The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2013: Bodysheel construction and integrated safety concept

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I. Body: Focusing on quality and functionality

The body of the E-Class has already proven its exceptional qualities when it comes to safety and comfort. On top of this it offers outstanding aerodynamics and, thanks to innovative production and quality assurance processes, consistently high quality. These characteristics impressed 400 automotive experts in 2009 when they presented the body of the E-Class Saloon with the EuroCarBody Award.

Since the basis of the body has not been changed, the new E-Class also boasts the same outstanding characteristics. These include:

- extremely stiff, rigid passenger cell made of highest grade steel
- high-strength steels
- comprehensive deformation zones in the front and rear areas
- lightweight construction - bonnet, wings and boot lid (tailgate on the Estate) are made of aluminium
- high ease of repair thanks to removable front and rear modules

Also new are the headlamps featuring LED technology – optionally also even available as full LED variants. The advantages of LED technology include:

- long service life
- colour temperature similar to daylight
- energy efficiency, since LEDs require significantly less energy than halogen and xenon lights while offering the same level of light output

HANDS-FREE ACCESS for convenient loading

Also new: as an option the E-Class can be fitted with so-called HANDS-FREE ACCESS in conjunction with the KEYLESS-GO package. Its state-of-the-art technology enables the boot lid to be opened and closed without actual physical contact by simply holding your foot beneath the bumper – a significant increase in convenience when loading and unloading the vehicle. The HANDS-FREE ACCESS feature also prevents hands from getting dirty and also luggage, since otherwise in the meantime one would have to place it down on the ground in order to open the boot.

The E-Class Saloon provides a spacious, illuminated boot. It has a volume of 540 litres, with space for four golf bags for example. The luggage compartment of the Estate is unrivalled in its spaciousness and sets the standard in this segment. Behind the rear seat backrests a volume of 695 litres is available, and with the rear seat backrests folded down this becomes up to 1950 litres. HANDS-FREE ACCESS, EASY-PACK Quickfold with convenience feature or the EASY-PACK folding folding load compartment floor with EASY-PACK luggage compartment comfort box all help to enhance the convenience and usability of the luggage compartment.

Consistent optimum values for aerodynamics and aeroacoustics

The outstanding aerodynamic qualities of the E-Class have also been retained following the design modifications implemented in the new E-Class. Both the Saloon (Cd value 0.26 - 0.28) and the Estate (Cd value 0.29 - 0.31) are at the top of their segment in this area too.

Excellent aeroacoustics effectively contribute to the typically high levels of ride comfort found in the E-Class. Even at high speeds, very little flow noise penetrates into the vehicle interior.

An additional increase in comfort can be achieved with the optionally available acoustic laminated safety glass for the sliding side windows in the front and rear. It creates even higher levels of noise comfort and at the same times affords more protection and safety against breakage.

II. New level of safety: Intelligent assistance systems with a keener eye

What started with the PRE-SAFE® system some ten years ago and continued with DISTRONIC PLUS has resulted in a new dimension of motoring at Mercedes-Benz: comfort and safety are merged into one, opening up all sorts of new prospects for motorists and car developers alike. Mercedes-Benz refers to this as "intelligent drive". Optionally, the E-Class features a whole host of new or optimised systems on board which help to make motoring more comfortable and safer.

In the main markets, the Saloon and Estate models are fitted as standard with COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, a radar-based collision warning system with brake assist systems. It helps to significantly reduce the risk of a rear-end collision. Also forming part of the standard equipment is ATTENTION ASSIST, which is now able to warn of inattentiveness and drowsiness across a wider speed range, and also inform the driver about his level of fatigue and the amount of driving time which has elapsed since the last break. It also offers an adjustable sensitivity level.

"The intelligent assistance systems of the future will be able to analyse complex situations and recognise potential dangers out on the road with the aid of improved environment sensor systems even more accurately than today," explains Prof. Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Daimler Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. "Figuratively speaking, the new E-Class doesn't just have eyes at the front, it has 360-degree all-round vision."

Of crucial importance in this respect is the networking of all systems, or "sensor fusion" as the safety experts call it. Mercedes-Benz is continually enhancing the performance capabilities of its assistance systems with the aim of ensuring comprehensive protection, not just for the occupants of a Mercedes-Benz, but for all other road users too.

The new systems hold tremendous potential for either preventing accidents or mitigating their consequences according to Dr Weber: "Take, for instance, the new BAS PLUS assistance system with Junction Assist. The results of our accident research based on the data from the GIDAS (German In-Depth Accident Study) indicate that it could reduce or prevent 27 percent of all accidents at road junctions resulting in personal injury. That equates to some 20,000 accidents a year in Germany alone."

New sensors, new senses, new intelligence

The basis for the innovative functions comes courtesy of highly modern sensors and appropriately networked algorithms. Mercedes-Benz is making a major leap forward with the introduction of the Stereo Multi-Purpose Camera (SMPC), or stereo camera for short. Just like the Multi-Purpose Camera (MPC) fitted previously, it is positioned behind the windscreen in the vicinity of the rear-view mirror. It has an aperture angle of 45 degrees and is capable of spatial detection of objects moving crossways ahead and also pedestrians, and calculating their path. The camera's two "eyes" provide it with a three-dimensional view of the area up to approx. 50 metres in front of the vehicle, and it is able to monitor the overall situation ahead for a range of up to 500 metres. In this way, the new camera is able to provide data for processing by various systems.

Intelligent algorithms evaluate this information in order to detect and carry out spatial classification of both vehicles that are driving ahead, oncoming or crossing, as well as pedestrians and a variety of traffic signs within a large field of vision.

Whereas the stereo camera's lenses act as the car's eyes, the radar sensors are its ears, so to speak, and provide additional data. The system of radar sensors comprises two short-range radar sensors in the front bumper with a range of 30 metres and a beam angle of 80 degrees, which are complemented by a long-range radar (200 metres, 18 degrees) including medium-range detection (60 metres, 60 degrees). The data from the camera and radars is amalgamated in a control unit in order to provide the system-specific data for the various functions.

Comfort-enhancing assistance with lateral lane guidance: DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist

The DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control system is a driver aid designed to keep the vehicle at the desired distance from another vehicle in front that is travelling slower than the selected cruising speed. This basic radar-based function has now been enhanced by the addition of Steering Assist, which helps drivers to stay centred in their lane by generating the appropriate steering torque when travelling on a straight road and even on gentle bends.

The stereo camera recognises lane markings as well as vehicles driving ahead together with their spatial positioning, and relays this information to the electric steering assistance system. When driving at slow speeds, e.g. in congested traffic, the Steering Assist can use the vehicle ahead as a means of orientation, enabling semi-autonomous tailback tracking even when there are no clear lane markings visible. As a result, the system is able to further boost driving comfort and substantially ease the driver's workload in many traffic situations.

The new Steering Assist sub-function integrated into the DISTRONIC PLUS system is predominantly based on the new stereo camera. At the same time, the area in front of the vehicle continues to be monitored by two short-range radar sensors and a long-range radar sensor with medium-range detection. The system fuses the data gleaned from both technologies, calculates any reactions required, and then regulates the vehicle's linear speed as requirements dictate by controlling engine power, transmission and brakes, as well as actuating the electric steering for lateral vehicle guidance.

The DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist can be activated as before with a selector lever on the steering wheel in a speed range from 0 - 200 km/h. Any speed between 30 km/h and 200 km/h can be selected as the desired cruising speed. A green steering wheel symbol appears in the instrument cluster to indicate when the Steering Assist is operating while DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Meanwhile, linear controlling actions (cruise control function) continue to be visualised in the speed display by means of circular segments and the speedometer needle.

Drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times even when Steering Assist is activated, as the function only works in bends above a certain, speed-dependent radius. Legal considerations also mean there are no plans to introduce hands-free driving. The system's design is so refined that the sensors can detect whether the driver's hands are actually on the steering wheel. If they are not, a visual warning is issued first. Should the driver fail to react to this, a warning signal sounds and lateral lane guidance is deactivated. This does not affect the cruise control function, however, which continues to be operative.

Needless to say, the driver is able to override the Steering Assist at any time. If the driver signals to change lane, for instance, the lateral guidance function will switch into passive mode for the duration of the lane change.

The performance capabilities of the basic DISTRONIC PLUS function have been increased once again. Now, the system is able to brake at a rate of up to 5 m/s² without any intervention from the driver. If the "S" drive mode button is pressed, the rate of acceleration increases, too. Vehicle acceleration is also far more dynamic if the driver signals a wish to overtake by switching on the indicators, assuming the road is clear.

