The new shape Actros is set to be on sale here in Australia by the end of 2016 and will be available in Euro 5 as well as Euro 6 versions. The truck was released in Europe in the lead up to the introduction of Euro 6 in the EU in 2011, but the German truck manufacturer had hesitated to release it here before new emission regulations demanded it.
The Actros design is a complete departure from anything offered by Benz in the past. They have moved away from the V6 and V8 engines currently offered and gone to the Mercedes Benz version of the same basic engine block used in the Detroit DD 13 and 15. Of course, the engine mapping and performance are completely different to that offered in the Detroit version, more suited to European driving conditions.
Originally it was expected the new Actros would only be offered as a Euro 6 emissions level engine. However, Diesel News has learned this week, from the new General Manager Mercedes Benz Truck and Bus, Justin Whitford, there will be a version compliant with the current ADR 80/03 emission rules for customers who prefer it.
Benz is about to begin a substantial program of testing of the new Actros on our roads. As the new shape will be impossible to fully disguise, we can expect to see a couple of unusual test prime movers appear in a selection of fleets in the next couple of years.
Here is promotional stunt Mercedes Benz set up, arriving as a taxi to pick up passengers working for rival truck makers:
