A presentation of the new generation of MAN truck, which has been in development for almost ten years, took place in Grodno. As a result, the MAN TGX tractor became the owner of the international title “Truck of the Year 2021” and is already available on the Belarusian market.
What all this means was shown to Grodno carriers in practice. AvtoGrodno also attended the presentation.
The presentation was organized by the general importer of MAN Truck & Bus SE in Belarus - Beltracandbas LLC.
The truck arrived under its own power from Minsk to Grodno and was located on the territory of the MAN service center on Myasnitskaya Street, 20. Grodno carriers were also invited here. Taking into account the epidemiological situation, each guest chose an individual time so as not to create a mass gathering.
— This is the third generation of MAN tractors, and a similar update to the line took place 10 years ago. The cabin has been completely modernized outside and inside, the frame has been updated to meet European safety requirements 2022, and a number of technical innovations have been used,” Erik Gorbunov, a representative of Beltracandbas LLC, begins the presentation.
Trend No. 1 - fuel efficiency
— The truck spends 40% of its energy on overcoming aerodynamic drag at a speed of 85 km/h. Therefore, although the new MAN retains its classic features, its aerodynamics are significantly improved. The cabin and mirrors have become even more streamlined. The truck is equipped with a new high-speed rear axle and economical, time-tested engines. In particular, the presented example is equipped with an environmental class engine E-6d MAN D26 510 hp. / 2600 H•m, says the representative.
The MAN TGX has two radars at the front: one under the license plate, the second at the base of the windshield. They are responsible for the operation of the “emergency braking” system, “lane tracking” and adaptive cruise control. The latter allows you to keep a specified distance behind another car and save fuel. For the same purpose, there is a “MAN EfficientCruise” system, which, depending on the descent or ascent, selects the desired gear.
Two radars work in conjunction. The top one reads the markings and sees objects, the bottom one determines the distance to the object and its relative speed. If a child or a cyclist suddenly runs out in front of the truck, the MAN TGX will start to brake. If the driver accidentally leaves the lane, the truck will steer back.
As for optics, the presented MAN has standard halogen headlights, but LED optics with auto-correction are generally available.
Another innovation is a spoiler on the door. It stops road grime and keeps the door handle clean
Truck repair specialists were also present at the presentation. One of them noticed that the electrical harnesses were raised higher and instead of being corrugated, they were hidden in thick fabric, which would increase their service life.
— With tourniquets, in general, it’s a different story. Compared to previous generations, in the new MAN TGX their length has been reduced by several kilometers to improve the maintainability of the equipment, says the dealer.
As for the new high-speed axle with a gear ratio of 2.31, thanks to it the engine speed at a speed of 90 km/h is 1050 rpm, which also improves the fuel efficiency of the truck.
Everything at the service station
To access the power unit and gearbox, you need to raise the cab. And here, since the founding of Rome, nothing has changed. Lifting is carried out manually, using a pump located on the right, between the first and second steps. We take the wheel wrench, insert the adapter into it, and into the last one - the assembly. And go ahead - let's start the morning warm-up. In addition, when tilting the cab, it is imperative to open the front radiator grille, otherwise it can be damaged. Frankly, not the best solution for a royal-class car produced in the 21st century. The only justification can be the fact that MAN TGX drivers will not have to do such morning warm-ups often. After all, the quality and reliability of German components is beyond doubt. But the fact remains that Asian manufacturers have long realized that installing electric lifting pumps on cars is inexpensive and practical. Europeans remain conservative on this issue.
If it is necessary to carry out more or less major repairs, you will have to remove the side noise-insulating sides covering the engine. Otherwise, it is difficult to approach the power unit. Without dismantling the protection, you can only check the oil level in the engine, and even reach the manual fuel pump. By the way, the presence of such a “device” on a Euro 4 engine is quite appropriate when operating a car in Russia. Personally, the manual fuel pump has helped me start the engine more than once in severe frosts. And there is plenty of this “good” in our country.
Replacing basic consumables is easy. The filters are located in accessible places, and the electronics will notify you of the need for replacement. The air filter is hidden next to the engine, so changing it requires tilting the cab. Not the best solution, but apparently there was no other place. As we have already said, the wheelbase is filled with such things as a fuel tank, a catalyst, a spare wheel and a battery box.
Technical characteristics of MAN TGX 18.400 4x2 BLS type 06XD257
| Gross vehicle weight, kg | 18 000 |
| Gross weight of the road train, kg | 40 000 |
| Wheel formula | 4x2 |
Engine:
| MAN D2066LF32 10 500 400 at 1900 min-1 1900 at 1400 min-1 |
Transmission:
| ZF 16 S 222 DD, mechanical 16/2 |
| Suspension front/rear | Spring/pneumatic |
| Brake system | Pneumatic, disc |
| Tires | 315/70 R22.5 |
| Fuel tank capacity, l | 910 |
The tools included with the car, with the exception of the usual jack and a set of keys, also include such things as a scraper for cleaning the car from snow and ice, a brush for washing glass with a telescopic handle. So now the driver does not have to climb onto the bumper to clean the windshield. Reasonable and practical. It’s surprising that all truck manufacturers have not yet come to this decision.
