Scania bolsters the business case for V8s

[kscarbel2]

Owner/Driver  /  September 9, 2016

Levin argues it’s horses for courses when choosing more grunt

Leading Scania executive Christian Levin has sought to bolster the position of V8 engines at time when many truck makers appear to have fallen out of love with them.

Executive vice president of sales and marketing, Levin presented the bigger engine as a boon for particular operators dealing with specific needs and conditions, as well as for Scania’s own image and brand.

He argues that topography plays a part in creating demand, citing Italian livestock transporters dealing with often mountainous terrain.

They can run at higher average speeds, thereby saving up to two hours on trips within their country, lessening the impact of stress on animals’ condition.

Levin was speaking to a delegation of Australian journalists at Scania headquarters in Sodertalje, Sweden, during the phased unveiling of ’new truck generation’.

At a time when governments around the world recognise the productivity gains to be had by allowing increased payloads on the road – he nominates Australia, along with the Nordic countries, South Africa and Brazil – often "the six in line is too stressed" to handle the greater demand well.

Levin insists reliability of V8s is better due to operating at lower revs and they are "significantly more valuable" in the second hand market.

With experienced on-road personnel shortages as prevalent in Europe Union as in North America and Australia, the lure of big bangers mean "drivers’ choices, of course" also come into play.