First drive: Mercedes-Benz Actros 2651

Out the back of Mercedes-Benz Truck & Bus headquarters in Melbourne the new Actros 2651 sits silently, its non-descript black vinyl wrap lending it a slightly menacing air, its complete absence of badging – apart from the three-pointed star and the words, "Evaluation Vehicle 142" – adding to its mysterious allure.

As part of Mercedes-Benz's evaluation fleet it's at the spearhead of the next generation of 'Benz trucks to make its way Down Under, as the company sets about developing, fine-tuning and optimising the products for local conditions ahead of their official Australian launch, sometime towards the end of 2016.

This truck is one of an initial test fleet of 15 models spanning the all-new Actros, Antos and Arocs lines. They are about to be put to work in selected customer fleets around the country, in a pre-release program the likes of which has never been seen outside of Germany.

Mercedes-Benz has lagged behind many of its competitors in this country and with an all-new generation of trucks arriving once every 15 or so years, the company says it's determined to do this transition right. Click here for the inside story on how Mercedes-Benz Trucks is readying itself to make the most of the opportunity.

SNEAK PEEK
trucksales.com.au was recently invited drive one of the new evaluation models and it was the Actros 2651 with our name on it. A little lower and a little narrower than its larger Actros siblings, this 2651 is a 'crossover' truck, targeted mainly at distribution work but with the added flexibility of a sleeper cab for longer intrastate and regional work.

Following the 'Benz nomenclature, the 2651 refers to the vehicle's GVM (26 tonnes) and horsepower (510hp). The 12.8-litre straight-six turbo-diesel engine delivers that horsepower peak at 1800rpm, while maximum torque of 2500Nm is available at 1100rpm. It's a now a common-rail set-up with Mercedes-Benz's 'X-Pulse' high pressure direct injection and, like the rest of the evaluation fleet, it's Euro 6 compliant.

The Actros adopts a diesel particulate filter, along with both SCR and EGR systems, to meet the Euro 6 standard, while Mercedes-Benz says the majority of its new models will be offered here in both Euro 5 and Euro 6 formats.

The Euro 6 engine uses only half the amount of AdBlue, says 'Benz, further reducing the truck's operating costs. As a result the AdBlue tank has been reduced to just 60 litres in the Actros 2651, although Mercedes-Benz Oz is targeting higher capacities for our trucks on local release.

Likewise, while the maximum fuel tank size available from Europe is 900 litres, Mercedes-Benz says it's hoping to squeeze more like 1200 to 1300 litres into the new line-haul Actros models, while our shorter-haul test truck is currently fitted with a 580-litre tank.

HIGH-TECH TRANNY
In a 6x4 format, this Actros 2651 dishes out its power via the new PowerShift 3 12-speed automated manual transmission. The fourth generation of the company's AMTs, it's said to offer a 15 per cent reduction in shifting times, along with better response and a more 'intelligent' approach, with an incline sensor that better informs the transmission's shifting strategy.

Hooked up to a tri-axle curtainsider loaded with concrete blocks, our test truck is running at around 40 tonnes. The 510hp engine is the highest output available in the 13-litre engine so I wasn't expecting the truck to struggle; after all, this model can still handle up to 80-tonne B-double work, if required.

The truck rides on airbag suspension and hub reduction axles, while an electronic braking system with ABS and traction control slows the show, with discs all round. Hypoid axles will be available when the trucks hit the market, says 'Benz.

RAW APPEAL
While Mercedes-Benz staff stressed that this test truck is in a very raw state as far as local development goes, climbing into the cab reveals an inviting and incredibly refined workspace.

This truck is fitted with a ClassicSpace cab measuring 2300mm wide, with a standard roof height and a 170mm-high engine tunnel. This delivers a lower, easier-to-access cab while retaining a 25-litre slide-out fridge, which slides out over the tunnel. A 320mm tunnel precludes the fridge, while the cab can also be spec'd with a flat walkthrough if desired.

The lower and narrower cab will make life easier for those in a distribution role, aiding access and manoeuvrability and thereby taking some of the strain out of multi-drop work in built-up areas.

The narrower cab also allows the external steps to be slightly raked; with the doors opening to almost 90 degrees and flanked by two sturdy grab rails, climbing up is a breeze. The Grammer driver's air suspension seat has all the usual adjustment and the steering wheel features air adjustment for tilt and reach via a foot-operated pedal.

As a crossover truck the sleeper is there if needed, but this cab lacks the extra space and storage of the bigger line-haul-focussed cabs. Still, the 202cm by 80cm mattress is comfy and both long and wide enough to easily accommodate my 188cm (6ft 2in) frame. There are twin-deck pockets at each end, plus a headphone jack, a reading light and a privacy curtain.

