4 Quon variants, giving UD a weapon to fire in the sector that covers waste, construction, concrete, mining and even the upper ends of rigid distribution.

The smart looking Croner is a new nameplate on the Australian market for what used to be just known by the model

letters PK and PD or as the Condor. The new UD Croner will be available in two models, the 4x2 PK and the 6x4 PD, both powered by the 280hp 8-litre GH8E. The 8-litre turbo diesel boasts 1050 Nm of torque, up significantly on the 883 Nm which was offered by the previous 7-litre UD medium duty turbo diesel, while max torque is now available from 1100rpm, ensuring better flexibility and fuel efficiency according to UD. The Croner will only be available with one transmission, the six speed Allison 3000 series automatic. UD was a pioneer of the Allison automatic in medium duty around 12 years ago and the success of that strategy has really changed the transmission landscape in the mediumduty Japanese sector in this country. So much has this influenced uptake that other

brands including Hino, Fuso and Isuzu have all embraced the US autos, with Hino quoting up to 80 per cent of its 500 series now being fitted with Allison autos.

Both Croner models come with either multi leaf rear suspension or can be equipped with optional airbag rear suspension, with a cabin mounted ride height controller being a feature that UD points out is more commonly seen on European trucks.

The Croner PK 4x2 boasts 17.5 tonnes GVM while the PD 6x4 offers a 24.,5 tonne GVM with both trucks specced with a 32.5 tonne GCM. Across the two models UD says there will 18 different wheelbase options available to fit a variety of applications and customer requirements.

Self-adjusting S-Cam drum brakes are standard on the Croner while Electronic Brake force distribution is also fitted.

The Croner gets a single steering wheel mounted SRS airbag while the company says the cab us built to meet ECE 29 safety strength requirements and there are daytime running lights now also standard.

The latest UD electronic architecture links the Croner into the Volvo Group telematics system with a gateway allowing it to talk to rest of the VGA family, allowing buyers who may have Volvos or Macks in their fleets to link the new UDs directly into their existing Volvo telematic platform. There is also a USB portal on the dash that enables drivers to plug into with their driver ID fob and log their profile on to the telematics system as they already can with the Mack Telematics and Volvo Dynafleet portals.

The Croner’s also get an LED screen AV unit in the middle of the dash with

inputs for up to five external cameras as well boasting a built in Sat/Nav and the normal radio and audio offerings including Bluetooth connectivity.

On the heavy scale the new 8X4 Quon has been tailor made for the Australian market according to UD. The 8x4 will be available in three model variants, the CG 30 360, CG 32 390 and CG 32 420. The CG 30 360 is powered by the same eight litre six cylinder as the Croner, rated at 360 hp with 1420Nm of torque, and is aimed at the concrete agitator and waste truck markets in particular with a GVM of 30 tonnes.

It is being offered with a choice of 4500mm, 5200 or 5700mm wheel bases.

You can also choose between UD’s ESCOT 12 speed AMT or the Allison 3200 six-speed automatic.

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Moving up from the baby in the 8x4 range to the 32 tonne GVM CG 32 which can be had with either the 390 hp or 420hp rated versions of the 11 litre UD six cylinder with 1750Nm or 1900Nm respectively. The 11 litre engines are only available with the ESCOT AMT and with either the 5200 or 5700mm wheelbases. The 390 and 420hp versions are aimed at construction, mining and tipper dog applications as well as offering the chance for a 14 pallet freight body for distribution work.

The Quon comes equipped with all the safety tech that you would expect from a Volvo family product and matching what the market expectation in latest gen trucks is these days as we have seen with the uptake of trucks like Hino’s 500 series with its suite of safety tech. So naturally it gets UD’s Traffic Eye Active Cruise Control, with Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, brake blending and the optional Driver Alert System.

Unlike most of its Japanese counterparts the Quon has disc brakes on all wheels which is another strong safety feature along with a list of passive safety highlights including seat belt pre-tensioners, Drivers

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SRS airbag and a rigid safety cab.

UD says it has reduced the weight on all its Quon models along with improving load handling and suspension characteristics.

UD says that the Quon boasts a single skin, high-tensile steel chassis with an optimised frame structure that gives it a lower tare weight for increased payload and practicality As a result of this lower tare weight, the Quon’s carrying capacities have increased across the entire range while direct body mount solutions enable lower centre of gravity for specialist bodies, particularly for concrete agitator spec.

UD also tells us that the Quon’s chassis has totally flat top rails with no rivets, holes, bolt heads or nuts sitting proud, ensuring it is easier for body builders to build on the truck.

There is a choice of either airbag or steel leaf suspension packages, again according to application while the company says the dual steer axles of the 8x4 delivers tight turning circles and easy manoeuvrability, a factor sure to attract buyers in the waste and agitator sectors.

Inside the cab, as well as the extensive list of passive safety equipment, the

dash is dominated by an 8” flat screen LED AV unit which boasts Apple Car Play and Android Auto. All of the other accoutrement for a modern day heavy duty truck is there including integrated sat nav, Bluetooth etc. We’ll have a full review and more detail on this once we have sat in and driven the new Quon 8x4.

