So said Steve Igoe, co-director of Middlewich, Cheshire-based civil engineering firm WPI Group, at the handover of its new 80-tonne gcw Volvo FH-500 6x2 tag-axle tractor unit.
It is a stunning beast: WPI’s latest Volvo, which joins its 12-strong all-Volvo fleet, was specified with the Globetrotter-cab – equipped with the latest Volvo Sat-Nav, fridge-freezer and microwave – and Durabrite polished aluminium wheels, chassis infills with a nibbed surface finish, and white side skirts, and mirror arms and heads.
The FH’s side skirts also feature a custom wrap depicting the early days of the company.
And this truck also has impressive eight-inch (203mm) bore stainless steel twin exhaust stacks, custom made by Adrian at Truckmax, in Wisbech.
Ten extra lights on two light bars, courtesy of Kelsa, are also mounted on the roof and the cab front lower panel, with a Kelsa lower light bar equipped with seven LED markers fitted to the front bumper.
At a more technical level, the new truck has Volvo’s 10-tonne rated front axle to optimise weight distribution in STGO operations. It also has the VTO2514B 12-speed manual gearbox.
The FH is now coupled to a new four-axle, Faymonville N-4L-UV Multimax trailer having two steering axles and a hydraulically-operated extending bed designed to increase the trailer’s load carrying width from 2.54 to 3.2 metres.
Unusually - and a first for the trailer manufacturer - WPI specified the Multimax with aluminium wheels.
According to WPI, unladen weight of the tractor and trailer is 25,250kg which equates to a payload potential of 54,750kg.
The new FH tractor unit will be maintained by Thomas Hardie Commercials in Middlewich, with overnight nspect5ion and servicing during the week on a Volvo Gold R&M contract.