New UD a game-changer (but does it have more power?)
UD TRUCKS HAS LAUNCHED A NEW GENERATION Quon range in Japan – which it says “rede nes the Japanese heavy-duty truck” with its new levels of driveability, safety and fuel e ciency.
“e new Quon is huge step for UD Trucks, but also for Japanese heavyduty trucks in general,” UD Trucks Australia’s acting VP of sales Mark Strambi reckons.
“e world-class technology available in the new-generation Quon range has never been seen before on Japanese trucks in Australia.”
UD Trucks chairman (and Volvo Group executive vice president) Joachim Rosenberg says that the new truck “delivers signi cantly better performance across the board that will enable us to leapfrog into a stronger position within the heavy-duty market in Australia and New Zealand.”
at hints at a keenly-awaited (some say much-needed) increase in UD’s current 420-horsepower (308kW) maximum rating for NZ and Australia…. but the press release announcing the launch seems to carefully avoid that issue.
It talks of a “fuel-e cient, powerful and clean” 11-litre GH11 engine – one that complies with the PPNLT Japanese 2016 exhaust emissions standard and “generates powerful torque through a wide RPM range, making the Quon a pleasure to drive.”
But, it seems, the Volvo Group is keen to keep that important detail under wraps until the new Quon is shown o at the Brisbane Truck Show late this month. ere, says the PR, UD Trucks Australia “will announce further detail regarding the local range.”
UD says that its new agship model features advances in ve essential areas of performance: “Drivability (easier and smoother)…. Safety (safer and more reliable)… Productivity (more loads and greater e ciency)… Fuel e ciency (cleaner, while more powerful)…. Uptime (longer time on the road and more reliability).”
e Quon has a cab that’s been re-engineered from the ground up, “focusing on operability, visibility and ergonomics.”
It’s equipped with the latest ESCOT-VI AMT, with enhancements in its ability to cope with challenging o road conditions.
Safety-wise, all models feature disc brakes and the Quon also o ers UD’s Tra c Eye Brake collision mitigation system, using high-precision radar and a cab-mounted camera to monitor the road ahead and to work in league with advanced driver assistance systems including Driver Alert Support.
UD says that “every component has been re ned to produce a vehicle with an overall lighter tare weight,” thus increasing the new Quon’s payload.
It also “delivers all-new levels of fuel e ciency, achieving at least 5% better fuel economy than the 2015 fuel economy standards for heavy vehicles in Japan.”
e Quon also has a Fuel Coach system that displays driving advice to help drivers achieve improved fuel economy.
UD says that its new model also o ers an upgrade in vehicle reliability and durability: “It’s easier to maintain, with a reduced number of parts requiring regular replacement and longer service intervals on genuine parts.”
Mark Strambi says that the new range will give this part of the world “access to models not previously o ered…..which will signi cantly enhance our ability to o er our customers a comprehensive o ering, backed up by the largest dealer network in Australia and NZ.”
Joachim Rosenberg adds: “e new generation Quon marks a new era for UD Trucks and further reinforces our position as a serious contender in the heavy-duty truck market.”
T&D