BTS: Fuso announces heavy-duty Shogun

Shogun was the name for the all-powerful military leaders, as appointed by the emperor, who ruled pre-modern Japan for centuries.

And now it’s also the name Fuso’s heavy-duty truck which we drove in prototype form in February. 

Fuso says the Shogun is taking the safety lead in Australia by introducing advanced safety technology, strong and efficient Euro 6 engines and delivering high levels of comfort and refinement.

The Shogun will be available for sale at Fuso dealers across Australia from June 1.

“The Shogun is a revolutionary model for Fuso and the Japanese heavy-duty truck segment in Australia,” said Fuso Truck and Bus Australia Director, Justin Whitford (pictured) at the Brisbane Truck Show this morning (May 16).

“It will set new standards for Japanese trucks and deliver our customers a clear advantage thanks to cutting edge Daimler technology that compliments its legendary Fuso toughness.”

The Shogun is powered by the recently developed Daimler OM470 11-litre in-line six-cylinder common-rail engine which features a special pressure booster and an asymmetric turbocharger that helps deliver more pulling power lower in the rev range. A key feature of the power unit is a potent decompression engine brake with up to 340kW of force.

Mr Whitford added that the introduction of the new powerplant means Fuso customers will also benefit from extended service intervals, further driving down running costs.

The engine is coupled to a 12-speed automated manual transmission.

The 11-litre engine will be available with two ratings, 395hp (290kW) and 2000Nm, or 455hp (335kW) and 2200Nm. Other outputs and displacements are currently under consideration.

The Shogun features the latest electronic safety systems and comfort features including adaptive cruise control (Proximity Control Assist) with stop and go function for heavy traffic, Advanced Emergency Braking, which can even initiate braking for moving pedestrians, lane departure warning and electronic stability control.

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An all-new interior delivers a high level of refinement, with Fuso engineers focusing on the suppression of noise vibration and harshness, we were told at the announcement. There is also a fresh ergonomic layout with a driver-focused dashboard design that ensures controls are within easy reach.

Many of the systems can be operated by steering wheel mounted buttons.

A new seven-inch touch screen will also make its debut in the new Shogun, with Bluetooth audio and phone connectivity as well as truck-specific satellite navigation.

Fuso will launch the Shogun with prime mover and rigid options covering everything through to B-double work, including 6x4, 8x4 with load share and 4x2 configurations, and will offer steel and air suspension varieties. Gross Combination Weights run from 40,000kg to 63,000kg.

The new truck will be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty of five years or 500,000km (whichever comes first).

Fuso also presented the all-electric eCanter at the Brisbane Truck Show. It is the world’s first series produced electric truck and currently features in a range of customer fleets in the US, Europe and Japan.

Other models on the Fuso stand included the medium duty Fighter and the smaller Canter model, which now features Advanced Emergency Braking and other best-in-class key safety features.