Revealed: why this MAN is the world’s best truck
Revealed: why this MAN is the world’s best truck
MAN’s new Truck Generation (TG) range has arrived in South Africa – and it carries the world’s most important credential: the International Truck of the Year title. CHARLEEN CLARKE explains why the TGX has been named the best truck in the world.
There are dozens of reasons why MAN won the trucking industry’s most sought-after accolade – because the new MAN does a lot of things right. For me, the three stand-out features are the interior, the safety features and the fuel economy. I really like the fact that the interior feels more premium. Safety features abound on the new truck, while up for grabs is an 8% fuel saving – which is not to be sneezed at. So, this is a truck that delights drivers and transport operators alike.
Many of my colleagues on the International Truck of the Year jury have expressed similar sentiments. Ireland’s Jarlath Sweeney says that, while the modifications to the new MAN TGX’s exterior styling can be described as an evolution of the species, the interior design is indeed a revolution! “I like the fact that MAN took advantage of the Volkswagen Group’s high-tech multi-media system to integrate its programmes through what’s called the MAN SmartSelect system, which is easy to use and works well. It’s been 20 years since the inaugural arrival of the MAN TG range, then known as Trucknology Generation. Now, as the Truck Generation, it’s sharper, smarter and set in the digital era,” he reveals.
The Netherlands’ Arjan Velthoven says he had some reservations about the gold colour of the launch vehicles. “I still well remember the first time I saw the new TGX. It was painted in a yellowish gold. At the time I thought that might be a bit pretentious,” he recalls with a chuckle.
But Velthoven believes that the colour “proved to be something of a prophecy”. “When I first drove the TGX in Bilbao, I discovered MAN had reinvented the TGX as a real driver’s truck. The smart interior and all the comfort features are really all a driver can ask for. In a year filled with Covid-19, one of the high points was a fuel efficiency test with the new TGX, again in ‘Golden Topaz’. And again the TGX delivered, with its good driveline and very useful technology. The TGX may be billed as the new driver’s truck, but it has a lot to offer to the operator as well. So the promise turned into gold for everyone. Not at least for MAN Truck and Bus itself. Congratulations on a well-deserved International Truck of the Year 2021 Award!” he enthuses.
Will Shiers, who represents the United Kingdom on the jury, explains that MAN’s new TGX represents a giant leap forward in terms of both safety and driver comfort: “What’s more, it looks fantastic! The external styling is bold and fresh, but it’s the interior where the new MAN truck generation really excites. MAN has raised its game, and the quality is spot on. The truck manufacturer has clearly involved drivers in the design process, and there are so many clever little driver-friendly touches. I’m particularly fond of the SmartSelect, which is incredibly easy and intuitive to use. Throw a fuel economy improvement into the equation too, and you’ve got a worthy winner of International Truck of the Year.”
Milan Olšanský, the Czech jury member, agrees with Shiers. “During my journalistic career, I have come to realise that MAN is one of the manufacturers that brings a perfectly developed and long-proven solution to the automotive market. This is exactly what happened last year when a new generation of MAN TG trucks entered the market. Through my encounters with these trucks, I was most impressed by the cabin interior, safe operation, the SmartSelect device, and the perfect driving comfort. I congratulate the MAN team on the new generation of TG vehicles, which is a dignified representative of the company’s skills, expertise and experience gained from more than 100 years of operation in the automotive industry. Congratulations on the title of International Truck of the Year 2021, which the company fully deserves!” he says.
So, there you have it: just some of the reasons why MAN won. For more reasons, take the truck for a drive!
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