In Europe Mercedes-Benz offers 14 different cabs across its new line-up, but it remains to be seen how many will filter down to Australia.

In developing the new cabs, Mercedes-Benz engineers divided each into three zones – the driver's cockpit, passenger's workstation, and the sleeping quarters – with each tailored to the area's requirements. The top of the dash on the passenger's side, for example, houses a nifty pull-out laptop table – a new feature in these next-gen trucks.

ON THE ROAD
It doesn't take long to get comfy behind the wheel and the new cockpit really wraps around the driver to ensure everything is within arm's reach. All the various controls are sensibly placed and logically labelled, from the twist dial for the power divider and cross locks to the various safety aids to the stereo/multimedia unit.

The trip computer, which brings up a wealth of info on a large central display between the speedo and tacho, is highly intuitive to use, and operated via integrated buttons on the steering wheel. The axle weights, oil condition, tyre pressures and more can all be monitored from the comfort of the cab.

Leaving Mercedes-Benz HQ with company Business Development Manager Paul Fagg riding shotgun, we take in around an hour of Melbourne metro driving before hitting the Princes Highway and heading east towards Warragul. While time was short, the half day gave a good insight into life aboard the new Actros.

If I had to sum up the experience in one word it would have to be, 'easy'. Driving through busy suburban streets the truck makes life simple, from the excellent vision afforded by the expansive windscreen and large twin-deck mirrors to the comfort of the cockpit to the refinement of the engine and especially the PowerShift 3 AMT.

From a standing start the truck strides away, the AMT skip-shifting its way through the gears as we settle into the flow of traffic. It's remarkably quiet inside the cab, allowing Paul and I to maintain easy conversation, with just a distant muted rumble giving the only clue to the mechanical might in motion beneath us.

While the engine barely breaks a sweat to get our 40 tonnes moving, the brakes too hold up their end of the bargain when we just miss the lights at a couple of intersections. Strong, secure and responsive – it's an all-disc EBS system backed up by ABS, and it's remarkably effective.

'Benz has never skimped on safety and the new breed of trucks don't miss out. Our test vehicle has the basics covered (airbags, stability control, traction control and lane departure warning, among others) but isn't fitted with Active Brake Assist 3. This potentially slows the truck all the way down to a complete stop to avoid a frontal collision with either moving or stationary objects; it will be available as an option. The company says more safety advances will announced for 'Benz's local line-up in the not-too-distant future.

The air suspension offers 200mm of adjustment and provides a smooth and compliant ride, soaking up the potholes and bumps in a fuss-free manner.

Complementing the brakes is a retarder with five stages of assistance, accessible via the right-hand stalk that doubles as the gear selector. It's a water retarder, relying on the engine's cooling circuit, and it can deliver braking force of up to 3560Nm. It's certainly effective; I found myself using the retarder more than the foot brake for much of the drive.

Out on the highway a gusting crosswind occasionally creates some wind noise, but it's far from irritating and the cab remains a comfy and inviting place – well, as inviting as any workplace can hope to be…

There are multiple power outlets in the cab and they can be switched from 12V to 24V as required. Despite the distribution focus there's still a decent amount of storage space, plus bottle/cup holders and pockets for odds and ends, while the overhead sunroof lets the light flood in – a feature that's perhaps more welcome in sun-starved northern Europe, than it will be through a sweltering Aussie summer. In any case, the air-conditioning seems well up to the task.

The straight-six engine feels muscular and capable. It's pulling 1400rpm in 12th (top) gear at 100km/h on the flat, and drops back to 80km/h – and 10th gear and 1600rpm – up some prolonged climbs. At no stage is it doing it tough.

The PowerShift 3 swaps cogs with speed and refinement; there's barely any discernible loss of momentum between shifts and there's an 'eco' mode to promote fuel economy.

Switching between auto and manual modes, and between drive, neutral and reverse, is accomplished via the retarder stalk. The transmission won't permit any manual usage that could potentially harm the engine, and 'Benz says it's so slick you can even select reverse while still rolling forward to a stop, the engine ready to engage reverse gear the moment you do.

At the end of our short jaunt the trip computer was displaying an average of 2.0 kilometres per litre, but Mercedes-Benz says it's achieved as high as 2.3 kilometres per litre on other runs – that's good going for a raw, benchmark truck with under 3000 kilometres under its wheels…

As I shut the engine down back at Mercedes-Benz HQ, I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer technology and engineering that's gone into this Actros 2651. The new Actros won the prestigious International Truck of the Year award in 2012 and now it's up to Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific, working hand in hand with Germany and its local customers, to fine tune it – and the rest of the new range – to meet Australia's unique needs.

The company is investing an incredible amount of energy into doing exactly that and, if this evaluation truck is anything to go by, there is some mighty impressive hardware heading our way.