Feature: 2014 Volvo range

The next generation of Volvo trucks has arrived in Australia, with the new FM, FMX and FE models joining the recently released FH

Volvo Trucks has completed the local roll-out of its new 2014 range of trucks, with Volvo Group Australia hosting a media launch for the new models at the Australian Automotive Research Centre (AARC) at Anglesea, Victoria, on July 8.

There journalists sampled the new Volvo FM, FMX and FE, along with the new FH released at the start of this year, before driving in convoy to Melbourne's outskirts and then heading back to Anglesea.

The first examples of the new FH line-haul models began rolling down the production line at Volvo's factory in Wacol, Brisbane, at the end of last year, while the new FM, FMX and FE models have only just come online now.

GENERATION NEXT

According to Mitch Peden, Volvo Trucks Vice President – Sales, the update represents a major overhaul of the Volvo fleet the likes of which hasn't been seen in many years.

"It's a complete new generation of truck, really," he said.

"The previous generation was released to the market before I started with Volvo, around 13 or 14 years ago. We started this journey [of releasing the updated range] last year with the FHs and now we have the FMs, and the only carry-over is the drivetrains – the engines, transmissions and the like."

Mr Peden says the trucks' suspension has also come under close scrutiny.

"It's a new suspension setup and we've really taken the historic body roll out of the larger Volvos – they're a lot more direct now, a lot more stable on the road," he says.

The trucks also feature numerous chassis revisions, new cabs and some major new technical innovations.

"Here [at the Anglesea media launch] we're showcasing Volvo Dynamic Steering along with other innovations such as I-Roll and I-See, our fuel saving initiatives," says Mr Peden.

TECHNICAL WIZARDRY

Volvo Dynamic Steering sees an electric motor mated to the truck's hydraulic steering system, with an electronic control unit initiating incremental steering adjustments at a rate of 2000 times per second based on the driver's input and data gleaned from a number of sensors.

It's a progressive system that adds more power when required, to achieve a predetermined level of feel at the wheel irrespective of the load and road conditions. Volvo says the end result is ultimately a less tiring, more secure driving experience.

With a claimed reduction of steering force of up to 85 per cent, Volvo says VDS reduces the 'kickback' normally associated with driving over irregular road surfaces, improves high-speed directional stability, negates the effects of wind gusts and cambers, and retains control when braking over areas of mixed traction.

The VDS system also returns the steering to centre when the truck is moving, further enhancing low-speed manoeuvring, and in particular reversing.

Both the I-See and I-Roll systems complement Volvo's I-Shift 12-speed automated manual transmission. I-Roll sees the vehicle's engine disengaged when coasting down a hill to maximise fuel economy. Provided the hill isn't too steep and there's no pressure on the driveline, the engine speed returns to idle until the accelerator is reapplied, when normal operation is returned in an instant. Volvo says I-Roll offers a typical fuel saving of up to two per cent.

I-See uses GPS technology and topographic maps to 'remember' the hills of any given route, storing that data so that when the truck next encounters that hill it can use its momentum in an intelligent way to minimise fuel consumption. Volvo says I-See can achieve fuel savings of up to five per cent.

Already available on the new FH, these advanced systems are now available in the new FM and aFMX models. Volvo Dynamic Steering adds just under $6000 to a truck's price – it's available on all models in Australia bar the FE.

The smallest model in Volvo's range, the FE, also features numerous improvements and is now available in Australia in both Euro 5 and Euro 6 formats. As such, it's the first Euro 6 Volvo to enter the Australian market, featuring a higher Adblue dosage rate, a cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system and a diesel particulate filter in addition to the truck's selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system.

While a date for the introduction of mandatory ADR 80/04 (Euro 6) is still to be confirmed, Volvo says the Euro 6 version of the FE is packaged attractively with its I-Shift transmission and Electronic Stability Program (ESP), while Volvo's D8K 8-litre engine produces slightly more power and torque than its 7-litre, Euro 5, D7F stablemate.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

The media event saw a range of trucks on offer from all four platforms, with a variety of axle, cab, engine and trailer configurations, from a Euro 5, 7-litre FE 300 rigid to the range-topping, 16-litre FH16 with B-double.

All the available trucks were carrying between 80 to 100 per cent of their maximum permitted loads.

Australia was used extensively in the FH's development and indeed all of these models have been optimised for our local market, with a high level of communication between Volvo Australia and Gothenburg shaping models ideally suited for work in what are often extreme conditions.

While Trucksales.com.au will feature detailed reviews of individual models in due course, the various AARC test tracks and the afternoon's drive on public roads provides a great 'taster' of Volvo's technological prowess and the care with which they're produced.

The quality of construction is superb, from the sharp styling of the exteriors to the fine tolerances of the myriad components that go into each cab.

Starting out on the compact FE 300 in Euro 5 trim, I'm immediately taken by its light and responsive steering. It's no wonder VDS isn't offered on this model; it's so easy to manoeuvre with just the regular hydraulic steering.

The 7-litre engine pumps out a claimed 221kW (300hp) at 2100-2300rpm and 1160Nm at 1200-1800rpm, and around the inclines of the AARC's test track the engine makes light work of the truck's 15.8-tonne test weight, its Allison six-speed auto shifting smoothly through its ratios.

