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The Swedish truck-maker unleashes a new V8 flagship motor, producing 730hp and 3,500Nm of torque. CM takes it for a spin.
Words: John Kendall
We should have seen the latest Scania V8 coining the moment Volvo took the wraps off the FH16 700. Volvo might as well have fired a starting gun for those who dared to come up with something more powerful, and Swedish rival Scania was undoubtedly the prime suspect.
You just have to admire Scania's attitude. In a world of downsizing, better efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. Scania's engineers have not only decided to stick with the VS when most rivals have lost theirs. but they also reckon it isn't big enough. How could a respectable truck possibly make do with a mere 620hp from 15.6-litres? Well, not a Scania. From September. the VS flagship motor will have 16.4-litres, pumping out 730hp with a tarmac-tearing 3500Nm of torque. That's 2.5511bift if you're wrestling with the metric stuff. Is downsizing for wimps?
The VS tops off the R-series range, announced last
autumn and also draws on the latest in-line engines for its modular design, sharing the 130mm bore with the 9.3-litre and 12.7-litre in-line engines. For this V8 is not a simple re-working of the existing 15.6-litre design. It's a cornpletely new engine, boasting a block built from compacted graphite iron ((.7(31) for reduced weight and improved stiffness. It also gets Scania's XPI high-pressure commonrail system to feed the fuel in. The system is capable of delivering maximum injection pressures of 2.400bar, although 1 ,800bar is the normal operating pressure. using two injection pulses. The engine has been designed for Euro-6 and beyond with up to five injection pulses possible with each injection sequence. The high-pressure common-rail pump gains a third cylinder compared with the in-line engines. Then the crankshaft journals are larger for both main and big-end bearings.
The 15.6-litre engine stays with us for Euro-5 too and with the same power outputs as Euro-4.The only difference is that the 500hp variant gets a bit more torque. 2,500Nin compared with 2,400Nm.
You can have any R-cab you like with the V8s, except that there's no day cab for the 730hp. Driveline configurations arc comprehensive. Tractor units come with 4x2, 6x2 and 6x4. rigids add 8x2 and 8x4 to the mix, and heavy haulage specialists will have a choice of 6x4 and 8x4.
Singleand hub-reduction axles are available.
In all eases. Scania fits its Opticruise automated transmission, with 12-speeds plus two crawler gears, as standard. The choice will be between semiand fully-automated, as Scania offers Opticruise with or without a clutch pedal across the range. Do without the clutch pedal and manoeuvring mode comes as standard, as does hill-hold for starting on both rising and falling gradients.
CM has given full details of the R-cab range. So what's it like to get behind the wheel of the 730hp flagship? There's a liberal sprinkling of 'N/8' badges inside and out. just in case you've forgotten what you're driving by the time you twist the kev.Those expecting the distinctive N,/ throb arc going to he disappointed. Perhaps it's the muffling ell ect of the SCR system, hut you'd he hard
pressed to distinguish this from an in-line engine.
Like all the V8s available for test. our Highline-cabbed R 730 4x2 was hauling close to 40 tonnes, Tanked up. it tipped the scales at 7,800kg. Similarly, all were equipped with the fully automated Opticruise, without a clutch pedal.
Swivel the gear selector stalk to D and. since Scania has wisely limited the torque in the lower gears. p ailing away is as drama free as you would hope. The full 3,500Nrn is only unleashed in thy top three gears.
Our route takes us rapidly on to the Al Autobahn near Trier in Germany. It can be no accident that a few kilometres along the road was the long Hochwaid hill with a gradually rising incline. With cruise control on. it's an armchair ride up the lower slopes in 12th, with no loss of speed. As the gradient tig,htens,Opticruise opts for a downshift to 11 as speed gradually washes off. We steam past a clutch of 'ordinary' 40-tonners, as if they're standing still, closing fast on another of the Scania test V8s.We have no alternative but to back off and wait for the slower V8 to finish overtaking before we power past. Baulked by a 500hp truck — there's a first.
And the 500hp is no slouch either, just as smooth and refined as the 730hp. If you feel the need to compromise on your V8s, the 620hp is a safe bet.
Our Topline cabbed model weighed 70kg less than the 730 Highline, while still delivering
impressive performance.
Just the same, UK-registered V8s are likely to he a rare sight. mostly engaged in heavy haulage. Italy is where Scania expects most V8s to find a home. •