After Deeres and Little Party Animals, I spotted a shipload of Big Benzes coming from Germany. Mercedes-Benz is the main brand of the globally operating Daimler Trucks juggernaut, the world’s largest heavy truck manufacturer (commercial vehicles with a GVM over 6 metric tons). In 2018, the company sold 517,300 units.
Let’s zoom in and focus on the Mercedes-Benz part of the ship’s freight.
In the foreground, three Atego chassis-cabs. The Atego is the truck maker’s lightest heavy truck model, it’s right above the Sprinter in the Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle hierarchy.
It ranges from 6.5 to 16 metric tons GVM, so a typical light and medium-duty delivery truck. In Europe, anything above the Sprinter/Transit segment is a COE with a tilt cab and a set back front axle.
In the second row, behind the Ategos, the Actros heavy delivery truck and tractor model (18+ metric tons GVM). Confusingly, formerly known as the Antos.
Next in the first row’s line-up, an Arocs chassis-cab with a tridem axle configuration. It features a steering, liftable, single wheeled rearmost (tag) axle.
The Arocs is a heavy-duty on-/off-road truck, construction sites and forests are its favorite playgrounds.
Big toy for adults, an Arocs 8×8 dump truck. Mercedes-Benz has an outstanding reputation to uphold in the field of AWD trucking. No mishmash of outsourced powertrain components here; the engines, transmissions, transfer cases and drive axles are all in-house products.
Mercedes-Benz offers five different truck diesels: a 5.1 liter inline-four (only in the Atego) and four inline-six power units with a displacement of 7.7, 10.7, 12.8 and 15.6 liter. The maximum power output ranges from 156 to 625 DIN-hp.
Last but not least, a group of big Actros tractors. The Actros model designation is not only used for the heavy delivery trucks and tractors, it’s also the name for the brand’s head honcho. The Mercedes-Benz with the largest and most powerful engines and the largest and most comfortable cab the company can offer.
The updated, current Actros model was introduced in September 2018. By the way, they didn’t forget to install the side view mirrors…
…as there are monitors inside the cab (see A-pillars).
The heaviest-dutiest Actros -and Mercedes-Benz vehicle- on the market is this SLT (Schwer-Last-Transporter), designed and built for all kinds of special haulage up to a GVM of a thundering 250 metric tons.
Atego, Arocs and Actros. Triple-A trucking, Daimler style.
Freightliner. I love it. I think there might also be some other things in this picture, like Fluid Drive and cruise control.
Since the cabs are oriented in different directions, some of the grills might feature western stars.
I’m fascinated by a 15.6 liter I-6. Math tells me each cylinder displaces 2.6 liters! Surely it must be one of the largest pistons in a roadgoing vehicle.
Volvo offers a 16.1 liter inline-6, MAN and Cummins also build 15+ liter inline-6 engines for on-road trucks and tractors. There must be more, I assume for now.
I can hear the Henk Wijngaard. Met de vlam in de pijp…
Luckily there’s enough water around to put the vlam/flame out…
Wow, that’s great music! I just listened to several Henk Wijngaard songs, and other Dutch country songs on YouTube… really liked them a lot, despite not understanding the lyrics. Never knew about Dutch country, so this was a great discovery. Thanks!
Dutch country music and truck driving songs? Wow! Commander Cody and CW McCall, move over.
According to the single’s B-side title, Henk Wijngaard (Hank Vineyard) weighed a healthy 220 lbs (“100 kg, that’s me”).
Impressive machinery and thanks for the quick overview of the range. That on/off road rig is quite the business, I can’t seem to picture the current North American “equivalent” if there even is one.
The Benz features the usual 8×8 configuration, as it has been around for decades. That is, 2 steering axles and a classic rear tandem. MAN and Iveco also offer similar rigs.
Common here is an 8×8 like the Volvo (converted by Terberg Techniek) below. A widespread tridem and 3 of the 4 axles steer. Better weight distribution (and a higher GVM rating) and maneuverability.
I’m fascinated by the missing mirrors on the Actress, sorry, Actros (big performance either way).
I have been waiting for manufacturers to get rid of mirrors since ever video tech became common some years back, but assumed regulations forbad it. Has their been some change in EU regs?
A quick search learned that driving without mirrors is allowed since July 1, 2018 throughout the EU.
…which means that buses and coaches can get rid of the big-insect-looks too.