Monarch Of The Glen
For once we’re not referring to a magnificent 16 point red deer stag, but rather Volvo’s new 16 litre, 700hp tractor unit. John Henderson, our ghillie in the Globetrotter, puts the new range topping FH through a real Highland fling for this special Transport News initial appraisal. MAYBE it’s a sign of me getting older, but it doesn’t seem like that long ago when a truck with a 350hp engine was considered a bit of a luxury. Today though, engines continue to get bigger, alongside being more fuel efficient and when Volvo recently launched their 700hp variant of the FH16, I wondered who, apart from heavy haulage firms, would really need that kind of output. Well the chance to answer that question came in a telephone call from Warwick based, Volvo test maestro Rod Collett. ‘How would you like a fully loaded FH16 700 combination for a day to put as many legally available miles as you like on it?’ he asked, adding ‘and I’ll bring it up to Edinburgh for you to start there.’ At the time this FH700, suitably adorned with the manufacturer’s B1 GFH cherished registration number, was the only one of its type in Britain and I reckoned chances like this don’t arrive at my door often. Our usual Transport News initial appraisal route takes in a short circuit of the central belt using the M8 and the A702 to give a quick reference as to how a particular vehicle performs on motorways and challenging A roads. For the FH700 however, I thought a sterner test may well be appropriate and one that ate up more miles than our carefully measured ‘full Scottish’ circuit, as the big Volvo was currently being bedded in before commencing ‘proper’ media fuel measured trials. After some consideration, a run up to Easter Ross seemed appropriate and the thought of a fish and chips lunch at Skiach Services, Evanton sealed the deal. Oh and by the way, the challenges of the main A9 between Volvo’s Broxburn dealership and the café’ would test the mettle of the big FH too! After several days of rain, the sun was thankfully splitting the trees as I eased the FH700 out of Broxburn’s East Mains Industrial Estate and along to the Newbridge Roundabout. The first thing I noticed about the black liveried Volvo was the smooth traction and acceleration take up as the I-Shift progressed through the gears. Obviously with this amount of power on tap, it’s all about being gently progressive with the throttle movements. Heading for the Forth Road Bridge, I was beginning to get an inkling that I was driving something pretty special. Yes, on the day it was the most powerful production truck on Scotland’s roads, but it was also one of the best sorted and civilised driving experiences there is. In the Volvo’s case huge power does not mean brutal, half shaft bursting rotational physics, more exceptional technological refinement, which when driven defensively and sympathetically, delivers a real ‘wow’ factor. Even with the I-Shift left in full auto mode, I was quickly struck by the lack of gear changes required. After leaving junction 1A on the M9 link south of the Forth crossing, the FH clicked into top gear (12th) and never required another downshift until climbing Friarton Hill on the M90’s south circuit of Perth. On that brae the engagement of 11th was only needed for 30 seconds before it was back to top and business as usual. Had it not been for the ongoing road works at Bankfoot and a stop for photographs near Etteridge, the FH16 700 would have done the entire 100 or so miles between Perth’s Inveralmond Roundabout and Inverness’ Longman Roundabout in top gear without a change. For those unfamiliar with the route, this fact is all the more remarkable as the A9 trunk road cuts through the Cairngorm Mountains, with the route altitude peaking on the two main Drummochter and Slochd summits at 459 and 406 metres above sea level respectively. On the return journey, during the long climb south away from Inverness, we easily kept pace with 7.5 tonners and other artics running empty, whilst the motor dropped to 10th gear on just two occasions. Volvo uses the ATO3112D version of I-Shift in the FH700, which is fitted with an overdrive top gear. The compact unit is also dimensioned for the 3,150Nm of engine torque produced and a general gross combination weight approval of 60 tonnes. With a ballast loaded Gray & Adams triaxle van our combination tipped the scales at just under 44 tonnes and manual intervention of the gear changes was never required during the 352 mile test. On the rare occasions when there were multiple changes required, for example when pulling away from a stop, the I-Shifts were constantly quick and seamless. I’ve raved before about Volvo’s freewheeling I-Roll which subtly disconnects the main gearbox drive when neither acceleration nor deceleration is required and although we were not measuring fuel consumption on the day, this device undoubtedly plays its part in the overall economy figures. The Euro 5, D16G engine is available in 540, 600 or 700hp versions and our top of the range plant developed its maximum output between 1,550 and 1,800rpm. The huge torque is delivered between 1,000 and 1,550rpm. Currently these whopping figures are unmatched by any other European mass production truck and