RDean58 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I was driving home last week on the Washington D.C.beltway when I saw this on the other side heading south! I was quite shocked to see it to be honest, as I know these trucks are European. The truck & trailer were grey and the trailer had a swoopy looking car outline on the back. I didn't see any lettering so I can't tell you what it was carrying. I did just learn that Volkswagen has bought up 30% of MAN trucks, so maybe there is some type of promotion going on where they would want to use one of their new MAN trucks in the states. Anyone care to guess? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Interesting. Was it badged a MAN of VW? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDean58 Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 It was badged as a MAN. At first I couldn't believe it so I had to look at the badging again to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 The plot thickens! I really don't think this truck will sell well over here unless they put a hood on it. Let's face it, COEs just aren't that popular here un the US. Even it they market them in congested Northeast cities (Boston, New York City, Newark, etc), I still don't think they'll sell very well. I could be wrong, If they do sell well, I don't think it will take PACCAR or Volvo AB long to jump on the band wagon. PACCAR might start importing DAF XFs to rebadge them as Peterbilts & Kenworths, or just leave them DAFs. Who knows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBad Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Do you think women drivers are going to like this MAN truck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scale trucker Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 my local vw dealer has one out back that looks like a 10 wheel parts delivery truck.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBad Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Well, those who didn't like the Astro - Titan because of their huge windshields might not like this one either... It must have near perfect visibility though. Idon't know, but except for the Volvo VN's I don't like the styling of other country's trucks, especially Hino's... What a major eyesore! Edited March 9, 2012 by Z06Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayton Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Been looking for this day too happen. Edited March 9, 2012 by clayton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapazleo Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I seem to remember MAN bringing some trucks to Canada years ago for evaluation. Who knows on this deal, Scania tried selling here with no success. Volvo also tried with no success till they bought White. Very interesting ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapazleo Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Maybe their testing the latest Maxforce engine for their partner Navistar ha ha . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDA Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Stationed in Europe for 10 years, I had the opportunity to drive a Mercedes, Actros 1843, and a Scania 420. Compared to the American cab overs, these trucks ride and operate very smooth! The Europeans make up in comfort, and efficiency, for the lack of extended hoods, and 53 foot trailers! Also all you hear when they pass, is the hum of the tires! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapazleo Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 European trucks are certainly highly engineered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagoneer81 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 As a former OTR driver, I'd have no issues about running cross country in one of these... Looks like a good truck to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit1 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 especially Hino's... What a major eyesore! Not really when your use to seeing them everyday!....the plant that assembles them is right across the river from me and they come over here to the local gas and goods to fill up the tanks....with 4 or 5 on the back of one rolling down the highway while there is two long nose petes that have them piled like that on the back of a drop deck!....while in the midst there is an ol 84 lumber building that is now home to FONTAINE bodies for those trucks just across the street literally!....so they are comming on as nice trucks when you see them everyday now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kostas Parchas Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Hi, The pictured MAN is the model TGX and the cab is the XXL. This truck is the flagship of MAN trucks and it can be equiped with MAN engines with up to 680hp. It is a state of the art EU long distance truck and at the moment the XXL cab is the bigest cab in Europe, if I am correct it is 12 cybic meters. As it metioned above, European trucks are made to provide high level of comfort to the driver, the cab floor is flat (no dog house) there are 2 beds and the space in the cab is enough to stand up. Because the hard EU laws about dimentions all European trucks has to be COEs. About the engines and their horsepower average, the new form Euro6 puts them in very very low emissions and high fuel savings. We have a ''big race'' over here between SCANIA and VOLVO about horsepower, SCANIA at the moment is up to 730hp and VOLVO was at 750hp. It may sounds to much power to you but believe it or no, with these horsepowers you can save fuels and fuel saving means more Euros/USD in the pocket... Closing, I am sure it should be strange to see these trucks in the US highways... Kostas. Edited March 9, 2012 by Kostas Parchas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckyr Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 European trucks are certainly highly engineered. European trucks are certainly highly engineered. Over engineered for North America. Euro trucks use some technologies that are beyond what North American trucks use such as diisc brakes and until recently, synchromesh transmissions. Euro trucks are too complicated for the North American market. Many Euro manufactures tried many times in the past to conquerer the North American market with their Euro designs only to fail. The Volvo F86 in the early 1970s, the Mercedes Benz L series of the late 1960s and Scania trucks of the 1980s are just a few examples that have come and gone. Euro trucks seem to be successful in South America, Australia and South Africa along side North American trucks, but some how haven't captured the interests of the American and Canadian trucking industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckyr Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Been looking for this day too happen. They offer MAN and Scania trucks in Mexico. If you live along the southern US, Mexico border, I'm sure they are a not-so-common site. Thanks to NAFTA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle2159 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Why not trucks European home in america!! with us in Europe we meet regularly US trucks, I met last week these trucks, at home in France. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I also think that the over engineered design of European trucks is the reason why the North American market do not accept them. More complicated construction means higher costs and more room for all kinds of malfunction. The basic structure of North American trucks did not change that much over the decades. It is no problem to meet full service trucks produced in 1960´s or even older on American highways. A truck that is over 8 years in Europe is suspicious for the highway patrol. The way the North American trucks are ingineered is good for economy. It isn´t that costly, the parts are usually interchangable. The European trucks have too many changes during their production period. You may have two European trucks of the same make and model and their parts still wouldn´t fit. Just because of a different year of production or just a different place of production. That´s insane. The European truck makers learned a lot of tricks to keep the fuel consumption low. But what´s the use if the production costs are so high? Something works well in America, something else works well in Europe. I am not saying that American trucks are better in general. I just think that they are cleverly designed for their own territory. And in my eyes... they look better. Jarda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobus Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 i have drive for manny years true europe and as long i known conventionals are very hard to find becouse we dont have big wide roads in to town everything is in and on op each other build and the lenght of the trucks is also a part of the law reguletions what the construcion of trucks is protection of work for employees of garages and dealers and for a couple of years i known that daf makes the engines for the usa til the factory was ready in the us also the price of fuel is cheaper in the us new things as drive whit a automatic whitout a cludge pedal is in the beginning very strange you put the left leg everytime on the floor whit shifting and even not a stick so you grab whit your arm in the air and now if your just to it now problems til you have to drive on a old one than you forget to put the pedal and stick and you look very silly what is going on ha and what i known comfort is i every tuck different the boss pays for it or not for luxery jacobus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hessel Hemstra Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 You wanted a hood on it?? They claim it is not a photoshopped model but I have my doubts. COE trucks are the major trucks in Europe as you all know. It's regulations that makes us making these trucks. They are very good and comfortable. I also like the conventionals better and only build American style models. thanks Hessel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Looks interesting. It probably is Photoshopped like the pics of the DAF Torpedo or Spectre that are floating around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hessel Hemstra Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) In fact there is a new DAF conventional. It was build for a firm called Jansen. Here in Holland they owned a 2800 NTT and wanted to replace it for another Torpedo (as we call them) So, this is no photo-shop. Hessel Edited March 10, 2012 by Hessel Hemstra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermodel Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I think in the near future we in north america will be seeing more of this style.The facts are diesel technology is just about at its limit for fuel economy,so the next step will be aero.A coe when the trailer tucked close to the cab is more areo than a conventional,even more so with the real long ones.Our "outlaw" style petes with 10 feet of frame between cab and trailer will soon be dinosaurs.Maybe drom trucks might become the norm to maximize load capacity,thus hauling more freight in the lenght package to have maximum efficiency Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Hessel, that's awesome! I always thought the Torpedo was a concept truck. Now that would do well in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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