Premium Bonding
Renault’s ‘long distance’ cab is one our tester is always happy to be reunited with. John Henderson gets along famously with the Premium Euro 5, 450hp tractor on our Scottish route. IN THE last 12 months I’ve tested three Premium ‘long distance’ cabs over various chassis set-ups and there’s definitely something positive in my mindset about climbing in and becoming reacquainted with its uncluttered, business like and sensible layout. The Renault interior is not what I would describe as lavishly opulent, but rather more fit for purpose with a comfortable, practical standard of trim and cleverly designed controls which, with regular use, you surmise can only have been designed by an experienced driver. Our test took place in late August when, after disappointing mid-summer weather, the sun finally began to shine in earnest and with a forecast of slight breezes and 22°C on offer, good climatic conditions were virtually guaranteed for the day. After the usual external and in-cab checks, I set off with purpose northwards on the M74 and within minutes incurred the frustration of the speed limiter induced, ‘moving HGV bubbles!’ Yes the road was busy that morning but I’ve never seen such bad bunching on a test to date, so after a few crowded miles I elected to raise the right foot off the loud pedal a bit and find some clear air and surrounding space. Once settled back in a better place and with the cruise control set at the motorway benchmark of 55mph for our evaluations, I turned part of my concentration to the mechanics of what was working effectively below the relative calm of Renault’s long distance cab. The turbocharged DXi11 engine fitted was of the Euro 5 SCR variety, producing 451hp and 2,140nm of torque from its six in-line cylinders. High pressure fuel injection, through electronically governed pumps give this unit a crisp and responsive feel and as with its distant Swedish relative, the power plant has the timing gears mounted at the back. This mechanical set up is now being adopted by other manufacturers and the reduction in rotational volume from the aforementioned toothed wheels is a positive benefit for the driver. The Premium’s level of interior decibel ingress is good, but never intrusive and you can hear the unit working with its accompanying turbo whistle, but it’s just enough to keep you aware of progress and pace. Behind this engineering ensemble, a Cerametallic single plate clutch feeds the aluminium 16 speed gearbox, with the usual 12 forward and four reverse ratio set up. Our steed for the day was fitted with the latest generation of Optidriver + which has no clutch pedal and is selected and controlled from a stalk on the right side of the steering column. This robotised shift system works superbly and the difference in quicker gearshift times is apparent from its predecessors and after a day’s usage I would rate this system as the best I’ve tested so far. I ran the entire test in full auto mode and never once had to manually override the Optidriver, such is the intelligence and reactivity of the many sensors controlling the unit. This changer also features crawler and manual modes for any outstanding situations, which to me anyway would be few and far between. Last but not least, in the power train is a single reduction hypoid P13170 rear axle, ratio’d on our truck at 2.84:1. Renault also offers a P1395 double reduction axle on the Premium for more challenging applications. A 6x2 tractor unit is always a challenge for manufacturers when it comes to chassis ancillary layouts and Renault have done well with this model to keep it neat and tidy and in line with the high standard of general build. On the nearside an aluminium tank with a capacity of 520 litres has two chequer plate recessed steps in it, allowing the driver safe side access to the catwalk and air line couplings. Across on the offside, a battery box, air tanks and the 60 litre urea reservoir sit neatly in line with a slight air gap between the components. Once clear of North Lanarkshire, the roads became quieter and permitted more constant speed cruising which helped to the get the fuel consumption figure back up to 8.18mpg for the first sector, a reasonable return indeed considering the traffic encountered during the initial 40 minutes of this run. Our two ‘timed’ Perthshire hill climbs were tackled with enthusiasm by the Premium and on the first, Cairnie Brae, I still managed a respectable measured time despite overtaking two slow moving vehicles and the attendant distraction of a bread lorry on its side on the opposite carriageway! Once clear of the fair city of Perth’s southern fringes, an easy run down the almost empty M90 brought us into the lunchtime stop at Kinross services, with a noted journey time of two hours three minutes, which is bang on the expected norm for a 44 tonne rig. The statutory 45 minute break gives time for a more detailed inspection of the cab innards and a chance to thoroughly investigate its well designed layout. Renault offer two different cab size variants with the Premium; a day cab or sleeper, both available with normal or high roofs. When it comes to trim levels there’s a trio of choices with Alliance, Privilege and Excellence versions, the latter obviously sounding and being the top of the range. Our high roofed sleeper had the middle finish, Privilege option fitted and this spec includes bunk storage drawer, superior seats, independent heating and radio remote control amongst its refinements. I particularly liked the moveable head cushion on the ‘comfort’ seats and the single piece bunk, which at 135mm thick looks just the thing for a good’s night’s sleep. Recent figures report that