While the first examples of the new Croner have already arrived in Australia and Australia Post has already taken delivery of a few of them, UD says that supply is limited during the early stages of its launch particularly with the current Covid 19 crisis supply issues.

Similarly the Quon 8x4 will arrive as they become available but we feel confident the new version is going to win some friends in all of those applications we have already mentioned.

Like all truck makers UD was not quoting prices with Volvo Group PR spokesperson Matt Wood saying that pricing as you would expect depends a lot on “how many you want to buy”.

More on these two new UDs when we get to drive them, once the lockdown is over.

“UD HAS ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS STRONG ENGINEERING CREDENTIALS THAT SET IT APART FROM ITS OTHER JAPANESE TRUCK BRAND COUNTERPARTS”

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Operator

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TRUCKS ARE TASKED WITH ALL SORTS OF ROLES IN OUR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS AND ONE OF THOSE HIGHLY NECESSARY DAILY TASKS IS TRANSPORTING THE LP GAS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE NEED FOR DOING EVERYTHING FROM HEATING THEIR HOUSES TO COOKING DINNER AND FUELLING THE BACKYARD BARBIE, OR JUST HAVING A CUPPA IN THE GARDEN WITH THE PORTABLE OUTDOOR HEATER ON—EVEN IN TASMANIA, AND EVEN DURING COVID-19 SELF-ISOLATION. WE TAKE A LOOK AT ONE SUCH OPERATION AT TRB GAS IN THE APPLE ISLE. www.truckandbus.net.au 045

L

iquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is commonly used to do everything from lighting up the grill and powering the portable outdoor heater. LPG is typically supplied in the form of 45 kg gas cylinders, and many households also use LPG for a range of purposes, such as cooking, hot water systems, outdoor heaters, air conditioning refrigerants, and back-up generator applications.

And for the Tassie populace, it is folks like Greg Smith who ensure all households’ LPG needs remain fuelled.

Greg Smith, CEO of TRB Gas, has been transporting gas throughout Tassie for more than 15 years. When he first started TRB Gas, it was with a ute and a trailer, which he used to ferry gas cylinders to customers for home and camping uses—predominantly for the BBQ industry and fuelling outdoor heaters and portable generators.

But that ute-and-trailer set-up only lasted six months.

Greg explained and said, “We saw opportunity for growth, so we got a truck.

Our first truck was the Isuzu FRR 525 (FRR 107-210), followed by the FVR 950 (FVR 165 -300).

“The business grew quickly and we progressed from two trucks to six.”

TRB Gas continued to deliver across Tasmania, from the east coast to the west coast, from the south to the north.

In 2015, the network established by Greg (and Kleenheat Gas) was acquired

by Elgas, one of Australia’s prominent LPG suppliers.

This meant further business growth for TRB Gas, and in order to keep up with the demand, Greg expanded his truck fleet, remaining an Isuzu fan every step of the way.

Greg said, “Since our first FRR, we have been changing our vehicles every five to six years… and we are now on our third generation of Isuzu trucks.”

The third generation of TRB Gas trucks is populated by three spiffy Isuzu FSD 1400-260s, which are definitely working hard even in these tough times.

Despite COVID-19 posing challenges for many industries, as an essential good and service the demand for gas delivery hasn’t stopped: TRB Gas has seen an increase in the demand for LPG deliveries.

“Last month we had a 30% increase in business, which is likely related to COVID19… We are quite fortunate

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“ SINCE OUR FIRST FRR, WE HAVE BEEN CHANGING OUR VEHICLES EVERY FIVE TO SIX YEARS… AND WE ARE NOW ON OUR THIRD GENERATION OF ISUZU TRUCKS”

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to be in the position we are in,” Greg said.

“For us, business is normal. Our operations have remained pretty much the same, as our drivers already do drive alone and have minimal contact with the general public, though of course social distancing measures are put in place.

“All we’ve had to change since COVID-19 is implementing contactless delivery and unloading, and we sign off the forms on behalf of our customers.”

When asked about TRB Gas’s clientele as an Elgas agent, Greg said, “We deliver gas bottles to small businesses, as well as to national contracts and service stations.

“Our bottles are filled in Launceston and transported to the various regions of the state.

“We also ensure that the bottles are faced outward, which makes sure that other road users can see the product we are transporting.”

For TRB Gas, the rise in sales has meant more time on the roads for their fleet of Isuzu FSDs—which, for most, means the risk of more downtime, but Greg said that hasn’t been an issue.

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“Time spent on the road and working is the most important thing for us, so downtime would naturally be a concern.

“But thankfully we haven’t had any downtime at all. My Isuzu trucks are just very good, and the support from Webster Trucks has been really good,” Greg said.

“The team at Webster Trucks services our vehicles on time, all the time, and we’ve had zero downtime. With them, there are no dramas.

“If any of our trucks ever breaks down, we know we have the support of the 24hour roadside assist service, though it’s something we’ve never had to use. That’s why we keep using them.”

When asked about the reason behind choosing the FSD model, Greg said, “We need a premium model for the load that we carry.

“Also, they are very easy to drive and navigate, and this is crucial given that our drivers deliver to cities and around towns.”

