Gearing up for Africa

By Colin Windell

In the ramp up to the launch of the new generation Actros and Arocs trucks, Mercedes-Benz is eying economic expert predictions of growth between 2% and 5% in the coming years in the Middle East, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa regions.

Daimler is now taking the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz trucks to more than 40 markets. Until now, customers in these areas have driven trucks of the previous model generation.

In 2017, Daimler was able to sell more than 35 000 vehicles under the Mercedes-Benz and Fuso brand names across the Middle East, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, some 20% more than in the year before.

All in all, since the market launch of the Actros model series in 1996, Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 100 000 Actros across the Middle East and North Africa. Globally, more than 1-million Mercedes-Benz Actros have been sold since 1996.

Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, says: “Our Mercedes-Benz Actros and Arocs have proved that they can be relied on – as our customers do day in, day out, in many markets around the world. A truck has to help a customer do the best job possible. And that is as true in the Middle East and Africa regions as anywhere.

“We are now taking our latest Actros and Arocs models to the markets there, with the aim of leveraging the momentum being experienced across these regions.”

Since the launch of the current generation of the Actros and Arocs series in 2011, Mercedes-Benz has been the leader in the heavy-duty truck sector in Europe. Some 300 000 Actros and Arocs have been delivered to customers there since 2011.

Daimler Trucks now aims to continue this success story by becoming the undisputed number one for commercial vehicles in the growth markets of the Middle East and Africa.

Extreme temperatures of more than 50° C at times, difficult terrain, dust and loads of over 40 tonnes on construction sites or on unsurfaced tracks – these are the challenges faced on a daily basis by Mercedes-Benz trucks in the Middle East and Africa.

The newly introduced Actros and Arocs models have been specifically configured for this sort of environment. Customers can order the vehicles with robust in-line 6-cylinder engines in four different variants – with output ranging from 240 kW through to 460 kW.

Combining any of these with the Mercedes-Benz PowerShift 3 automated transmission gives transport operators a reliable powertrain offering maximum efficiency and ease of handling. Additional features include reinforced frames, robust planetary axles, optimised filter and cooling systems, plus the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz’s hallmark safety and assistance systems, such as Active Brake Assist (ABA4) or adaptive cruise control.

When it comes to the driver’s cab, fleet operators can choose between as many as 22 variants, all of which are noticeably more comfortable and aerodynamically designed than was the case with the previous generation.

In preparing for this market introduction, Mercedes-Benz has put the vehicles through the most intensive programme of testing ever used by the company for trucks. From a base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), experts from the Mercedes-Benz Truck Testing Centre in Stuttgart subjected test vehicles from the two model series to more than 6-million kilometres of testing right across the UAE, under the toughest conditions imaginable – both on and off-road, in very humid conditions and at extreme temperatures of up to more than 50° Celsius, while also carrying extremely heavy loads.

This introduction concerns African markets excluding South Africa and the launch programme for this country will be announced soon.