A UD Croner view for the corona-bound

PD 6x2 model given socially distant facebook introduction

 

In keeping with present Covid-19 pandemic strictures, UD Trucks and parent Volvo have conducted a virtual walkaround of a new UD Croner PD.

Hosted by recently elevated Volvo Group Australia strategic projects and communication ns manager Matt Wood, the facebook initiative took a closer look at the 6×2 PD model with a 14 pallet curtainsider body.

Though the 4×2 PK gets a mention or two, it is very much in a supporting role for this exercise.

“The big news for Croner is under the skin, the things you can’t necessarily see at first glance,” Woods avers.

“For a start, the Croner offers more grunt than its medium-duty predecessor.

“While it still puts out 280 horsepower, the 8-litre GH8E makes 1,050 Newton metres of torque, up from 883 Newton metres from the original Condor 7-litre.

“But importantly, it makes this torque from just 1,100 rpm, which, from behind the wheel, adds quite a bit more flexibility to the engine.

“Of course, this also contributes to fuel efficiency, as well.”

Woods, a former ATN/OwnerDriver technical journalist and something of a video pioneer, then switches on the vaudeville when addressing gears.

“As far as gearboxes go, you can have any transmission you like, as long as it’s a 6-speed 3000 Series Alison automatic,” he says, adding that it is PDO-capable.

More seriously, Woods notes improved GVM and GCM, with the former at 24.5-tonne and the latter 32-tonne.

The PK comes in at 17.5-tonne and 32-tonne.

Both models come either in multileaf or air suspension, the latter at four bags for the PD and two for the PK.

Woods is a fan of the trucks having a ride-control set-up, an addition to Japanese vehicles more commonly seen on European counterparts.

He also keen to highlight the 18 wheel-base options, allowing for a range of work applications.


Read our preview of UD’s new Croner and what went into designing it, here


Before getting to the in-cab safety programs, daylight running lights to enhance on-road visibility are noted.

Meanwhile, the cab meets ECE 29 strength requirements, and electronic brake force distribution and self-adjusting S-cam brakes are standard.

The steering wheel houses an SRS airbag, while the driver’s knees are looked after by an impact-absorbing area beneath the dash – a carry-over from the Condor predecessor.

The media unit has for five cameras along with the standard sat-nav.

The otherwise simple instruments have the capability to alert the drivers that they are “driving like a wally”.

Wireless mobile phone charging is optional.

A soft touch on information technology, Woods, pointing to a slot next to the door marked ‘For Driver ID” happily explains how connected the vehicle can be.

“This truck can talk to the rest of the Volvo Group family,” he says.

“So, if you are an operator with a Mack or a Volvo, and you’re hooked up to our telematics system, which is Mack Telematics or Volvo’s Dynafleet or in this case UD Telematics, this truck can talk to the rest of the group product.   

“And this little driver ID fob means we can load a driver profile on to a USB and that driver profile can log into the telematics system regardless of which one of our branded trucks he’s driving.

“It also means the customer gets all his trucks in the one telematics portal, which is a first for us.”

While Croner is available locally and is suited for presently hot-button duties, such as last-mile and parcel/ecommerce delivery, Woods notes it is in limited supply so early in the piece.

 

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