Featuring 14,000 kg GVM and 20,000 kg GCM, and 191 kW of power @ 2,400 rpm and 761 Nm of torque @ 1,450–2,400 rpm, the FSD 140-260 definitely has more

than enough power to get the job done.

A typical day for Greg’s team involves seven to eight-hour drives where they drive out with more than 250 gas cylinders and return with empty ones.

Greg said, “For such long hours on the road, comfort for our drivers is also a priority, and the Isuzu FSDs have very comfortable cabins.

“We even fitted the trucks out with fridges so our drivers can take their cold drinks and lunches with them.

“Some of the drivers didn’t want to switch over from the old trucks, but once they drove the new trucks, they didn’t want to give them back,” Greg added with a laugh.

To Greg, taking care of his team by providing the right equipment is top of the list.

“The trucks are their offices, and they deserve the best equipment, and so we get the best of what we can to put in them.

“Most of the guys have been with us for ten years or longer. We don’t have a high turnover, we look after our staff,” Greg said.

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Operator

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WHILE TIPPER DOG RIGS HAVE LONG BEEN DOMINATED BY AMERICAN STYLE TRUCKS, EUROPEANS ARE STARTING TO FIND FAVOUR WITH THE SECTOR, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE WITH ONE OF MELBOURNE’S LEADING SAND, AGGREGATE AND PRE-MIXED CONCRETE SUPPLIERS, WHICH HAS RECENTLY MADE THE SHIFT AND PURCHASED TWO NEW SCANIA G 500 XT TIPPERS TO REPLACE LONG-STANDING AMERICAN TRUCKS. WE TAKE A LOOK AT CENTRAL PRE-MIX TO SEE WHY THEY’VE INITIATED THIS EUROPEAN REVOLUTION.

I

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SURIANO

f you monitor the truck sales charts you will have noticed there is an ever so subtle change in the buying habits of truck operators particularly in some of the heavy duty markets where US trucks have long ruled the roost. The quest for better economy and efficiency and a realisation that the European makers also make trucks that can stand up to harsh treatment has seen the Euros, little by little, capturing more sales.

For Melbourne based Central Pre-Mix Concrete, an integrated concrete and aggregate business operating five concrete plants and a hard rock aggregate quarry serving the metropolitan market in the Victorian capital, the choice of truck has been American for many years.

The concrete plants on the urban fringes – or what used to be urban fringes – are fed from quarries using large tippers and multi- axle dog trailers, hauling around 63-tonnes all up.

Dispatched from the concrete plants in a seemingly unceasing stream of agitators, the pre-mixed concrete ends up everywhere from domestic to civil and industrial building locations, not to mention significant state and national infrastructure projects.

When it came time to review the purchase of a new tranche of vehicles, Central Pre-Mix Concrete, based in the outer northern Melbourne suburb of Campbellfield, determined it was time for a change from the recipe that had been in

place for some considerable time.

For Central Scania’s New Truck Generation G 500 XT 6x4 was the truck that aroused the most interest for the company’s transport supervisor, Luke Aiello.

“We were investigating the market and saw that Scania had a good package on paper in terms of fuel and uptime, and a service package we couldn’t go past,” said Luke Aiello.

“In the current operating environment, we need to have accurate record-keeping of all maintenance performed on the vehicles and be able to demonstrate regular servicing. In addition, we could have our trailers serviced by Scania as well as the trucks at the same time.

“We were also excited by the fact that these trucks are Scania from bumper- tobumper, so we don’t need to chase up individual component suppliers in the event of an issue,” he said.

“Furthermore, the indications on fuel consumption have led us to believe that we should be able to see an improvement on the 1.5 to 1.6 km per litre we have been getting from our existing vehicles, which given the fact these trucks can travel up to 5500 km per week, could potentially deliver us a significant saving on running costs,” her added.

The NTG Scania XT has been welcomed with open arms by many in the construction industry, where robust and rugged vehicles are critical to maintaining uptime.

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The XT-specification of protection for lighting and the front bodywork of the truck, plus the protruding steel bumper, front under run and bash-plate and 40-tonne towing point (and in this case an optional high-riding chassis) have all been appreciated by operators, whose trucks can lead a hard life on sites where space to manoeuvre can be restricted.

Part of the appeal is undoubtedly the wave of torque provided by the most powerful six-cylinder Scania engine, which allows the truck to cope effortlessly with heavy loads. With 2550 Nm of torque at low revs, the G 500 engine is perfectly suited to urban work where there can be a lot of start-stop traffic, requiring the truck to overcome the inertia of more than 60-tonnes several times each working hour.

However most important for Central Pre-Mix was not only the performance of the truck on the road but a view to trim maintenance costs and to bring a safe environment for the company’s drivers.

“With increasing maintenance costs on our existing vehicles, it was time to consider a change.

Central Pre-Mix Concrete employs experienced drivers, who are paired with a particular truck, which helps convey a sense of responsibility and ownership on the drivers. There are two regular drivers per truck as they are double-shifted and run up to six days per week,” Aiello explained.

“We approached the next four drivers due to have their trucks renewed and told them we were buying Scanias and the response was very positive,” he added.