By combining the radar and camera data, DISTRONIC PLUS is also able to detect both vehicles cutting in and vehicles ahead in adjacent lanes and take any necessary action promptly. This can prevent illegal undertaking on motorways and similar multi-lane highways, for example, by adapting the speed to that of vehicles in the outside lanes.

Braking assistance for cross traffic too: BAS PLUS with Junction Assist

Apart from material damage, accidents at junctions often result in serious personal injuries, too. The new Brake Assist BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist from Mercedes-Benz is therefore capable of more than just helping the driver to avoid collisions with vehicles ahead or lessen their consequences in a purely linear direction: the new Junction Assist function can also come to the driver's aid when there is a risk of a collision with cross traffic at junctions.

If this anticipatory system detects a hazardous situation of this type, it prompts the driver to start emergency braking by activating visual and acoustic warnings. If the driver presses the brake pedal too tentatively, BAS PLUS will step in by automatically boosting brake pressure for effective emergency braking, even applying the brakes at full power if necessary. Applying just the right amount of braking power for the situation at hand maximises the available braking distance for traffic behind.

The Junction Assist function is operative at speeds up to around 72 km/h, while BAS PLUS is able to aid the driver in linear situations at any speed.

BAS PLUS with Junction Assist is potentially able to either prevent or lessen the severity of around 27 percent of all accidents at road junctions resulting in personal injury. This equates to some 20,000 accidents a year in Germany alone (source: investigations carried out by the GIDAS – German In-‑Depth Accident Study – and Mercedes-Benz Accident Research).

With pedestrian detection and city brake function: BAS PLUS and PRE-SAFE® Brake

Pedestrian detection has been added to the BAS PLUS and PRE-SAFE® Brake functions, while autonomous braking for vehicles in front has undergone a major enhancement too.

Thanks to the combination of stereo camera and radar sensors, it is now possible to detect pedestrians in front of the vehicle. Visual and acoustic warnings are triggered when a hazard is spotted. If the driver then reacts by braking, the braking power will be boosted by BAS PLUS as the situation requires, right up to a full brake application. Should the driver fail to react, PRE-‑SAFE® Brake triggers autonomous vehicle braking. The PRE-SAFE® Brake with pedestrian detection is active up to approx. 72 km/h, and is able to prevent collisions with pedestrians autonomously from an initial speed of up to 50 km/h.

Evaluations of GIDAS accident data indicate that this new technology could avoid six percent of pedestrian accidents and reduce the severity of a further 41 percent. The operating range of the autonomous braking function for stationary vehicles has been optimised so that rear-end collisions can likewise be avoided at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

BAS PLUS with Junction Assist and the PRE-SAFE® Brake with pedestrian detection rely on the same sensors employed for the adaptive proximity control system DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist: the new stereo camera plus the multistage radar sensor system.

Reacts to broken lines too: Active Lane Keeping Assist

The new improved version of the Active Lane Keeping Assist is now also able to intervene should the driver inadvertently cross a broken line when the neighbouring lane is not clear and this could result in the risk of a collision when changing lane. The system can determine if this is the case using the information from the stereo camera and the radar system. The latter has been supplemented by a sensor at the rear, which works in unison with the other sensors in the front and rear bumpers.

The Active Lane Keeping Assist is not only capable of recognising critical situations such as overtaking vehicles, vehicles to be overtaken and parallel traffic, it can also respond effectively to oncoming traffic. If the system detects the vehicle crossing the lane markings when the adjacent lane is not clear, not only does it cause the steering wheel to vibrate in pulses as a tactile warning for the driver, it guides the vehicle back into lane by applying a corrective braking force on one side via the ESP®. It thereby forms the ideal complement to the Active Blind Spot Assist, and for the first time also enables the often fatal collisions with oncoming traffic to be avoided.

The Active Lane Keeping Assist is active at speeds between 60 and 200 km/h. If driver activity in the form of e.g. active steering, braking or acceleration is detected or when the indicators are switched on, both the warning and the corrective brake actuation are suppressed.

Now also identifies no-overtaking zones and no-entry signs: Traffic Sign Assist

A new Traffic Sign Assist which builds on the capabilities of the previous Speed Limit Assist represents yet another contribution to accident prevention from Mercedes-Benz. The system is now also able to recognise no-overtaking zones and alert drivers to no-entry restrictions.

The camera on the inside of the windscreen continues to pick up speed limit signs, including those on overhead gantries and in roadworks, for example. The camera's data is cross-referenced against the information in the navigation system and can be displayed in both the instrument cluster and the map view. If the camera fails to spot any road signs showing a speed limit or a speed limit is lifted, the legal speed limits based on the navigation data are shown instead, such as a maximum speed of 100 km/h on country roads in Germany or 50 km/h in built-up areas.

No-overtaking zones and the signs signalling their end are also registered and displayed, while in the case of signs imposing access restrictions, an acoustic warning is additionally emitted together with a visual warning in the instrument cluster – making an effective contribution towards helping to prevent serious accidents caused by wrong-way drivers.

Visualising drowsiness: ATTENTION ASSIST

A quarter of all motorway accidents in Germany are put down to drowsiness, making it one of the most frequent causes of accidents, most of which are of a serious nature. In 2009, Mercedes-Benz presented ATTENTION ASSIST, which is able to detect tell-tale signs of inattentiveness and increasing drowsiness based on changes in steering behaviour and a host of other factors.

The system has been subject to on-going development, and the latest version has the ability to detect drowsiness and inattentiveness across a far greater speed range from 60 - 200 km/h. Furthermore, the system's sensitivity can be adjusted, e.g. for drivers who already feel tired when they get behind the wheel.

A new menu in the instrument cluster display also makes the system more tangible and transparent for the driver by visualising the current attention level and the driving time since the last break. What's more, it is also possible to see whether the system is active in the current driving situation.

The system can be deactivated by making the appropriate selection in the instrument cluster menu. However, it will always be automatically reactivated with the sensitivity setting last selected the next time the vehicle is started.

Automatic manoeuvring into and out of parallel and end-on parking spaces: Active Parking Assist

The Active Parking Assist enables automated parking with active steering and brake control in both parallel and end-on spaces. It is an advanced version of the PARKTRONIC system with Parking Guidance offered previously. What's more, the system is now also able to manoeuvre out of parallel parking spaces again all by itself with automatic steering and brake control, assuming the vehicle was parked there automatically previously.

When travelling at speeds below 30 km/h, ultrasonic sensors with an extended range in the bumpers' side sections survey the nearside of the road for suitable parallel and end-on parking spaces. The same procedure is carried out for the far side of the road if the driver indicates accordingly. A symbol in the instrument cluster shows that the system is in the process of measuring. If a suitable parking spot is identified, an arrow appears alongside the symbol indicating that the system is ready for automatic parking. All the driver now has to do to activate the system is engage reverse gear and confirm by pressing the OK button on the steering wheel.

The Active Parking Assist steers and brakes the vehicle automatically as well as indicating the required driver actions in the display in each case, such as the transmission position to be selected. The driver moves the vehicle by lightly pressing the accelerator or releasing the brake.

Permanent high beam with no dazzling: Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus

Around 20 percent of all road journeys in Germany are undertaken at night. But this is when some 40 percent of all accidents occur. A main cause for this is poor visibility. According to a study by the University of Michigan, high-beam headlamps can only be used during eight percent of driving time - which is nowhere near enough. Based on this, it can be assumed that the time during which high-beam headlamps can be used in Germany is likely to be even lower given the denser amounts of road traffic compared with the USA.

For the first time, the Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus allows the high-beam headlamps to be kept on permanently while driving by masking out any other road user detected in the beams' cone of light. If the camera-based system registers either oncoming traffic or vehicles ahead, it will adapt the light distribution according to the specific situation when the high beam is switched on. Consequently, the driver can simply leave the high-beam headlamps on at all times and use their full range without irritating or even endangering other road users. There is no need to switch them on and off manually, resulting in a significant increase in the overall driving time with high beam.

The Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus likewise makes use of the new stereo camera also employed by other assistance systems. If its image recognition algorithm picks up a vehicle that is oncoming or driving ahead, it actuates a mechanism in the headlamp module. This then masks the portion of the LED headlamp's high-beam cone of light where there are other vehicles to prevent their drivers from being dazzled. If road users are detected outside the area that can be masked – for instance when cornering with multiple vehicles in the headlamps' beams – the system will switch to the familiar system of headlamp range control using the low-beam headlamps.

Possible backglare caused by increased use of the high beam and highly reflective signs at the side of the road is also detected and eliminated by dimming the headlamps accordingly.

The Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus builds on the Adaptive Highbeam Assist system first introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 2009. If this system detects oncoming traffic or traffic driving ahead with the help of a camera, it dips the headlamps and automatically adapts the low beam's range according to the situation. In this way, it allows the road to be illuminated for a long way ahead without dazzling other drivers. In addition to this, adaptive control of the low-beam headlamp range with smooth transitions results in gentler lighting changes that the eyes can quickly adjust to.

