Review: Scania G480

Name: Review: Scania G480
Brand: Scania

With the Scania’s New Generation trucks just around the corner, we drive one of the existing models that set sales records last year and will sell alongside the new trucks post-launch

Following on from its preview at the Brisbane Truck Show in May last year, Scania Australia has been putting in a lot of work to ensure the New Generation of Scania trucks are ready to go before the official launch in March.

And while there has been much talk about the new model range, as there is with any new product launch, we thought we might take a look at the current Scania offering here in Australia, and reflect on just how good the current models are.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be driving a range of both current and next generation Scania trucks, in order to directly compare the two and identify any improvements on an apples-for-apples basis.

While the ten or so test units of the New Generation trucks have been out working with major fleets around the country for a while now, Scania Australia has been very protective of the results. And although we did get to drive the new trucks in Europe at the World launch, Scania Australia has also been careful not to let any of us journos get our hands on them up to this stage.

Reading between the lines, however, it would seem that the shakedown units are performing well. We will have our chance behind the wheel in a couple of weeks, but until then we’ll concentrate on what the current model has to offer.

Growing old gracefully

The existing range on offer from Scania Australia has changed very little in over ten years. While the cab has had a few aesthetic tweaks, inside and out, the bones are still the same.

Since this generation was launched here, we have seen the introduction of the mid height G cab, the return of the Streamline edition (which basically became standard on the R cab), and of course the arrival of the R730. In terms of mechanical updates, most of these have been to comply with increasing emission s standards, with the basic engine and transmission offerings remaining the same.

It’s almost ironic that this range of trucks, which are coming to the end of their build program, helped Scania sell more trucks in Australia last year than any other year they have competed on the Australian market. While it is no secret that a new cab design is on its way, operators are still happy to buy the current models in big numbers, and there is a good reason why – it’s still a bloody good truck. In terms of driver comfort, ease of operation, efficiency and even looks, the current Scania line-up is right up there with the best of them.

G Whizz

The G480 sits fair and square in the middle of the current model Scania prime mover line-up.

Mounted beneath the mid-height G series cab is Scania’s own 13-litre engine, rated to 480hp/2400Nm, with a 12-speed Opticruise Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) slotted in behind. This driveline really shines in terms of smoothness and ease of operation, while also providing enough power to handle either a single trailer or a B-double combination.

While some might scoff at towing B-doubles with only 480hp on tap, the torque output definitely takes up the slack where the horses might be lacking. Aside from that, there are a lot of lightweight B-doubles on the road these days, where big power really isn’t needed anyway.

Inside the cab, the G480 design hides its age very well. As mentioned earlier, the interior has had a couple of facelifts since the model was introduced here in Australia, but there is nothing here to hint that the G cab is mutton dressed as lamb. The interior layout still feels modern, with all the comforts you would expect from a European truck. More importantly, the G480 has all the latest safety equipment on board also, including adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking and, of course, the full suite of ABS, EBS and traction control functions.

On the road, the G480 provides a very relaxed workplace for the driver, with great vision, low noise levels and all controls within easy reach. Those which are more frequently used- including the cruise control, audio and trip computer functions- are literally at your fingertips, and simple to use without taking your hands off the steering wheel. The ride quality is right up there with any other European truck on the market, even over some fairly average surfaces, as we discovered on our drive.

Out and about

In order to put the G480 under a little pressure, we decided to head for the hills west of Melbourne, and take a drive towards Ballarat.

At a gross weight of 40.5t (in single trailer configuration), the 13-litre engine performed very well on the climb up the Pentland Hills, despite having to frequently slow for the roadworks that were happening along the way. It seemed that just as we would hit top gear, another lot of roadworks came up, meaning another long 40km/h speed zone, before having the 110km/h speed zone begin again at the bottom of a big climb. Not to worry though, as the run back down in the opposite direction gave us a chance to get the fuel figures back to a decent number.

Over the 130km round trip (cut short due to the roadworks and time limitations) the G480 returned an average of 2.1km/l, at an average speed of just 55km/h. That’s not so bad considering that half of it was uphill, under full power. Over the same trip, the driver score showed a result of 80 per cent which, while we won’t harp on about contributing factors, shows that there is plenty of room for improvement.

Setting a high standard

The current model G480 leaves nothing to be desired in terms of driver comfort or features, which only goes to prove one thing – the design team did a great job when they came up with this model in the first place. While some manufacturers will focus on having their flagship model (or models) right at the pointy end of the field, not many carry that equipment level down to their mid-range prime movers. This is where the Scania product shines, and likely one of the reasons why the current model line-up is performing so well in sales terms.

A large part of the Scania sales success last year was based on G cab variants, and their suitability for the urban distribution task without sacrificing on comfort or safety. The good news is, you’ve still got a bit of time up your sleeve to grab one before they disappear off the lot… or you could wait for the next generation.

Scania G480 Specifications:

Engine: Scania DC13 480 12.7 litre In-line six cylinder

Output: 480hp (353kW)/2400Nm (1700lb/ft)

Transmission: 14 speed (12sp plus two crawler gears) Opticruise AMT with hydraulic retarder

Suspension front: Parabolic springs 7100kg capacity

Suspension rear: Four bag Electronically Controlled Air Suspension (ECAS) 19000kg capacity

Rear axles: 3.42:1 ratio with power divider and differential locks

Fuel Capacity: 700 litres – 400lt LHS, 300lt RHS plus 75lt Ad-blue

Safety: Disc brakes with Electronic Braking Stability (EBS) including ABS and traction control, Lane Departure Warning, Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Electronic Stability Program

Review: Scania G480

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