Swede dreams

By: Steve Brooks

Date: 29.05.2023

Sporting the best product portfolio in its half-century history in this country, Scania is on a roll like never before. And now the momentum is almost sure to pick up pace with the introduction of a slick ‘Super 13’ R560 model and, at long last, the option of a bigger cab with a bigger bunk. From behind the wheel of an R560 and later that night from the bigger bunk in an R770 flagship.

If good things come in pairs, then Scania sure has plenty to smile about with the arrival of two exceptional additions to its local line-up. One is the ‘Super’ R560 with an entirely new powertrain headed by a tenacious 13 litre engine, and the other is the optional and long awaited availability of a bigger, better sleeper.

Time was tight but the invitation to experience both was too good to resist, even if it meant just a few hours behind the wheel of an R560 B-double before swapping the same trailer set to Scania’s R770 powerhouse for a late run from Melbourne to Sydney and in the process, catching some snuggle time in the new bunk.

A quick recap though, first on the R560: We’ve reported several times that Scania’s so-called Super series would be based largely on a completely redesigned 13 litre engine coupled to a new generation of Opticruise automated transmissions, combining to produce significant gains in performance and fuel efficiency.

As we declared in the back half of 2022, ‘It’s no secret Scania Australia has been for some time planning the introduction of a significantly strengthened Euro 6 line-up of six cylinder and V8 models.

‘At the top of the tree in the six cylinder range, the current 540 rating will be superseded by an all new ‘Super 13’ 560hp engine, a development which will give Scania a performance edge over its continental competitors in the 13 litre class.’

Yet as we now know, the top-shelf 560 version is one of four ratings in a completely revamped 13 litre powertrain, offered alongside 420, 460 and 500hp settings. All ratings are available under Scania P, G and R-series cabs, and all are part of what is said to be ‘the biggest update of the Scania truck range since the introduction of the New Truck Generation in Australia in 2018.’

Likewise, all are claimed to be capable of fuel savings of eight per cent over Scania’s previous 13 litre models, and all can be run on biofuels – including ‘full strength’ B100 biodiesel in the case of the 460 and 500 hp versions – and moreover, all can run on hydrogenated vegetable oils (HVO).

Super series is, says Scania, the culmination of a five-year, two billion Euro (A$3.21 billion) investment in a new powertrain comprising engines, gearboxes, axles and chassis rails aimed at extending the vehicle’s working life and service intervals.

Big goals, for sure, and while Scania is little different to most other leading brands in the development of zero emission models, such a hefty investment in a new powertrain leaves no doubt of the Swedish company’s commitment to the pursuit – at least for the next decade or so – of higher efficiencies in its internal combustion engines. Indeed, Scania certainly isn’t shy about describing its new 13 litre (12.74 litres actually) engine as ‘the cutting edge of internal combustion engine technology’ with the ability to ‘achieve incredible thermal efficiency of 50 percent’ and citing ‘industry-leading after-treatment technology’ as a major factor in achieving what are said to be ‘remarkable fuel savings’.

"Developing a new engine platform of this magnitude is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most engine platform engineers," according to Magnus Henrikson, chief engineer for Scania’s in-line engines, who drove the five-year development process.

"Our task was to develop an engine platform based on Scania’s low-rev philosophy, capable of exceeding all impending regulations and dealing successfully with all potential competition for the rest of this decade. I believe we have accomplished that goal.

"We knew from the start that dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) in combination with four-valve cylinder head technology and SCR-only was a requisite," he commented.

What’s more, Scania says there has been no carry-over from the earlier engine range to the new one; it’s all been revised, from the injectors to an optimised fuel pump. Interestingly, injection pressure has been pushed to an astonishing 2400 bar, or close to 35,000psi.

Vitally, particularly for the life expectancy of 13 litre engines working in top-weight linehaul B-double roles, Scania asserts ‘the technical life-length of the new six cylinder platform has increased by 30 per cent compared to the previous generation despite extended maintenance intervals.’

However, the company also emphasises its new generation of Opticruise transmissions makes a major contribution to the performance and efficiency standards of the Super series.

In a first for Scania, the new 14-speed ’box is based on constant-mesh gearing and critically, is said to be 60kg lighter thanks largely to an all-aluminium housing.

