All new Volvo FM promises all-round truck capabilities 20 March 2013

Volvo launched its new FM today (Tuesday 19 March 2013), billing the new truck as offering top flexibility and transport efficiency, and pointing to its improved cab and Volvo Dynamic Steering option.

Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, describes the new FM as "an invaluable all-round player", citing its lower weight, new axle configurations, improved chassis flexibility and clear interfaces for bodybuilders as key to the claim.

He also emphasises product quality and Volvo's optional telematics, stating that together these guarantee FM truck owners maximum uptime. And Volvo's range of 11- and 13-litre (330—450bhp and 420—500bhp respectively) Euro 6 engines adds to that claim.

"Volvo Dynamic Steering is a world-class technical innovation: it benefits the truck driver in all operating conditions by creating a safer, more comfortable ... working environment," continues Nilsson.

"On the highway the dynamic steering system provides exceptional directional stability. At low speeds, even a heavily-laden truck is easily manoeuvrable," he explains.

In fact, the claim is that this system automatically compensates for heavily cambered roads and side winds, allowing the driver to steer straight ahead without correcting the steering wheel.

But the new FM also gets the company's updated I-See technology, which augments Volvo's I-Shift automatic transmission – saving fuel by electronically recording road topography and predicting gear requirements automatically.

And there's more – including improved suspension front and rear, plus new engine mountings, both of which have been designed to improve the FM's handling.

And Volvo Trucks' chassis designers also focused on weight optimisation. "Considerable weight reductions in all Volvo FM versions boosts attractiveness in weight-sensitive segments, such as tanker and bulk-haulage operations," comments Nilsson.

Meanwhile, the cab, too, has been redesigned, both for aerodynamics and for driver comfort, with more space and storage, as well as better ergonomics. Driver's can also download the new My Truck app, which enables them to remotely control truck functions.

The cab also sits lower on the chassis, enabling a two-step entry and better visibility for the driver.

As for the specials, watch out for a new 8x2 rigid tridem with three steered axles – one at the front and two at the rear on the 8x2 with tridem, two at the front and one at the rear on the 8x2 with two front axles.

The new Volvo FM is being unveiled for the public at the Commercial Vehicle show at the NEC in Birmingham (9—11 April 2013). Production gets under way for European operators in September 2013.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Volvo Group UK Ltd

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