MAN New Generation 2022 Launch Review

This week, Penske Australia released the new MAN range of trucks at the RACQ Mobility Centre at Mount Cotton, Queensland, the overhauled line-up boasting everything from small around-town delivery trucks to the big D38-powered TGX prime mover, its 15-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel boasting 3000Nm of torque.

And while it’s probably what we’d call a ‘New Evolution’ range rather than ‘New Generation’, with powertrains that carry over from the existing range, there is a whole lot to talk about in these new MAN trucks.

Semantics aside, the overhaul of the new range focused on ‘Four Pillars’, the first being ‘Driver Fit’. This entails the new driver ergonomics, new interior, new seat and a new dash layout that is very driver-focused.

The next pillar as MAN sees it is ‘Economy and Efficiency’. Economical engines range from the 250hp D08 to the 640hp D38 15-litre Euro 6 engine, with various options in between.

The third pillar is ‘Optimised Uptime’. Extended intervals between oil changes mean less time off the road for customers, we were told. This is backed by the extended national MAN dealer footprint, and a host of rental and leasing options from Penske Truck Rental’s national network if your truck is off the road.

The final pillar that MAN is hanging its hat on with this launch is being a ‘Strong Partner’ – the strength of the business relationship between MAN/Penske, and the operator. An example of this is MAN’s generous warranty scheme, which offers up to a 1,000,000 kilometre/five-year driveline warranty, with a range of warranty options that can be tailored as required.

For the purposes of this article, however, the Driver Fit is probably the most significant of the four pillars as it is on the inside of this truck where MAN has done a lot of work.

So where do we start? Well, how about getting in. The big door opens wide to nearly 90 degrees, revealing the three cascading steps that have been enlarged and moved back a bit to allow easier entry directly into the cab. The steps themselves are covered in a heavy-duty non-slip plastic, so you can actually scrape the mud off your boots as you climb up.

The handholds are sturdy and provide more than enough grip to maintain three points of contact as you ascend to the cab.

Plonk yourself down into the seat and you’ll find that it’s new too. MAN has gone away from the ubiquitous ISRI seat to a wonderfully plush and supportive Recaro item.

This seat offers all the features we’re used to in the ISRI and more. Both the driver and passenger seats are heated and in the larger models, the passenger seat swivels so you can stretch out and relax in it during rest breaks, or even fold it in half to form a table or work desk.

There’s no end of adjustment, with multi-adjustable lumbar, squab and backrests. I spoke to one of the Penske drivers at the launch event and he was singing the seat’s praises after a couple of 10-hour driving stints.

Once comfortable, a glance around the cockpit reveals an ordered and uncluttered dash and a great view of the road ahead. MAN has lowered the dash to improve forward vision, and they’ve mounted the mirrors on a slight angle so you’ve got more peripheral vision.

The mirrors themselves are really good with the traditional combination of flat mirrors on the top and convex spotters underneath. But the mounting is really well done; it’s simple and neat and there is no vibration or movement in the mirrors.

Ergonomically, the New Generation is terrific. The new MAN SmartSelect infotainment system is neat. It comprises two circular dials, the outer of which is used to select the mode you want, be it navigation, audio, media or whatever, then the inner dial is used to dive deeper into that mode.

It may sound complex but, once you’re used to it, you hardly have to take your eyes off the road to set up what you want. It will split the big 12.3-inch screen as well, so you can keep one system static while you fine-tune the other. Very clever.

In the bigger trucks, the main part of the dash is digital so you can customise it and scroll through the functions on the steering wheel buttons on the right. Also on the right-hand side of the wheel is the voice-activation button and the channel controls for the audio system.

On the left side of the wheel are the controls for the adaptive cruise control, the vehicle proximity control, the volume controls and the phone.

As with all the modern European trucks, the MAN is equipped with all of the latest safety technology – and then some.

A driver SRS airbag is now standard across the MAN range, while the latest safety systems like AEB, ESC and lane departure warning are also on offer, along with adaptive cruise control.

