Fleetowner 2090 Scania Truck Year Sm
Fleetowner 2090 Scania Truck Year Sm
Fleetowner 2090 Scania Truck Year Sm
Fleetowner 2090 Scania Truck Year Sm
Fleetowner 2090 Scania Truck Year Sm

Scania’s R-series named Truck of the Year

Nov. 20, 2009
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

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.”

About the Author

Brian Straight | Managing Editor

Brian joined Fleet Owner in May 2008 after spending nearly 14 years as sports editor and then managing editor of several daily newspapers.  He and his staff  won more than two dozen major writing and editing awards. Responsible for editing, editorial production functions and deadlines.

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