Talking MAN to MAN!
TGS or TGX? What’s the difference? Back in mid-November, Transport News’ John Henderson was the first UK road transport journalist to carry out fully loaded evaluations of right hand drive examples of the new duo. THURSDAY 15 November was one of those days when everything just fell into place. An on-time journey to Crewe and almost empty roads en route to MAN’s Middlewich regional training centre were topped off with clear blue autumn skies and a brace of newly crowned ‘International Truck of the Year 2008’ tractor units to drive. To ensure continuity to our short tests, both chassis’ run were of the 26.440 6x2 BLS specification, which is described in more detail in this month’s Scottish road test and pulled the same loaded trailer, but with the S and X variants of the new TG cab. An hour at the wheel of each was on offer using a variety of A class roads and the M6 motorway in this part of rural Cheshire. MAN’s new contenders were launched back in September 2007 at the manufacturer’s Munich headquarters and although offered with Euro 4 engines for the moment, these striking new vehicles will still be an attractive proposition to those operators wishing to avoid the SCR alternative and its AdBlue requirements. MAN’s rapid rise in the market share statistics for the last 18 months would suggest that EGR is indeed a popular route and this maker’s ‘Add Nothing’ advertising campaign has heightened awareness of their most straightforward cause. The new TGS/X range retains this marque’s reputation as an ‘engineer’s truck’ and is a superb step forward from the previous range which was to many a fine motor, but perhaps slightly basic on the interior fittings and fixtures front. Euro 5 EGR engines for these trucks have already been displayed at the RAI show in Amsterdam and should be available in about a year’s time. TGS First along for testing was the TGS, which is aimed fairly and squarely at the mainstream distribution market. Three cab size options are offered for this truck in the shape of an M day cab, an L standard height sleeper and the LX high roof variant, as fitted to our steed. With a standing height of 1,665mm from the engine tunnel there’s plenty of room in the top option and a useful fold up, hammock style upper bunk also adjusts to form extra storage if required. MAN have always avoided clutter when it comes to control layouts and the latest model is no different with groups of switches logically arranged and supplemented by the multi function steering wheel. There’s a lengthy list of interior options to peruse for the buyer, but the standard supplied trim looks good, is more than comfortable and should prove hard wearing. A trio of power outputs are on offer with the 10.5 litre D20 unit supplying the 400 and 400hp types and there’s the slightly larger D26, whose 12.4 litres give out a useful 480hp. Both engines are six cylinder in-line, with turbocharging and common rail electronic diesel control. Leaving the Middlewich premises meant manoeuvring the TGS and its box van trailer through some narrow security gates and a crowded industrial estate full of HGVs queuing to unload at a brace of major RDCs. My first impressions of the truck were just how precise and well mannered the main controls were, with the throttle movement and response being particularly well set up. No chance to relax on the next part of the route as we crossed over the ever busy M6 at junction 18 and took in some fairly narrow A roads and tight junctions eastbound towards Congleton. This is where automated gear changes come into their own and allow the driver to concentrate on all that’s going on around him or her. The TipMatic set up in the TGS worked away well without any manual intervention, with the gear selection and changing being precise and well timed, delivering good short, snappy shifts. Braking, steering and handling came under the spotlight often as we passed through some fairly challenging local villages and once again the level of fine control offered by these functions impressed me time and again. Visibility from the slightly narrower cab is excellent and the streamlined rear view mirrors and their four lenses contained within, offered good views with a minimum of blind spots thanks to the extra kerbside and front corner glasses. Perhaps it was the truck installing confidence in me, or the roads did indeed become wider and straighter as we headed back towards the motorway for an easy run back up northbound to the Middlewich turn off. Despite being intended for the distribution world, the TGS is in fact a truck that could happily do longer distance work and certainly the LX high roofed example I drove offers great comfort levels for a few nights out a week. The 440 engine never felt out of its depth at 44 tonnes and easily held the pace on all road types and heading back to base I was left mighty impressed with this truck and very keen to get behind the wheel of the TGX! TGX Next for testing was the XXL cabbed top dog, which is the biggest MAN offered for long haul and international operations. In descending order another two cab types are available in this range, in the shape of the XLX and XL respectively, both of which offer attractive driver accommodation. With ten square metres of interior space and two sizeable bunks, the XXL must be one of the biggest cabs on the market and as mentioned earlier I always felt that the earlier TGA version of this range topper was a bit lacking in interior refinements, but MAN has more than made up for this with the latest motor, which is best described as akin to an Audi luxury car. So after a quick swap of trailers and the digital tacho card, it was off on the same circular route to compare notes. As with their predecessor the TGS/X cabs sit on four point air suspension which delivers an ultra smooth driving experience, with minimum nod and roll noted on ‘the big yin.’ The XXL’s glazed windscreen area can rival even the largest touring coaches and an exterior sun visor and interior electric blind kept the welcome but dazzling low winter sun at bay. Needless to say forward and side observations are superb, but with the wider cab and closer mirror mounts, the nearside unit and adjacent A pillar, form a larger than preferred blind spot. This is a problem that is possibly difficult to rectify, even in the design stages as you certainly need good sized mirrors and MAN have worked hard to make them as aerodynamic as possible. Perhaps in the future CCTV and radar will eliminate this issue, but for the time being back in 2007, it meant you just have to stick your neck out a bit more and get some exercise! QUIET RUNNER On the move the TGX and its fitted optional soundproofing kit, together made for one of the quietest trucks I’d ever driven and even at motorway cruising speeds, the primary sounds were the distant wisps of air passing the cab and the tick of my wristwatch! The driving experience was similar to the smaller TGS, with superb refinement on offer from all the controls and functions. MAN’s ‘fleet program’ TipMatic was installed in the bigger truck and its full auto choice does not permit any intervention from the driver. I set out prepared to criticise and dislike this set up, but was soon swayed by the intelligent early shifts and general operation and it never put a foot wrong, despite me trying to catch it off guard more than a few times. Even running at 40mph on two way roads it selected top gear and happily cruised along, without dropping a cog at the bottom of the green band. The performance again of the 440 engine, even with this marginally heavier cab on the chassis was impressive and I was left wondering just what the 480hp version would be like. I’ve always found that MAN’s D2 series engines excel with their meaty flat torque curves while giving greater than anticipated performance and to me the TGX 480 XXL would be the ultimate premier fleet motor or indeed the object of desire for many an owner driver. This new duo met and easily exceeded my high expectations for their individual tests and delivered great performance, safe and predictable handling, along with class leading driver comfort. The future already looks bright for the TGS/TGX range which will no doubt prove attractive to existing and potential new MAN customers. With superbly assembled products like these it’s difficult to predict anything but a greater market share still for the renowned Munich manufacturer.