Felix’s Scania friends

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Scania Group Press Release  /  May 19, 2017

Felix Jacoby has enthusiastically embraced Scania for more than three decades since he first drove what he characterises as the ‘wild’ Scania 141.

“There are many reasons to get excited about trucks with the griffin in the symbol. For some, it is important facts such as the highest torque, perfect operation or high resale value that count, while for others it is an emotional attachment to a truly unique brand.”

For all of these Scania fans, Jacoby has over the past nine years published the annual Scania Jahrbuch in German with interesting stories portraying Scania owners and their vehicles. This year is no exception with the difference that he now together with associates has founded his own publishing company. This year’s edition has also, for the first time, been published in the English-language version ‘International Book of Scania Friends’.

“I’m simply a freelance writer who is passionate about trucks,” says Jacoby. “You have to love trucks but it’s also very much about the people. The people involved with trucks are as much an attraction as the vehicles.”

In addition to an overview of the new generation truck, Jacoby has collected 21 Scania stories from ten European countries. In Switzerland, for example, he talks to a group of three 3-series enthusiasts, he follows an Austrian driver in route to Sicily, meets up with Danish V8-driver Kenneth Ørnstedt and explains why Greek driver Nikos Katernis takes special care of his Scania 143. “I like all the stories, they’re all different in a good way,” says Jacoby. “The people involved in this business are all so wonderfully nice.”

He has been writing about trucks since 1991 and combines work on the annual publication with stories for the leading German trade publication Fernfahrer. During his travels, he connects with truck owners and drivers.

He regrets that in some respects, the traditional driver is slowly becoming something of the past. “It’s nice to keep the romantic idea of truck driving alive and we still have many old-school drivers. But they earn just half of what they did 20 years ago and our readership has fallen to half in that time.”

In many European countries, transport companies are experiencing major problems in attracting drivers. “That is part of the idea with this book, to attract young people to the profession. We have huge truck festivals in Europe with many young people. So there is some hope. And many are interested in trucks even if they don’t work as drivers.”

Jacoby has already started working on the 2018 edition of Scania Friends. “I love writing truck stories. It doesn’t generate huge profits but it’s a very nice life.”

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