Mercedes-Benz All-Wheel Drive: Launch

At a purpose-built off-road facility on the outskirts of Melbourne, Mercedes Benz recently showed the truck media its new generation all-wheel drive truck range.

The new range is certainly impressive with 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 models that will appeal to a wide range of customers with applications that require off-road access and extreme robustness.

But while these powerful and certainly capable vehicles are the epitome of off-road might, they also showed on the test drive that they are as comfortable and well-equipped as most modern road-going trucks.

With recent rain adding to the difficulty of the terrain, we set out to see just what these beasts could do.

The new generation
This is the third stage of the new generation Mercedes-Benz truck roll out, following the prime mover introduction in late 2016 and the arrival of road-focussed rigid models last year.

Mining, construction, remote maintenance, fertiliser spreading and off-road adventure travel are among the applications the new all-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz range was designed to support.

Just like the rest of the new generation Mercedes-Benz range, the all-wheel drive models bring a suite of new technology including advanced telemetry and connectivity, Euro 6 emission ratings, fuel economy savings, reduced AdBlue consumption, safety technology and new levels of comfort and refinement.

Mercedes-Benz Truck and Bus Australia Director, Michael May, said the all-wheel drive range launch follows on from the introduction of the prime mover and rigid range.

“Our new generation prime mover and rigid models have been demonstrating excellent performance, economy and driver comfort across Australia and now we are excited to introduce our new range of all-wheel drive models,” May says.

“The versatility, robustness and capability of these trucks is second to none and we think our customers will appreciate the ground-up design that brings a range of benefits.”

The all-wheel drive range runs all the way from a 16-tonne 300hp 4x4 rigid model perfect for elevated work platforms for transmission line maintenance, all the way through to a 41-tonne 460hp 8x8 that could support remote mining exploration operating in tough conditions.

The new range features all-new 8-litre and 11-litre six-cylinder Euro 6 engines as standard. Customers can also request more potent 13-litre engines for specific applications.

A high performance engine brake helps drivers navigate steep descents, while a secondary water retarder is optional.

The all-wheel drive models also feature a unique cyclone prefilter cleaner to handle extreme environments.

The 8-litre six-cylinder engine is available with either 300hp or 350hp, while the 11-litre unit is available with ratings of 400hp, 430hp and 460hp.

Fully automated transmissions are standard across the range, while customers with certain applications, such a fertilser spreading, may prefer to specify a manual transmission.

An eight-speed PowerShift automated unit is standard for the 8-litre engines, while a nine-speed manual is an option. An Allison five-speed torque convertor automatic is also available as an option for the 300hp 1630 model.

The 11-litre engines are paired with the automated 16-speed PowerShift transmission, which Mercedes-Benz tells us delivers 50 per cent faster gear changes than previous generation AWD models. The PowerShift transmission also includes the crawl function which allows for easy pulling away uphill and responsive manoeuvring control.

A low-speed transfer case is a feature of all models for optimum off-road performance. The 4x4 models operate in rear-drive mode until all-wheel drive is selected by the driver, and they feature rear differential locks. The 6x6 and 8x8 models operate in all-wheel drive mode at all times and feature front and rear axle differential locks.

Mercedes-Benz has developed a new heavy duty chassis construction engineered for high torsional flexibility and increased robustness utilising cold-formed ultra-high tensile steel.

Inside
The new cabs also deliver improved comfort and refinement and exceed the ECE R29 standard and the Swedish Cab Test.

The new interior delivers a big improvement in refinement levels, with controls located well within the reach of the driver. Several items can now be controlled using buttons on the steering wheel.

The new all-wheel drive range comes standard with an Electronic Braking System which controls the complex braking and traction functions of the entire vehicle including Hill Hold Assist, Traction Control (ASR) and ABS.

On the Track
The first truck I climbed aboard was the smallest of the fleet, the 1630 4x4. This truck is powered by the 7.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 299hp and 1200Nm mated to an eight-speed Powershift AMT.

As mentioned above, the interior is plush and comfortable. It feels like any other modern European truck. All the controls fall easily to hand and the ancillary controls for the four-wheel drive system couldn’t be more simple.

We drove through a river, up and down steep in slippery inclines and through muddy paddocks and the 1630 wasn’t fazed.

One of the standout points, apart from its outstanding off-road ability was its manoeuvrability. In the really tight sections in and around the river, this vehicle behaved like a small SUV rather than a full-size truck.

Engine braking was another big plus. I could simply ‘walk’ the truck down extremely steep muddy grades where using the service brakes could well have resulted in a lockup.

The 7.7-litre six provides heaps of power, but more importantly, an abundance of torque from just off idle so we didn’t have to rev the motor and cause wheelspin in the muddy conditions.

