Keep on Trucking - Mercedes Benz Actros

I have driven a great deal of different vehicles in my life, but I must say driving this truck was a first for me. Making the experience even more interesting was the fact that CATS Motors organized the test drive in the Batangas Racing Circuit. So yeah, driving a truck around a race track... CATS Motors Philippines not only sells Mercedes Benz cars, but trucks as well. They have just poised themselves to make a big push in this market segment and the Mercedes Benz Actros is the new addition to their long line of robust work horses. For this particular media and customer event, they had Richard Hall, the S.E.A. Head of Commercial Vehicles; explain to us the logic behind the engineering and technology of the Actros. The message Richard eloquently communicated was that in spite of the initial investment being substantial, the Actros still proves to be financially beneficial, especially to those that have constantly moving fleets. The logic is that when a truck is not moving, it isn’t earning. So when it’s down for repairs or maintenance, it isn’t just the servicing expense but the loss of income that hurts down the line... With Mercedes Benz’s rich and impressive heritage in truck manufacturing, the Actros is built in the biggest manufacturing facility of its kind. It operates with such efficiency that it virtually allows for the individualization of orders; color, interiors and even configuration preferences can be made directly by the plant’s computer system. The top of the line Actros variant has a sleeper cabin located behind the front seats, as well as a fold out table on the passenger’s side. Naturally, trucker’s accommodations are still relatively inexpensive here so the test units at the track were sans cabin. But there was a heap of other things we had to orient ourselves with. For one, you literally have to climb up to the driver’s seat, and there is a correct way to do it. It may sound silly, but if you don’t you will find yourself with your legs crossed up as you swing your behind into the seat, and from a height of close to six feet the prospect of falling is not appealing. Just as I landed safely into the seat I realized how comfortable it was. It had its own adjustable suspension so it would conform to different driver’s weights. Slam the door shut and instantly you know you are in a Mercedes Benz cabin; you just have to wrap your head around the fact that it’s so bloody big! What was different was that what looked like the gear shifter on the dash was actually the handbrake, and what looked like a column shifter was the air/engine brake control lever. Fully loaded with the German automaker’s latest driving aide technology, the automatic transmission not only optimizes efficiency and performance on command, but also never allows the driver to over-strain his engine or transmission. Also equipped withABS, traction and stability control, the beast is just that much easier to control under a variety of adverse driving conditions. The air/engine brake control lever had three settings which help a driver not only conserve brakes but prevent the brake fluid from heating up, especially when driving down mountain roads. There were two versions for us to test: a twin rear axle and a single. Starting with the single axle, after a bit of orientation, I put her in gear and stepped on it. It smoothly pulls away as its automatic transmission labours through its sixteen gears for you. The first exercise was a simple U-turn, but on the 15meter wide track, it was amazing how such a big vehicle had such a small turning radius. I then started to drive the track, and just like our instructors said, I felt we weren’t going to clear the sponsor’s arches on the main straight! It was a bit daunting, as it seemed like the truck occupied more than half the track. Testing the brakes into turn one without a few tons of cargo behind made them feel rather strong to say the least, but the Actros turned in with ease. Even if I stomped on the throttle, its traction and stability control regulated the power and kept things docile. I then tried to drive the rest of the track with just the air/engine brake lever. I was about to “chicken out” coming into turn two, but just as my foot was going to squeeze on the brake pedal, the truck downshifted by itself. As we weren’t pulling cargo, the Actros 2635 second axle was lifted, therefore reducing unnecessary drag and wear. This time I drove more aggressively – not that I could accelerate any faster, but I carried more speed into the corners and it sure felt funny clipping the track’s curbing with this giant beast. The Actros was stable and driving it was literally effortless. This being my first experience with a truck, I was so impressed; it was really unexpected. I also couldn’t stop thinking of just how lucky the drivers of the customers that purchased these thoroughbreds would be... Originally posted in C! Magazine August 2012 Edition Author: George Ramirez