Iveco set to seal a show-steal

Iveco set to seal a show-steal

There’s a veritable galaxy of camera flashes at the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) every two years, hungry for whatever aces the vehicle manufacturing giants of the world have up their sleeves. One such ace-holder is Iveco.

 

 

Planet earth has done yet another two laps around the sun and with that comes another JIMS – and all the coolness that follows.

Of course, alongside all the cat-suits, concept cars and complimentary baseball caps, JIMS is an opportunity to celebrate anything with wheels and an engine, as well as for industry giants to showcase their plans for the future.

One such company is the Italian truck manufacturer Industrial Vehicles Corporation, better known as Iveco. Italy may perhaps be better known for supercars, superbikes and super-delicious ice cream, but having been around the global block for almost 50 years, Iveco is a manufacturer of choice for many transport companies globally.

The new Trakker model promises to be as bullet-proof as its predecessors.Having missed the previous JIMS, Iveco has set out to impress visitors at this year’s leading expo; the highlight of its comeback being the new Stralis Hi-Way.

Voted the 2013 International Truck of the Year, Iveco’s cab-over has made waves in the international community with its impressive ensemble of technological and ergonomical gizmos and doohickies.

The European Euro-6 version of the Stralis will operate by means of an FPT industrial engine, utilising a high-efficiency selective catalytic reduction (HI-eSCR) system. This makes the Stralis the only heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) on the road today that operates within Euro-6 standards without the use of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system.

As opposed to the regular EGR, which re-circulates a portion of an engine’s exhaust fumes back into the engine’s cylinder, the HI-eSCR converts nitrogen oxides into diatomic nitrogen with the aid of catalyst. For those of us who lack the necessary knowledge of chemistry, what this boils down to, is that the gases emitted by the Stralis are largely natural. The South African version of the truck will feature Euro-5 adaptation, which is considerably better than South Africa’s current minimum emissions standard of Euro 2.

Onboard the new Stralis one will also find the latest IVECONNECT, a seven-inch electronic interface device that allows for constant navigation and information management. For all intents and purposes, the IVECONNECT can be seen as the trucking world’s answer to tablet technology. It not only features various fleet-management and driver-awareness applications, but also allows for entertainment media for the driver.

Safety-wise, the Stralis features an electronic brake system (EBS) with Brake Assist, as well as other ingenuities such as the Lane Departures Warning System, and Adaptive Cruise Control. Another clever feature, Hill Holder, aids the driver during hill starts by preventing the vehicle from rolling for a few seconds when releasing the brake pedal. This feature provides for significantly less slipping of the clutch and tyres.

Little wonder, then, that the Stralis was chosen as the flagship truck for Euro Truck Simulator 2, a highly detailed computer simulator game.

The new Daily will also feature at JIMS, and is set to offer a significant competitive edge.Alongside its flagship truck, Iveco will launch its new Euro-4 Daily minibus, which also comes in a courier van configuration. With a loading volume of 17,2 m2, common-rail fuel injection and a six-speed transmission, the new Daily can carry up to seven tonnes of cargo.

As for safety features, the Daily inherited much of its bigger brother’s driving technology such Hill Holder, and Hydraulic Rear Wheel Boost (HRB) which increases rear-axle brake force when front-axle air brake system (ABS) activity is detected. This in turn significantly reduces the Daily’s braking distance – a major safety benefit.

However, FOCUS expects that what may perhaps steal the show at the Iveco stand (even from the Stralis Hi-Way), is the avant-premiere of its new Eurocargo, which is to be launched in 2014.

Sharing some aesthetics and chassis traits with the Trakker, its off-road twin brother that will also make an appearance at JIMS, the Eurocargo is designed for life on the road. Current new models of the Eurocargo already roll out with a new cabin design, courtesy of the Iveco Style Centre, and with the new launch we hope to see Eurocargo up its game even further in terms of ergonomics and user-friendliness.

While the Eurocargo range has been around since the early nineties, the current models allow body mounting from 3 835 mm to 10 070 mm in length, covering a large range of possibilities for the body building market. Like the Daily, the new local version will feature a Euro-4 engine, albeit considerably more throaty as it comes in 209 kW (280 hp) and 
224 kW (300 hp) version of the Iveco Multipower engine.

All in all, it seems as though Iveco is planning to make its comeback into the JIMS arena something akin to a loud-and-proud KISS concert, boasting the second largest show platform at the prestigious event. It would probably be seen as bad form to spoil what else Iveco has promised to showcase, so the best advice we can give you is: go to JIMS and have a look for yourself.

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Focus on Transport

FOCUS on Transport and Logistics is the oldest and most respected transport and logistics publication in southern Africa.
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