they should certainly be an attractive option for heavy hauliers and contractors abroad who can run 25.25m combinations. Well what of the UK operators I hear you ask? As a reward or a flagship vehicle, the FH700 remains unsurpassed and I suspect that aspiring owner drivers will want one too. The big FH is obviously not a mainstream fleet distribution motor and I doubt if any of the major supermarkets will take any in numbers, but it’s the specialist niche firms that will be attracted to it. Take for example fridge operators in the north of Scotland who already run 600bhp plus units. I would imagine this Volvo would tick a lot of boxes for them. Anyway back to the engine and as in every Volvo I’ve driven, the unit worked away without fuss and it was obviously running well within its designed capacities. Never once during the day did the six cylinder turbo sound stressed or even barely troubled by anything that was thrown at it and having the timing gears at the rear of the block means much less noise feedback into the cab. I suspect that using this truck at 44 ton operation would produce virtually no wear and tear on the DG16 engine, so the 100,000km or once a year oil change interval seems ideally suited. The Volvo Engine Brake (VEB) offers serious alternative retardation and on the long downhill run into Inverness I had the stalk deployed on the ultimate third click for much of the time. The VEB’s power and bite is superb and only an occasional nudge on the service brake was required to keep us within the legal speed limit on the dual carriageway approaching the Highland capital. The standard height chassis was fitted with the usual front/steel, rear air set up and the aft tag axle delivered crisp and accurate handling. The big Globetrotter XL cab is equipped with its own four point suspension and although it soaks up the movements well, the system never makes the driver feel disconnected from chassis feedback. Our example had the standard fuel and AdBlue tanks fixed on the nearside and offside respectively and Volvo offer a comprehensive choice of capacities for both of these reservoirs. Back at the business end a RS1370HV hub reduction axle, with ratio of 3.61:1 turned it all into rotational motion and with a maximum load of 13 tonnes, beside a gross weight combination of 70 tonnes, again this was a component that was barely stressed. The electronically controlled disc brakes proved superb in all applications and the VEB meant that the service units were never really used in anger, but played more of an occasional supporting role on any long downhill sectors. On two occasions sharper retardation was required due to the somewhat unpredictable actions of other drivers and the combination always shaved off speed swiftly and in a straight line. Volvo’s Globetrotter XL cab is no stranger to me and I’ve always rated this penthouse as a most desirable place to work and live. The high quality finishes and the general level of trim leaves you in no doubt that you’re driving a truck well above average. Our steed for testing featured the single bunk option, with slide out fridge beneath and a trio of extra cupboards on the wall above the wide comfortable bed. The leather seats and steering wheel trims are finished in soothing tan and dark purple hues and there’s a wealth of storage for virtually every part of a driver’s kit. Visibility from the cab is excellent and some upper body physical movement is required to see around the albeit improved rear view mirror arms and lenses. All the controls are well located on robust looking switches and the steering wheel graduation and feedback was marked first class in my notebook. Spending the best part of a nine hour shift in the big FH was a real pleasure. The truck’s luxury standards and effortless performance gave me a stress free drive and the driving hours display on the dashboard seemed to accumulate time quickly. Whilst we were on the move there was a fair few admiring glances from other professional HGV drivers and reasonable amount of dropped jaws from other Volvo truck users, the further north we proceeded. On the day of our test staff at the manufacturer’s Broxburn dealership received a good number of enquiries from operators who had spotted our king of the road, asking if it was the real thing or a especially cab wrapped 660hp example! Such was the interest in the FH700, that even in traffic queues, a handful of car drivers in the know, gave us an interested thumbs up. Traffic conditions throughout the day on the A9 were generally light and the only delay incurred was a 20 minute standstill whilst returning south at the road works for revamped Bankfoot junction. Weather conditions were generally fine with light winds and the occasional quick shower passed overhead briskly on the higher parts of the route. In 20 years of HGV driving, I would rate this FH16 700 as one of the best commercial vehicles I’ve ever helmed and I was literally gobsmacked at the power and refinement of this black beauty. I’m sure that other truck manufacturers will now be working on flagship vehicles with similar or increased engine power, but for the present the Volvo FH16 700 is and will remain the ultimate driving experience for some time to come.