SECTOR Heavy truck  GVW 41.0 tonnes  ENGINE 7.7, 10.7, 12.8 and 15.6-litre Euro-VI, 238-625hp

After a new Actros long-distance truck and then the Antos – a completely new heavy short-radius distribution range – both launched in 2012, Mercedes-Benz has now uncovered its Actros/Axor replacement for the construction industry. Yet another made-up name beginning with “A”, it’s the Arocs.

It will have big shoes to fill and the proliferation of engines, cab panels and transmissions reflects the range of international components in the Daimler garage. Spanning the gulf between 18 and 41 tonnes, it starts with an entry-level 4×2 two-axle rigid with 238hp, and climbs to a rarefied 8×8 chassis with 625hp and 3,000Nm of torque. Between the pair, there lies as comprehensive a range of tipper, mixer, aggregate and muck-away chassis as is available anywhere. 

With the preceding ranges of the last year or two launched and in service, the Arocs could be said to have already existed, but not all assembled in the same place. Cab shells and panels – except for the frontal design specific to the Arocs – engines, gearboxes and much of the final drive gear already exist and they are establishing a sound track record.

Most notable, certainly for the construction sector, is the standardisation on an AMT (automated manual transmission). A manual three-pedal affair is available, but only as a cost option. The tables have finally turned for the manual box in one of the last hold-outs, construction. 14 cab sizes and 16 power outputs from four engine displacements cover all needs, and a few more. There are even “posh” flat-floor cab variants, hitherto the preserve of the long-distance men.

In addition to the new range, the Munich launch also heralded the 15.6-litre OM473 engine that is the natural successor to the old portly Mercedes V8s of yore. This engine is now also officially available in the new Actros, completing that line-up.

Men are also on the move in the international management hierarchy of Daimler’s truck division. Stefan Buchner, previously responsible for global power trains at Daimler trucks, has now stepped up to take over as head of Mercedes-Benz trucks, reporting to Daimler board member Andreas Renschler. Buchner replaces the urbane Hubertus Troska, who has moved to manage Daimler’s operations in China. Industry-watchers predict that he will return to Stuttgart in an even higher position at some future stage. But the timing of his latest career “wash-and-spin” cycle will depend on the vagaries of China’s automotive market.

As with previous truck ranges, there are variants that aim at customers for whom every ounce of payload has an impact on the balance sheet. Others need the carrying capacity for sure, but they also want a bomb-proof build that will soak up abuse. For these two client bases the Arocs comes in the quaintly named “Loader” and “Grounder” versions. Genteel marketing language describes the Loader as ‘payload-optimised’. Hard-bitten fleet buyers would probably call it ‘stripped-out’, but that would not be a criticism. The Arocs “Loader” 8×4/4 32-tonne cement mixer chassis claims a kerb weight of 9,250kg, and a payload that reaches that benchmark eight cubic metres of concrete.

A raft of measures to cut kerb weight includes chassis frames in different widths and thicknesses, aluminium wheels, tanks and air reservoirs and even a practical cab that deletes the passenger seat.

The new range will be on show at the UK CV show in April, where Mercedes will also unveil the new Atego light truck. Arocs production begins in May.

Verdict

Arocs helps to give Mercedes-Benz the most modern truck range in Europe. Comprehensive driveline, chassis and cab options will increase its competiveness.