IVECO has undertaken side by side testing of two Eurocargo ML150 4×4 models off road, in Tallarook’s State Forest north of Melbourne.
One fitted with a full automatic transmission and the second with an automated manual transmission (AMT), the Eurocargo 4x4s were pushed to their limits, through demanding bush tracks, particularly on inclines and declines of an over 30 per cent gradient.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australia’s transport industry.
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly Deals on Wheels magazine.
- Sell your truck with Australia’s #1 truck classifieds
Both vehicles were operating at full GVM to replicate real-world conditions, to help analyse the best features of both transmission types, as well as to identify any limitations.
“Across the commercial vehicle industry there has been a noticeable shift in recent years from manual to automated and full automatic transmissions, as operators search for a more relaxed and safer driving experience with the benefits of reduced maintenance costs,” says IVECO account manager, Rory Wale.
The findings revealed that the AMT is a fantastic solution when operating on hills, however the full torque converter automatic’s ability to eliminate rollback from standstill and having similar characteristics to an automatic car, would prove more attractive for less experienced drivers.
Wale says the easy use and drivability of the full automatic is attractive to many and it’s likely to see this transmission become the main preference in the years to follow.
“More importantly though, there has been a change in drivers’ skillsets – many emergency service bodies are run by volunteers who may occasionally drive trucks, but most are not professional drivers,” he says.
“With this in mind, we seek to supply the safest and most user-friendly options to suit the application.”
In attendance were several Country Fire Authority (CFA) driver trainers, as well as CFA and IVECO engineers, product managers and key account staff.
Read more:
- Teen gets driven to formal in father’s Kenworth 610 SAR
- 1948 Federal undergoes decade-long restoration
- Insta-famous truckie encourages young people to get behind the wheel
- 11-year-old saves up own money to buy 1975 Oshkosh E-Series
- Fully restored 1924 Ford Model T is “reborn” after surviving fire
Check out the Deals on Wheels Facebook here.