At a glance

The main new functions of Mercedes-Benz assistance systems

Comfort-oriented assistance

DISTRONIC PLUS with Steer Assist: helps with keeping the vehicle in its lane and tracks traffic in tailbacks

Safety - longitudinal guidance

BAS PLUS: can also detect crossing traffic and boost the braking power applied by the driver can detect pedestrians and boost the braking power applied by the driver

PRE-SAFE® Brake: can detect pedestrians, avoid collisions with pedestrians or stationary traffic at up to 50 km/h by means of autonomous braking and reduce the consequences of a collision at up to 72 km/h

Safety - towards the rear

PRE-SAFE® PLUS: can detect imminent rear-end collisions, trigger PRE-SAFE® occupant protection measures in an imminent rear-end collision, firmly apply the brakes of the stationary vehicle in a rear-end collision to reduce the forces to which occupants are subjected and to avoid secondary collisions

Safety - lateral guidance

Active Lane Keeping Assist: can detect oncoming traffic and if the adjacent lane is occupied, and prevent the vehicle from leaving its lane unintentionally by applying the brakes on one side

Safety - at night

Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus: allows the high-beam headlamps to be kepton permanently without dazzling traffic by masking out other vehicles in the beams' cone of light

Safety - when parking

Active Parking Assist: enables automated parking in both parallel and end-on spaces with automatic steering and brake control enables automatic manoeuvring out of parallel parking spaces

Driver's level of attention and condition

ATTENTION ASSIST: can warn of lack of attention and drowsiness in an extended speed range of 60 to 200 km/h. can provide the driver with information on his level of fatigue and the amount of driving time which has elapsed since the last break provides an adjustable sensitivity level

III. Trend-setting safety: Airbags, restraint systems and pedestrian protection

Innovative driver assistance systems, preventive protective measures, a stress-resistant body structure and highly effective restraint systems make the E-Class one of the safest vehicles in its segment.

The basis for this is the integrated safety concept from Mercedes-Benz, which combines all elements of active and passive safety in a well-thought-out system – providing protection to the vehicle occupants and other road users. The integrated safety concept meets, to an unprecedented extent, the requirements for a high degree of vehicle and road safety, and is oriented towards real-world accidents.

PRE-SAFE® PLUS: occupant protection in an impending rear-end collision

Mercedes-Benz has extended the well-known PRE-SAFE® preventive occupant protection system to cover dangerous situations caused by traffic following behind.

A radar sensor in the rear bumper monitors the traffic behind the vehicle and can detect an impending rear-end collision. The system alerts the driver of the vehicle behind to a dangerous situation by quickly flashing the rear hazard lights (not for the USA and Canada). In addition, it triggers the preventive PRE-SAFE® occupant protection measures, which include reversible belt tensioners and active NECK-PRO® head restraints.

If the vehicle is stationary, PRE-SAFE® PLUS will keep it firmly braked, thus reducing any forward jolt. This can greatly reduce the strain placed on the occupants and the risk of whiplash injuries, for example. Firmly applying the vehicle's brakes can help to prevent secondary accidents too, such as running into a vehicle in front, for example, or colliding with pedestrians or other road users at junctions.

State-of-the-art restraint systems

In the event of an accident, the best possible protection is provided by the restraint systems, the comprehensive deployment of airbags and the structural safety of the body. An innovative sensor system triggers the safety systems depending on the situation and coordinates them all with each other.

Restraint systems are the backbone of passive safety.

- 3-point seat belts for driver and front passenger with electronic, reversible belt tensioners in the PRE-SAFE® phase and pyrotechnic belt tensioners in the event of an accident as well as belt force limiters.
- 3-point seat belts on the outer seats in the rear with pyrotechnic belt tensioners, belt force limiters for all rear seats and rear belt status display in the instrument cluster. Making up part of the optionally available Rear Seat Safety package are 3-point seat belts with self-adaptive belt force limiters on the outer rear seats, which are able to adjust the belt force for small passengers and children in particular.
- NECK-PRO head restraints for driver and front passenger which provide early support for the head in the event of a rear-end collision and as such are able to reduce the risk of whiplash.
- ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the outer rear seats for the safe attachment of appropriate child seats with additional respective anchor point above on the rear seat backrest.

Also fitted on board the E-Class is an elaborate system of airbags:

- adaptive airbags for driver and front passenger with multistage deployment, depending on the detected severity of the impact
- sidebags for driver and front passenger, which are able to provide additional protection in the event of a side impact
- pelvisbags for driver and front passenger, which are able to protect the pelvic area in the event of a side impact
- windowbags between the A, B and C-pillars, to protect the head area of the driver, front passenger and passengers seated on the outer rear seats
- kneebags, which in specific types of impact can protect the driver in the area of the dashboard which comes into contact with the knees, and also stabilise the entire upper body by positively influencing occupant movement in the event of an impact
- sidebags in the rear provide additional protection for passengers on the outer rear seats; they are part of the Rear Seat Safety package which is available as an optional extra

Also making a contribution to safety is automatic child seat recognition (ACSR). It can deactivate the airbag on the front passenger side when a child seat with a corresponding transponder is fitted.

Consistent pedestrian protection

The E-Class also plays an exemplary role when it comes to pedestrian protection. The following measures are implemented for pedestrian protection:

- active bonnet, which is moved upwards by 50 mm when an impact is detected, thus creating additional deformation space during the impact; the system is reversible and can be reset by the driver, without having to visit the workshop, to enable him to continue driving
- BAS PLUS warns when pedestrians are detected in the danger zone by the Stereo Multi-Purpose Camera. The PRE-SAFE® Brake with pedestrian protection triggers autonomous braking when the system detects a pedestrian in the danger zone and the driver is not reacting to the system's warnings. This pedestrian detection, in conjunction with the optionally available Driver Assistance package Plus, represents a milestone in preventing accidents with pedestrians and/or reducing their consequences.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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More than 110 years of construction sector experience: From the Mercedes-Benz LK to the new Arocs

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Virtually every second construction vehicle in Germany boasts the three-pointed star on its radiator grille. Indeed, right across the world, Mercedes-Benz has long been the market leader when it comes to vehicles for the construction industry. The sector's traditional links with the three-pointed star date back many years: Mercedes-Benz these days has 110 years' experience in the construction field behind it. In the early days of the truck it was above all the brickworks and breweries that recognised its advantages – in defiance of the general air of scepticism that surrounded this technical upstart.

As early as 1897, in other words just one year after the invention of the truck by Gottlieb Daimler, the Daimler Motor Company launched a vehicle that would carry a payload of five tonnes. The arrival of what became known as winched tippers in 1904 subsequently paved the way for the transport of heavy bulk goods: with the help of a crank and a toothed rack, it was now possible to tilt one side of the load platform upwards. With the correct crank ratio, two people could easily deal with a five-tonne load with just two winches per truck.

Things were still being done this way well into the 1920s, when the hydraulic lift ram began to take over from manual labour as a means of tilting the platform. At this point the three-way tipper was born: for with the hydraulic ram as the driving force, bulk goods could now be tipped off in three directions instead of just two, as had been the case until then.

The dedicated tipper however, as seen working on construction sites to this day, did still not exist. The structure used back then as a chassis by both the building industry and disposal companies was technically pretty much the same as that used for road-going vehicles with, at the very most, a shorter rear overhang or certain modifications to the suspension and frame to differentiate it.

Nevertheless: even that very first Daimler truck anticipated the planetary axles that are still used on construction vehicles today. The belt transmission transferred the engine power to a shaft mounted at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. At each end of this shaft was a pinion that gripped the sprockets on the inside of a gearwheel, which in its turn was securely connected to the wheel being driven.

In the years running up to the war, tipper payload was gradually increased by Mercedes-Benz to ten tonnes, as for example carried by the three-axle LK 10000 of 1937. Also known as the "Reichsautobahn-Strassendienstwagen" (or "state highway services vehicle") it featured a double-drive rear axle (axle configuration 6x4).

From 1949 onwards it was above all medium-sized conventional cab-behind-engine vehicles such as the LK 3250 and LK 3500 that came into their own as tippers working on post-war reconstruction. Heavy-duty two-axle tippers then rejoined the range in the mid-1950s, but it was not until the 1960s that Daimler-Benz once again built a three-axle model for the construction sector.

