Volvo Trucks celebrates with 750hp FH16 flagship 09 September 2011

Volvo has unveiled a mighty 750hp, 3,550Nm version of the FH16 truck to handle the toughest transport tasks – and operators can see it today (Friday 9 September) at Hilton Park and Charnock Richard motorway service areas, and the Lymm and Penrith Truck Stops on the M6 today.

The roadshow then crosses the Pennines to the new MSA on the A1M at Wetherby (southbound) on Saturday, before the FH16-750 heads to Donington Park, where it will act as the pace vehicle for the final races of the Harley Davidson XR1200 Series this weekend.

Production of the new truck is planned to coincide with the 16-litre engine's 25th anniversary, next year. 1987 saw the introduction of the Volvo F16 with Volvo's first-ever 16-litre engine, producing 470hp.

"With the Volvo FH16-750, we can offer a truck with absolute top performance, good fuel efficiency and extremely low emissions," states Staffan Jufors, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks.

Jufors explains that the new engine is based on the same technology as Volvo Trucks' current 16-litre 700hp diesel engine – an in-line six, with overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and unit injectors. However, the existing power plant has been re-optimised for higher power and torque, without compromising the truck's existing fuel consumption figures.

The 750hp engine will be available in two versions: one for Euro-5 and the other for EEV (enhanced environmentally-friendly vehicle), giving even lower particle emissions.

Beyond that, the standard transmission is unsurprisingly the Volvo I-Shift automated gear changing system – although modified to handle the engine's high torque.

Also, the rear axle range encompasses axles for gross combination weights of up to 250 tonnes. For fast long-haul duties, the recently introduced RS1360 solo axle looks like the most fuel-efficient choice.

Looking in a little detail at the torque curve, the new 750hp engine produces 2,800 Nm at 900rpm, beyond which it rises steeply to the peak of 3,550Nm at 1,050rpm and then levelling out to 1,400rpm.

"The more power you have at your disposal at low revs when starting to haul a heavy load, the less strain on the engine and the more fuel-efficient your progress," comments Hayder Wokil, product manager at Volvo Trucks.

"For most FH16 customers, the focus is on transporting as many tonnes as possible in the shortest possible time," he continues. "However, many customers also need to quickly transport high-value goods and fresh products across long distances, with varying topography and deliver just-in-time."

In addition to the new 750hp version, Volvo's 16-litre engine is also available with power outputs of 540, 600 and 700hp.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Volvo Group UK Ltd

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