New 16-litre Arocs put through its paces in outback Australia before hitting the market next year
Ahead of its official launch late next year, Mercedes-Benz has announced its next generation Arocs is being tested in the Western Australian outback.
One of 17 evaluation vehicles travelling around Australia and New Zealand, the Arocs 2663LS is hauling cement powder for Perth-based operator Matic Transport in a road train configuration.
The company is running the prime mover with a 110-tonne load from Western Australia’s capital city to the Wheatstone gas project near the Pilbara town of Onslow, providing Matic’s driver 2,800km to assess the vehicle.
The Arocs’ load will then increase to 150 tonnes, Matic Transport owner Danny Matic says.
“We plan to really make it work hard,” he says.
“This is the heaviest combination we run; it is a long route in a hot climate. You can’t get much tougher than this.”
The driver’s assessment will play a part in fine tuning the vehicle’s settings, Mercedes-Benz truck and bus general manager Justin Whitford says.
“We’ve listened to our customers over the past two years and jointly developed a test pilot program that will ensure our vehicles are best prepared to support their businesses,” he says.
“The feedback from our test group has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re learning everyday as to the world-class ability of our new range.”
The Matic Transport test model features a 16-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo engine, pushing out 625hp and 3,000Nm of torque.
The new range will also be available in 8-, 11- and 13-litre Euro 5 and Euro 6 engine variants, all with Daimler’s new X-Pulse high pressure common rail system.
Mercedes-Benz says the new system reduces fuel consumption and lowers CO2 emissions.
Included in the new line-up is an updated Powershift 3 automated manual transmission, redesigned steering system and a new level floor cabin with increased bunk space.
Also featured is the active brake assist automated emergency braking system, attention assist system and integrated tyre pressure monitoring system.