However, one of the big safety features is what MAN calls the ‘safety cell’. This allows the cab to move back on the chassis in a crash, protecting the cab and its occupants.

“The Safety cell is a unique part of the MAN safety package where, in a severe frontal impact, the whole cab moves rearwards by up to 750mm ensuring the integrity is kept with the doors, meaning that the driver and passenger can exit, or the essential services can get in,” said Penske Australia’s MAN Product Manager, Sergio Carboni.

Entering the cab is made easier by the fact that the steering wheel and column swing up and away from the driver so that the steering column is vertical, enabling even larger drivers to enter and exit with ease.

The wheel is then adjustable for rake and reach so the optimum driving position can be attained.

Twist the key and then it’s just a matter of selecting Drive in the TipMatic 12-speed transmission on the new right-hand wand, releasing the park brake on the left-hand side of the driver, and we’re off.

According to MAN, noise levels in the cab at cruise equate to 65dB, which is the quietest on the market. Certainly, the vehicles we drove – mostly the 15-litre versions with 640hp and 580hp – were impressively quiet.

And they were smooth. MAN has done some work on the suspension as well as the cab’s suspension, which has been tightened up a bit. Certainly, from the drives we had on the day (though on a closed circuit), the new MANs gave a nicely compliant ride.

The steering deserves a mention too. It’s a fully hydraulic system that is both direct and provides plenty of feel. The wheel itself feels solid in the hands and all the buttons are easily reached with fingers and thumbs.

There’s no footrest for the left foot but there is plenty of room in the footwell to keep comfortable and move around a bit.

We drove some fairly lightly loaded semis at around 30 to 40 tonnes and a B-Double at around 60 tonnes, and the torque provided by the big six-cylinder engines was impressive. However, I’d really like to get one of these MANs out on the open road and show them some decent hills to fully gauge their pulling power.

Braking was good in the smaller trucks fitted with a regular three-stage exhaust brake but what was really impressive in the TGX was the Turbo EVBec engine brake, which delivers up to 840hp of braking power. This is a five-stage engine brake that works in conjunction with the turbocharger to provide truly impressive engine braking – and an added level of safety.

This ‘New Generation’ of MAN trucks is a step forward, there’s no doubt of that. Even though the trucks are driven by the same driveline, have basically the same cab shell with some aerodynamic adjustments, and the same chassis as their predecessors, there are plenty of enhancements that should attract new buyers – and, of course, encourage existing owners to trade up.

The fit and finish is great and the new digital dash with the SmartSelect system, which does away with the need for a touchscreen, is very clever.

The upgrades to the suspension of both the chassis and the cab are significant, and the safety systems are up there with the best. All Penske Australia needs to do now is to get some ‘bums on seats’ and let the drivers and operators see for themselves.

As for the ‘Four Pillars’ on which the launch was predicated, Penske has certainly hit a home run with the first one – Driver Fit. In this current climate of driver shortages, one thing that the OEMs need to offer is a comfortable and inviting environment for the driver so he or she will want to stay. I reckon MAN has done that, and I can’t wait to get a decent long drive in one to prove it.

Specifications:
MAN TGX 580/640
Max Power: 427kW (580hp) at 1800rpm 471kW – (640hp) at 1800rpm
Max torque: 2900Nm at 900 to 1380rpm (580) – 3000Nm at 900 to 1380rpm (640)
Type: Six-cylinder in-line
Capacity: 15.2 litres
Emissions: Euro 6e
Emission system: Soft EGR, CRT and SCR
Engine turbo charging: Two-stage turbo charging, with charge-air intercooling
Fuel injection: Electronically controlled common rail injection system
GVM: 26,000kg
GCM: 70,000kg
GCM (optional): 90,000kg
Fuel: 620 litres (left) 460 litres (right)
AdBlue: 85 litres
Axle ratio: 3.36

This article was originally published on August 5, 2022