Mercedes-Benz Trucks has continued its product offensive in southern Africa with the launch of its eagerly-anticipated new Arocs model. The new specialist vehicle for construction is following on the heels of the new Actros launched last year.
Four new model lines, two for construction and two for distribution, are initially available as part of the first phase of the Arocs product rollout. Maretha Gerber, head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks South Africa, says the second phase of the launch will see more new models being rolled out in the next 12 months.
Two models in the construction range have initially been launched – the Arocs 3336K/36 Tipper Chassis and the Arocs 3236B/51 8x4 Mixer Chassis. The Arocs 3336K/36 is a versatile tipper chassis with a short rear overhang featuring robust planetary axles, a double disc clutch, robust drum brakes, optimised for off-road use and a 16-speed Powershift 3 automated transmission with the “Off-Road Drive” programme as standard.
The Arocs 3236B/51 is an 8x4 concrete mixer with a 35 tonne gross vehicle weight. It features a weight optimised hypoid rear axle, light-weight aluminium fuel tank, disc brakes and aluminium rims to reduce kerb weight and increase payload. This enables the 8x4 mixer chassis to supply 8 m³ of ready-mixed concrete on every trip.
Initially one cab variant is available, the S-Cab ClassicSpace. The ClassicSpace S-Cab is designed for the needs and comfort of the driver in solo operation in short-haul applications, such as hauling run of mine material from the quarry face to the processing plants. It also maximises the space available for body installation behind the cab. With productivity in mind, the cab also features the newly-developed seat concept with seats that have wider cushions for increased driver comfort.
At launch, only the 265kW 12.8-litre OM460 Euro III engine is available with further engine outputs planned for later this year. “The new inline 6-cylinder engine configuration with exhaust gas turbocharger and unit pump line injectors obtains high torque at low engine speeds across a wide engine speed range, contributing to improved driving characteristics and a significant increase in fuel efficiency,” explains Gerber. Due to a combination of factors, Gerber expects the new Arocs to offer 3-5% fuel efficiency improvement compared with its predecessor.
The Mercedes-Benz Arocs range for construction has three design focus areas – reliability, robustness and bodybuilder friendliness. It comes with drive programmes which have been specifically developed for the vehicle’s varied range of applications.
For construction vehicles the ‘Off-Road Drive’ programme is standard. Off-road drive mode offers four driving set-ups – Standard, Economy, Off-road and Manual. The range is optimised for the special requirements of construction site traffic. It supports economic driving styles just as much as improved handling when pulling away or manoeuvring on building sites or when driving slowly along challenging terrain at quarries.
“On gravel roads or off-road, the drive modes offer ideal performance in the respective situation in terms of dynamism when pulling away under high loads, gearshift points and shift dynamics,” explains Gerber.
The application-specific mounting elements provide for a bodybuilder friendly and fast mounting process. All mixer chassis are standard with the mixer mounting brackets and all tipper chassis come standard with the tipper mounting brackets. With the modular bolted frame, the 50mm chassis hole pattern and the new generation Parameterisable Special Module, the turnaround time at a bodybuilder is significantly reduced.
“To give customers peace of mind, the new Arocs for construction comes standard with a 1-year/unlimited kilometre complete vehicle warranty and a 3-year/250,000-km/5,000-hour standard warranty on the powertrain,” concludes Gerber.