Next, I jumped into the 6x6 and felt immediately at home with the similar interior and switch gear to the 4x4. Obviously, another position in the circular diff-lock switch is necessary to cater for the extra axle, and it’s another step up to the tall cabin, but essentially it’s very similar.

The 6x6 is powered by the 10.7-litre six-cylinder engine with up to 455hp and 2200Nm of torque mated to 16-speed Powershift automated manual transmission. There is also a two-speed transfer case with a 1.45:1 reduction in low range.

The 6x6 is a constant six-wheel drive system as opposed to the 4x4 which is a switchable system. This means that all the driver has to worry about is flicking the diff locks in and out, which can be done on the move at walking pace, and the low-range reduction (which we found no need for even though the going was pretty tough.

We drove a different course from the one we drove with the 4x4, but there was still heaps of mud and steep hills to test the mettle of the 6x6. Once again the low-down torque was evident and with diff locks engaged, there was nothing stopping this ’Benz.

We tried it over some wheel articulation bumps and noted the torsional twist in the chassis which actually gives more articulation and make the vehicle more capable.

Finally it was time to climb aboard the big 8x8 twin-steer 4446. Once again it was a constant drive system so we were always in eight-wheel drive. And again there were diff locks all round. This big truck is a real tour de force with a GVM up to 44 tonnes and a GCM of up to 70 tonnes.

As you can see from the photos, we were unladen and I tend to think that a bit more weight may have made this vehicle even more capable, but as it was we couldn’t find anything to stop it. I did get it spinning on a particularly steep and muddy ascent, but it soon found enough traction from the big off-road oriented tyres to scramble to the top.

The ride in the 8x8 was exceptional aided by the standard suspension seat and the interior surroundings were pure luxury with the added benefit of a full safety package.

We came away from the Mercedes-Benz off-road launch feeling super impressed by these trucks. They’re tough, powerful and very well put together. They’re easy to drive, comfortable and extremely capable.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re using them as an outback tourer, a fire department or running around searching for minerals, these trucks will get you where you need to go… in comfort.

Specifications:
Mercedes-Benz 4x4 AWD 1630
Engine: OM936 7.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 299hp and 1200Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed Powershift AMT with 3.583 RAR. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 1000-3W/1.61-0.98 engageable.
Weights: 16,000kg GVM with up to 24,000 GCM
Front axle and suspension: 6.0 tonne front axle. 6.1 tonne parabolic springs.
Rear axle and suspension: 11.0 tonne front axle with diff locks. 10.5 tonne steel suspension.
Braking: Drum brakes with ABS. Parking brakes on front axle. High Performance Engine Brake.
Cab: S-Cab Classic Space

Mercedes-Benz 4x4 Heavy AWD 1835
Engine: OM936 7.7-litre Euro 6 six cylinder with 354hp and 1400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed Powershift AMT with 4.833 RAR. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 3000-3W, 1.04, engageable. Optional nine-speed with two-speed transfer case with 3.174 for off-road.
Weights: 18,000kg GVM and 22,400 GCM
Front axle and suspension: 7.5 tonne offset front axle with 7.5 tonne three-leaf springs.
Rear axle and suspension: 13.4 tonne planetary rear axle with diff locks, 11.5 rear springs
Cab: S-Cab Classic Space

Mercedes-Benz 6x6 AWD 3340, 3343 and 3346
Engine: OM470 10.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 394hp and 1900Nm (4140), 428hp and 2100Nm (4143) and 455hp and 2200Nm (4146)
Transmission: 16-speed Powershift AMT with 4.833 RAR. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 2800-3W/1.45-1.04 permanent
Weights: 33,000kg GVM with up to 70,000kg GCM
Front axle and suspension: 7.5 tonne planetary front axles with diff locks. 7.5 tonne three-leaf springs
Rear axle and suspension: 13.4 tonne planetary rear axle with diff locks. Two 15.0 tonne rear springs
Braking: Drum brakes with Electronic Braking System with ABS, independent trailer brake and High Performance Engine Brake
Cab: S-Cab Classic Space

Mercedes-Benz 8x8 AWD 4140, 4143 and 4146
Engine: OM470 10.7-litre Euro 6 six-cylinder with 394hp and 1900Nm (4140), 428hp and 2100Nm (4143) and 455hp and 2200Nm (4146)
Transmission: 16-speed Powershift AMT with 4.833 RAR. Transmission PTO. Transfer case VG 2800-3W/1.45-1.04 permanent
Weights: 41,000kg GVM and up to 70,000kg GCM
Front axle and suspension: 7.5 tonne planetary front axles with diff locks. Two 7.5 tonne three-leaf springs
Rear axle and suspension: 13.4 tonne planetary rear axle with diff locks. Two 15.0 tonne rear springs
Braking: Drum brakes with Electronic Braking System with ABS, independent trailer brake and High Performance Engine Brake
Cab: S-Cab Classic Space