New Actros. ‘Talking ‘bout a revolution.’

In-depth

22 Dec

Once you’ve seen the new Mercedes-Benz Actros ProCabin you’ll never look at other trucks in quite the same light again.

That said you’ll probably have to look at this Actros more than once, and I’d suggest you do so outside, where it takes on a different persona to indoors for some inexplicable reason.

When I first saw it at the Brisbane Truck Show back in May, I must admit that I was in two minds about it. It was just so different to anything currently on our roads. The truck possesses a totally unique look from any angle.

When I showed my Rita a photo of that truck her comment was, “It looks mean….and tough….and sort of angry. I like it.…a lot!”

I can’t say that that was my first thought at Brisbane but Rita was driving trucks when I was still flogging ads for Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, so her perception is possibly better than mine. And she is a lady who possesses great taste. And I long ago learnt that to say, “You’re right, love,” which has stood me in good stead.

Mercedes-Benz will certainly be hoping that many others agree with Rita’s sentiments because a lot hangs on this futuristic design.

Recently I got to not only take another look at the new Actros, but to drive it as well. The truck for some reason looks much better outdoors than under lights in a pavilion, especially with the Australian designed bull bar added.

This truck is all about saving fuel and one way to do that is to reduce drag. M-B engineers extended the front of the ProCabin by 80mm and shaped and smoothed the front of the truck for maximum aerodynamics to optimise the airflow around and over the vehicle. They sealed the space between cabin and chassis and added a new under-cab spoiler to reduce air turbulence in that area. The design also forces air where it is needed – into the cooling system which, although the grill looks small, is in fact more efficient than the existing models.

There are also new sail-shaped side air deflectors at the rear of the cab and a new roof spoiler. The net result of all this is a 3% saving in fuel which, as any truckie knows, adds up to a lot of money on the bottom line over a year.

Now, this figure is on Euro testing where bullbars are non-existent. M-B Australia commissioned Hilton Manufacturing with their Durabar brand to come up with an effective and as aerodynamic as possible bull bar for the truck, with testing currently underway here. Given it’s a like-for-like situation, it’s safe to assume that that 3% will be easily met.

In addition to the restyled body, the Actros now has new LED headlights with matrix LED’s an option. Interior lighting is all LED with new gooseneck reading lights added. Additional USB-C sockets have been added to the side panels. The dash and multi-media screens remain the same, although the latter is soon to be replaced with wireless Android and Apple connectivity and updated graphics. It will also include a ‘finger ledge’ under the panel to enable easier button function in a moving truck. These are small but valuable additions when your eyes need to be on the road. Voice control will be included and over the air software updates will also be a feature.

All Actros model have been upgraded to Active Brake Assist ‘6’ which is a safety game-changer. This includes five radars (many competitors still only have one) that work in conjunction with the camera to provide a 270º view around the vehicle. The Active Sideguard Assist previously only found on the passenger side is now on both sides. It recognises bikes as well as pedestrians and if turning left, will override you under 20kph if need be. Triangles in the A pillars and on the dash light up if a vehicle is beside the truck – great for pulling back in after overtaking and warning against changing lanes if unsafe. You’d have to be seriously wilful to get into trouble with this truck.

**I challenge anyone to find a better laid out cockpit than the Actros.**

Climbing into the cabin is otherwise familiar and I head through the industrial ‘burbs and onto the open road. Turn on Active Drive Assist 3 and the electric servo motor attached to hydraulic steering comes into play. Now the truck is reading the white lines either side of me.

Want to move a bit left (or right) of centre to get out of ruts? Press a button on the steering wheel and swipe in the direction you wish to move and the truck does it. If you have a medical episode and your hands are off the wheel the Actros flashes the hazards madly, pulls to a stop within the lane, applies the brakes and unlocks the doors.

Everything else about the Actros is as it should be. It is supremely comfortable, quiet, easy to manoeuvre and powerful with its OM473 16 litre engine driving through the tried and proven AMT 12 speed gearbox. I drove this truck around all day, uphill and down dale and not once did I hear or feel that ‘box changing gears. It really is that good. Rated at 106 tons the truck makes light work of a B double.

The Actros has topographic maps and knows the overall weight of the combination meaning the truck will automatically do whatever is needed to save fuel - downshifting before an incline or reducing engine power just before the crest of a hill. If roads aren’t mapped, the truck can actually learn and store them simply by travelling along the road. Clever stuff indeed.

I’m driving home up the Hume the following day and I couldn’t help noticing all the other trucks – current Actros included – and thinking just how antiquated they all looked. Mercedes-Benz has revolutionised the looks of their new Actros and propelled it into the future, leaving all current truck design in its wake by a considerable margin. And I reckon it manages to look mean and angry and tough as well.

If you’re in two minds about its looks, I would urge you to go back and look again. From my first viewing at Brisbane my impression of the new M-B Actros has swung around 180º. I can go home to Rita and can say, “You’re right love!” And mean it.