Mitsubishi launches new SuperGreat heavy truck

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Mitsubishi Fuso Press Release  /  May 15, 2017

Kawasaki, Japan - Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) today announced the launch of both the “Super Great” heavy-duty truck, which has undergone a full model change for the first time in 21 years, and the “Aero Queen” and “Aero Ace” heavy-duty touring buses. In a conscious move to modernize Japanese driving habits and increase safety and efficiency, all these new trucks and touring buses are equipped with the new automatic mechanical transmission (AMT) as standard, a first time in Japan.

The new FUSO models, that include Daimler technologies also used in other brands of the global CV Leader, feature some market-first top-class safety features, the best fuel efficiency in the market, and maximum maneuverability bringing the most comfortable driving experience to the road.

“With this double launch we demonstrating FUSO’s ability to get back to the leadership position in our home-market Japan…” says Marc Llistosella, President and CEO of MFTBC and Head of Daimler Trucks Asia. Llistosella continues, “These flagship vehicles feature state-of-the-art technologies that enable best in class fuel efficiency, safety and comfort that will make them the first choice for customers and their drivers alike.

At the same time, we invest heavily in our dealership facilities and the training of our sales and service staff, to ensure that our customers get the best overall package to make them successful in their business. I am confident, that with this revolution at FUSO we will be able to gain significantly market share”

“Super Great” Heavy-duty Truck

For the first time in the 21 years since 1996, the interior and exterior of the model in this range have been refined in a full-scale model change. Installed with two types of newly developed small-displacement engines (Models 6R20, 10.7 liters, 6S10, 7.7 liters), the new models have become extremely light compared with conventional vehicles. A newly-developed 12-speed automatic mechanical transmission (AMT) called “ShiftPilot” is installed in all vehicles, achieving comfortable, smooth shift operation.

Advanced safety technologies have been implemented to reduce large truck accidents and enhance safety. These technologies include the “ABA4” brake to mitigate collision damage, and “Active Attention Assist” monitor that detects pedestrians ahead, developed as a part of the evolution of the MDAS-III technology for monitoring driver driving attention, and “Active Sideguard Assist,” the first technology in Japan to warn against danger hidden in the left blind spot.

“Proximity Control Assist,” which comes with automatic stop and start functions, in addition to auto cruising, equipped with a function to maintain the proper distance between two vehicles, is also a new function added to the new Super Great truck. “Powertrain 3-D forecast control,” (optional) for forecasting road gradients through GPS, and 3-D map information during auto cruising, assures low fuel consumption during cruising and improves economy and over-all comfort.

As a telematics function, “Truckonnect” is now provided in the “Super Great” as standard. This new function allows customers the ability to check all the trucks’ vital information in real-time through the customer’s personal computer systems. Positions of vehicles, cruising routes and problems such as vehicle failure, and accidents can be checked using this function. It also allows real-time determination of safe truck driving by drivers. Basic items such as digital tachographs can also be checked, allowing efficient bus operation, including management of fuel consumption. MFTBC is proud to be the first Japanese Commercial Vehicle Manufacturer to offer these specialized services, and therefore, will offer free initial installations, free service communication, and a free digital tachograph.

Makoto Tanno, the Director of the Retail Operations Fuso Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso Sales Japan, comments, “We firmly believe that the New Super Great will be a product that will become an industry benchmark, satisfying customer needs for economy, safety and comfort and even leading to AMT becoming an industry standard.”

Tanno concludes, “With the introduction of our new telematics service “Truckconnect”, we provide another industry first in Japan, that continuously connects our customers and their fleets.  We will further develop Truckconect into a full connectivity ecosystem, which enables new efficiencies and provides new profit-streams for our customers.”

“Aero Queen” and “Aero Ace” Heavy-duty Touring Buses

While they keep the elegant and well-designed exterior of their successor, the new “Aero Queen” and “Aero Ace” have been substantially redesigned and improved in terms of safety and comfort to further extend the leading position of FUSO as a Bus manufacturer in the market.

For the first time in Japan, the “ShiftPilot” 8-speed automatic mechanical transmission (AMT) is installed on all heavy-duty tour buses as standard, to provide a high level of safety, comfort and efficiency.In the area of safety performance, “ABA3,” which is an advanced version of the “AMB” brake for alleviation of collision damage, is installed. Also installed for the first time in buses are new technologies including the “Active Attention Assist,” which monitors driver attention through a driver-facing camera, developed as a further evolution of the MDAS-III and “Proximity Control Assist” technology. This adds automatic stop and automatic start functions to auto cruise, and includes a function to maintain the proper distance between cars to help alleviate driver fatigue during traffic congestion.

A new small-displacement engine (model 6S10, 7.7 liters) is installed to increase the number of passenger seats by decreasing weight. The Aero Ace now has larger trunk room to meet increasing demand for the transport of inbound tourists.

According to Hidekazu Kanno, Head of Fuso Bus Marketing & Sales Japan, and Mitsubishi FUSO Bus Manufacturing Co. Ltd. President, “The new “Aero Queen” and “Aero Ace” buses are the touring buses most used by travelers in Japan. The new models maintain the same bus body appearance as those of the earlier models that were highly valued in the market, but have greater safety performance, allowing their passengers to enjoy a safer bus ride. The vehicle control system and power train are shared with other bus brands of Daimler and therefore offer world-class standards. These buses are vehicles that have been manufactured with future automated driving in mind. We are convinced they represent the benchmark for safety and quality in the market.”

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