MANchester MANoeuvres
MAN’s 7.5 and 12 tonne, Euro 5 TGL models come under the Transport News initial appraisal spotlight. Our own man about town, John Henderson tries both of these EGR contenders in and around the Mancunian metropolis. WHATEVER the commercial vehicle sales forecasts for 2010 hold, one thing is for certain. MAN Truck & Bus certainly mean business this year and despite January’s unpredictable wintery weather, the Munich manufacturer’s UK staff took the honour of being first out of the blocks to offer some New Year trade press driving impressions. A chance to spend some time behind the wheel of the 7.5 and 12 tonne versions of their TGL model, saw me head for Lancaster where the plan was to drive the lighter of the two down to MAN’s new showcase Trafford Park premises and return back to the county town of Lancashire in the bigger vehicle. Both runs would include some urban driving at both ends and a good motorway section in between. MAN’s 7.5 tonner is no stranger to me as over the years I’ve driven several and always been happy with their overall performance. The TGL 7.180 4x2 BB for trialling featured the restyled cab, with its black glass and chrome grill. As with its big brothers this feature, together with some subtle aerodynamic lines, makes this marque amongst the most striking and best looking trucks on the market - in my humble opinion. After the usual walk round and pre driving checks, it was off through town to head for an industrial estate beside the River Lune which contains plenty of open spaces for photographs. Lancaster’s centre has plenty of narrow lanes, tight corners and all the usual urban traffic conditions, so these immediately put my concentration levels into a good, sharp focus. One thing that was evident right from the off, was a feeling of unstressed and relaxed progress. The Euro 5, four cylinder engine is incredibly smooth in operation and despite being loaded with ballast to around the 7.2 tonne mark, it honestly felt as if the truck was running empty. Readers of a certain age will remember when a 180hp engine was the standard fitment in an articulated lorry, usually an ERF/Gardner combination, so perhaps this equally powerful 7.5 tonner should indeed feel well on top of the job. The latest versions of the EGR power plant feature two stage turbochargers which really make a difference to the width of the torque band and logically the programming for the six speed, Tipmatic gearbox behind have been fine tuned to suit. The end result is an engine which never seems to over rev and scream its head off, as gear shifts come in early and make the most of the low end grunt. This one factor seems to relax the driver somewhat and encourage a smoother driving style. The 4.6 litre block delivers its 180hp at 2,400rpm whilst producing 700Nm of torque at the relatively low figure of 1,400rpm. In addition to the attraction of requiring no AdBlue, EEV variants are also available for the carbon conscious. Common rail electronic diesel control (EDC), an exhaust brake and on-board diagnostics with NOX controls also form part of the impressive standard specification. MAN customers requiring slightly less or more horsepower could opt for the 150 or 220hp options of the four cylinder diesel. The Munich builder is rightly marketing its EGR, Euro 5 engines as ‘Pure Diesel,’ and this strategy will certainly prove popular to those wanting a well engineered truck which requires no extra urea additives. Around town the TGL is easy to manoeuvre thanks to good visibility from its basic C day cab and a predictable steering set up. Despite having the ‘Full Monty’ complement of four rear view, kerbside and blind spot mirror lenses there’s enough glazing in this MAN to permit the driver good views in and around the areas adjacent to the mounting arms of these reflecting units. The C300 Servocom hydraulically assisted steering is not too light or heavy in operation and I quickly adjusted to its bite and turn. After the obligatory picture taking, I headed for junction 34 of the M6 for the run down to Trafford Park. Taking into account a strong northerly tailwind, the TGL displayed punchy acceleration on the main road and was up to its governed 56mph in no time at all. With the cruise control deployed it was easy to settle down on the relatively quiet stretches and just concentrate on traffic around me. The six ratios on the 6S800 OD gearbox are well spaced and correctly matched to the rear axle ratio of 3.36:1. Overhead bridge works at Galgate meant a 50mph speed restriction, so I used the useful speed limiter button to keep me legal and away from the flash of the attendant speed cameras. All the TGL’s main controls are well placed within easy reach for the driver and their good design layout means you remember where they are located pretty quickly. The Tipmatic drive/reverse switch and the parking brake are located left of the driver’s seat, but do not interfere with cross cab access. Storage in the basic day version is good with the usual dash and door areas, complemented by racks over the windscreen. My thing about coat hangers has been mentioned in these pages before and the MAN scored full marks with a pair of good sized hooks mounted on its rear cab wall which utilised the free space behind the seats. Bravo! Traffic levels increased the nearer I got to Manchester and the M60 ring route was its usual manic self. The amount of junctions and lane changes required here, keep truck drivers on their toes and I found handling and braking coming under a sharper focus. This 7.5 tonne