Scania R 770: Review

The Scania V8 range needs little introduction. We’ve brought you stories of these trucks and their deeds for years. And while the big 16-litre platform is not for everyone, it does conjure up thoughts of power and a sense of king-of-the-road grunt that gets the blood flowing because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a V8?

And when we announced that this new Scania 770hp V8 had arrived on our shores, it set our Trucksales social media pages alight, and our readership soaring.

So it was with no small measure of delight that we accepted the kind offer from Scania to be the first outlet in the country to drive the 770.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. First, let’s take a look at the new Scania 770's specifications.

The 16.4-litre 90-degree V8 produces its 770hp and 3700Nm of torque with the help of bigger injectors and a fixed-geometry turbocharger using ball bearings. The result, we’re told, is faster response and improved combustion, while shedding certain heavy components and simplifying others has lowered the weight by a healthy 75kg compared with its predecessor.

Scania has re-engineered the exhaust emissions process to be able to achieve Euro 6D without exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), the truck instead relying solely on SCR.

Another feature of the Scania V8 is that each bank of cylinders has its own one-piece cast-iron exhaust manifold that covers the four cylinders. As one of the engineers said at launch: “Not only are they lighter and more efficient but they also contribute to the distinctive V8 sound, the typical ‘blatt’ that so many Scania customers and V8 fans appreciate.” Can’t disagree with that.

Getting all that power and torque to the back wheels is Scania’s 14-speed (12 forward) overdrive Opticruise gearbox with the famed R4100 retarder. We’ve used this combination plenty of times in the past and it’s an absolute winner.

Interestingly, with this new engine Scania has gone for a final drive ratio of 3.07:1, no doubt chasing fuel efficiency.

Other changes to the 770 include a new electric power steering system and standard air-bag front suspension, which we will get to soon and which, in a way, transforms the truck from great to even better…

Climb up the three sturdy, non-slip steps into the cab and you’re left in no doubt that you're in the V8 version. V8 logos abound: they’re embossed in the seats, they’re on the floor, on the dash… I didn’t check the mattress in the sleeper, but I’m betting they’re there too!

But it’s a great cab. Black leather is everywhere and there’s red trim that gives it a classy look and feel, and you get the overall impression of being in a premium product. Having driven quite a few Scanias, one thing is apparent, and that is the familiarity of this cab.

It all came back as I settled in: the transmission and retarder on the right-hand stalk, lights, mirrors and windows on the door, safety features to the left on the dash, indicators, wipers and washers on the left-hand stalk, all there just as I remembered.

There’s a fridge under the bunk, between the seats, storage all around and a feeling of space and comfort. Love it.

I flicked on the ignition to get the mileage for my log book: 523km. No, that wasn’t the trip meter, that was the total mileage. Yep, this was a NEW truck!

It was a credit to the Scania guys and testament to the faith they have in their product to stick a journo in a truck with so few kilometres on the clock. This truck had come from the docks, been to collect its trailers, got loaded, been to the weighbridge… and that was about it.

I fired it up and, yes, this was a V8. The burble was there. Unmistakeable. Thanks, Scania engineers, for not completely dialling out the rumble of the big bent-eight diesel and leaving us a nice, audible treat.

It’s not intrusive, the noise; it’s not like some V8 performance cars where you fire it up and it almost gives you a fright as it barks into operation. No, the Scania V8 rumble is just ‘there’. A pleasant reminder rather than a recalcitrant yell.

Window down in the yard, and I could hear the exhaust note. Window up and I could have a quiet conversation with my passenger. Just as it should be.

I took it out onto the street, then onto the highway, mindful that this was the only one in the country. According to the weighbridge's docket, we were loaded to 62 tonnes so this would be a real-world test of the 770, not just a quick fang around the block.

As expected, first impressions were impressive. I guess I was a bit like a kid with a new bike as I guided the 770 through the traffic and out of town. The grunt was terrific off the mark. I mentioned to my co-pilot that it just didn’t feel like a 60-tonne GVM and were it not for the weighbridge docket, I might have questioned it. But it really felt like 20 or 30 tonnes.