Ideally suited to the waste industry and city/suburban applications, the FE is available in rigid and prime-mover formats for GVMs of up to 26 tonnes.

FINGER-TIP CONTROL

Next up is an FM 460 with single trailer – my first taste of Volvo Dynamic Steering and Volvo's I-Shift transmission. There's only so much I can say about VDS – nothing can replace the experience of sampling it first-hand. It really does offer finger-tip control and its benefits come to the fore in three key situations.

Firstly, it takes all the effort out of low-speed manoeuvring – it's power steering on steroids. At first I find myself oversteering but I soon acclimatise; it's hard to believe I'm wrangling 38 tonnes of truck and trailer.

Secondly, reversing is a snap. Backing this semi into a makeshift loading bay marked by cones is dead simple. Just line it up, let the steering return to neutral and back her in – it couldn't be easier.

Finally, the VDS isolates the wheel (and therefore the driver) from any road shock due to poor surfaces. Drop a wheel off the bitumen and there's no hint of kickback; the truck simply powers on, allowing the driver to guide it safely back onto the tar.

For line-haul applications the VDS is really a bit of an indulgence, but for city delivery work or anyone tackling multi-drop days its offers huge advantages.

The I-Shift too is a masterful bit of gear. While old-school truckies will defend their Roadrangers to the bitter end, for ease of operation it's hard to fault Volvo's AMT set-up. It snicks through its 12 cogs with total precision, with only a brief pause between shifts. It's so easy to use; I can't wait to see how Volvo's recently announced I-Shift I-Shift Dual Clutch will raise the bar yet again.

Selecting Power mode effectively raises the shift point by 200rpm but I-Shift can't be fooled – if I haven't actually used that extra oomph inside a few minutes it automatically returns to economy mode. Similarly, in manual mode (using the toggle switch on the side of the shifter to change up or down), the I-Shift overrides any outlandish gear selections. It automatically selects the right gear to move off in too, depending on whether there's a load on board or not.

The FM is an appreciable step up in size from the FE and is essentially the all-rounder of the Volvo fleet. The new cab offers more space, more storage and better ergonomics, while the FM also has upgraded suspension and better roll stability, says Volvo. Certainly it feels secure around the AARC's serpentine and occasionally steep test track, although admittedly the smooth surface is a darn sight better than a typical Aussie road.

With either an 11-litre or 13-litre engine, the new FM can handle GCMs up to 70 tonnes (and higher on application).

CONSTRUCTION KING

Volvo's FMX is the construction specialist and a perfect candidate for VDS. Forget the strain of negotiating tight building sites and quarries; with VDS the new FMX will glide through obstacle-strewn slaloms with just a light grip on the wheel.

The AARC's off-road test track features harsh corrugations in parts but the VDS sucked the sting clean out of them – this system pays dividends off the blacktop.

Deliberately stalling just over 19 tonnes of FMX 370 8x4 halfway up a 30 per cent grade feels anything but natural but, as Volvo's product specification co-ordinator Wayne Westwood (pictured, with fluoro orange vest) promises, activating the Hill Start Aid, selecting first gear in manual mode and hitting the gas has us rolling again in no time. The Hill Start Aid holds the truck for 2.6 seconds – ample time to apply the accelerator – and it can be used in reverse, too.

On the drive from Anglesea to Melbourne's urban fringe I get a chance to familiarise myself with some of the FMX 450 tipper's niceties. There's too many to detail here, but the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is brilliant, maintaining a set (and adjustable) distance between me and the vehicle I'm following. If the vehicle in front slows, my truck slows with it, and vice versa up to the selected ACC speed. Another feature to ease the strain of driving.

Volvo's Lane Change Support sounds the alarm if there's a chance of colliding with a vehicle in the truck's nearside blind spot, while Forward Collision Warning alerts me if I get too close to the vehicle in front.

There's also a new wireless Work Remote – a detachable hand-held unit that allows the driver to alter the vehicle's ride height for loading or unloading, start and stop the engine and up to four PTOs, and operate the tail lift – all while walking freely around outside the vehicle.

With time tight and my HR licence precluding me from sampling the FH with B-double on the road (see David Meredith's full road test from an earlier drive here), it was back to AARC to park up for the day – Volvo's flagship FH16 will have to wait. It's every inch the stunner though, never failing to draw a crowd at a number of rest stops along our route. If anything, it's only fuelled my motivation to get those HC and MC licences down the track!

THE BOTTOM LINE

Volvo's new 2014 range is fairly bursting at the seams with clever features, but the newcomers also impress with their all-round refinement and ability. The cabs are comfy and incredibly quiet, the brakes are powerful and responsive, the handling is secure and, in this limited test format at least, the various engine options acquit themselves well.

Add in the benefits of Volvo Dynamic Steering and the I-Shift transmission, and it's a credit to Volvo's engineers that handling a heavy-duty truck and trailer is now virtually as easy as driving a car – at least from an operational viewpoint.

In a tough local heavy-duty market Volvo has achieved sales growth of nearly seven per cent in the first half of this year; with the completion of its 2014 range it's looking very well placed indeed to build on that momentum.

Feature: 2014 Volvo range

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