First Drive: The Actros, The Biggest Mercedes Out There
So we must say we got tired of reviewing cars which is why we drove the Mercedes Actros. Say goodbye to Car Journalism. From now on we’re Truck Journalism.
Standing at just under 4 meters high, the Actros is by far the biggest Mercedes out there. Heck, even the G500 4×42 with its 2.25-meter height looks cute standing next to it.
Tech fest
The new Actros is filled with new things. Big things like Mirrorcam (more on that later) but also smaller things like a new more quiet seat cooling system per request of the truck community. The relationship here is very close and Mercedes is able to put a crazy amount of feedback in the development to make life inside the beast as comfortable as possible. Did you know you can remote control your Actros?
Probably the biggest change on the Actros is what Mercedes calls the Mirrorcam. The big lumpy side mirrors are ditched for a sleek camera that sits high up on the cabin. The major benefit is that the driver has a much wider view of his surroundings and hereby eliminating blind spots. When taking a turn, the cameras swivel along with the trailer so that the driver always has the end of the trailer in his sights.
But what if it’s cold or the camera gets dirty?
Well, the same thing as with normal mirrors but when the temperature drops below 15 °C the cameras will be heated. And thanks to a clever air duct, most of the dirt gets blown away from the camera anyway.
But wait, there’s more!
Because the cameras are so slim on the truck it decreases fuel consumption as much as 1.5 percent. And although that might not seem like a lot, considering the number of kilometers these monsters stack up, you’ll see the profit on those quickly.
Absolute Powerhouse
Big trucks pull along big loads and for that, you need a monster of an engine. While there are smaller options on hand, Mercedes knows we like em big and supplied us with the biggest engine on sale.
It’s a -hang tight- 15,6 L straight-six engine producing 625 hp and a mind-blowing 3.000 Nm’s of torque. That’s a tsunami of torque when you touch the gas pedal. So much in fact that without any trailer hooked up, the traction control intervenes on the damp surface the moment you look at the gas pedal.
Another fun fact: with a decent size trailer hooked up to the Actros, it can stop in a shorter distance than most regular cars can. So please, don’t be tailgating these boys if you like the front end of your car!
For Sale: Luxurious apartment on wheels
It might as well be the slogan for an advert on this truck. You climb up the ladder of the Actros and you’re stepping into a small apartment really. Once you’re in the driver’s seat you’re greeted by this big steering wheel standing straight up. That way it gives you way more space to move about. And with the push of a button at your feet, the steering wheel comes towards you. Is this where Mercedes-AMG F1 got their inspiration from for the DAS-system?
Inside the cabin is so big that you can easily stand upright. There are 2 beds stowed away in the back and there’s also a mini-fridge to keep everything cool on those long journeys.
Also for those long journeys, you have these seats that sit on air cushions. They say driving a Rolls Royce feels like driving a cloud but this is even better!
And it goes on and on and on
There’s just so much to cover on the Actros and we could go on since it’s such an amazing piece of kit. It is very much the ultimate road trip machine as it’s comfortable for the long trips and it’s his own hotel as well. It’s no wonder the Actros is the 2020 Truck of the Year, it’s a damn masterpiece.
Thanks to Mercedes-Benz Belgium for connecting us with the world of trucks!
Disclaimer: This piece was prepared in a safe and correct way before COVID-19 took over Europe. Abide by local regulation. And stay the f*ck home so we all have a chance of enjoying summer with beautiful cars.
