6. HCV TRACTOR CARGO CARRIER OF THE YEAR
Nominees: a) MAN CLA 49.300. b) Tata Signa 4923.S. c) Mahindra Blazo 49
HCV tractor cargo carriers are dandy workhorses. The tractortrailer combination results in versatility that is hard to match. Capable of ferrying goods that a rigid cargo truck simply cannot think of, the HCV tractor-trailer, with better earning potential, can be a car carrier, a steel coil carrier, or a container carrier. The winner in this arena is a volume oriented tractor that has the Tata legacy heavy-duty truck range as the basis. The 49-tonne GVW Tata Signa 4923.S builds on the highly popular Tata LPT/LPK range of heavy-duty trucks that are the main stay of Tata Motor’s commercial vehicle range. The LPT/LPK cabin was tweaked to bring the truck up to the modern standards in terms of noise, refinement and comfort without a substantial price increase. The proven driveline was left untouched except for some improvements that would enhance performance and efficiency. Powering the Signa 4923.S is a 227 hp, 5.9-litre Cummins 6B six-cylinder common-rail turbo-diesel engine that does 800 Nm of peak torque at 1400-1700 rpm. Transmission is a nine-speed manual synchromesh unit. With 23.5 per cent gradebility, the tractor draws from Tata Motors’ long standing experience in making heavy-duty trucks at a cost that is just about one to two per cent more than the model it builds upon.