The new MAN Truck generation has garnered extremely positive feedback in the seven months since it was launched, with its driver orientation, user-friendliness, fuel efficiency and customer-focused overall package all being singled out for praise.
The new MAN Truck generation sets standards in comfort, safety, cost-effectiveness, reliability and service, as well as connectivity and digitalisation, making customers’ business easier, more efficient and more successful – in line with MAN’s motto “Simplifying Business”. Now, around seven months after its successful launch event in Bilbao, Spain, it is clear that the new MAN Truck generation delivers on its promises.
The fact that the innovative driver’s workplace has won two design prizes, the potential fuel saving as confirmed by a TÜV Süd test drive, the positive reviews from the trade press in Europe and the excellent feedback from customers who are already using a new MAN all attest to the success of the new generation.
First-class user experience honoured with design awards
“We are particularly pleased with the interior of the new MAN with the practical control offered by SmartSelect,” says Johann Krieger, director of Spedition Johann Krieger GmbH & Co. KG based in Rottenburg in Bavaria, Germany. The juries of two renowned design competitions agree with him in that regard. The design of the digital driver’s workplace in the new MAN Truck generation offers a first-class user experience and has been awarded a Red Dot Award in the Brands & Communication Design 2020 category and a Gold German Design Award 2021 in the Excellent Product Design – Human-Machine Interface category.
The redesigned workplace won over the experts with its form, concept and effect, as it enables the driver to operate the numerous assistance and comfort functions of the new MAN Truck generation intuitively without distracting their attention from the road. The display and operating levels are separated from each other so that the visual information is as close as possible to the line of sight to the road, whereas the controls are within reach from a comfortable sitting position. One example of this design concept is the MAN SmartSelect, which is currently the only system of its kind in use in commercial vehicles. With its turn and press function, it minimises the need to look away from the road when operating the infotainment and navigation menus. The well thought-out driver’s workplace of the new MAN Truck generation offers every driver the same high level of operating comfort quickly and in a self-explanatory manner, regardless of age, professional experience or technical affinity. In this way, it makes a lasting contribution to simplifying the truck driver’s everyday working life.
“When MAN developed the new truck generation, it was obvious that the driver must be involved from the outset and be the focus of attention. Because this is the only way for us as a manufacturer to know what the drivers really need. We have received a lot of positive feedback from customers and the trade media, and winning these great prizes underlines once again that we are on the right track,” says Dr Andreas Tostmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of MAN Truck & Bus, who is delighted with the awards.
Following initial test drives by the international trade press and based on feedback from customers who are already using a new-generation MAN TGX, the significant improvement in fuel efficiency is proving just as popular as the new user experience. “The low fuel consumption – which is even lower than the predecessor model – is a real plus,” says Daniel Hoppenstock, director of HVL Transporte GmbH from Pattensen near Hanover, who has already had first-hand experience of seven new MAN TGX.
Maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness officially confirmed
New concepts for the driveline, aerodynamics and the MAN EfficientCruise efficiency assistant make the new MAN Truck generation up to 8.2% more economical than the previous vehicle generation. This potential saving was predicted by MAN and has now been officially confirmed by a TÜV Süd test drive. After a total of 684 kilometres, the result was clear: the new MAN TGX 18.470 Euro 6d required an average of 8.2% less fuel compared with the MAN TGX 18.460, the previous version, on the 342 km measurement section, which comprised both motorway stretches and country roads and was driven twice in succession. The profile of the normal motorway route section was a 90% match for the routes driven in European long-haul transport, and to ensure that the comparison focused on vehicle performance alone, the test vehicles exchanged semitrailers and drivers between the two drives.
“Low overall vehicle costs are crucial to the success of our customers. We have consistently developed the new MAN Truck generation with a view to maximum efficiency and economy – and we have fully achieved our goals! We are very pleased that this was also confirmed in a test conducted by an independent testing organisation. A big thank you to our entire team – great achievement!” said Dr Frederik Zohm, Executive Board member for Research and Development at MAN Truck & Bus.
Alongside perfecting the vehicle technology, MAN Truck & Bus is constantly developing and improving all of the products and services associated with the new MAN Truck generation.
New digital services optimise vehicle availability
With MAN Now, MAN is taking digital vehicle management to a new level. This new digital service, which was launched alongside the new MAN Truck generation, enables customers to equip their new-generation MAN with additional functions via online upgrade without having to take the vehicle to a workshop. The “Online Traffic” application provides the driver with up-to-date data on the traffic situation, making it easier to avoid traffic jams, while “Map Update” provides the latest information about the route ahead. This allows short-term closures and road works to be quickly taken into account in navigation. More functions are set to be added in due course.
“For the future, our developments are already going much further, because digital solutions no longer only support the operational use of vehicles. More and more, vehicles can also be digitally modified up to digital platforms, becoming an integrated and active part of our customers’ logistics processes and providing data for the entire logistics ecosystem“, says Niklaus Waser, Senior Vice President Digital Transformation & Business Models.
As well as providing customers with a whole range of forward-looking developments, the new MAN Truck generation still offers everything that customers and drivers have always loved about their MAN vehicles – just even better than before. This is confirmed by Jan Plieninger: “We are already getting excellent feedback from our customers regarding the systematic driver orientation and high fuel efficiency,” says the director of truck rental company BFS Business Fleet Services GmbH.
Part of what makes MAN Truck & Bus special is its focus on personal customer relationships on equal terms, as well as the exceptional industry expertise that the company has developed with over 100 years of experience in the commercial vehicle sector. Peter Carr, CEO of Southampton-based Abacus Logistics Ltd, was delighted to receive the UK’s first MAN TGX: “As a family-run business we all, across the entire team, pride ourselves on the relationships we have with our loyal customer base, an approach that we know is both appreciated and valued. Over the last few years, MAN have clearly adopted the same approach and their customer-first level of service, support and focus is clear to see. Our local MAN dealership understands the requirements of our business, their link in our success and the need to keep our vehicles 100 percent turnkey ready at all times.”
MAN focuses on strong, personal partnerships
“Simply My Truck” – this is how MAN wants drivers and customers to feel about the new MAN Truck generation. But how can people get to know the new-generation trucks if local launch events cannot be held due to the coronavirus pandemic? To get around this problem, the team from MAN Truck & Bus Germany organised a spontaneous and highly unusual “first date” in May: over 400 guests attended a drive-in cinema in order to experience the new MAN TGX live. In a show with a difference, the MAN experts presented the vehicles via giant screens and car radios, while the enthusiastic crowd signalled their appreciation by flashing their headlights.
In order to reach a wider audience, MAN has also produced a series of videos in which product experts give detailed explanations of individual topics relating to the technical features of the new truck generation and demonstrate the features in or on the vehicles themselves. The videos can be found on MAN Truck & Bus’s social media channels, which is also where you can see the first outing of the “MAN Individual Lion”. The exclusive TGX with the largest GX cab and “Individual” sunblind showcases the comprehensive driver comfort package (available as an option) as well as the high-end equipment that can be ordered from MAN Individual on request. Exterior details such as sparkling stainless steel elements and interior features such as the multi-coloured LED ambient lighting, an on-board kitchen with microwave and coffee machine and an LED TV make it the king of the lions.
With the launch of the new MAN TGL, TGM, TGS and TGX for construction and special applications and for distribution transport, MAN’s pride of lions is now complete. In both segments, MAN’s new truck generation boasts a diverse product portfolio which enables the company to offer the perfect solution for all industry requirements. MAN provides industry customers with perfectly equipped vehicles ex works and ensures the best possible coordination and collaboration with the various body manufacturers.