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NEWS
A matter of contrasts
We take a look at the differences between two top two-seaters from Italian heritageWhat does Iveco’s top two-seat truck have in common with Ferrari’s top two-seat sports car – apart from two seats that is?
The answer is ownership – each company is a division of the giant Italian Fiat conglomerate.
So when I got my hands on Ferrari’s flag-bearing 488 GTB recently, it seemed logical to go chase its distant commercial cousin, Iveco’s headline Stralis, and compare the engineering and efficiencies that keep both these top-of-the-tree brand leaders on the road.
In short the differences are stark. The Stralis’ Series II Cursor engine is a 12.9-litre six-cylinder diesel weighing around a tonne in its knickers. It rumbles at you from under the floor and runs out of steam at around 2100rpm. The 488’s twin-turbo 3.9-litre dry-sump 90-degree V8 weighs less than a quarter of that, and spins to a howling shriek right behind your left ear until it hits a fuel cut-off rev-limiter at 8000rpm.
The Stralis generates its peak power of 419kW or 560hp at 1800 rpm, while all that rotating mass inside the cast iron block provides a steady stream of torque – 2300Nm to be precise – between 900 and 1750rpm, after which torque heads steeply downhill and power falls off completely a few hundred revs later.
The 488 churns out 492kW or 670hp with a twitch of the right foot, while the twin-turbos help it develop 760Nm of torque at 3000rpm in seventh gear. Electronic systems progressively limit the torque in lower gears to keep traction under control.
Stralis has a 16-speed Eurotronic II automated manual transmission by ZF, while the 488 gets by with a seven-speed F1 style dual-clutch gearbox operated by a combination of a button for reverse, another button to switch between auto and manual mode, and paddles for playtime.
Stralis hits the road at 8600kgs dry, compared to the 488’s more delicate 1370kgs dry weight. Stralis is rated to pull up to 90-tonnes GCM through a fifth wheel atop a tandem drive, while the Ferrari – which refuses to even consider wearing a towbar – can carry two slightly built individuals who prefer to send their luggage on ahead.
Inside, the contrasts couldn’t be greater. Stralis sits you well above the traffic with panoramic views essential for safe operating. In the Ferrari, your eyes are around 20cms below the Stralis driver’s feet. An upright and chunky air suspension seat with adjustable thigh and lumber support keeps the Stralis driver’s mind on the job, while each of the 488’s two semi-reclined carbon fibre buckets can be picked up with two fingers.
Ultimately, the contrast is about efficiency and engineering suited to the task at hand. In the real world, a fully-loaded Stralis burns diesel at a rate of around 0.9 of a litre of fuel for each tonne for 100kms. The Ferrari drinks more than ten times that to do the same work.
But one is a working piece of plant while the other is an indulgence. These twin peaks of the Fiat group underline how engineering can mould and point technology to deliver either a profitable business on the one hand, or the rewards that can flow from it on the other.
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Written byDavid Meredith
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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