Italian truck manufacturer Iveco launched its heavy-duty Stralis Hi-Way truck at the yearly Johannesburg International Motor Show (Jims) last month.

The Stralis Hi-Way had total cost of ownership (TCO) savings of up to 4%, with enhanced design, telematics, comfort and safety features, Iveco South Africa MD Bob Lowden said at the launch.

“The Stralis Hi-Way is Iveco’s flagship heavy-duty truck and won the International Truck of the Year 2013 award at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung Motor Show, which took place in Hanover, Germany, in September.

“It is built to respond to the demands of today’s long-haul, heavy-transport professionals. It is a competitive choice for transport applications and includes significant advantages in terms of weight, fuel consumption and lowered maintenance costs, as well as enhanced reliability and quality,” he said.

Lowden added that the Stralis Hi-Way was equipped with a Cursor 13 engine from Italian truck, industrial and agricultural machinery manufacturer FPT Industrial, with a 350 hp to 500 hp engine and 2 300 Nm.

“The truck is also equipped with integrated services that include programmed assistance, fleet management and driver training for cost-efficient operating,” he said.

Lowden emphasised that the truck’s fuel efficiency continued to build on the existing Ecostralis technologies that were used in the previous range, allowing for up to 10% in fuel savings. He added that the highly innovative engine technology met Euro V regulations without compromising on fuel efficiency.

“The new Stralis cabins are designed primarily to reduce drag coefficient, which has been improved by 3%, providing better aerodynamics and making the interior cabin quieter, while delivering a significant fuel advantage on long-haul missions for the operator.

“The cabin exterior is further developed through new design elements that render its style more distinctive. The new front-end features a central grille and redesigned air deflectors, a new sun visor with light-emitting diode (LED) lights, improved bumper design and light assemblies equipped with LED daytime running lights,” Lowden stated.

The Stralis cabin range comprises the premium Hi-Way cab and the medium cab. The Hi-Way cab has a width of 2 500 mm, is designed to ensure increased comfort on long-haul missions for either single- or two-person crews and is available in high- and low-roof sleeper cab versions. The medium cab, with a width of 2 300 mm, is available as a Hi-Road sleeper cab with a choice of medium-, high- and low-roof configurations, or as a Hi-Street day cab, low-roof version.

“Each cabin has been redesigned with the driver in mind to deliver comfort, safety and infotainment to promote an improved working environment, with a focus on increasing productivity,” he said.

The new Stralis Hi-Way cab also incorporates advanced and easy-to-use control devices, particularly with the IVECONNECT system in the new Stralis 500 HP Euro V version, with a 7-inch touchscreen that enables drivers to manage infotain- ment, navigation, driving support tools and advanced fleet management services in an easy and intuitive manner.

“In terms of safety, the driver of a Stralis can rely on advanced and efficient safety systems that are essential for protecting the driver, the vehicle and its cargo, ensuring a safe drive for operators and rendering their work more relaxing and productive,” Lowden said.

The vehicle also features numerous safety systems, such as the electronic braking system, which has a brake- assist function for rapid and effective braking; an electronic stability programme; adaptive cruise control; a hill-control system; and a lane-departure warning system, which is a system that warns the driver when the vehicle crosses the lines of a traffic lane without having activated the lane-change indicators.