Astra 8x6 focus of Aussie tour

Prospective buyers of the heavy-duty Astra off-road range will soon have the opportunity to take a closer look at a model and even put it through its paces, as part of IVECO's ‘Extreme by Nature’ national roadshow.

The Astra HD9 8x6 – which can also be specified in 8x8 configuration – is the largest off-road truck in the Astra product range within Australia, and can first be seen in Queensland this month. It will then be travelling to New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, before finishing in Western Australia during September.

With an extensive suite of off-road equipment including constant all-wheel drive, hub reduction and differential locks to all axles (three axles in 6x8), the Astra offers extreme traction as well as superior articulation over the roughest conditions, thanks to front parabolic springs and rear parabolic cantilever suspension.

It’s this superior off-road ability combined with 43.8t GVM / 70t GCM, a powerful yet quiet 13litre engine that produces 480hp (353kW) and 2300Nm of torque, and an easy-to-drive 16-speed ZF automated manual transmission, that has seen the vehicle become popular in tough applications including mining and exploration, forestry and civil construction work.

The roadshow vehicle is equipped with a heavy-duty tipping body and provides a payload of 32 tonnes; it also features roll-over protection and falling-object protection systems, allowing those who intend to test drive the vehicle to do so in a real-world environment.

Astra Australia Regional Sales Manager, Keith Berwick, said the roadshow was an ideal way to familiarise prospective buyers with the Astra.

“The Astra is a lower volume vehicle, which means these trucks are generally less accessible with fewer demonstrator available to view and drive,” Keith said.

“Organising a roadshow where we visit prospective customers overcomes this situation while also providing them with additional convenience and the chance to test the truck within their own operations.”

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Keith said the popularity of the Astra range had grown in recent years across several applications, including in quarrying where operators were transitioning to the Astra from articulated dump trucks (ADTs).

“Compared to ADTs, the Astra range offers quite a few operational efficiencies,” Keith explained.

“As well as providing greater payloads than comparable ADTs, the Astra is more cost effective to operate – like for like, tyres are more affordable and fuel consumption is also lower. Astra also provides the flexibility to be used on and off-road, whereas ADTs are limited to off-highway use,” he said.

Stay tuned the Iveco and Astra social media pages to keep up to date with the Astra’s schedule as it traverses the country.