1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146 
FIAT AND DAF DEBUTS AT GENEVA SHOW
Page 58
Page 60
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Tony Wilding, MIMechE, MIRTE
NEW Fiat and DAF goods chassis are the highlights of this year's Geneva Show which opened on Saturday. With the whole of the exhibition area devoted this time to commercial vehicles—cars will have their own event later—the Show is greatly improved and manufacturers have much more space in which to display their wares. And interest extends to p.s.v. exhibits also. Swiss bodybuilder Ramseier and Jenzer has produced a rear-engined bus chassis using FBW (of Switzerland) components and there is a locally made body on a special version of the Magirus-Deutz VOVstandard chassis.
Geneva retains its international flavour with all the major European manufacturers represented and there is a particularly strong British content with British Leyland, Bedford, Ford and Seddon vehicles on display. The AEC V8 Mandator is seen for the first time as a rigid, and like other heavier goods chassis on the BLMC stand carries the name Leyland. This is now the marketing policy of the Corporation in European countries where it is possible. Except for some vans which still retain the names Austin and Morris, all BLMC exhibits are "Leylands" including the Mastiff and Laird sold in the UK as BMC.
The Bedford CF gets its first public showing and Ford uses this Geneva Show to introduce its Perkins-V8 engined trucks to the Swiss market.
It is some years since Fiat had a new heavy-weight truck model and designs marketed by the Italian company have become rather out-dated. But now Fiat jumps right back to a leading position in respect of style and cab design with the new 619 and 697 models introduced at Geneva. They do not have tilt cabs but there is good access to the engine through a large two-piece cover over the power unit. And although engine-cover protrusion into the cab is less than on the models they replace, there is enough to prevent the fitting of a second passenger seat.
Internally, the Fiat cab is very well designed. It is not unnecessarily "plushy" but very practical and while in many respects car-type fittings and standards are attained there is nothing flimsy about them and everything feels just right for a commercial vehicle. A very useful item is a system which allows the functioning of all lights to be checked from the cab. By pressing a button on the facia, indicators light up when the individual circuits are in order.
The 697 is a 6 x 4 version of the 619 and uses the same cab, engine and gearbox. The engine is a larger-capacity version of the unit used in models replaced by the new chassis. Swept volume is 13.8 litres as against 12.9 litres and there are alterations to fuelling and so on. A heat exchanger for oil cooling is now standard. Power output is up from 208 bhp net at 1,900 rpm to 260 bhp at 2,200 rpm and there is a torque increase from 646 lb.ft. to 729 lb.ft. but at the same low speed of 900 rpm. Size of the twin-plate clutch is increased from 13in. to 14in.—there is air /hydraulic actuation —and a front axle with a capacity of 7.5 tons replaces the old 6.5-ton unit.
The 619 is rated for up to 19 tons solo and can operate normally at up to 40 tons gross combination weight with trailer or semi-trailer; for special applications g.c.w. can be 70 tons. Kerb weight of the chassis /cab is between 6.7 and 7.0 tons according to wheelbase.
In the case of the Fiat 6 x 4 the gross rating is 26.5 tons solo and up to 44 tons with trailer while for special applications a 104-ton g.c.w. is possible. Kerb weight is around 8.3 tons.
Examples of the latest DAF tilt-cab chassis at Geneva (described in CM, January 23) include an F2000 tractive unit with the new 8.25-litre diesel which gives an output of 156 bhp at 2,400 rpm. Another new power unit from DAF is the turbocharged version of the 6.15-litre diesel which gives 137 bhp at 2,400 rpm as against 126 bhp at 2,600 rpm for the naturally aspirated unit.
The interior of the DAF cab is to a very high standard and the model has a flat windscreen in conjunction with angled corner sections of glass and narrow pillars. Forward visibility and appearance are about the same as would have been the case with a curved screen.
In the p.s.v. field an important exhibit is a version of the Magirus-Deutz VOVstandard bus. The semi-integral body built by Tiischer on a Magirus-Deutz sub-frame follows the general pattern of the VOV standard. It is based on a special version built for Cologne where instead of a rear engine and only one central exit, the 170-bhp V6 power unit is located on the left-hand side ahead of the rear axle; it drives forward through the gearbox to transfer gearing and then back to the rear axle. This allows an additional, wide exit at the extreme rear which is not possible with the VOV standard. There are 25 seats in the body and room for 66 standing.
Another p.s.v. exhibit of interest is a chassis developed by Swiss bodybuilders Ramseier and Jenzer using FBW engine and components and a Voith automatic transmission. Air suspension is employed and in spite of the use of a rear horizontal
engine the floor -height is low enough to allow a second exit there. This is illustrated by a bodied version.
Saurer has a joint stand with Berna with whom it now has a joint-working arrangement but there is little else notable from the Swiss vehicle manufacturers. FBW has the only new model—a 4 x 4 version of an existing normal-control four-wheeler with a 240-bhp engine. This is an increase of 10 bhp from normal, the result of raising the governed speed from 1,900 to 2,000 rpm. The increase in speed is primarily to suit the Allison automatic transmission fitted in the chassis. Gross weight rating is 18 tons.
Four-wheel-drive tippers are popular in Switzerland and there is a 4 x 4 version of the Henschel 170 forward-control four-wheeler with 170-bhp diesel and a gross weight rating of 17 tons.
Other interest at Geneva is relatively small. Volvo announces a higher-power version of its naturally aspirated D100-195 bhp net as against 165 bhp—and the Unic (French) V8 diesel is seen With a rating of 310 bhp net as against 270 bhp.
Having had some success in France, Mack is now putting an effort into selling in Switzerland and shows heavy normaland forward-control tractors which it will import from America. There appears a chance that it will not be long before Mack revives its interest in the British market.
Passenger bodies from Swiss manufacturers have a high standard of construction but few novelties. The more interesting exhibits in this sector are by Van Hool, in particular a luxury coach with only 26 seats in a body which can take 38. Goods body makers also show that they have high standards of workmanship particularly in light-alloy. Some of the best examples are on the Alusuisse stand where there is also a Mercedes-Benz 113 four-wheeler with a light-alloy chassis frame made and fitted by the exhibitor. This is not shown as a possibility—the extra expense is likely to outweigh the saving in unladen weight—but to illustrate just what can be done with aluminium alloys.