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Road Test
A NEW 510HP VERSION OF DAF’S C85 COULD IGNITE MORE INTEREST IN THE HIGHLY CAPABLE EURO OFFERING FROM THE PACCAR GROUP AS JON THOMSON
DISCOVERED WHEN HE TOOK THE TRUCK FOR A TEST DRIVE RECENTLY
REDAFINING THE IMAGE
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Here at T&TA HQ we often ponder what executives in major truck companies must think about this tiny
little market nestled down here in the South Pacific, where about 34000 heavy commercials are sold each year divvied up between around 25 brands with a whole raft of peculiar rules and regulations with the highest weights, fastest speeds and longest distances for transport operators just about anywhere on the planet.
So why do they bother for so few sales and such a high cost of entry with sparing economies of scale? While it defies rational logic they do come here all the same. The Americans don’t go to Europe, the Europeans don’t go to America (with few exceptions) and the Japanese only sell small numbers in both.
This whole notion was reignited once more when we were on the plane headed to Melbourne to test drive the new DAF C85 510 Hp. Here is a prime example of niche truck marketing. Don’t be confused this updated DAF is a damn fine truck but it is a very crowded arena where it is playing and for a company like PACCAR with such a focus on its US brands here in Australia one wonders how much attention this Euro model might get.
In 2016 around 320 DAFs were sold in Australia about a sixth of the total sales for PACCAR’s star brand Kenworth.
Even at the recent Kenworth T610 launch the DAF was a lone interloper amongst all those bonneted Americans. There it was
at the end of the row of T610s there it was a white DAF with ‘510hp’ across the front and sides of the cab.
Under the cab is the now familiar MX13, PACCAR’s Euro developed inline 13-litre six, which in previous incarnations of the C85 boasted a maximum of 462 hp. The magic of modern electronically controlled turbo diesel engines is that power can be wound up with relative ease and reliability and that is what PACCAR has done with the 12.9 litre MX The 510hp is produced between 1500 and 1900rpm and delivers a substantial 2500Nm of torque between 1000 and 1400rpm.
Slipping behind the wheel of the DAF at PACCAR’s dealership just off the Western Ring Rd at Laverton in Melbourne’s West with DAF sales boss Rob Griffin in the left hand seat the C85 glided easily out the gate and on to the freeway hauling a single trailer grossing a shade under 40 tonnes for the run across Melbourne’s North to the Hume.
The DAF boasts a very comfortable and well laid out cabin with very strong ergonomically designed cockpit style dash, that gives a bit of a clue as to where PACCAR gained inspiration for its new T610 cockpit. The cab feels more like the interior of a luxury car than a prime mover. Behind the air suspension seat is an ample sleeper bunk, which appears to be comfortable and spacious and there is a pull out fridge mounted underneath the bunk with plenty of room to access it between the seats.
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The cabin has plenty of compartments and storage that would enhance the comfort of the C85 whether you’re running line haul or doing the more likely intrastate distribution work.
The cab is room but above all very quiet even when the engine is lugging up a long hill and that combined with the expansive room and high comfort levels makes the a very pleasant place.
While we had a single trailer on-board the DAF would be just as at home running B Double and that 13 litre packs plenty of pulling power that is well matched to the ZF AS Tronic 12 speed. On our undulating run charging up the hills of the Hume over what is left of Pretty Sally the DAF felt strong and while we were only running a single and nit a huge amount of weight it felt like it had plenty in reserve with some
With a GCM of 24.6 tonnes and a GVM of 70 tonnes the CF85 has front axle rated at 7.5 tonnes and the Meritor MT23-165 rear axles with a maximum design load of 20.9 tonnes with a lockable inter-axle and cross-axle diffs.
DAF offers a range of transmissions including manual, automated manual and fully automatic. Our test rig was fitted with the optional ZF AS-Tronic 16-speed automated gearbox but you can also opt for an Eaton 18-speed automated box.
The standard automated transmission is the ZF AS-Tronic 12-speed item, which is the one we experienced in the test truck.
The 12-speed is a smooth shifter that goes about its business without fuss and with an accuracy that means it always seems to be in the correct gear maintaining revs in the optimal 1000rpm to 1500rpm range for economy and torque.
DAF can be thanked for bringing better steering to PACCAR’s Kenworth products particularly the new T610. So it is not surprising that the C85 has terrific steering that is well weighted, direct and very pleasant to use. Whether it is cruising the freeway, running along narrow bumpy, undulating tarmac such as the Upper Goulburn Rd that links Tallarook to the Goulburn Valley Hwy or manoeuvring in tight areas the C85 comes up trumps. It certainly didn’t feel like a 6x4 semi pulling 40 tonnes and it would be easy to use over many hours tackling the sort of intrastate distribution work this truck is aimed at
Braking was impressive with Discs on the front axles and drums on the rear of the prime mover. This is enhanced by a very good ABS system, which is incorporated in the truck’s overall Electronic Braking System and the excellent exhaust brake retardation. Hill Start is available with the AS Tronic transmission and the truck is also equipped with ASR anti slip control
as a part of the overall safety package. The DAF wants for nothing when
compared with its competitors particularly when you factor in the optional Adaptive Cruise Control featuring forward collision warning, vehicle stability and lane departure warning.
Our experience with the DAF was all too brief but enough to reveal the character of the truck. It is quiet, efficient, capable and ideally suited to a range of hauling tasks. We have no doubt that with some added focus and resources more fleets will be adding the C85 to their fleets and we don’t believe they will be disappointed.
IT IS QUIET, EFFICIENT, CAPABLE AND IDEALLY SUITED TO A RANGE OF HAULING TASKS
