Mercedes Benz Actros 2011 Truck Review - Cab Overview

It’s not very often we have the launch of a new tractor unit as according to the people “in the know” at Mercedes-Benz, the life cycle of a passenger car is around five to seven years compared to a heavy truck which is over twice as long at 15 years. So a new truck from the Daimler Truck stable is important in its own right but a flagship model makes it even more important!

So in this article, we’ll look at the cab in detail as well as the styling packages and the next article, we look at the range which is quite extensive and the chassis including a look at the whole life costs in more detail.

Cab Overview – It’s all about space!

With names like GigaSpace, BigSpace, StreamSpace and ClassicSpace, you quickly realise this is a very much a modular concept and with that comes the issue about which cab an operator should choose.  In fact, if we take into account the various cab “styles” and “comfort levels”, not to mention widths, roofs and floors, we are reaching an astounding  level of combinations.

Of course, we on this side of the English Channel will not see every available combination, which I feel is a good thing, but should find a choice more appropriate to our types of road transport operation.

With such a comprehensive line-up, we don’t have enough time or space to go into the cab in any major detail as its only 15 years to the next launch!  However, the granddaddy of them all is the GigaSpace, boasting 2.13 m headroom, 2.5m wide flat floor and over 1m3 larger than the current MegaSpace.

In contrast, the entry level “ClassicSpace” has 1.4m headroom, is 2.3m wide and has a tunnel floor and will probably be the cab of choice for the fleet market but that of course, will depend on the application.

Cab Outside/Aerodynamics

According to the Daimler Truck team, the new Actros does pick up on the trends of the current Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and adapts them to the world of commercial vehicles, which has different rules, needs and product lifecycles.

Of course, central to any product coming from the “3 star stable” is the Mercede-Benz star which naturally figures predominately and at night it even lights up! Further prominent features include the V-shaped radiator grille with perforated louvres, and the light cluster incorporating the main and dipped beam as well as the indicators and the daytime driving lights that are integrated in the casing. As an option, the Actros can be equipped with bi-xenon headlamps. The optionally available fog lamps, the cornering light function and the daytime driving lights (optionally available in LED format with a chain of five LEDs) are integrated in the front apron.

The follow-me-home lighting illuminates the way ahead for the drive as the driver leaves the cab and these can be remotely activated on return. As one would expect from a “state of the art” product, Daimler have made extensive use of the latest lighting fashion LED, and this includes optional LED tail lights and position marker lamps in the roof and in the interior.

The Daimler engineers would like you to ”go with the flow” as they believe fluid lines are a hallmark feature of the new Actros, which is why designers often talk about "flow": for instance, the bumper, door wind deflector and entrance merge seamlessly into one another to form a single unit.

One of the top priorities during development of the new Actros was aerodynamics.  As we all know, good aerodynamic design reduces fuel consumption on the road, helps to preserve the environment and saves the operator lots of money straight away. This has been achieved in many ways but includes a pronounced slant of the windscreen to 15 degrees (compared to 12 on the current model) to improve aerodynamics; and the larger BigSpace and GigaSpace cabs have an aerodynamic “nose”, helping to achieve the aerodynamics goal without intruding into the cab space.

The cab shape underwent intensive testing both on computers and in the wind tunnel. The corner panelling at the front left and right diverts the airflow at the cab edges around the cab so as to reduce dirt build-up and also lower the wind resistance
One obvious feature of the Actros from the front is the perforated louvers in the radiator grille for increasing the airflow which is matched to an on-demand cooling system features temperature-sensitive control of the radiator shutters: if a large amount of cooling air is required, they are opened for maximum airflow; when demand for air is lower, they are closed to optimise aerodynamics.

Cab Inside

The interior signals a big change in attitude I feel for Daimler as they are obviously going for the owner driver market as well as their established fleet hunting ground. And this has been achieved by the visually separating the drivers cockpit from the living area.

