New Actros is centre stage

By Colin Windell

It has been literally 10 years in the making, but the all-new Mercedes-Benz Actros – assembled at the company’s East London plant – is now available and offering up to 7% fuel saving compared to its predecessor and enhanced levels of safety.

All variants have advanced new engines and optimised drivetrain – New Euro III (OM460) and Euro V (OM471) engines with the Mercedes-Benz PowerShift 3 transmission resulting in 50% faster shift times.

The vehicle was tested under extreme local conditions and full loads and returned a fuel saving of 6% in South Africa, this testing part of a global 60-million test kilometres to ensure the Actros was suitable for all environments and temperature conditions.

According to Jasper Hafkamp, Executive Director of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, the company is launching Actros at a time when it sees the potential for solid growth in the long haul market during the second half of this year.

“Since its was firtst launched in 1998 we have sold 25 000 Actros trucks in South Africa and this new one builds on the qualities of reliability, dealer network, total cost of operation and all the elements that made the outgoing one such as success.

“We are now offering flexible service intervals, ensuring that maximum value is utilised out of all service components leading to less wastage and lower maintenance costs, resulting in up to 6% lower maintenance rates and service intervals up to 50 000 km for Euro III and up to 80 000km for Euro V vehicles.

“Five new safety assistant systems are added including Active Brake Assist 4, the world’s first emergency brake assistance system in the transport sector, which can detect moving pedestrians. It is part of the comprehensive list of standard safety equipment on all Fuel Specification (Hazardous Goods) vehicles.”

The engines, transmissions and axles are all designed and manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in-house and all ensure components in the drivetrain can be perfectly matched to each other.

Unlike its predecessor, the new Actros will exclusively be available as a truck-tractor, in both air and steel suspension. Rigid distribution, construction, off-road and specialised application vehicles will be supported by the new Arocs models, which will be available from September 2018.

The new Actros is launched in South Africa with eight new air-suspended models initially. Four 4x2 air-suspended truck-tractors and four 6x4 air-suspended truck-tractors and further steel and air-suspended truck-tractors are to be launched during the second part of the year.

At launch, the new Actros will be available in two engine variants. Two new 12,8-litre 6-cylinder in-line engines available in Euro III and Euro V emission norm.

Although based on proven technology, the new in-line 6-cylinder layout has been optimised and boasts higher torque at lower engine speeds, a broader torque range and optimised auxiliary consumers such as the optimised viscous fan clutch resulting in an impressive overall fuel consumption saving.

The new OM460 engine is available in four engine output ratings from 265 kW up to 330 kW and torque ranging from 1 800 Nm to 2 200 Nm.

The OM471 Euro V engine features the latest engine technology and is the most efficient engine in the new range. The high efficiency of the new 12,8-litre in-line 6-cylinder engine is achieved by the unique common-rail X-Pulse injection system, which has the ability to boost the pressure from 1 160 bar in the common rail system to an injection pressure of up to 2 700 bar in the individual injectors.

This enables an extremely fine spray pattern leading to an optimised combustion cycle. The OM 471 comes with exhaust gas recirculation. Exhaust gases are treated with SCR technology with AdBlue injection. Diesel fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 50 ppm is permitted for these engines.

In comparison to Euro II emission standards, the Euro V emission standards reduce NOx and particulate matter by up to 90%.

The new OM471 engine is available in two engine output ratings of 310 kW up to 330 kW and peak torque from 2 100 Nm to 2 200 Nm.

The Actros models are fitted with Mercedes Powershift 3 fully automated 12-speed transmissions as standard for fast, correct and precise gear changes. The economy drive programme, standard on all on high-way truck tractors ensure a particularly economical driving style. Mercedes Powershift 3 relieves the driver's workload – and therefore also helps to prevent errors.

Extensive wind tunnel testing has also realised a more aerodynamic shape and Hafkamp says every single angle on the Actros has been streamlined.

The windscreen has been further inclined to reduce aerodynamic drag. Roof and side deflectors guide and aid the flow of air over the cabin and trailer and ensure a smoother transition zone reducing wind turbulence and aerodynamic drag.

In a similar way, the side door extensions and air-horns under the cab are all precisely measured to reduce aerodynamic drag and turbulence. Another enhancement in the quest for aerodynamic optimisation is that StreamSpace cabs have no sun visor.

This has been achieved without compromising the driver’s comfort by fitting all StreamSpace cabs with a dark tinted green sun filter band, which minimises sun glare.

The new Actros Standard models are available in Euro III or Euro V engine configurations. In addition to Lane Keeping Assist, driver air bag and Stability Control Assist, which were already standard on its predecessor, the new range is further complemented by additional safety features.

Attention Assist and a seat belt monitor are now standard. The standard models are also equipped with the L-cab StreamSpace 2,5m cabin. Alcoa Aluminium Dura Bright Rims as well as adjustable top and side air-deflectors further complement the high levels of standard equipment specification on these models.

The new Actros Pure is equipped with the same driveline as the standard model but has a reduced scope of standard equipment to address the customer requirement of having a more basic truck yet still an efficient and safe truck.

To this end, a driver air bag and a seat belt monitor are standard safety features on the Pure. The Pure is equipped with steel reinforced rims, Jost 38-C 2” heavy duty fifth wheel and cyclone pre-filter. The Pure features the comfortable L-cab StreamSpace 2 3 m cabin.

The new Actros Fuel specification models address the needs of the hazardous goods operator. In addition to being fully ADR and SANS1518 compliant, they feature additional safety features far in excess of the legal requirements.

This features the most comprehensive list of standard safety equipment on offer. In addition to standard safety features already on-board the new Actros, the models are further enhanced with Active Brake Assist 4, Proximity Control Assist, Roll Control Assist and a red driver’s seatbelt. The Fuel Specification vehicles are standard, depending on application, with either an L-cab ClassicSpace or StreamSpace 2,3 m cabin.

The Active Brake Assist 4 system –  with Proximity Control Assist – initiates emergency braking if there is a risk of a collision and is the world’s first emergency brake assistance system in the transport sector which can also now detect moving pedestrians.

It warns the driver of imminent collisions with pedestrians and automatically initiates partial braking. It is the first system of its type worldwide to perform such functions.

The new Actros comes standard with a 1 year/unlimited kilometre complete vehicle warranty and a 5-year/650 000 km standard warranty on the drivetrain.