TGL was equipped with steel parabolic springs front and rear which are aided by shock absorbers and stabiliser bars. Admittedly my load of ballast had a low centre of gravity, but taking that into account the general road holding was always superb and predictable even on the tightest of corners. MAN offer seven different wheelbases on this 7.5 tonner, which range from 3,300 to 5,200mm and our example measured up at 4,500mm. Braking comes from all round discs which include EBS and ABS and the pedal graduation was first class, with a reassuring swift bite. The late decisions of a couple of motorists brought in a sharper push of the anchors, but the MAN never wavered or felt unbalanced. The engine exhaust brake was used on a few occasions and proved relatively competent for a vehicle of this size. A quick swap of my gear and digital tacho card at Trafford Park saw me onboard the TGL 12.250 4x2 BL for the return drive north. The LX long haul sleeper cab is the top choice in this particular model range and it’s hard to believe you’re still in a TGL as, with its high roof and two bunks, you could be forgiven for thinking you are at the wheel of a 44 tonner. Only a glance in the rear view mirror reminded me there was a seven metre box body with tail lift behind, albeit sporting a slightly larger rear axle overhang than usual to compensate for this roomier driver’s office. A welcome 1,665mm of vertical space between the low engine cover and roof, means there’s plenty of room to live for the driver who’s away for a few nights. One clever device is the adjustable top bunk which can be used as a proper bed, luggage rack, or just folded away if not required. Air suspension features in the driver’s seat and the rear cab mountings, so comfort levels are vastly improved over the adequate levels of the 7.5 tonner I’d just stepped out of. In addition to the day and LX cabs, MAN also offer an ‘L’ distribution sleeper type and a DK crew cab on the TGL range, the latter of which seats up to seven people including the driver. Heading out onto the M60 through the busy roundabouts of Dumplington was more of a baptism of fire with this 12 tonner and the stop/starting at various traffic light controlled circular intersections kept the Tipmatic changes frequent and warmed up the gearbox oil quickly. The 12.250 model features a 12 speed gearbox and just like its wee brother, the ratios are well spaced and programmed nicely into the engine’s power and torque bands. MAN’s automated gearbox system has evolved swiftly over the years and now must be ranked amongst the best on offer. Ratio changes are quick, smooth and intelligent, so use of the manual mode on the right hand steering column stalk was never needed throughout the day. Running at 12 tonnes with 250hp on tap via the two stage turbocharged engine, meant acceleration times were nippy to say the least and the Tipmatic box kept up well, particularly when my right foot was to the floor joining busy motorways flows from seemingly short slip roads. Once again an axle ratio of 3.36:1 proved slickly suited to the components up front. Our steed’s top six cylinder engine choice develops its 250hp at 2,300rpm, whilst the 1,000Nm of torque peaks between 1,200 and 1,750rpm. The previously mentioned four pot power plants with outputs of 180 and 220hp are also on offer in this 12 tonner, together with the quartet of cab types. As with its smaller sibling, the straight six features EGR, common rail EDC and an exhaust brake, whilst an EEV version of this straight six is optional. Heading up onto the high viaduct over the Manchester Ship Canal, the full force of the brisk north wind caught us and put a fair old test on the abilities of the front steel/rear air suspension. Although there was continual buffeting from passing HGVs and on exposed road sections, the chassis and mounted box body soaked it all up well, particularly with the resultant sudden weight transfers and cornering in general. Therefore it goes almost without saying that the handling of this 4x2 installs a good level of trust and confidence in its driver. Leaving the M6 at junction 33 gave me around five miles of running on the old A6 trunk road before returning to Lancaster. The more variable traffic conditions here saw a greater emphasis on braking during the last 15 minutes of this drive and again the MAN’s anchors seemed barely troubled by any strength of pedal request. The full air EBS operated system features an air dryer and asbestos free lining on the disc pads. Again, this set up installs great faith in the user. This size of MAN rigid truck is ideal for the operator who cubes out before they weigh out, such as packing manufacturers or clothing transporters and this demonstrator had already won a few friends on nationwide deliveries of these cargoes. Build quality in both of these rigids was truly first class and in my opinion ranks MAN right up amongst the best in the business. MAN’s TGL range provides a top quality option for a wide range of transport tasks between 7.5 and 12 tonnes. These days no new vehicle is cheap, regardless of what badge is on the front, but with these two trucks I feel you really get top value for money with what you’ll pay for them. If maintained and looked after properly, there’s no reason why the beautifully engineered TGLs should not deliver many years of sterling service and during that time pay back the owner with reliability and running costs which must be amongst the cheapest on offer in these particular weight ranges. The TGL acronym may well stand for The Good Life!