The cab range includes two widths of 2.3 or 2.5 metres and offers a choice of seven long-distance cabs with Actros the first truck with a compact, 2.3-metre wide cab and a flat floor. Five of the seven cab variants feature a flat floor for the first time and the engine tunnel versions have an intrusion of around 170 mm.

We’ve had Megaspace well this time new Actros has a Gigaspace at almost four metres high and with more than 920 litres more space ( almost a whole cubic metre equivalent to 28 cases of beer incidentally!). This extra space is reflected in a headroom of 2.13 metres throughout and a noticeably larger stowage capacity at 11.6 cubic metres making it the biggest in Europe.

The 2.3-metre wide ClassicSpace version includes a new colour concept for the interior, a multifunction steering wheel and a manually operated roof hatch as standard. All cab versions from the StreamSpace onwards also have an electrically operated tilting sunroof or, as an option, a tilting/sliding glass sunroof.

All versions of the new Actros with a flat floor also include comfort suspension for the cab, which can also be tilted electro-hydraulically. The steps are illuminated, while the door sections are extended downwards. Roller sun blinds, air conditioning and a compressed-air connection for cleaning the cab are likewise part of the extensive standard-equipment package.

In addition, the large BigSpace and GigaSpace cabs feature a comfort suspension seat, carpet between the seats and a sun screen with GigaSpace having a tool stowage box under the cab, fog lamps, an additional drawer in the centre console and stowage flaps above the windscreen.

Separation of the driving from living is very well achieved by using different colours and styling with the area around the cockpit finished in practical anthracite whilst the rear, ceiling and area around the co-driver's seat are appointed in a light almond beige colour. These colours are shared with top-of-the-range passenger cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, CLS and SL.

The driver's seat has been designed specifically for the new Actros with the width of the seat cushion increased by 40mm compared to the previous version and, with an exterior width of 550mm, apparently best in class. There are four different versions of the driver's seat available (rigid seat, suspension seat, comfort suspension seat and climatised suspension seat) as well as three versions of the co-driver's seat (regular seat, comfort suspension seat and climatised suspension seat). The top-of-the-range seat with a massage function (available from 2012 onwards) is unique: at the push of a button, seven air cushions arranged one on top of the other in the backrest pulse for ten minutes. This function helps to relieve tension on very long trips.

Instrument panel

The standard-fit multifunction steering wheel with an easy-grip rim is reminiscent of the one used in the current generation of Mercedes Benz passenger cars in terms of both its look and its control buttons. A foot-operated switch is now used to adjust the steering wheel, while the steering wheel itself has a far greater adjustment angle than in the already tried-and-trusted previous Actros model.

The newly developed instrument cluster incorporates the speedometer and rev counter in the form of large, circular instruments, while smaller circular instruments are integrated for the fuel and coolant-temperature gauges.

Between the instruments, a large colour screen with graphics capability and clear, intuitive menus provides a wealth of information. There are two versions available – one with a width of 10.4 cm and an optional Highline variant which is 12.7 cm wide. If a reversing camera is specified, the images it captures appear on the large central display. Further integrated features include a trip computer for recording all the key data on the current trip. This is also where, as standard, the driver receives short-time analyses and tips about current driving style through the FleetBoard EcoSupport function. 

As mentioned previously, should the driver ever wish to manually override the standard-fit Mercedes PowerShift fully-automated transmission, this is done via a steering column stalk rather than a gear lever – so through-cab access remains unimpeded.
 
Another new function for the new Actros is the start/stop system: customers can order a special multifunction key which performs certain functions to ease the driver's workload, such as the level control on the front or rear axle, display of the tyre inflation pressure, axle loads and fill levels as well as convenience functions such as activation of the auxiliary heater, the auxiliary air conditioning or the radio. 

Entertainment is provided by a radio is positioned within the driver's reach and field of vision.  There is a USB connection and other versions include a CD player or a CD player with Bluetooth connection, while there is also an even higher-spec luxury version available. A numeric keypad makes it easier to operate the telephone functions and the radio. 

