Riding along on a 2017 Volvo FH truck and GS Meppel center-axle trailer, two brand spanking new Scania trucks, straight from the Zwolle plant in the Netherlands, the truck maker’s largest and most modern European production facility.
Sitting on the combination’s front deck, a Scania R-series 6×2 chassis-cab, powered by a 16.4 liter V8.
Historically, competition between these Swedish manufacturers has always been close. Really close.
The R-series’ dashboard. Sending good, SAABish vibes.
For comparison, this is Scania’s latest, digital Smart Dash.
Two brothers, standing back-to-back.
A Scania 460P 8×2 chassis-cab is relaxing on the rear deck.
It’s powered by Scania’s latest entry in the crucial 13 liter turbodiesel class, the 12.7 liter ‘Super’ engine, a MAN & Scania co-development. Also known as the D13C, Mama Traton’s world engine. Therefore, you can also find it under the cab hood of new, heavy-duty Internationals (where the engine is filed under S13).
Right-hand drive, and with the letters GB printed on the paper behind the windshield. I’d say the 460P is about to leave the Continent. As an aside, straight cabover trucks with an 8×2 or 8×4 axle configuration have been commonplace in the UK for many decades.
Very neat too, the dashboard of the current P-series.
Scania’s sweeping curve dash design dates back to 1987, when their beloved 3-series of cabovers and conventionals were introduced: the 93, 113, and the 143 V8.
The current model generation was unveiled in 2016, almost 30 years after the arrival of the 3-series. Undeniably, it’s not only the dashboard that still speaks the same design language.
Related article (zooming in on the same combination, hauling three Volvo tractors):
Must confess I thought the first pic might be of some umentionable truck mating ritual that Our Man in Holland had put up by accident from his private collection, but then I realized the problem was all mine.
(The very old joke is about the fellow who’s shown successive Rorsharch – or ink-blot – tests by a psychologist and asked what comes to mind, only to answer to every single one that it looks to him like two people having intercourse: which leads to the psych saying eventually “My god, man, you’re just obsessed with sex!”, to which he replied “I am not! YOU’RE the one with all the dirty pictures!” But I digress).
If this delivery was in the US, no trailers would be involved. A fifth-wheel kingpin is bolted to the truck front axle and the driveshaft(s) are removed. It looks like this:
‘Piggybacking’, don’t show it to justy!
A major point of attention here is the cab height of the top segment cabover trucks and tractors. For example, that’s 3.95m/almost 13ft for the S-series cab (last picture in the article, the one with the all-black grille).
The Zandbergen company delivers new Scanias all over Europe. The combination below hauls two straight trucks and one tractor. Watch the carrier’s aftermarket cab cut-out (photo courtesy of Zandbergen transport fans).
Once again, Johannes, you come through with interesting truck information for the old former truck salesperson. The dashboard is impressive because of the neat layout with gauges ahead of the driver with no blockage for line of sight. The remaining controls are accessible, and it appears that the visibility to the road is unimpeded. Interesting to note that International is using the 12.7 Litre Diesel. Thanks for the information.
According to a Dutch website (article dated February 29, 2024), the most powerful version of the 12.7 liter ‘Super’ engine in an International is 515 hp. The engine brake, Opticruise automated manual transmission, and the drive shaft are also Scania-based. The production of the ‘S13’ (the designation in the US) components will take place in Mexico.