As it stands at the moment, the transmission comes in two forms – a G25CM version for Scania engines with up to 2500Nm (1845lb-ft) of torque, and a G33CM for models with up to 3300Nm (2435lb-ft) torque output. With peak torque output of 2800Nm (2065lb-ft) delivered from 900 to 1400rpm, the R560 obviously gets the stronger box.

Currently, Scania’s barnstorming R770 V8 flagship misses out on the new transmission due to its mountainous 3700Nm (2730lb-ft) torque output, thus retaining the existing Opticruise synchromesh automated shifter. Still, it’s a fair bet a suitably beefed up version of the new transmission is already under development for the R770 which, as the Swedes like to point out, remains the world’s most powerful production truck.

Logically, the new constant-mesh box has no parts in common with its synchromesh sibling. Nor is Scania shy about detailing some of the advances which it insists make the new box appealing and unique, such as enhanced maintenance systems that detect possible oil leakage and in the process, provide safeguards to push oil drain intervals out to an extraordinary one million kilometres in some situations. It’s worth noting though, longer oil drain intervals are dependent on the use of Scania’s light 5W30 (LDF4) synthetic engine oil.

Although the new shifter is still based on a single countershaft design, with gearshift synchronisation performed by shaft brakes, the move to constant mesh has not only helped make the box lighter but also shorter by 150mm compared to its synchromesh counterpart.

Further contributing to the shorter length is removal of dedicated reverse gears, replaced by planetary gearing at the rear of the new box and providing up to eight reverse ratios.

Yet as we’ve reported before, the biggest advance in operational terms is the widened ratio spread of the 14-speed layout, from a bog cog crawler ratio of 20.8:1 to a tall overdrive top gear of 0.777:1. According to Scania, the wider ratio spread coupled with gears with slightly wider cogs that can handle more load, will allow applications at high gross weights the flexibility and efficiency to use faster rear axle ratios while still providing the deep gearing for smooth starts.

Scania drivers will also notice a different digital dash display, with crawler gear shown as ‘C’ and numbers for all ratios up to and including direct-drive 12th gear while overdrive top gear is shown as ‘OD’.

Importantly, there’s also a substantial improvement in retardation performance, Scania states, with the gearbox now contributing to 4700Nm of auxiliary braking compared to up to 4100Nm previously.

Additionally, the new 13 litre engine range also comes standard with what Scania calls a compression release brake, weighing just seven kilograms yet delivering a retardation effect up to 350kW. All up, it means the new ‘Super 13’ range is equipped with the auxiliary braking trifecta of a traditional butterfly valve exhaust brake, a fully integrated engine compression brake, and a powerful transmission retarder. Together, that’s some serious braking.

Meantime, with just a few hours available before swapping the B-double trailer set over to an R770 at Scania’s Campbellfield HQ in Melbourne, a simple run was quickly concocted for a short stint in the Super R560.

Grossing 60 tonnes and with just 3000km under its belt, the outfit was sent up the old Hume and over the sharp Pretty Sally climb before turning across to Broadford and sliding onto the Hume Freeway for the cruise back to Campbellfield. Again, it wasn’t much of a sample, just shy of 120km but even so, enough to contend that the R560 is possibly the smoothest, strongest and most appealing truck in the 13 litre class, cab-over or conventional.

Over Pretty Sally, for instance, the transmission was left in auto mode and it certainly didn’t disappoint with seamless, perfectly timed shifts down to 8th gear at 1500rpm on the sharpest pinch and an extremely willing engine coping easily with an almost imperceptible upshift to 9th on the pull to the top.

It was, in fact, easy to form the opinion that the new powertrain is a superb match of muscle and manners; an opinion further influenced by an easy run down the Hume Freeway with the new box’s long-legged overdrive feeding into a tall 2.92:1 rear axle ratio to deliver 100km/h at a thrifty 1120rpm.

More to the point though, the R560’s return of 1.98km/litre (5.6mpg) at the very least suggests Scania’s claims for enhanced fuel efficiency are no idle boast.

Still, only a much longer run will provide a more valid result and hopefully, that’ll come in due course but for now, notes made on the day probably sum it up best: ‘No doubt it’s a smarter, stronger powertrain. Time will tell how it handles long-term B-double work at high GCMs but early impressions are impressive. Super impressive!’