By the time those first heavy-duty three-axle models, with their 6x4 axle configuration, came onto the market in 1964, they found themselves up against established competition from a variety of sources. Such vehicles bore the name Büssing, Henschel, Krupp, Magirus or MAN: all of these brands were already offering a 6x4 or 6x6 by the time the short-nosed Mercedes known as the LK or LAK 2220 appeared on the scene. That these vehicles would ultimately become such firm favourites with drivers, above all in the Middle East and Africa, that they would go on to be used for a good 30 years, was something that very few people back then would venture to have predicted.

Robust concept: quality wins through

However, the LK 2220 of 1963 was designed from the outset to deal with the extraordinary challenges that it would go on to face all over the world. Not only did it feature a 154 kW (210 hp) engine that, in its day, was the most powerful ever fitted in a three-axle construction vehicle, but also a generously proportioned six-speed constant-mesh transmission and an exceptionally robust frame. The drive axles were configured to carry an axle load of 13 tonnes each, even though the maximum per axle housing on the road in Germany was eight tonnes and no more than ten tonnes even in off-road use. "Trucks you can trust" was thus a motto that was lived up to even then, above all in the construction sector.

A whole range of further refinements ensured that this new three-axle model was ideally suited for work in extreme terrain. The backbone of the vehicle was provided by an exceptionally robust fish-belly frame with riveted cross members, and which was somewhat wider towards the front than in the rear. Two lower and one upper maintenance-free control arms on each side bore the brunt of the driving and braking forces from the rear axles, which meant that the leaf springs had only to cope with the transverse and load forces.

Strategic realignment in the 1960s

The relatively late arrival of this short-nosed heavy-duty tipper on the market was not only due to the very thorough testing to which the new construction vehicles were subjected. This period between the late 1950s and the early 1960s saw the brand under the three-pointed star experiencing something of a reorientation phase as far as its truck strategy was concerned. The cab-over concept was still being eyed with some scepticism and the company was making only cautious advances into the very heavy segment. The broad direction, however, was clear: the objective that Mercedes-Benz had set itself for its truck business from the mid-1960s onward was to become a high-volume generalist.

And so it was that, one after another, segments that had until now been neglected were gradually appropriated for the brand. Gaggenau – at that time the plant responsible for the heavy-duty models – was in the mid-1960s producing both cab-over-engine models (the LP series with cuboid cab introduced in 1963) and the short-nosed models that had first appeared on the scene in 1959. In parallel to this, the Mannheim plant was building medium-duty cab-over-engine and short-nosed models, while the new plant at Wörth had taken up manufacturing the light-duty LP 608 cab-over-engine model as a completely new product.

Only a very short run-in period was to prove necessary before both the novices in the product range – the very light-duty as well as the very heavy-duty –had worked their way up to become the market leaders in their respective disciplines.

Broad portfolio with increasing specialisation

The product portfolio of Mercedes-Benz was thus not only growing horizontally, but also vertically, as it were: that is to say in the form of increasing specialisation, as was now being seen more and more with the construction vehicles. Special tipper variants had been available for virtually all post-war truck models. But in terms of the actual construction specification, this generally quite simply included – as had been the case since the early days of the truck - a shortened rear overhang, modified frame and adaptations to the suspension.

The move to the three-axle truck with a double drive axle represented a first cautious step in the direction of a purpose-built specialist tipper as we might understand it today. There was however, for example, as yet no direct output shaft between the two rear axles. Instead, on the LK 2220, each of the two rear axles was connected by a separate shaft to the transfer case, which could if required also drive the front axle via a third shaft, so turning the LK 2220 into the all-wheel-drive LAK 2220.

The drive axles of these early three-axle models at this point did still not operate as planetary axles but instead worked according to a sort of precursor principle known as spur gear hub drive. This was already established technology – used, for example, in the classic post-war model L 6600 – and similarly used a two-stage process for the transmission of power: partly in the form of a conventional axle gear mounted centrally in the axle housing, and partly in the form of further spur gearing between the axle head and the wheel, via a large gearwheel linked to the hub. This same engineering approach and the same direct injection engines as for the short-nosed models were also used in the first cab-over-engine construction vehicles, with cuboid cab and 6x4 axle configuration, which took over from the short-nosed models in 1963.

Debut for a new family of components

Planetary axles, still widely represented among construction vehicles today, arrived on the market from 1971 onwards. They made their debut not in the short-nosed models, but in the cab-over-engine vehicles. Pre-empting the subsequent New Generation vehicles – and reflecting the requirement for eight horsepower per tonne – Mercedes-Benz introduced the new V10 in 1971. This vehicle had an output of 320 hp and featured the new planetary axles as well as a tilting, cuboid cab. Synchromesh transmissions were standard with these new variants, as well as a direct output shaft for the tandem planetary axle of the LP 2232 with its typical 6x4 axle configuration.

There were still two things missing in the product range at this time: on the one hand a cab-over-engine vehicle with all-wheel drive, and on the other a short cab for the cab-over-engine units. The heavy-duty LP, for example, was only available with a medium-long or long cab. Although the LP was due to be replaced soon afterwards, an unusual interim solution was found that meant that it could be adapted for all-wheel-drive use: the cab-over-engine vehicle built by Hanomag-Henschel, which had recently been taken over by the company, was quickly fitted with Mercedes-Benz's own V engines, transfer case and planetary axles.

And so the axle configurations 4x4 and 6x6 were now also represented among the cab-over models, until the New Generation of 1973 heralded the arrival of a completely new and logically structured range of models in the hitherto rather bewildering field of the heavy-duty trucks. It was perhaps somewhat unusual that the construction trucks should be the first vehicles in a new model series to be introduced, but there was a plausible reason for this approach: the manageable numbers of construction vehicles meant that production in the Wörth plant, which had gradually been taking over building the heavy-duty range since 1965, could begin in a calm and controlled way.

Modular system for the New Generation

In manufacturing technology terms, the New Generation was part of one of the most radical upheavals in the Daimler-Benz commercial vehicle programme at that time. Having said that, the introduction of the so-called modular system marked a major and significant step forward for the company. For by this time Daimler-Benz had become one of the big names among heavy-duty trucks and had managed to achieve steady growth in its market shares – in the international markets as well. For the business year 1974, for example, the plan was to build 35,000 units in the heavy-duty sector. By comparison: the figure for 1965 had been just under 8000 units. an increase, in other words, of almost 440 percent.

Despite the high level of demand, a period of economic difficulty was not far away. The oil crisis was just around the corner, commodity prices were on the rise and, to add insult to injury, floating exchange rates were making business very difficult. The answer to it all was to be the sophisticated modular system that lay behind the New Generation, which would meet the double challenge of the time head on: despite much-needed international diversification, market prices could be kept at a fair level. Development chief Arthur Mischke summarised the approach in a single sentence back in 1974: "The modular system was applied so systematically that we were able to build the maximum number of models to suit all transport requirements using a minimum of assemblies and components."

Just 650 components were required for the new V engines used in the 400 series, compared with 1600 for the previous range. Similarly, only 220 parts were needed for the new planetary axles, as opposed to the 480 used for the two previous axle series. Standardisation and thus a higher level of automation also provided the scope to increase the dimensions of such components and so improve their durability.

Standardisation creates scope for further diversification

The way was now free for the construction vehicles – where necessary – to forge their own path. One example of something that was retained was the tried and tested fish-belly frame. Customers had a choice of three final-drive ratios for top speeds of 75, 85 or 95 km/h. The vehicles of the New Generation were braked by pivoted brake shoes with a drum diameter of 410 millimetres, which were used uniformly on all the axles. For the all-wheel-drive variants Mercedes-Benz also added an enhanced ALB system (automatic load-sensitive brake pressure control), which now also acted on the front axle brakes rather than just the brakes on the rear axle(s).

While the suspension mounting for the three-axle construction vehicles was already a familiar design, the cabs acquired an all-new cab suspension system: at the front the cab was mounted on two pivot bearings with flexible rubber bushings. At the rear the cab was softly sprung on dampened spring struts, ensuring a low level of vibration. The particularly high tilt angle was a welcome addition for workshop personnel, as it afforded very easy access to the engine and ancillary units.

The driver was easily able to carry out daily checks via flaps in the front end. Peace and quiet in the cab was ensured by the cab-mounted gearshift: when the cab was tilted, the steering and gearshift linkages extended telescopically. For the first time, the shift lever thus had a fixed place in the cab, which itself was very effectively insulated against noise, heat and cold. The cabs of the New Generation now offered better ease of operation and more passive safety than ever before. Initially available in two variants - short or long – a medium-long variant was introduced in 1977.

Construction vehicle programme continues to expand

When, with effect from 1986, the precise gross vehicle weight of 32 tonnes became permissible for the four-axle model (previously: 30 tonnes), this category of vehicle would come to prove very popular with customers. It was initially built by specialist firm NAW, a company subsidiary based in Arbon, Switzerland, but production was later taken over by Wörth.

