Scania revamped its R-series of trucks to add more distinctive exterior styling, and to increase productivity and fuel economy. Those changes have paid off, as the R-Series has been named the International Truck of the Year by the European trucking press.
The vehicle, which bested the Volvo FH16 60, MAN’s TGL/TGM 46 and the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter 23, debuted five years ago. Scania has delivered more than 200,000 of the trucks in that time. (View video of the award-winning truck)
“During this extremely challenging time for Europe’s commercial vehicle manufacturers, Scania has delivered a state-of-the-art truck that sets new standards in terms of fuel economy, driveability and overall efficiency,” International Truck of the Year jury chairman Gianenrico Griffini said in a story posted on Roadtransport.com.
According to Scania, the exterior makeover of the R-series included “sharper frontal styling, with more pronounced horizontal lines and a new vertical theme picking up from the window line and recess on the side and running all the way to the bumper [which] accentuates the flowing style and reinforces the Scania identity.”
New grille and bumper designs help with aerodynamics and also increase the availability of adaptive cruise control systems to a wider range of models. Daytime running lights, high-pressure headlamp cleaners and redesigned sideskirts allowing for a larger fuel tank are among some of the other exterior changes.
But changes on the outside are just the beginning for the truck. A new automatic clutch, an electro-hydraulic clutch control and a new strategy for gear selection make up the Scania Opticruise system, which is designed to reduce the environmental impact of the R-series.
Inside, the changes are evident as well. In addition to two separate bed options, including a new pull-out model, new upholstery, a soft-touch dashboard and a wide selection of color combinations are available. The dash includes plenty of storage options, steering wheel buttons, a fold-out table for eating or working while sitting in the passenger seat, and an optional dash-mounted coffee machine for the passenger side of the vehicle.
And when the driver is working, the Scania Driver Support system is there to help. The system assesses a driver’s skills in real time and provides detailed hints on how they can improve their driving for safety and efficiency.
The 22-member judging panel cited the Opticruise system and said the Driver Support system was an “an innovative learning tool capable of providing a continuous and pro-active assessment of a driver out on the road, rating their fuel consumption, driving efficiency and overall road craft with a simple yet effective star rating system which encourages a driver to excel.”