As for the bigger cab with the bigger bunk, it is perhaps plausible proof that good things do indeed come to those who wait long enough and whine loud enough. And it seems Australian drivers – as well as one of its senior truck writers – have been waiting longer and whining louder than most.

In fact, Scania admits its decision to offer extended R-series cabs built in small volumes and produced exclusively by its Laxå Special Vehicles subsidiary in Sweden, was based on a persistent demand from several markets, notably Australia.

Known internally as the CR23 cab variant, 270mm has been added to the back of the cab and as a Scania Australia statement asserts, ‘the added cab length will answer persistent driver calls for an even more spacious interior, especially from those who spend many nights away from home on long interstate drives’.

"Since we announced the creation of the CR23 to the Australian market in 2021 we have received many serious enquiries from existing customers, such that we are undoubtedly the biggest global market for this variant," says Scania Australia sales and product chief, Ben Nye.

"The factory has been working flat-out to meet our demand, and the first examples have already arrived and been delivered."

Achieving the extra length was apparently made easier by Scania’s entrenched modular construction system which in this instance, meant blending aspects of its crew-cab design into the premium R-series cab. Consequently, as Scania explains, ‘The addition of 27cm (270mm) represents an increase of more than 13 per cent, something that makes an appreciable difference once inside.’

Vitally, Ben Nye declares, "Despite the extra length of the body and extra metal, the recent weight reduction programmes within the V8 engine and all new alloy transmission ranges, means that we continue to comply with Australia’s front axle weight limits."

At Campbellfield, the R770 demonstrator was one of the first in the country with the extended cab and along with the Super R560 driven earlier in the day, had been busy over previous weeks showcasing Scania’s latest line-up to a multitude of customers on the test tracks of the Australian Automotive Research Centre at Anglesea, south of Geelong.

According to Scania insiders, the feedback from customers was extremely positive and as the day had already shown in the R560 and the night would reveal in the R770 between Melbourne and Sydney, the confidence and excitement in the Scania camp are easily understood. Admittedly, temperamental supply lines from Sweden remain an issue but as for the current product portfolio, Scania has never had it so good.

Anyway, this certainly wasn’t our first run in an R770 and typically, the brawn of a 16.4 litre V8 punching out hill-crunching outputs of 566kW (770hp) at 1800rpm and a phenomenal 3700Nm (2730lb-ft) of torque, was brazenly untroubled by a gross weight of 60 tonnes, with a weighbridge docket verifying a compliant 6.14 tonnes over the steer axle.

Indeed, even with just 4000km on the clock, it’s not too much of an exaggeration to suggest that hills like Woomargama were little more than speed humps while on the climbs of Aeroplane, Wagga and Conroy’s Gap, the Scania powerhouse’s ability to reel in other runners, even an occasional single trailer, was nothing short of remarkable.

So, too, was fuel economy remarkable for a truck of such potent performance, with the trip computer showing a highly respectable 1.98km/litre (5.6 mpg) for the 830km run from Scania’s Campbellfield facility to the Prestons dealership in south-western Sydney.

However, from the moment Scania’s flagship rolled out of Campbellfield, it was apparent the synchromesh shifter was well short of the significantly slicker and intuitively smarter standards shown a few hours earlier by the new constant-mesh box. Sure, the Opticruise synchro stirrer has for many years done an honest job but now, and obviously highlighted by stepping so quickly from the old to the new, the difference is stark.

But of course, the reason for the run in the R770 was to sample the bigger bunk and in this respect, the deeper sleeper is an absolute winner. No more moving the seats or sliding the bed forward to maximise bunk space when all you want to do is drive into dreamtime. Instead, just stand up, close the curtains, drop your drawers, pull the doona back, slide in and shut the lids.

Sure, it has been a long time coming but late one night in Marulan among a bunch of linehaulers catching zeds ahead of the early morning run to Sydney, the drawbacks and deficiencies of other nights in other places were lost in the Land of Nod.

All of a sudden Scania has a sleeper considerably better than most in the continental cab-over class. Nonetheless, the bigger cab with the better bunk doesn’t come cheap at around $20,000. Then again, if a driver lives in the truck most of the week, is it such a high price?

The answer to that, I guess, depends on what price is placed on sound sleep, for the driver in the bunk and probably, the owner at home in bed.

For more truck reviews and pictures, see OwnerDriver's May 2023 print edition!

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