Separately it is possible about those included in the MAN TGX 18.400 package. For example, a car has an option such as automatic lubrication of the fifth wheel coupling. Just press a button on the front panel, and lubricant is supplied to the “seat” through special pipes. Another function to help the driver is checking the lighting equipment. It would seem like a trifle, but checking every light bulb (and on a modern road train there are at least two dozen of them) can sometimes be problematic. It is even more difficult to check, for example, brake lights if the driver is alone on the trip. And when electronics are responsible for this, it’s much more fun.
Trend #2 is to hire drivers. That's why 700 professionals influenced the convenience of the MAN TGX
“This is not a marketing ploy, it’s really a fact: in order to design the ideal workplace, the prototype was studied by more than 700 drivers and their feedback was taken into account. In addition, 300 customers from 16 countries helped determine critical vehicle requirements, says a dealer representative.
All due to the fact that there is a catastrophic shortage of drivers in Europe. And this is what MAN came up with to make it even more comfortable for drivers to work.
The door opens wider, at 89º, and there are “hot keys” at the bottom of the door so that the driver can control some functions outside the cab. For example, emergency signals, windows and ramp lighting. The buttons can be programmed.
Lots of adjustments for the steering wheel and seat.
The multi-steering wheel has been completely updated - cruise control and electronic assistants are controlled on the left, and the on-board computer is on the right.
The instrument panel is tilted towards the driver and houses a 7-inch screen (a 12.3-inch one can be ordered).
The instrument panel has become fully digital (12.3 inches), but if desired, you can return the analog panel
In the new model, MAN consciously abandoned the touch display; the vast majority of drivers who tested the prototype called for this. The argument was that the sensor distracts from the road, and the interaction strains the back. Therefore, multimedia control was done using two washers installed one above the other. The top one may have a touch-sensitive coating on which you can write addresses for the navigation system.
To make it convenient to work with washers, a special wrist rest is installed. It folds up or down to save space.
The gear selector is moved behind the steering column; it can also be used to activate the “engine brake” to save pads when driving downhill. The parking brake is located next to the panel.
Another feature of the new MAN TGX is the abundance of storage compartments. They are installed in the middle part of the dashboard, above the windshield (volume from 250 to 420 liters), and under the berth. The total volume of boxes reaches 1,000 liters.
Refrigerator volume - 41 liters
The second seat can be rotated 90°, and its backrest folds to form an additional table.
A subwoofer is installed behind the second seat; a total of 7 speakers are placed in the cabin of the new MAN.
The mattress is increased in width, orthopedic, and has 7 hardness zones to make it comfortable for drivers to sleep. The sleeping place for the second driver is also full-fledged on an orthopedic basis.
As an option, a remote control can be supplied, which the driver can use to control all vehicle systems from the sleeping place.
The visibility of the rear-view mirrors is increased, and as an option, a blind spot monitoring system with display on the pillar can be installed.
The cost of the MAN TGX varies widely depending on the configuration; they suggest contacting the dealer directly.
Cabin
The MAN TGX cab frame has not changed, but its interior and exterior have changed. There is a new panel inside. The electronic display is now positioned slightly deeper to remain within the driver's field of vision as they look at the road. The steering angle has been increased to 35 degrees, so the fit and control in the truck are almost like in a car.
Landing and steering in the new MAN TGX truck are almost like in a passenger car (photo: Tatyana Eliseeva)
There are many other nice changes: a puck for working with the navigation and media system, an electronic brake, LED lighting inside and outside the cabin. There is a 240V socket in the salon for your favorite razor or curling iron. The passenger seat swivels, folds up or turns into a table.
The door to the cabin opens 90 degrees, and a level staircase of three steps leads up. By attaching the lower steps to the chassis, they are wide and deep. Now it is very convenient to quickly exit the cabin and there is no need to mechanically get used to the location of the steps.
LED lighting inside and outside the MAN TGX cabin (photo: Tatyana Eliseeva)
Trend No. 3 - service centers
Another area that MAN is developing is the availability of qualified service stations. Recently, there are already four of these in Belarus - in Minsk, Gomel, Brest and Grodno.
— The station has been operating in Grodno since 2022. Our specialists have been trained at the MAN Academy in Moscow and are ready to solve any technical issues,” Nikolai Lukomsky, station manager, tells AvtoGrodno. — The station is equipped with original repair and diagnostic equipment and a full list of special tools.
Our own warehouse of spare parts allows us to quickly carry out repairs
Transmission
For any modification of MAN “large-tonnage vehicles,” including tractors and chassis for superstructures, as before, you can order a mechanical (usually 16-speed) gearbox manufactured by ZF or a robotic 12-speed ZF. According to MAN's internal specifications, the automatic machines are called TipMatic. By design, this is the same manual gearbox with a three-speed unit in the middle (instead of a 4-speed unit on a 16-speed manual gearbox), to which a divider is attached in front, and a planetary range-shifter at the rear. The main differences are in the pneumatic switching drives, controlled by an electronic unit.
The gearbox with a 2.85 main gear saves fuel. The drive axle suspension is on four air springs.
The gearbox with a 2.85 main gear saves fuel. The drive axle suspension is on four air springs.
Electric parking brake switch - to the right of the driver's seat.
Electric parking brake switch - to the right of the driver's seat.
