Turin's theo of evolution
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• This week at the Amsterdam Truck Show, Iveco's longawaited new big cab tractor finally breaks cover. At first glance the Stralis (don't ask us &hat it means—it's just another 4confected" Euro word) may lave more than a passing -esemblance to an ERF.
But it's as close to an ECX as 3 Maserati is to a Mondeo. While -nany industry observers were 3Iearly expecting a more radical axterior, the Italian truck maker nsists Stralis has been borne aut of a philosophy of "evolu
tion, not revolution". Certainly its chassis and drivetrain are pretty much tried and tested, being based on Cursor 10 and 13 engines, while its now fully-automatic Euro-Tronic 2 transmission has a proven pedigree.
But to see the real revolution in Stralis you need to dig deep down into the heart of its electronic integrated vehicle management system. Look inside the cab and you'll find some clever ideas too.
In the past, whenever lveco has launched a heavy truck invariably someone within the company says that this time "it's make or break".
With Stralis this statement could finally be true, for New needs to do much better in the tractor market—a point that was acknowledged last week by rim boss Michel de Lambert. At the official press launch at Iveco's Turin HQ he insisted: "Stralis will give us what we've been lacking lately. Being a full-line manufacturer means being a specialist in every market,