“We have a lot of new features to get to grips with and will have Scania driver trainers out to run us through all of the systems, so that we gain the greatest possible benefit from them. We have not had a retarder before on our trucks, just the service and engine brakes, so the guys will have to learn how to use the retarder.

“We also love the idea that the Scania NTG is the safest truck available, with all the airbags and the active systems such as adaptive cruise control and advanced emergency braking. We are very focused on safety as a business and as a part of the leading construction materials supplier, Adelaide Brighton Limited, our parent company, we are committed to providing a safe place of work for our drivers,” Luke said.

“One of the safety innovations fitted to this new combination of Scania G 500 XT and the BTE tipper and five-axle dog is a pop-up safety prop for when the tipping body is lifted.

This will enhance safety for our operators.”

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Central Pre-Mix Concrete operates modern high-capacity batch plants that supply specialised mixes including topping, foundations, blinding, highstrength, stencil and pattern paving across the greater metropolitan area of Melbourne, and out into the peri-urban areas as well. The company is a subsidiary of Adelaide Brighton Limited, a construction materials supplier of cement and lime, concrete and aggregates and concrete products employs 1,500 people across Australia.

A computerised system loads materials and batches to exact specifications, feeding agitators as small as 0.4 m3 to as large as 7.6 cubic metres.

Scania key account manager for Victoria, Tevfik Onguc explained that when he approached Central Pre-Mix Concrete he did it with an open mind given that they have been a solidly American dominated fleet for many years.

“I met with the company and explained all the features of the new Scanias, including all of our services aimed at maximising uptime and reliability as well as the benefits of our fixed monthly costs for repair and maintenance contracts.

“The team behind the purchasing was excited by the potential savings switching to Scania could offer, as well as the additional safety and driver comfort, visibility and the protection systems built into the Scania NTG range.

“In the modern environment, high profile fleets need to ensure their vehicles are completely roadworthy at all times, which is where benefits such as the protection systems built-in to the NTGs really help maximise uptime.

“You don’t need to have a vehicle off road replacing lights or panels if they haven’t been damaged in the first place.

“We are confident the new Scanias will deliver significant benefits to Central Pre-Mix Concrete and look forward to developing our relationship with them over the long term,” Tevfik said.

Tevfik also believes the Scania Retarder is going to benefit the drivers immensely, along with the quiet and comfortable interiors.

“For drivers running long shifts every day, the comfort of the cab has a direct impact on their wellbeing and fatigue levels,” he said.

Tevfik says Scania will also be showing the drivers how to get the best out of the trucks through the Scania driver training program.

Central Pre Mix transport supervisor Luke Aiello

“FOR DRIVERS RUNNING LONG SHIFTS EVERY DAY, THE COMFORT OF THE CAB HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON THEIR WELLBEING AND FATIGUE LEVELS”

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“Where traditionally drivers may have opted for the most powerful mode and used all the revs, we’ll be able to demonstrate the low-rev high-torque prowess of the Scania engine, which keeps the truck in the green torque band and uses the least fuel, which will really benefit the operator,” Tevfik said.

Central Pre-Mix has combined its new Scania XTs with all aluminium BTE tipper and dog bodies built to comply with PBS running on HML Level 2 permitted routes. The rigs can operate at a gross combination weight of 63-tonnes.

The high-tensile aluminium bodies and fabricated Strenx 700MPa high-strength steel deliver a low tare weight trailer chassis, with the dog having a capacity for 31 cubic metres and the tipper holding 15.5 cubic metres.

The BTE combination also features a V-Orlandi 50 mm tow coupling with an open/closed warning sensor in cabin, Camilleri

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mesh hoop tarps with 24V Powertarps motors and in-cabin switches, SAF Holland Intra Series airbag suspension and disc brake axles including single-axle lift, an EBS braking system and iROS T - Tipper stability sensor, that warns drivers of potentially unsafe lean on the tipper when being raised.

There’s also an EBS transducer – with back-to-cabin gross reader, and the innovative air-actuated body safety props.

Many of these features are integrated into the Scania’s body electronics.

There’s also a Quicksilver plastic floor liner fitted, which prevents product build up and binding as well as providing better abrasion, impact and corrosion resistance, extending the trailer life.

As a final flourish, the combination runs on Jost polished aluminium wheels covered by stainless steel guards, while Narva provides all-round LED lighting.

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LCV

THE LACK OF AN AUTO HAS ARGUABLY HELD THE NICELY STYLED RENAULT TRAFIC BACK IN RECENT YEARS AS MORE AN MORE COMPANIES PREFER A SELF-SHIFTER FOR COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS, HOWEVER THIS STYLISH FRENCH MACHINE NOW HAS A SIX-SPEED AUTO MATED TO A NEW BIGGER TWO-LITRE TURBO DIESEL ALONG WITH SOME GOOD PRICING TO SWEETEN THE PACKAGE.

V

ans are not what they used to be, and we can thank the automotive design engineering gods for that.

When people start chattering about the ‘good old’ days this writer starts to get cold shivers remembering some of the sheer dreadful ‘old’ vehicles that were far from ‘good’. Amidst this flock of awful machines were quite a few vans that as a 20 something I got to drive regularly while working for a fire protection company as a student.

