2019 Scania 8x2: Review

Scania's 'New Truck Generation' (NTG) models are state-of-the-art machines and more variants are now becoming available.

Late last year we drove Scania's latest NTG truck, in the form of a 620hp V8 pulling a B-Double set. Shanksy was most impressed. Now we have spent some time behind the wheel of the marque's low-forward-entry P-cab 8x2, a four-axle distribution truck, and we found it too delivers on so many fronts.

The lazy axle or pusher axle 6x2 configuration (i.e. six hubs, with two being driven) has never been a market-leading spec' in the Australian market, for some very good reasons.

If you've ever driven an unladen mechanical-suspension 6x2 through a deep spoon drain and got stuck – because one side of the drive axle was lifted clear of the road by the steer, leaving the lazy axle to take all of the load while the drive wheels flail for traction – then you’ll understand!

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Naturally, the relative abundance of low-friction gravel and dirt roads in this country encouraged operators to stick with tandem-drive rear ends.

However, the Europeans have made 6x2 and 8x2 configurations work well for many years. Originally, it was done by having an across-axle diff lock in the drive axle, in conjunction with a 'bogie lift' that let the driver raise the tag axle and put the entire tandem load on the drive axle.

I witnessed this ingenious design in operation during a winter trip to Sweden in the 1980s. The prime mover was a 6x2 rigid, pulling a single-axle dolly and full semi-trailer, with a combination weight of 60 tonnes. The road was compacted sheet ice, 300mm deep, making it difficult to walk on, let alone lift off a rigid truck plus semi, loaded with pine logs.

The driver simply raised the tag axle, engaged the diff lock and, with 20 tonnes pushing down on its drive axle, the truck moved off with hardly any wheel spin. Once under way and out of the crawl section of the 'box, he lowered the tag progressively and away we went.

Some of these 6x2 spring-suspension configurations were brought to Australia in the 1970s, but abuse of trailer-axle-lifts by unscrupulous operators saw all lifting axles banned until recent times, when electronics ensured that air-suspended lift axles couldn't be raised unless the axle group was unladen.

Electronically controlled air suspension with lifting axle capability is now well accepted in Australia and that advance, along with electronic traction control, means that a 6x2 or 8x2 need have no traction issues on low-friction or uneven terrain.

Scania Australia's 8x2 demo truck was fitted with air suspension on all four axles. In addition, the weight on the tag axle could be varied, without lifting it, to enable weight to be transferred to the drive axle when extra lift-off traction was necessary.

All the rear tandem controls were grouped in a single panel on the Scania dashboard: off-road traction control that allowed some wheel spin; weight transfer between the drive and tag axles; and an across-axle differential lock. Normal on-road traction control and electronic stability control worked without driver intervention.

It's important that the off-road traction control allows some wheel spin, because normal traction control stops wheel spin, but also stops the drive wheel torque reaching the ground – a no-lift-off situation. By allowing some spin the off-road TC lets the tyres scrabble for grip.

In conjunction with weight transfer between the tandem axles, the electronic traction control and diff lock allowed me to get the truck moving on very loose gravel without any drama.

If the driver doesn't cancel the modified weight setting and the diff lock engagement functions, they're automatically cancelled above 30km/h.

With the issues around having only one drive axle resolved, I had time to enjoy the P 360 8x2 in normal on-road operating conditions.

Doing pre-trip inspections were easy enough, given a lift-up front panel and electronic supervision of vital fluid and air pressure levels.

Entry and exit, with three-point connection at all times, were no problem and the low-height P-cab meant little energy was necessary.

Getting comfortable in the leather-covered driver's seat was also easy, with Scania-typical multiple adjustments and a steering column that raked and telescoped.

The evaluation truck's DC09 127 Euro 6, five-cylinder, nine-litre had modest power of 265kW (360hp), but a healthy 1700Nm (1253lb-ft) of torque from a low 1050rpm. That grunt fed through a direct-drive 12-speed (plus two crawler gears) Opticruise automated manual 'box.

Gearshifts were perfect, as we've come to expect from Opticruise transmissions, and manual override proved unnecessary in all on-road driving conditions.

The vehicle can be operated in Economy, Standard and Power modes but, because of the light load in the evaluation truck, I couldn't discern much difference. Doubtless, a full load would provoke different operating characteristics.

The truck was fitted with Scania's optional R3500 retarder in addition to the standard exhaust brake, but the hydraulic retarder was overkill in this lightly loaded truck. I hardly used the wheel brakes, because the retarder brought the vehicle to an almost complete stop in most situations.

Hill starts were eased by the provision of a hill-hold function that retained brake line pressure until the accelerator was depressed.

Noise levels inside the sleeper cab were car-like, as was the ride quality. We expected the ride to be somewhat firm, given the fact that the truck had only six tonnes of payload, but it felt more like a bus than a truck.

The suspension units were leaf-air designs, giving positive axle location and air-linked steer-tandem load sharing without the complication of mechanical rockers between the front springs.

Vision is important in a distribution truck and I had no issues with blind spots on the road or at delivery sites. All the mirrors, including the left-side pedestrian down-mirror, were heated and power-adjustable.

Other options in the test truck include eco-roll, which dropped the 'box into neutral when cruising on the flat and slight downgrades, and adaptive cruise control, to maintain a safe, two-second gap between the truck and the vehicle in front.

Distribution truck drivers have been known to allow engines to idle excessively, as they endeavour to find out where they have to go and whom they have to talk to, but the evaluation truck was fitted with automatic engine shutdown, to eliminate extended idling.

Scania has come up with a distribution truck driver’s dream, I reckon. It rode and drove like a big car; was easy to operate; had excellent handling; accurate steering; a powerful retarder and brakes and heaps of class.

We old farts, who grew up with cabin heat and noise, Armstrong steering, lousy brakes, cranky engines, crunchy gearboxes and two-speed rear axles can only envy today's driving brigade!

Scania P 360 8x2 specifications:
Engine: Nine-litre common-rail five-cylinder turbo-diesel
Horsepower: 360hp (265kW)
Torque: 1700Nm at 1050-1900rpm
Transmission: 12-speed AMT + two crawler gears, with R3500 retarder and hill holder
Fuel capacity: 450lt
Emissions: Euro 6 – SCR, EGR and DPF
AdBlue capacity: 47lt
GVM: 32,800kg
GCM: 45,000kg
Cab: Sleeper cab
Suspension: Eight leaf/air springs with rear load transfer function
Axle ratio: 3.08:1 with diff lock
Brakes: Eight discs with ABS/EBS
Headlamps: Halogen H7 headlamps and LED tail, DRLs and position lamps
Safety: Advanced emergency brakes, stability control, traction control, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control
Seat: Air suspension
Warranty: 12 months unlimited kilometres and powertrain warranty for 800,000km