The Salvatori Group, a transport and logistics specialist based in Kent, recently added eight new Mercedes-Benz Actros 2548 tractor units to its 90-vehicle fleet. It’s the company’s first time operating Mercedes-Benz trucks. They were supplied by Sparshatt Truck & Van on a contract hire agreement. They will be based at Salvatori’s new Sittingbourne depot and will operate as part of the Palletways palletised freight delivery network.
All Actros trucks feature BigSpace cabs, 12.8-litre 476-horsepower (355-kilowatt) engines, Multimedia Cockpits with dual-screen instrument panels in place of switchgear, Active Brake Assist 5 with emergency braking, and the MirrorCam digital rearview system. Salvatori brought the new vehicles onboard after having a successful trial with a demonstrator unit, a 530-hp (390-kW) Actros with a GigaSpace cab.
The combination of Active Brake Assist and MirrorCam adds extra layers of safety. Emergency braking is available at speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour. MirrorCam replaces traditional mirrors with cameras and displays to improve visibility and eliminate blind spots.
“Interesting & Exciting”
“The demonstrator did well on fuel, while the drivers liked it too,” says Salvatori Group MD Daniel Salvatori. “Ultimately, for us, a truck is a tool with which to do a job. I need it to be reliable, I need it to be fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly, and above all I need it to be safe and comfortable for our drivers. I’m very optimistic, on the evidence of what we’ve seen so far, that the Actros will tick all of these boxes. Our drivers were all very quickly converted to the cameras. As with so much else on this truck, MirrorCam is a very radical concept, one that’s both interesting and exciting.”
Actros Details
The fifth-generation Actros, winner of the International Truck of the Year 2020 award, is built for long-distance haulage and heavy-duty distribution. The 18- to 33-tonne truck is available as a rigid or tractor unit with axle configurations ranging from 4x2 to 6x4. There are 17 cab variants in two widths, with roof shape options such as GigaSpace, BigSpace, StreamSpace, ClassicSpace, and CompactSpace. Euro VI engine outputs range from 238 to 625 hp (175 to 460 kW) and from 1,000 to 3,000 newton-metres (738 to 2,213 pounds-foot) of max torque.
The Actros’ Multimedia Cockpit combines ergonomic and connectivity refinements to allow operators to drive and live in comfort. Standard safety features include a driver side airbag and the Mercedes-Benz Safety Package, which includes Active Brake Assist with Proximity Control Assist and pedestrian recognition technology.
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You will find a large selection of new and used Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks for sale on Truck Locator.