Vans in the early 1980s were quite literally boxes on wheels with the dynamics and stability of a shopping trolley and ride comfort akin to a horse and cart. One particular van was a non-turbo diesel 2200 Mazda that was my regular drive for a while. This nasty piece of work had dual rear wheels and all the charm of an empty cardboard box and about the same aerodynamics and handling. Don’t even get me started on the Nissan Urvan!

It dawned on us the other day when we slipped behind the wheel of Renault’s recently upgraded Trafic van that the

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only thing a modern van with the style and engineering of this Renault has in common with that old Mazda or the Nissan was the name ‘van’.

The current crop of vans, like the Renault Trafic, offer great handling, torque and efficient Euro 6 turbo diesel engines and after a long wait for the Renault, a terrific automatic transmission.

We say a long wait because for quite a while the only gearbox available in the Trafic was a manual. However now a new automatic is in the showrooms, and after a week with this delightful self-shifter we can tell you it makes the Trafic a much nicer and more pleasant drive in urban environs, not that there is too much congestion to test it out in at the moment, during this Covid crisis.

Renault calls its automatic the EDC or Efficient Dual Clutch and this version has been adapted for its commercial van application from Renault’s passenger cars.

It is hard to fault, although one small annoyance with this and in fact most dual clutch autos, is the slight hesitation at start up or when manoeuvring. This however

is balanced by the incredibly smooth and crisp gear shifts that keep the diesel in the torque zone delivering rapid acceleration and fuss free driving.

Mated to the new EDC auto is a larger and more powerful 2.0 litre turbo diesel replacing the smaller 1.6 litre Euro 5 TDi that powered the previous incarnation.

But more on the driveline and performance later, first let’s climb aboard the Trafic and take a look around the cabin at the ergonomics, occupant safety and comfort levels.

It is a workhorse so it’s no surprise that the floors are covered with hardwearing vinyl, while the seats are cloth-trimmed and you get a nicely vinyl trimmed steering wheel, gear selector and handbrake to add a bit to the utilitarian aspects of the Trafic.

While the dash and doors are trimmed in hard plastic, it all has a bit of French chic about it and the overall feel is quite classy.

This is underlined by the big 7.0-inch touchscreen Infotainment screen positioned slam bang in the middle of the dash.

Renault has done a great job with the big infotainment screen, it is easy to read,

relatively easy to use and while I have been critical of vehicle AV systems which don’t have a rotary dial to adjust sound, it does have a volume up and a volume down button on a stalk on the lower right hand side of the steering column. This is a bit hard to find when you first climb behind the wheel, but surprisingly it is very convenient and in some ways even easier than using a dial volume control.

Auto engineers and designers need to remember that driver’s have to be able to attend to things like this without taking eyes off the road, which you can do with a dial or one of Renault’s stalk controls, but not with those ridiculous up down buttons that so many vehicles now use, have a think about it.

The Trafic’s audio system includes AM/FM and Digital radio, and features Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay as well as AndroidAuto connectivity.

The driver’s seat is a good design and very comfortable, which is kind of revolutionary for vans, because many times they are more like park benches than comfortable car seats. Ridiculous really when you consider

the hours that van drivers spend at the wheel, but they have done a really terrific job with the Traffic, the seating is firm and supportive and there is plenty of adjustment with both the steering wheel and the seat so getting a comfortable position is easy.

Being a work van the designers have not missed the opportunity to provide plenty of stowage spots around the cabin including a nice deep tray atop the dash that can carry paper work and delivery pads, great deep door pockets and three cup holders. The cup holders, however, are more suitable to an espresso than a latte grande, not a problem for me, but some may find them a little small. There is also a great work table/pad holder that becomes visible when the centre seat is folded down, a very practical and well thought out design element.

The other practical storage element is the built in dash mounted phone holster that sits between the instrument panel and the infotainment screen. However, a bit like the cup holders the Renault designers have made it for ‘petit’ phones only, our iPhone 8 fitted but only just, larger iPhone X

and 11s may struggle to fit in the cradle.

While the driver gets a good seat the passengers get a two-person bench seat which is not adjustable, but it can be optioned as a single seat instead.

The gear lever is well positioned on a pedestal out of the bottom of the dash and it is easy to flick it across into manual selection if needed and.

The new six-speed dual clutch auto transmission of course comes coupled to the new turbo two-litre which produces max power of 125kW at 3500rpm and 380Nm of torque at 1500rpm. That is a significant increase over the old 1.6 litre with the new engine delivering 22kW and 40Nm more.

On the road the Trafic automatic is a great performer with the engine punching out great power and torque that is perfectly matched to the transmission.

While the new engine delivers a lot more oomph it comes at a small cost with fuel economy slipping a little compared with the old 1.6 litre. Using the official published economy figures the new engine is about 1.1 L/100km thirstier (6.2L/100k on the 1.6ltr compared with 7.3L/100km

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on the 2.0ltr), however this engine loves a bit of throttle and we used more fuel than the official figures, registering 9.8L/100km across our week in and around urban climes.