All models include Tempmatic air conditioning with automatic temperature control as standard, while automatic climate control with a digital display is available as an option.

Further options include an auxiliary air conditioning system, which stores the cold produced whilst driving to control the temperature in the cab for up to eight hours after driving.

The step lighting and the entrance lights in the door panelling safely light the way into the cab, while two ceiling lights illuminate the interior when stronger lighting is required, for instance when changing clothes.

There’s non-reflective green night lighting when driving in darkness and indirect blue ambient lighting with LED fibre optics between the stowage compartments and the roof for when the driver has stopped.

The comfort bed behind the driver's seat measures 2000 x 750 mm in the models with a 2.3-metre wide cab with the wider 2.5-metre cabs, the dimensions increase to 2200 x 750mm. The comfort bed's full-length seven-zone cold-foam mattresses, which are around eleven centimetres thick, supposedly offer the same level of comfort as a high-quality bed at home. Integrated spacer fabric in the lower area ensures underside ventilation. The ultimate is a PremiumComfort mattress impresses by virtue of its multi-zone structure with integrated tubular elements.

Two different variants are available for the upper bed. The version measuring 2200 x 600 mm with a restraint system can also be used by the co-driver whilst the vehicle is being driven. The wide version (2200 x 750 mm) is like the mattress for the lower bed. If the new Actros is not parked on the flat, the bed can be levelled using a spirit level. 

All versions offer impressive stowage space with a drawer in the centre console can hold A4 papers and above this, large and flat surfaces lend themselves for use with a laptop or a coffee maker.

The two closed compartments under the bed are accessible from outside and inside, plus they are illuminated. These stowage compartments under the bed hold 595 litres in the 2.5-metre wide cab with a flat floor, meaning that it trumps current Actros by around 40 percent and offers a cargo volume on a par with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate. The outside flaps, meanwhile, are large enough for stowing drinks crates, not that truck drivers would want to store beer in their cabs!

Like its predecessor, the new Actros features a towel rail – but now it is wide enough to not have to fold towels.  A shaving mirror is also included once again, although this can now be attached at the driver's preferred location thanks to a bracket. To the side of the driver's door, there is a spectacles compartment, while retractable coat hooks are located to the left and right of the stowage compartments.

Styling Lines and comfort packs

Inspired by their passenger cars, Mercedes-Benz offers the new Actros with styling lines and comfort packs, with the Home line sporting inside door handles with a wood look and trim strips in the cockpit plus there is a leather steering wheel, with the option of a wood/leather steering wheel. Velour carpet inserts between the seats and door panels dotted in almond beige round off the Home line.

The Style line, on the other hand, has chrome-look inside door handles as well as trim strips on the cockpit, steering wheel, ventilation outlets and steering column stalk. Rather than being fashioned from painted plastic, for example, the chrome-style parts are made of real metal with a "Silver Shadow" look.

Velour carpet inserts between the seats and velour interior door panels in black/silver complete the interior. On the outside, there are chrome highlight on the sun screen, chrome covers on the mirror housings, the illuminated Mercedes star, the ambient lighting, the fog lamps and the LED daytime driving lights. Both design and equipment lines feature a white instrument panel and a leather sleeve for the handbrake valve.

The Basic Comfort Pack includes an enhanced central locking system, a two-piece electric roller blind, ambient interior lighting and two-way loudspeakers.

Over and above this, the Classic Comfort Pack includes a lockable stowage compartment above the windscreen, an additional drawer in the centre console, air horns, side roller sun blinds at the top of the door windows, a leather steering wheel and an electrically operated tilting/sliding sunroof.

The Top Comfort Pack additionally includes a sound system, a Highline instrument cluster, a shelf for the roof compartments, automatic climate control, a refrigerator in the drawer under the bed and the famous illuminated Mercedes star in the radiator grille.