Words & Pics supplied by Richard Stanier. Credit IToY
Following the slightly unexpected International Truck of the Year (IToY) win for the Mercedes Atego in 2011, Daimler achieved the second ever consecutive win with the Actros in 2012, repeatng a feat first accomplished by Iveco in 1992/1993.
The success of 2012 marked an unprecedented fourth win for the Actros, but in reality, the retention of the model name was a reflection of the strength of the Actros brand in the market, and the truck itself was effectively a “clean sheet” design, the work on which had commenced a decade earlier.
The new 12.8-litre OM 471 straight-six saw the move away from V6 and V8 engines, and was the first European incarnation of the new Daimler Heavy Duty Engine Platform, developed as a global engine programme with regional variations produced by Detroit Diesel and Fuso. The design was the first Euro-6 engine to be launched, and the standard was met with a combination of SCR, EGR and a partuculate filter.
Featuring X-Pulse common-rail, high-pressure injection, the new engine offered 421hp, 449hp, 476hp or 510hp variants, with torque of between 2,100Nm and 2,500Nm. Euro-5 variations continued to be offered ahead of the 2014 deadline, with the 10.7-litre OM 470 and the 7.7-litre OM 936 joining the line-up in 2012.
The PowerShft 3 12-speed automated transmission incorporated steering-column control and a new crawl function, with the shifting strategy improved to take into account combination weight, road inclination and accelerator position. The single-reduction drive axle was offered with double the number of ra?os of its predecessor, and a new four-bellows air suspension matched to an innovative rear axle guide ensured better roll characteristics and a smaller roll angle on bends.
The chassis frame was also new, with the frame track extended by 90mm for improved road handling and driving characteristics, and pre-drilled throughout. An enhancement to the steering gear also contributed to the overall driving performance.
Externally, the new Actros featured modern styling which propelled Mercedes back to the forefront of truck design. Identified with four brand names – ClassicSpace, StreamSpace, BigSpace and GigaSpace, there were seven cab variants with four different roof heights and various cab heights.
Two cab widths were available – at 2,300mm and 2,500mm, with the sleeper cabs having a standard length of 2,300mm. The ClassicSpace cab featured a low-height roof and was offered in 2300mm form only, whereas the StreamSpace with the higher roof was available in 2,300mm or 2,500mm form. Widest cabs had a standard flat-floor ,with this as an op?on for 2,300mm variants.
The BigSpace cab offered 1.9m of headroom, with the GigaSpace providing 2.13m. The cab interiors received a corresponding redesign with completely re-developed seats and a new 104mm TFT colour display.
With such a comprehensively new model, Mercedes was always going to be the favourite for 2012’s IToY, and this was achieved with 161 votes from the 24-country judging panel. In second place with 67 points was the new Tatra Phoenix, recently launched with DAF cabs and engines, with Scania’s Euro-6 range in third place with 61 points.