In the 1990s, by which time the New Generation had become the SK range, the construction vehicles too could be fitted as an option with the comfort cab suspension from the long-distance vehicles. At the same time the maximum engine output rose to the once unimaginable figure for this sector of 320 kW (435 hp).

By the time the construction vehicles produced under the New Generation, New Generation 80 and SK names were succeeded in 1997 by the construction variants of the new Actros, an impressive 24-year production period lay behind them.

Added refinements for Actros construction vehicles

The Actros construction vehicles would retain their dependable and robust characteristics, as well as the planetary axles, but added to these a growing number of technical refinements: the highlights of the new Mercedes-Benz construction vehicle range included parabolic instead of trapezoidal springs all round, a hydraulic/pneumatic gearshift, a new front-axle load compensating system for the four-axle models and, last but not least, off-road EPS as an option.

The automated transmission became a standard feature as early as 2003 with the introduction of the second-generation Actros in the construction vehicle sector. The high-quality feel and impeccable workmanship of the new, ergonomically designed interior pleased the drivers, as did the new air-conditioning system and the now-standard Telligent braking system – disc brakes were increasingly becoming the norm. Operators soon learned to appreciate the fact that the maintenance intervals were now twice as long.

The addition of high-payload Axor variants, with narrow cabs and in-line engines, to the Mercedes-Benz construction vehicle range from 2004 onwards was soon followed by an off-road version of the Actros 3 in 2008. Protective plates for the engine, radiator and tank meant that it was better equipped than ever before to cope with the risks inherent in rugged, off-road use. The 16‑speed Telligent automated gearshift ceded to the new PowerShift Offroad automated 12-speed box. Further refinements that were now part of the standard specification included a battery charge indicator, a compressed air connection point inside the cab and roller sun blinds on the side windows, as well as a useful folding table for the front-passenger seat.

The new Arocs: a special class of truck for the construction sector

Their successors have now arrived in the shape of the new Arocs model series, a special class characterised not just by a new name. With a new "bucket-teeth-look" radiator grille as well as a new cab interior, the Mercedes-Benz construction vehicle is clearly forging its own way forward from now on.

Whereas the New Generation saw the road-going models and the construction vehicles staying more or less in step with one another, the two categories of vehicles will diverge significantly from now on: planetary axles, for example, no longer play a significant role in today's road-going vehicles, but their robustness means that they remain the preferred option in the construction site environment.

The specialist capability that is demanded today once again sets far greater limits on the development of uniform solutions for many components than was the case in the days of the New Generation. While back then the remit was to achieve the requisite diversification through standardisation, the challenge today is to control the centrifugal forces of increasing specialisation on the basis of higher volumes and global scale.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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The new construction vehicle family from Mercedes-Benz: Arocs – the new force in construction

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Mercedes-Benz has achieved a triple leap forward in the field of Euro VI compliance: this year the brand with the star is expanding its current heavy-duty vehicle range with the addition of the Arocs, the specialist in construction, which follows hot on the heels of the Antos, which celebrated its market launch in the heavy-duty short-radius distribution sector in 2012, and the Actros, which celebrated its market launch in the long-distance transport sector in 2011. In addition to maximum environmental compatibility thanks to Euro VI, the new Arocs vehicles also boast three outstanding qualities: power, efficiency and ruggedness.

Clear segments

The Arocs range is being offered in a previously unparalleled variety of vehicle models to precisely match customer requirements in this extremely diversified application sector. The new dump trucks, all-wheel drive dump trucks, cement mixers, semitrailer tractors and dropsider chassis vehicles are available as two, three and four-axle vehicles with 16 power output levels ranging from 175 kW (238 hp) to 460 kW (625 hp). From the outset, all of the engines have been designed to meet the future Euro VI emissions standard and are available to order as Euro VI versions.

The clearly segmented building industry sector requires vehicles which are ideally matched to their operating conditions. Around half of all construction vehicles work directly on construction sites. Around a third deliver equipment and building materials to sites, while a further 15 percent of construction vehicles are involved in handling ready-mixed concrete.

On top of this, there is also a wide variety of requirements when it comes to the means of transport used in ancillary construction trades or the ultra-heavy-duty transport sector. And public service vehicle operators also require tailor-made vehicles too.

Leading forces in construction: Loader and Grounder

With the new Arocs, transport tasks in the building industry can be carried out more efficiently than ever before. In order to be able to meet this requirement even more effectively, even in payload-sensitive applications such as in the case of dump semitrailer vehicles and cement mixers for example, the Arocs Loader and Arocs Grounder have been developed.

The Arocs Loader has made consistent use of every possibility to reduce its own kerb weight. The result provides payload optimised 4x2 semitrailer tractor units which are among the lightest vehicles in the construction sector, as well as 8x4/4 cement mixers with a 32 t maximum permissible weight. Thanks to their particularly low kerb weight of a maximum of 9250 kg, these vehicles are able to supply 8 m3 of ready-mixed concrete on every trip.

The Arocs Grounder is designed for operating in extremely difficult conditions, such as in quarries or on building sites. Thanks to a host of technical measures, such as a longitudinal member thickness of nine millimetres, it is extremely robust and also features particularly high levels of stability and a high load carrying capacity.

Broad range of vehicles from 18 t and up

Both the Loader and Grounder belong to a broad collection of vehicles comprising the Arocs family and which range from a maximum gross vehicle weight of 18 t in the case of the two-axle models, through to 41 t for the off-road four-axle models making up the Grounder series.
In general, the Arocs construction vehicle family has been specifically designed for all types of applications. As a result, even the so-called "road roller" for example - the two-axle semitrailer tractor unit with driven rear axle (4x2) - is not an Actros variant but a separate vehicle type in its own right.

Clear differentiation: high frame

The frames, frame heights and overhangs are specifically different from those found on long-haul trucks. As a result, matching conversion parts for use as construction material transporters are no longer required. The two-axle Arocs semitrailer tractor vehicle can therefore be ordered as a 4x2 standard vehicle with steel or air suspension, a payload optimised 4x2 Arocs Loader, a 20-t 4x4 all-wheel drive vehicle or a 4x4 Arocs Grounder. Other specialist vehicles within the broad-based Arocs family include variants previously only available as subsequently converted vehicles. Four-axle vehicles now roll off the production line with a front and three rear axles as part of a normal series production process in the world's largest truck plant in Wörth.

New ex works: four-axle 8x4/4 single-tyred trailing axle with three rear axles

This four-axle vehicle is based on a three-axle vehicle with a non-driven steering axle and two twin-tyred driven rear axles. Added behind this is a single-tyred, liftable trailing axle with positive steering.

Possible areas of application include building material platform trucks with a loading crane for example, which are required to operate on their own. A three-axle vehicle, or even a classic four-axle variant, would not be able to cope with the rear position of the loading crane due to the load distribution. Thanks to the triple solution at the rear, however, all axle loads can be handled without a problem.

"Super mixer": the first cement mixer capable of delivering 8 m³

When it comes to transporting 8 cubic metres of ready-mixed concrete in compliance with the law - normally roughly divided up in the trade into 0.5‑cubic metre batches - a four-axle truck mixer chassis would be allowed to tip the scales with an unladen kerb weight of 9.25 t at the very most. The new Arocs is able to do just that.

To begin with, the Loader version of the cement mixer chassis combines the lightweight 10.7‑litre OM 470 engine with the ClassicSpace S-cab. But that alone is not quite enough. In addition, the standard double driven axle with twin tyres is replaced with a single-tyred rear axle with 368/65 tyres.

To ensure that the wheelbase remains wide, which is an important element for stability, both rear axles have been specifically modified for use with single tyres: thanks to moving the wheel mounting towards the outside, the wide, classic "trailer"-format traction tyres, specially produced for Mercedes-Benz, sit flush with the outer edge of the body within their wheel guards.

Drive systems: powerful Euro VI engines for the construction sector

The new Mercedes-Benz Arocs is available with a wide range of Blue-Efficiency Power diesel engines. From the very outset, Mercedes-Benz is setting the Arocs to work in harsh, everyday environments equipped with low-emission Euro VI engines.

Arocs customers can choose from a selection of 16 power output levels. The Bluetec 6 engines are all designed as in-line six-cylinder engines with exhaust-gas turbocharging and charge air cooling for high torque at little more than idle speed. Maximum tractive power levels of from 1000 to 3000 Nm are achieved by four displacements of 7.7, 10,7, 12.8 and 15.6 litres.

Brand new: the large-scale OM 473 in-line six cylinder engine

Also now available with the Arocs is the largest-capacity engine from Daimler's heavy-duty engine series which has been comprehensively redeveloped. Boasting specifications which include a displacement of 15.6 l, output of up to 460 kW (625 hp) and maximum torque of 3000 Nm, the new Mercedes‑Benz OM 473 diesel engine sets its own powerful tone.