The updated two-litre diesel is now Euro6 compliant but that means it now uses AdBlue, which is not too much of a chore, as it doesn’t use much of it and is easily replenished. The upside is much cleaner and less environmentally damaging emissions.

We were mostly running with an empty cargo area but did manage to use the capacious rear load area to take a massive 400 kg load of vegetation to the tip.

Interestingly whether loaded or unloaded the ride and handling of the Renault was impressive and a lot more fun to drive than a lot of other vans.

The van has a massive 1.2 tonne payload and that makes it very attractive for a whole bunch of applications and operators and is a lot better than most utes. However while it has a good payload, it only has a braked towing capacity of just 1715kg.

Dynamically the steering is precise and nicely weighed, manoeuvring around the city with ease. The Trafic on test was 5.4m long, so it is never going to be the preferred option for slicing around city back streets but it’s actually not too bad

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and can be quite nippy in city going.

That being said, the Trafic’s 13.2m turning circle could be better and is a lot more than Toyota’s impressive new HiAce. Right behind the passenger compartment is the safety of a sold steel bulkhead that protects the driver and passengers from any flying objects in the load area. It also dulls a lot of the booming that comes from a big empty load space of the vans.

The load area offers 5.2 cubic metres of load space with a length of 1740mm, a width of 1268 mm between the two wheel arches, which means it can take a standard pallet, while for the rest of the load bay it is 1662mm wide.

Loading is easy with two sliding doors on either side of the load area and outward opening barn doors at the back, which can be opened all the way back to allow easy loading by forklift etc. There is also a trap door on the bottom of the left hand side of the bulkhead that can be opened to extend the load area under the passenger seat with safety, increasing the load length to 2.4 metres for things like long lengths of pipe, conduit and timber.

Renault offers Trafic buyers very work and wallet friendly 12 month or 30000km service intervals and Renault has capped the first three services at $599 each and it also caps the price of additional service

items over the capped-price term while the Trafic warranty has it covered for three years with no kilometre cap.

Safety wise the Trafic doesn’t score highly in Euro NCAP only attaining a 3 star rating (there are no Australian figures, so Renault relies on the Euro figures). It is fitted with front and side airbags including a driver’s Thorax airbag, but there are no curtain bags and it doesn’t come with other latest spec safety features like autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning. It does however get stability control, ABS with EBD, EBA, ESC and Hill Start Assist as well as reverse camera.

Still the Renault Trafic is a very pleasant, comfortable and fun van to drive and we feel sure it would be easy to live with as well. The auto has made it easy to drive and is practical and well finished and is keenly priced. As we tested it the Trafic wore a price tag of $43,490 plus on roads taking the total cost to $45,490, which as far as we can tell is about $4000 cheaper than the equivalent in the market leading Toyota HiAce van.

So if you would like your commercial van with a French accent the Renault is certainly worth considering, particularly if you are after something that offers a bit more style, handling and performance.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR COMMERCIAL VAN WITH A FRENCH ACCENT THE RENAULT IS CERTAINLY WORTH CONSIDERING

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Company Car

THE BADGE ON THE DASHBOARD SAYS FIFTY FIVE YEARS, BUT THIS MACHINE HAS NONE OF THE SIGNS OF MIDDLE AGE, SAVE FOR THE FACT THAT IT WEARS THE GALLOPING HORSE EMBLEM OF ITS ESTEEMED FORBEARS AND ITS SHAPE MIMICS THAT OF ITS ANTECEDENTS. GIDDYUP! 060 www.truckandbus.net.au

T

he car of course is the Ford Mustang, and the one we were given to press test clearly commemorates the 55th anniversary of the original model, according to the badge, which means it must be a 2019 model because of course the original Mustang was launched on 21st April 1964. But enough pedantry, there is too much too love and enjoy about this lusty, shapely, later day Muscle Car. It was clear from the time we picked it up that we would not lose the ‘Stang in a crowded car park. The bright luminous colour, known as ‘Grabber Lime’, was very high vis, to say the least, but hey when you are in a car that is as out there as the fastback Mustang you are already going to get plenty of attention.

The Mustang is Australia’s most popular sports coupe, and given the pricing and the performance that buys, it is little wonder.

There were 3948 Mustang sold in Oz last year, meaning it captured just over 44 per cent of the under $80,000 sports car segment and 26 per cent of the overall sports car market. Its success has taken just about everyone by surprise, most notably Ford, which thought a 1000 Mustangs a year would be a good result, but since launch in late 2015, there have been more than 26,000 new Mustangs registered on Australian roads, which is quite astounding.

In terms of value for money it seems a little strange to be talking about value in a car with a price tag starting at $64,190 for the basic five-litre V8 GT Fastback.

But hell, that makes the Mustang $20,000 cheaper than Toyota’s impressive BMW based Supra, $40,000 less than BMW’s M2 and even $13,000 less than Lexus’ F sport RCF350, and in terms of grunt the Mustang wins hands down.

The car we had on test however, wasn’t the basic package. The test car was loaded with extras including the fabulous leather Recaro seats at $3000, MagnaRide suspension at $2750 and another $1650 for that high vis Grabber Lime paint job, combined together with a black shadow pack. At $71,590 all up plus on roads as tested, it is still good value for a machine that packs the punch, looks and equipment that the ‘Stang does.