As Scania Australia is located out on the fringes of Melbourne, it didn’t take long to get out on the open road and that’s where this truck really excels. And it's there that I noticed the steering, remarking on it to my co-pilot for the day, Scania Australia's Ben Nye. Ben is really in charge of the 770 project here in Australia, and he was there to answer any questions I had regarding the truck.

I asked what he’d done with the steering and he told me that it was a new electric system they’d just come up with. And let me say now, it's a fantastic system. It’s a variable system, like most of the modern electric systems, that gives more assistance at low speeds and less as speeds increases so you get a bit more ‘feel’ on the open road.

But it is the precision and directness of this system that is its best asset. No more sawing of the wheel from side to side; this truck just sat tight in its lane. In fact, I had to question whether I had my lane departure warning on as it never beeped at me, and I usually get a bit of feedback from them when I’m driving a double.

Ben explained that the handling was also probably enhanced by the air-bag front suspension. The front suspension consists of air bags, one ‘helper’ spring and a stabiliser bar. Ben said that the roll centres of the air bag suspension are actually stiffer than that of standard leaf-spring suspension, so you don’t get that typical ‘walking’ or wallowing feel on second-grade roads.

The combination of the new steering and the air-bag front-end was a feeling of confidence and I could just about take my hands off the wheel and let the truck drive itself. Although I wouldn’t because that’s illegal and, if I did, I certainly wouldn’t write about it...

It’s a relaxed drive. The big V8 lopes along at about 1250rpm in top gear at 100km/h and calmly drops down to 11th for little hills and then slips back up to top with the driver barely noticing.

At one stage, I set the adaptive cruise control, set the downhill speed control, and let the truck just do its own thing. On the downhills, the retarder would kick in automatically and keep the speed under control, and then on the uphills, the V8 would use its torque to haul our B-double burden up and over with ease.

Related reading:
Scania R 650 B-double: Review
Scania tested at over 200 tonnes
Scania R540: Review

The 770hp and 3700Nm power and torque figures might sound like overkill to some but, in the end, it all adds up to an easy and comfortable drive. If you combine that with the precise steering and the lovely ride and handling from the air-bag front suspension, the end result is that the driver arrives at his or her destination feeling much more refreshed, and much less tired and fatigued than if they were driving a truck that involved a lot more driver input.

Driver fatigue is one of the biggest killers on our roads and if truck manufacturers can offer up trucks that reduce fatigue and make the job of driving the truck much easier, it’s got be a good thing.

Certainly after a day behind the wheel of the Scania R 770, I felt as though I could easily do another stint. It was a lovely truck to drive and I’d have to say, if I was doing linehaul driving for a living and had to spend long hours behind the wheel, this would be one of the trucks I would be asking for.

Specifications: Scania R 770

Engine: Scania DC16 770 16.4-litre 90-degree V8
Power: 770hp (566kW) at 1900rpm
Torque: 3700 Nm (2730ft/lb) at 1000-1450rpm
Emissions: Euro6 (SCR)
Transmission: Scania GRSO926R, overdrive 14-speed, Scania Retarder
Fuel: 1030 litres (1x710L L/H, 1x320L R/H)
AdBlue: 2 x 73 litres tanks, 1x R/H and 1x L/H
Front axle: Scania AM640S
Front suspension: Air front springs, 7500kg capacity with anti-roll bar
Rear axles: Scania AD200SA Axle housings, Scania RB662/R660 Differentials
Ratio: 3.07 with power divider and differential locks
Rear auspension: Scania 4 bag air suspension, (19000kg capacity)
Brakes: Scania electronically controlled disc brakes
EBS with integrated ABS and Traction Control
Electronic park brake
Wheels: Aluminum Alcoa Durabright, 22.5” x 8.25” tubeless rims
Tyres: Front, Continental 295/80 R22.5; Rear, Continental 295/80 R22.5