over 90% of trucks are single manned in the UK today and in this cab it’s refreshing to have plenty of space above the bed with no attendant top bunk folded up at a precarious angle. One opportunity Renault may want to consider here is perhaps more modular storage on the rear cab roof area, as these fitments would make the Premium more attractive to the occupant who is away from home all week. Otherwise there’s nothing to fault with this contender as the level of fixtures and fittings, combined with attention to detail all make for a great place to work. On the road the driving control layout design falls easily into your memory pattern and keeping this motor on song through Fife’s many junctions and villages was an easy task. A total of four steering column stalks and the attendant radio remote switches all sound like a bit too much around the wheel and its been reported by some to be mildly confusing. Just remember the proof of the pudding is in the eating! After just a short time driving, the logic of these stalks becomes apparent as their angled locations and variable sizes mean you don’t need to take your eyes off the road to operate them. This leaves a minimum in the way of switches in the angled centre console and on the overhead panel, but that’s a good thing as you’re not often distracted looking around for a button to pick or click. My only observation with this set up is that Renault should experiment with a slightly smaller steering wheel. This would make these talked about stalk controls seemingly more visible and would increase their physical presence, taking away any initial concerns from the casual observer. A few sighs of relief were in order as, after the second stop south of the Forth Road Bridge, I tackled the A8000 for what would be the last time! The usual stop/start crawl through this area will be something I will not miss on Transport News trials. At the time of writing the new M9 link is now fully open and although it adds an extra 1.1 miles to the last third of the test, it should save a few minutes journey time and hopefully help this writer’s stress levels too! The Euro 5 Premium worked hard on the climbs away from the Edinburgh City Bypass and although 450hp is generally accepted as the entry level for 44 tonne running these days, it coped admirably with what was asked from it during the longish ascents. The power assisted steering has a kerb to kerb turning radius of 11.78m and is generally excellent in road operation, with smooth turns and moderate levels of feedback offered continually. Front parabolic springs and rear air suspension units were fitted on the back brace of axles and these proved up to the job with stable handling delivered during the whole day. This set up can sometimes be slightly on the harsh side for the driver above these steel made components, but the Premium’s electronically controlled system offers vehicle height to be managed and complements this tandem type combination well. Looking at the 7mm thick chassis installation from a mechanic’s point of view, this truck is all about quality engineering with all the main drive line, dampening and other technical components fitted with skill and thought. The test truck came with a VBG/Fontaine sliding fifth wheel offering 13 different positions in 37.5mm steps, which should satisfy just about any kind of trailer coupling requirement. The undulating A702 Biggar road always provides a great test arena for the braking and retardation units and Renault’s all-disc electronically operated anchors worked way within their powerful capacity even on this most demanding sector. Pedal application always brought in quick, clean and efficient stopping with no hint of any fade or drift. The Optibrake retarder is an effective mix of exhaust and valve compression brakes and provides excellent mechanically powered slowing alongside the main service units. Situated in the 10 o’clock position, it’s easy to reach from the wheel and frequent use whilst on the move soon becomes second nature. The fine weather on the day was a boost to the Scottish farming community with plenty of combine harvesters spotted at work bringing in the cereal crops. The downside of this activity means more slow moving agricultural vehicles on the road and the run back to Abington was temporarily hindered a couple of times. Nevertheless once on my way again, I still managed to post a 1 hour 19 minute stage time, but the fuel figure again took a slight blow dropping to a level that could, without interruption, have been better and the overall traffic affected result of 7.38mpg on the day is not a true reflection on this truck’s many abilities. Over the last two years the revamped and Top Truck Award winning Renault Premium range has written a new chapter in this French maker’s reputation, with customer perception and acceptance of this truck model rightly now being at an all time high. This 450hp, Euro 5 6x2 tractor delivers the goods in a focused, common sense way, with impressive engineering, power and payload factors, combined with real driver appeal. The Premium has proved its worth as the profitable work horse and the backbone of many a fleet and operators purchasing one as a trial have usually gone on to order more, such is its impact on them. The important thing with a Renault is taking the time to get to know and live with the product. Yes, it may be slightly differently designed from what some haulage contractors and own account firms are used to, but that’s no bad thing, - its called progress! Many fleet managers, accountants, mechanics and drivers live easily with the Premium and this is a bond that appears to pay big dividends on a regular basis.