Speaking of performance that snarling V8 sitting under the bulging bonnet is all muscle. The Ford Coyote overhead cam V8 in the ‘Stang is good for 339kW and a massive 556Nm of torque. It is a good old fuel injected, normally aspirated, bent eight that doesn’t need a turbo or supercharger.

The power plant is good enough to propel the Mustang GT from standing start to 100km/h in around 4.5 seconds, which not so long ago was in the realm of super cars from Ferrari and Lamborghini at a huge price premium.

Part of the key behind that acceleration ability is the impressive, 10-speed paddle shift auto that shifts so smoothly and positively that it quite literally slingshots the car away from rest. The multi-mode performance program features a dragstrip mode that also helps the car achieve that impressive time to 100km/h. I very much doubt, and would challenge anyone, to achieve a time like that using the six speed manual version, such is the speed and capability of the 10-speed auto. The auto is actually a joint Ford-GM development and is a terrific transmission.

The performance is all the more creditable given the car weighs in at 1740kg and is no lightweight, but it sits on the road nicely and with the MagnaRide suspension it really does handle.

Underneath the Mustang are superb 19 inch alloy rims which are 9 inches wide on the front and 9.5 inch on the rear, where the big boots are needed to put the power to the ground and to keep the traction intact, which given the massive power and torque, is no easy or always achievable task.

The Mustang is a rear drive car with tremendous horsepower and torque, capable of a top speed of 260km/h, which means that it is a fairly easy job to feed in too much throttle and find the rear wheels spinning ,as smoke starts to stream from them as traction is severely broken. This is not so much the case in normal mode when traction control and the stability program are in full effectiveness, but if you have selected sport or racetrack mode, then hang on, you could be in for an exciting ride. With that much power the Mustang does need to be treated with caution and it can bite if you’re not really focused and on top of things. But in most cases this is a glorious car to drive, feisty, fast, at times brutal but extremely rewarding.

It is a car that motoring enthusiasts cannot help but fall in love with, the sound, the fury and inside the luxury and comfort, particularly from those optional leather trimmed Recaro seats.

The overall quality of the Mustang is really very good and has improved a huge amount since the car was reborn down under in 2015. It cossets you in the cabin and everything falls easily to hand and while it is hard to hide that growling audio

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sound track from the V8, it is plenty quiet for freeway cruising at the speed limit.

While it is a 2+2, the Mustang’s rear seats are best for children, extremely small adults or as a resting place for soft parcels and jackets. It is hard to get into and out of the back seat and is really not great for four adult passengers for any length of time.

Around the cabin there is plenty of stowage space in the front seat area particularly, with a small console in the armrest, some door pockets and a fairly compact glove box as well as a couple of oversize cup holders in the centre console.

The driver’s seat has a good range of adjustability, is nice for the driver, while the steering wheel is adjustable up and down as well as in and out, so it easy to achieve a really good and comfortable driving position.

Although the passenger compartment is kinda cosy ,the same can’t be said of the boot which can easily swallow a whole pile of luggage, with a 408 litre capacity that can easily accommodate a couple of sets of golf clubs or some decent size suitcases.

While you probably wouldn’t buy the Mustang to win the fuel economy derby, its thirst is not as great as you might imagine.

It is after all a big V8 that can laze along and has the torque to cruise in a high gear at low revs. Ford quotes a combined average of 12.7L/100km and even with a bit of spirited driving and some hard acceleration we still achieved a real world average of 13.6 L/100km. With a 61 litre tank that gives you a 450 km range , maybe even more at highway cruising speed where the tacho would be barely above idle as you amble along at 110km/h.

When it comes to other creature

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comfort there is a superb 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio system, controlled from a big easy to read and use 8.0 inch multimedia touchscreen, which incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as integrated sat nav.

In the driver’s cockpit there is a big digital dash which can be configured to suit your preferences sitting behind the Mustang’s great leather steering wheel.

The ‘Stang does get a lot of fruit, even in the ‘standard’ models, with full LED head and parking lights, rain-sensing wipers, heated and power folding side rear view mirrors, illuminated scuff plates, and my personal favourites, the pony shaped down lights, (or as they are referred to pony ‘puddle’ lamps), illuminating the ground around the doors with the shape of the galloping steed outlined in a shadow on the ground when they are opened or the car is unlocked. You also get the keyless entry and a push button start and RGB LED ambient interior lighting, which is just great.

The Mustang however is much more than the sum of its parts. It has delightful styling, possibly the best retro tribute styling of any car in history. It pays just enough homage to its ancestors from 1965, without being twee and overdone. From that galloping horse badge proudly worn across the grille to the long stylish bonnet to the sweeping fastback and Coke bottle hipline as well as the delightfully styled rear, there is nothing to dislike about the Mustangs looks.

Hit that starter button and the Coyote fires into life with growl, you snick the shifter back into D, squeeze the throttle and it snarls as the revs rise and you move away with urgency and enthusiasm.

