Supplied by dealer Intercounty Truck & Van, the Actros 2548 BigSpace is equipped with a factory-fitted fridge and microwave, and a long-range 490-litre fuel tank in place of the standard 450-litre version.
It is powered by a second-generation 12.8-litre straight-six engine producing 470bhp. The Huntingdon-based operator also specified the manufacturer’s Predictive Powertrain Control system.
Matthew Harper (pictured), transport manager at the family-run business, says that after four months on the road and 27,000 miles, the truck is already delivering a promising performance: “Returns vary but it’s averaging 9mpg, which is very good indeed for our line of work.”
Serving the agricultural sector, Harpers provides a special handling service for potato, carrot and onion crops, which entails debagging, emptying bulkers and grading, before packing produce into boxes and delivering to customers.
Harper says: “The vehicle came highly recommended by a good friend of ours, who told us his drivers love their Actros, that they’re fantastic on fuel, and that he’s had very few issues in terms of reliability.
“Intercounty Truck & Van also put together a very competitively priced package, and the fact that its Peterborough workshop also has a dedicated ATF lane was certainly attractive to us.
“Economy is crucial, of course, and the Actros is certainly delivering as far as fuel-efficiency is concerned. But so, too, is back-up – we’re a seven-days-a-week operation and cannot afford unplanned downtime, so we continue to monitor the dealer’s performance closely.”
The Actros is being inspected and maintained by the dealer on a five-year Mercedes-Benz Complete Service contract.