It is characterised by peak performance under harsh conditions – even when it comes to the most demanding of requirements in terms of transport speed, tractive power and ruggedness. Top performance is also guaranteed for off-road applications, maximum loads in the heavy-duty transport sector, and high transport speed over routes with demanding topography. On top of all of this it also offers maximum durability. The new 15.6-litre OM 473 in-line six-cylinder engine is capable of maximum performance in every respect.

Power from the word go

When it comes to the heaviest-duty applications in particular - which the Grounder variants of the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs may face for example - the OM 473 scores highly with its tractive power. It is not only the absolute power available which is impressive – between 2600 Nm and 3000 Nm are fed to the crankshaft, depending on the variant – but also the way in which it is made available. This is because under full load, around 2500 Nm are already available at a little more than idle speed in all rated output versions of the engine. This is a higher level of torque than the maximum achieved by most truck engines.

On the test bench, the highest torque of all of the OM 473 variants is available at 1100 rpm. In the real world, almost the entire tractive power is available across a wide range from around 900 to 1400 rpm. Immediately thereafter, the engines reach their maximum output.

This characteristic helps to ensure excellent driveability across a very wide engine speed range. In addition, all variants of the engine also feature a response to accelerator pedal input which is both spontaneous and powerful.

Spontaneous response, reduced fuel consumption under high load

One of the special features of the new Mercedes-Benz OM 473 engine is turbo-compound technology. The term turbo-compound stands for a second turbine, connected in series after the exhaust gas turbocharger. It also makes use of the available pressure of the exhaust after flowing through the exhaust gas turbocharger to further increase performance. This power is transferred to the engine's gear drive, and thereby directly to the crankshaft, via a shaft and hydrodynamic clutch.

Turbo-compound technology increases the output of the OM 473 by around 50 kW (68 hp). The driver is able to feel the additional performance immediately via the already spontaneous response of the engine at low engine speeds.

At the same time, a reduction in fuel consumption of around two percent is achieved under high load. These demanding conditions are typical of the areas of application in which the OM 473 is used.

In addition, the new Mercedes-Benz OM 473 also impresses with its tremendous economic efficiency: even the most powerful engine of the new engine generation has been consistently developed for low fuel consumption. Depending on the version, consumption is between 0.5 and 1.5 percent lower than the preceding model, the V8 Mercedes‑Benz OM 502.

It also goes without saying that the engine features maximum environmental acceptability: all variants of the OM 473 meet the strict Euro VI emissions standard applicable to registrations from 2014 onwards.

The new OM 473 is available with three power output levels:

Power output / Maximum Torque

380 kW (517 hp) at 1600 rpm / 2600 Nm at 1100 rpm
425 kW (578 hp) at 1600 rpm / 2800 Nm at 1100 rpm
460 kW (625 hp) at 1600 rpm / 3000 Nm at 1100 rpm

OM 471: resilient, powerful and economical

Slotting in seamlessly below the new Mercedes-Benz OM 473 diesel engine is the previous top-of-the-range variant of the new engine generation, the OM 471, producing a maximum of 375 kW (510 hp) and 2500 Nm of torque from a displacement of 12.8 litres.

This engine covers a broad range of applications within the new Arocs vehicle family. The long-stroke in-line six-cylinder engine (piston stroke: 156 mm, cylinder bore: 132 mm), which made its debut in the Actros long-distance truck, was the first model in a completely new engine generation in 2011.

Its effective full-load engine speed range extends down to around 800 rpm, which is particularly important for the off-road applications for which the Arocs may be used. The engines provide close to their full power output as low as 1400 rpm.

Highly efficient turbocharging and engine brake

Turbocharging is dealt with by an asymmetrical turbocharger featuring fixed geometry. It ensures quick engine response to different accelerator pedal positions. Maximum efficiency is also achieved by the turbocharged decompression engine brake. Maximum braking power reaches 400 kW in the case of the OM 471 and 475 kW for the OM 473.

The OM 471 is available with four power output and torque levels in the Mercedes-Benz Arocs:

Power output / Maximum Torque

310 kW (421 hp) at 1800 rpm / 2100 Nm at 1100 rpm
330 kW (449 hp) at 1800 rpm / 2200 Nm at 1100 rpm
350 kW (476 hp) at 1800 rpm / 2300 Nm at 1100 rpm
375 kW (510 hp) at 1800 rpm / 2500 Nm at 1100 rpm

OM 470: efficiency from a displacement of 10.7 l

Also new is the OM 470 in-line six-cylinder engine with a displacement of 10.7 litres, based on the OM 471 model series. It also has a number of technical features such as the unique X-Pulse injection system. The compact engine boasts a very high performance, and is also very efficient and at the same time weight-optimised.

Designed with a view to its specific areas of application, such as the payload-sensitive transportation of building materials, the OM 470 engine is approx. 170 kg lighter than the OM 471.

Tremendous tractive power at low engine speeds

The OM 470 has been consistently tuned for economy: the engine achieves a full 95 percent of its maximum torque as low as 800 rpm. The maximum torque remains constantly available from 1100 rpm through to 1400 rpm. The engine almost achieves it maximum performance at this engine speed. Thanks to this characteristic, a high degree of power is available in the main operating range and the engine has real "bite". The long-stroke design with a bore of 125 mm and a stroke of 145 mm provides for excellent pulling power.

Both the OM 470 and OM 471 boast a particularly long-life design. The crankcase, for example, is made of a special cast iron alloy, and the cylinder head of cast iron with vermicular graphite (CGI). The pistons, meanwhile, are made of steel to increase their service life and combat the loads caused by ignition pressures of more than 200 bar.

The efficient gear drive which drives the two overhead composite camshafts has been completely redeveloped for the OM 470. It is located at the rear of the engine and is an important element of the engine's weight-saving design.

Unique: X-Pulse injection system

An important feature of all of the 6-cylinder in-line engines of the OM 470/471/473 model series from Mercedes-Benz is the unique flexible common-rail X-Pulse injection system with fully electronic control and pressure booster. Whilst the pressure is increased to a maximum of 900 bar in the common rail, it is increased to an injection pressure of up to 2100 bar in the individual injectors.

The rate of injection can be freely modulated depending on the operating conditions. As a result, X-PULSE minimises fuel consumption and at the same time maximises the smooth running performance of the engine. The injectors and shape of the combustion chamber have been adapted to the specific characteristics of the different engine variants.

Turbocharging takes place via a turbocharger with asymmetric turbine housing and fixed geometry. This process improves the engine response.

The engine brake of the OM 470 is just as powerful and efficient as the drive system. Mercedes-Benz uses a turbocharged decompression brake. It is operated via a three-stage steering column switch. The maximum braking performance is a remarkable 340 kW (462 PS).

Four versions of the OM 470 are available in the Arocs:

Power output / Maximum Torque

240 kW (326 PS) at 1800 rpm / 1700 Nm at 1100 rpm
265 kW (360 PS) at 1800 rpm / 1800 Nm at 1100 rpm
290 kW (394 PS) at 1800 rpm / 1900 Nm at 1100 rpm
315 kW (428 PS) at 1800 rpm / 2100 Nm at 1100 rpm

OM 936: compact and light, yet still powerful

The new Mercedes ‑Benz OM 936 in-line six-cylinder engine is particularly light and compact. The new design features a number of technical refinements, such as a maximum injection pressure of 2400 bar, common-rail injection or the world's first adjustable exhaust camshaft in a diesel engine.

The crossflow cylinder head with four valves guarantees the least possible flow losses. The cylinder head and crankcase are made of cast iron with lamellar graphite in a special alloy.

Even the "small one" is an undersquare engine

The choice of the bore-to-stroke ratio (110/135 mm) provides for optimum fuel consumption and guarantees high pulling power at low engine speeds. The compact, rigid gear drive of the camshafts is located on the rear side of the engine.

The turbocharging function is carried out up to an output of 220 kW (299 hp) by an asymmetrical exhaust gas turbocharger with a double-flow turbine. There is a two-stage supercharging process with two turbochargers for the two uppermost output levels.

Impressive performance and drivability

The OM 936 achieves an impressive performance. Specific output of up to 34 kW (46 hp) per litre of displacement propels the power units to a performance class previously only achieved by larger-capacity engines. It is this downsizing that provides one of the prerequisites for the favourable exhaust emissions and consumption values, and also the payload.

