BMC: LOW-ENTRY CABS AND CHASSIS
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The demise of lveco-owned Seddon Atkinson, which held about 10% of the FiCV market last year, has left a vacuum which newcomer BMC hopes to fill with its new low-entry cabs and chassis.
BMC's Turkish-built chassis cabs were launched last April. The first deliveries of the 6x4 version have been made to Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council, with a second batch going to East Riding Council soon. BMC MD Richard Jaffa says: 'We have a very good forward-order book that takes us well into the autumn.' The Cummins/Nilson/Rockwell driveline combination is a familiar and attractive option to previous buyers of Seddon chassis, and BMC is using former Seddon Atkinson dealers to support its sales: Knottingley Trucks distributes the range nationally.
BMC UK sales manager Kevin Crowder points out that while BMC is a relative newcomer on the UK market it boasts an extensive and well proven support network with trained technicians and a good stock of parts. This spring. BMC is launching a 4x2 version of the chassis; rear-steer, mid-steer, and mid-lEft 6x2 chassis are expected by the end of this year with a narrow-track version planned for release in early 2008.
The 6x4 chassis are powered by a Cummins fSB, 6.7-litre, Euro-4, 285hp engine driving through an Alison fivespeed, Generation-4 automatic transmission and Rockwell Mentor MT 153 double-drive rear axles.
Hendrickson Norde rubber suspension is used on the rear with air suspension on the front; disc brakes and cross-axle diff-locks are fitted as standard.
The cab has three crew seats; standard spec includes an airsuspended seat, electrically acWstable and heated mirrors, electric sunroof, air-con and radio/CD player. "We've worked very closely with all the bodybuilders to ensure the chassis meets their needs: they have to be confident that their bodies work on your chassis,' says Crowder.