The steering is sharp and precise without being over assisted. It can be changed to be more or less sporty in its feel by switching a program button on the dash, but no matter which mode they all feel pretty good.

On a twisting challenging piece of road the ‘Stang laps it up. The car darts and weaves with precision and nimbleness, with that V8 snarling and driving the car forward, exciting your senses with both the video and audio track.

Stand on the anchors, and the big vented four wheel discs pull the car up with confidence, inspiring ease and a lack of fuss. Snick the paddle shift down a couple of gears and the exhaust snaps back with some smile inducing pops and crackles.

What is not to like about all that?

For the safety minded, the Mustang only gets a three star ANCAP rating, However I wouldn’t be too worried by this, sometimes the ANCAP rating can be a bit over-wrought and gives points for things that will not save you in a crash. The car packs eight airbags, as well as having front collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and active cruise as well as stability and traction control so I would not be fretting about the lack of five stars.

Ford offers a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty across all its , vehicles which is really the industry standard these days while you also get 24/7 Roadside Service and capped price servicing for up to 12 years which is pretty reasonable and quite unusual for a performance car.

By our reckoning the Ford Mustang is an awful lot of car and an awful lot of fun for the money and we’d gladly have one sitting in our garage.

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MONEY MATTERS PAUL CLITHROE

TODAY’S FINANCIAL RELIEF CAN COME AT A COST AND WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTMENT DON’T CHASE THE CROWD

T

he COVID-19 pandemic is not just influencing our lives today.

It could impact our finances for many years to come.

In March, the banks announced that home owners facing financial stress had the option to defer mortgage repayments for six months. According to the Australian Banking Association (ABA), that has seen half a million home loans – $175 billion worth of debt – put on pause.

In the last few days, bank regulator APRA has allowed banks to extend their repayment holidays to a maximum of 10 months or until 31 March 2021, whichever comes first.

On top of this, APRA reports that over recent months, super funds have paid out $19 billion to members experiencing financial hardship. In the first week of July alone, 511,000 applications were made to withdraw up to $10,000 out of super – including 346,000 requests from people who’d already withdrawn money before 30 June.

I realise that we are living in difficult times, and taking care of our health and wellbeing is a priority. But putting off mortgage repayments and withdrawing money from super early are steps that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

On the home loan front, deferring repayments doesn’t mean the interest meter stops ticking. Catching up with the accrued interest bill can mean facing higher repayments or an extended loan term once you resume repayments.

The ABA has said that some home owners who earlier took a breather from repayments have started to pick up where they left off. That makes a lot of sense if your budget can handle the cash outflow.

Withdrawing money from super can provide desperately needed cash if you’re facing financial stress. However, it should be seen as a last resort – and not just because it can leave a dent in the value of your final retirement savings.

The Tax Office has warned that it will

take action where people deliberately exploit the option to pull money out of super during COVID-19. And it’s easy to get caught out. The single touch payroll system gives the Tax Office real time data that shows whether people are employed and how much they are being paid. For the record, the Tax Office is also keeping a lookout for people who withdraw from super then recontribute the money to claim a tax deduction.

The main conditions to be eligible for early access to super include being made redundant, having your work hours cut by at least 20% or receiving JobSeeker payments. Fudging a request to access your super early can mean copping penalties of $12,000 or more. So, dipping into your super early is an option – but only if you really need the money.

Mean while Investment markets may be unpredictable but one thing is for sure – each year seems to go by faster.

The only good explanation I’ve ever seen of why the years go by more quickly comes from ancient Greek philosophers. They argued that the sense of time came from new experiences. I get this logic. As we age, the ratio of new experiences to repeats in any year tends to become far less.

When it comes to investment markets, the reality is that, despite a ridiculous amount of media coverage and just about any prediction you care to read, absolutely nothing has changed. The one really good guide to investment markets that has proven incredibly reliable is also very simple. Take a look at where most money is flowing and this will be a very good area to avoid.

When most of your friends, people you’ve never heard of and the media tell you something like property is booming and do not miss out, it will not surprise you to find that prices are soaring. When money charges into shares and you see a big rise in prices, you will see money heading that way.

Over the past few months, vast amounts of money have flowed into cash and term deposits. In a matter of months our household savings ratio has jumped from 3.5% to 5.5% of income. We all understand why: COVID-19 has created considerable uncertainty.

Money in the bank is great for funds you need tomorrow, next month or even next year – or if you just want part of your money to be in a nice safe place. But with interest rates at record lows, quality shares look better and better, which is why the sharemarket is steadily rising despite the massive falls we saw in March.

The pandemic we are facing is challenging. But it does pay to think ahead. It is difficult to hold long-term money in a term deposit at a bit over 2% when I can buy decent shares paying dividends of 4% or more, often with franking credits, meaning tax has already been paid at 30%. Even if the shares do not rise in value, the income alone is higher.

How you invest your money depends upon you, your situation, your time frame, your attitude to risk and so on, so I’ll leave that to you. But take my advice and watch where money is flowing. If it is all flowing to one particular asset class, don’t chase the crowd.

Paul Clitheroe is Chairman of InvestSMART, Chair of the Ecstra Foundation and chief commentator for Money Magazine.

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