Besides the nominal data of the new engines, it is their ease of driving that impresses. At an engine speed of only 1600 rpm, roughly 90 percent of the maximum torque is already available. At the same time, the engines also display their dynamism at low revs. Within the main operating range, the maximum torque remains constant between 1200 rpm and 1600 rpm. However, the engines display high power output even at engine speeds below 1000 rpm. Furthermore, the engines' spontaneous response to accelerator pedal movements is surprising in practice.

Whereas the standard version on the six-cylinder engines achieves up to 235 kW (320 hp), the optional high-performance engine brake even achieves 300 kW (408 hp). Until now, only considerably larger engines have achieved values of this magnitude. The Mercedes‑Benz OM 936 is available with five power output and torque levels:

Power output / Maximum Torque

175 kW (238 hp) at 2200 rpm / 1000 Nm at 1200 - 1600 rpm
200 kW (272 hp) at 2200 rpm / 1100 Nm at 1200 - 1600 rpm
220 kW (299 hp) at 2200 rpm / 1200 Nm at 1200 - 1600 rpm
235 kW (320 hp) at 2200 rpm / 1300 Nm at 1200 - 1600 rpm
260 kW (354 hp) at 2200 rpm / 1400 Nm at 1200 - 1600 rpm

Effective engine brake

The engine brake acts just as effectively. Its performance, unique for an engine of this class, increases safety and the average transport speed, and at the same time minimises wear of the brake linings due to less use of the foot brake. The double synchronised decompression brake is based on the engines of the OM 470/471/473 series.

New engine generation with a great deal in common

Whether the OM 936, OM 470, OM 471 or the new OM 473 – all engines already comply with the Euro VI emissions standard. They feature Blue-Efficiency Power with common-rail injection, a closed particulate filter system and exhaust gas recirculation. Exhaust gases are treated by means of BlueTec 6 featuring SCR technology with AdBlue injection, as well as a downstream oxidation catalytic converter and particulate filter.

Powerful primary retarder: braking system for inclines

All of the engines are available with the extremely powerful, turbocharged decompression engine brake. The driver can activate it in three stages via the steering column switch. Due to the considerably larger displacement of 15.6 litres, the engine brake on the OM 473 significantly outperforms its renowned, powerful counterpart on the OM 471: it achieves up to 460 kW (625 hp).

Engine series / Max. engine braking power

OM 936 / 300 kW (408 hp)
OM 470 / 340 kW (462 hp)
OM 471 / 400 kW (544 hp)
OM 473 / 460 kW (625 hp)

Maximum efficiency comes as standard in the new BlueEfficiency Power engine generation: all engines combine a spirited response and very smooth running characteristics with low consumption figures for fuel, AdBlue and engine oil. Equally present are exemplary environmental protection and long maintenance intervals.

Fully-automated transmissions as standard

Power transmission in all variants of the broad Arocs product range is implemented as standard by means of fully-automated, fast-acting Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmissions with eight, twelve or optionally 16 gears. They facilitate the work of the driver considerably, particularly with regard to tough manoeuvring or harsh off-road applications. As an option, regular manual transmissions with nine or 16 gears are available at extra cost.

The enhanced Mercedes PowerShift 3 automatic transmission is characterised among other things by shorter shift times, which are up to 20 percent shorter compared with the previous Mercedes PowerShift 2 transmission, and even up to 50 percent shorter compared with the Telligent automatic transmission. With its sensitive shift sensor system, the Mercedes PowerShift 3 ensures a precise selection of gears suitable for the respective driving and load conditions.

Smart sensor system for all situations

One feature is the ability to detect overrun mode on downhill gradients and as a result maintain the gear. The new crawl function (increased starting torque) with the integrated manoeuvring mode enables particularly easy moving off and precise, defined manoeuvring. In addition, different transmission modes and additional functions make driving in construction traffic simpler. The rocking-free mode, for example, enables vehicles which become stuck in muddy, boggy conditions to free themselves.

The direct-shift mechanism which enables direct shifting from first to reverse – without having to shift via neutral – is yet another advantage. For quick reversing, for example when working on motorway construction, particularly "fast" reverse gears are also available.

Two transmission modes to choose from: power or off-road

Depending on the vehicle type, the Arocs is fitted with off-road or power transmission driving programs, or as an option can also be ordered with the other respective driving program. Both driving programs each feature three transmission modes. Standard mode, including the standard eco-roll function, generally supports a particularly economical driving style for on-road use. Manual mode enables complete control of the Arocs in extreme off-road terrain.

In the power driving program's "power mode", gear changes are carried out with an increase in engine speed of 100 rpm compared with standard eco-roll mode. Power mode is automatically deactivated when no corresponding torque is available to be called upon.

The off-road driving program's "off-road mode" is characterised by the Arocs permanently having increased torque at its disposal.

Crawl mode for manoeuvring

Particularly important for short-distance haulage and construction transport, with its high share of low-speed driving and manoeuvring in restricted deployment locations, is the transmission's crawl mode: when start-off or reverse gears are selected, the driver can control the speed of the new Arocs by means of the brake pedal alone. A further support feature when manoeuvring is the option to be able to shift directly from first gear into reverse.

Optional manual transmission

In addition to the standard automated gearshift, the Arocs is also optionally available with a manual double H-gearshift with pneumatic shift assistance. Customers who prefer a manual transmission therefore have a choice between a 9-speed transmission and three optimally tuned 16-speed transmissions. All transmissions ensure virtually loss-free transfer of power as well as ease of shifting and high levels of driving comfort.

New clutch generation

Both the standard Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmissions as well as the manual versions are used in combination with a new clutch generation featuring overload protection and a warning system. In the case of vehicles with one driven axle, the single-disc clutch helps to guarantee the transfer of torques of up to 2600 Nm.

In the case of the Arocs with several driven axles and for torques up to 3000 Nm, a double-disc clutch is used. It is also optionally available for vehicles with one driven axle.

Optional turbo retarder clutch or water retarder

In addition, the optionally available wear-free turbo retarder clutch provides maximum performance when moving off and manoeuvring with particularly high gross combination weights and torques. At the same time it also acts as a retarder and therefore helps to ensure additional safety.

For applications involving high proportions of continuous braking in the higher speed ranges, the optional secondary water retarder is recommended. It has a braking torque of up to 3500 Nm and is offered as a first step for the engines of the 47x family. From October 2013 it will also be available for the OM 936 engine. Depending on the variant, it weighs 65 to 69 kg and in terms of its braking technology is fully integrated into the deceleration management of the Arocs.

In addition to safe continuous braking, the secondary water retarder also offers the advantage of being able to maintain the operating temperature of the combustion engine on long stretches of downhill driving. This provides perfect support for the complex emission control system of the standard Euro VI engines by helping to maintain the effectiveness of the cleaning technology at a high level.

A variety of axle options ex works

The new Mercedes-Benz Arocs is being offered as a two, three or four-axle vehicle. The drive configurations on offer as part of the broad-based construction vehicle family range from the 4x2 two-axle vehicle through to the 8x8/4, a four-axle vehicle with all-wheel drive and two steered front axles.

The four-axle vehicle with one front and three rear axles, or payload-optimised cement mixer chassis with a single-tyred drive tandem, are two examples of the wide variety of new Arocs vehicles now available ex works. A further example is the 8x2/4 dropsider chassis vehicle with two front axles, and one driven and one steered rear axle.

All-wheel drive: three types to cover all requirements

Besides the Arocs versions designed for use on surfaced roads with one or two driven rear axles, for off-road customers there are now three all-wheel variants to chose from offering optimised traction for specific applications.

New: Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive

The new "Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive" is designed to cover mainly road-based applications which occasionally call for increased traction. In the case of these new all-wheel-drive variants, engageable hydrodynamically driven wheel hub motors drive the front axle, instead of mechanical drive shafts. This saves both weight and fuel – the weight saving alone compared with the permanent all-wheel drive for heavy-duty off-road use amounts to half a ton.

Engageable all-wheel drive offers good compromise

As standard and when the requirements in terms of payload and low consumption are greater than the need for traction, a second variant of the engageable all-wheel drive is available without off-road gear. With this, the front axle is engaged via the transfer case (VG 3000) when the vehicle is stationary, whereby the cardan shafts are fixed at the front and rear and rotate in the ratio 1:1.

Permanent all-wheel drive for off-road use

For applications primarily in difficult terrain and with high demands to be met, for example when moving off on inclines on unpaved surfaces, the Arocs can be optionally fitted with permanent all-wheel drive (VG 2800 transfer case with 100-percent lock) plus additional off-road gear ratio.

Locks: always engaged in series

For optimum traction in each of the drive configurations in which the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs is available, a variety of differential locks is offered as standard depending on the vehicle type. They can be operated via a switch, always in the logical technical sequence: longitudinal lock, lock of the driven rear axles and – if fitted – lock of the driven front axles. In the case of an engageable front-axle drive, the engagement itself brings about the direct transmission of power.

In general, the all-wheel drive Arocs vehicles are fitted as standard with a disengageable anti-lock braking system. This enhances safety in heavy-duty off-road applications, because locking the wheels can cause a wedge-like build-up of soft surface material which can contribute to shorter stopping distances.

Power take-off units: even more choice

The range of power take-off units has been extended once again in the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs. The variants already available have now been supplemented with the addition of an even more powerful version offering 900 Nm on the engine.

Also new are an additional power consumption point at the front on the engine, as well as a clutch-dependent combination drive for use when the vehicle is stationary or whilst underway.

In general, all of the power take-off units in the Arocs can be combined with the standard, fully automatic Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmission, and also with the optional secondary retarder – a clear product advantage in the competitive environment.

Structure and suspension: two frames for different applications

Also targeted clearly at specific applications is the vehicle frame used in the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs. This component, which is crucial for off-road capabilities, payload and durability, is implemented in two variants in the case of the new vehicle family.

When it comes to use primarily on construction sites and off-road terrain, a frame measuring 744 mm wide and with a section thickness of eight or nine millimetres is used which is made of cold-formed, high-tensile fine-grained steel in conjunction with robust 100 mm-wide steel springs. This also guarantees a high load capacity and torsional flexibility, even under difficult conditions.

Strongly supported tandem

For tandem axle weights greater than 26 tons, for the first time a specific, heavy-duty tandem suspension with so-called flange socket bearings is used. Depending on the selected gross vehicle weight, the front and rear axle springs are fitted with two, three or four-leaf spring assemblies.

In the case of vehicles which are mainly for use on the road, the 834 mm-wide frame, which has been widened by 90 mm and features a frame thickness of seven or eight mm, in conjunction with the new four-bellows rear axle air suspension, helps to ensure particularly good ride comfort and good handling in both a laden and unladen state. Air suspension systems are available for the three and four-axle versions of the Arocs.

New height: the Arocs provides good ground clearance

The requirements could not be any more different: while pure road vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz Actros or the new Antos tend to need low frame heights for transporting large volumes, as a construction industry specialist the Arocs primarily needs ground clearance.

At a height of up to 1120 mm, the frame of the new Arocs is therefore 115 mm higher than the comparable Actros. This is already the case for the truck chassis for platform bodies as well as semitrailer tractor vehicles. The off-road dump truck and cement mixer chassis are even 45 mm higher.

New position: axles moved towards the rear

The newly created range of wheelbases for two-axle vehicles is also always based on a front and rear axle repositioned by 60 mm towards the rear in each case. This enables the use of even the largest specialist tyres beyond the typical 13 R 22.5 sizes used in construction, without the need for any additional modifications.

In the four-axle vehicles, the two steering axles have each been moved by 60 mm towards the rear. The two rear axles are generally positioned a further 110 mm towards the rear. Here again there is an advantage to be gained in terms of the tyres used, and in addition the weight distribution is also more favourably balanced.

Making life easier for bodybuilders

To enable the efficient mounting of bodies, the frame features a 50 mm hole grid pattern, standardised mounting brackets, support blocks and attachment fixtures. Time savings and improved planning are also afforded thanks to the clearly defined mounting areas and positions on the frame of the new Arocs. Bodybuilders are able to fit accessories here such as support feet, compressors or instrument cabinets, without having to create space for such items beforehand. Easily accessible junctions, such as the bodybuilder interface, are installed for the perfect connection of the body electrics and electronics. In addition, the Arocs has a programmable special module. The smooth construction of an Arocs base vehicle into a specialist vehicle can be managed via the Mercedes-Benz Bodybuilder Portal.

A world first: Servotwin electro-hydraulic steering

Representing a world first in the commercial vehicle sector is the new Servotwin electro-hydraulic steering for four-axle vehicles. It features speed-sensitive power-assisted steering and active steering return. This newly developed technology, which is fitted as standard in heavy-duty vehicles and available as an optional extra in light-duty vehicles, opens up a world of previously unattainable steering comfort and maximum steering precision.

Brakes: always benefitting from full braking power

Depending on the area of application, the Arocs benefits from optimum deceleration performance – and therefore short braking distances – thanks to drum brakes, a combination of disc and drum brakes, or disc brakes on all wheels. The all-wheel drive vehicles of the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs range are fitted with a disengageable anti-lock braking system as standard.

Driver's cabs: 14 variants to choose from

Even the selection of practical driver's cabs for the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs has reached a level of variety previously unseen in the construction sector. Construction vehicle customers have a choice of no fewer than seven driver's cabs in a total of 14 variants. The range comprises 2.3 m-wide cabs featuring short or medium lengths and a variety of heights to accommodate ease of access and different engine tunnels.

Providing the edge in terms of handling: 2.3 metre cab

The cab width of 2.3 m has proved to be extremely advantageous in a wide variety of applications for which the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs has been tailor made. The compact design makes handling in short-distance haulage transport and on construction sites a great deal easier. In addition, the practical cab layout enables an integrated step-like entry design. This helps to reduce the workload of the driver significantly in applications involving him having to get in and out of the vehicle frequently, as is often the case in short-distance haulage and on construction sites.

Practical: 2.5 metre BigSpace cab

When the application calls for it, the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs can also be equipped with wider cabs. As always with the new construction vehicle family, this is determined by the use to which the vehicle configuration is put.

In addition to the compact 2.3 metre M-cabs therefore, long cabs can also be used for those applications which extend beyond a single day.

For such cases, the more spacious 2.5 metre versions of the StreamSpace and BigSpace cabs, with level cab floors, are available.

Visually appealing: a powerful look for harsh applications

The new Arocs construction specialist has inherited some significant elements in terms of cab design from its colleagues, the Mercedes-Benz Actros and Antos. These include the typically expressive design idiom. However, the design of the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs remains exceptional and absolutely distinctive.

The specially designed styling of the construction vehicle family is characterised by its radiator grille with so-called "bucket-teeth" look. It sends a clear message: the sturdy "teeth" stand for biting one's way through and knuckling down to the job. With steel elements on the bumpers, a functionally designed underride guard and visually integrated folding entry steps, this specialist in harsh applications achieves the ideal balance between form and function.

Operation: a top-class interior in every respect

The interior is geared towards vehicle use. The look is characterised by easy-to-clean, rugged surfaces finished in anthracite. The subtle contrast created with the black finish of the cockpit gives the impression of a robust yet very high-quality interior.

The instrumentation of the Arocs vehicles is also of high quality. The multifunction steering wheel, instrument cluster and implementation of the switches completely follow the template found in the Actros designed for long-distance haulage. Thanks to its graphics-enabled 10.4 cm TFT colour display fitted as standard, the instrument cluster provides a quick and particularly comprehensive overview of all of the important information relating to the vehicle and its operating status. Additional information is also displayed, such as current fuel consumption and which differential locks are enabled for example.

Optimum seat ergonomics are guaranteed thanks to an entire selection of seating, as in the long-haul truck. As a result, a body-contoured seat with massage function is now also available for construction vehicles. The massage function available for the comfort and climatised suspension seats protects against strains thanks to inflating and deflating seven air cushions one after the other.

Profitability: ecology meets economic efficiency in the new Arocs

With the new Mercedes-Benz Arocs, construction traffic is becoming more efficient than ever before. This is because the new vehicle achieves a saving precisely where it counts: fuel consumption. The new Arocs is at least able to balance out the initially unavoidable increased consumption which is basically inherent in a Euro VI-compliant engine, compared with an engine using Euro V technology, thanks to its significantly more advanced technology alone. On top of this it also makes use of the Mercedes PowerShift 3 automatic transmission as standard.

Technology and training go hand in hand

Technical innovations such as the Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive are able to achieve fuel savings of up to twelve percent compared with a permanent all-wheel drive system in those areas in which the latter is never used.

Furthermore, driver assistance provided in the guise of the standard FleetBoard EcoSupport, and optionally available FleetBoard Performance Analysis, also help to save fuel.

In addition, for low overall costs the Arocs also features long, use-dependent maintenance intervals and a repair and maintenance-friendly design. The increased service life of many of the components, and not least the exemplary good body mounting ability, also help to increase the profitability of the Arocs.

All known safety systems available

The Arocs is transferring all of the safety assistance systems which have become familiar in the new Mercedes-Benz Actros into the construction vehicle sector.

Depending on the approval class of the individual Arocs model variants (N3 or N3G), standard and optionally available systems include the electronically controlled EBS braking system with disc brakes all round, ABS anti-lock braking system and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Also available as an option are Lane Keeping Assist and the latest generation of the unique Active Brake Assist 3, which is able to initiate full brake application when faced with stationary obstacles.

Credits: Daimler AG

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