撰写No matter the passenger car industry or the truck industry, there is one brand that cannot be bypassed in any case, and that is-.
As a brand of cars and trucks with a history of over a hundred years, Mercedes-Benz has played a decisive role in the fields of passenger cars and commercial vehicles so far.
Especially after the release and listing, it has pushed Mercedes-Benz trucks to another height. To talk about Mercedes-Benz Actros, let’s start with the development history of Mercedes-Benz trucks.
Many card friends may know that the world’s first car was made by Karl Benz (Ben Ci) in 1886, but they may not know that gottlieb daimler made the world’s first truck in 1896, and the company established by these two giants at that time was also the predecessor of Daimler-Benz AG (hereinafter referred to as Mercedes-Benz) (the two companies merged in 1926).
The first truck in the world made in gottlieb daimler.
In 1896, Daimler manufactured the world’s first driven platform truck, which proved that engine power could also be used for freight transportation. At this time, Daimler-Benz had not completed the merger.
This truck is equipped with a 2-cylinder "Phoenix" engine, which is installed at the rear of the truck and can output 4hp, with a rated cargo capacity of 1500kg.
In 1917, 1C model was introduced, with 1.0-1.5 tons, equipped with 4.7-liter engine and 35 horsepower, and it continued to be produced for three years. Until 1921, it further developed into 1CN model and was incorporated into Daimler’s manufacturing system in 1926.
Mercedes L4500
In 1953, L4500 and L3500 started production in Heim. The two cars are identical in structure, except that the load of L4500 reaches one ton, and they can also be used as flat trucks. In 1955, the name of the L4500 series was changed to L312, and finally about 75,000 vehicles were manufactured.
Mercedes-benz LP333
In 1956, Germany issued a new "Road Traffic Vehicle License Law", which specifically stipulated the length and load of vehicles. Mercedes-Benz had to compromise, so it launched an epoch-making product such as LP333.
In order to meet the requirements of length and load, LP333 has a very short body and three axles, also known as "millipede". It is also the world’s first truck with double front axles.
In 1963, Mercedes-Benz LP1519 began to be produced in a new factory. For Mercedes-Benz, this car achieved a huge technological leap. It was the first truck with a dual-loop braking system. Before that, it was all single-loop braking, and it was not until 1972 that German regulations forced the truck to be installed.
run quickly
In 1973, Mercedes-Benz began to introduce NG series trucks, which is a very famous heavy truck model for Mercedes-Benz. Through NG series models, Daimler-Benz strengthened its market position in Europe, and stopped production until 1985.
Mercedes-benz s truck
In 1988, the new "SK/MK" model with "inclined" glass windows and widened air intake grille came out, which is another classic work of Mercedes-Benz trucks. It was discontinued in 1996, and its successor was Mercedes-Benz Actros, which pushed Mercedes-Benz trucks to a new height.
In 1996, the first generation of Mercedes-Benz Actros made its debut at IAA Auto Show to replace the previous Mercedes-Benz SK series heavy trucks.
Since the appearance of Mercedes-Benz Actros (Actos), we don’t say how successful it is, but at least there is no gold-lettered signboard disrespectful to Mercedes-Benz for many years. Only by changing or replacing each previous Actos, we can win the title of European truck of the year, which is enough for Mercedes-Benz Actos (MP1：1997; MP2：2004; MP3：2009; : 2012).
In China, Mercedes-Benz Actros has become the imitation object of many domestic heavy trucks.
First generation Mercedes-Benz Actros(MP1)
First generation Mercedes-Benz Actros
The first generation of Mercedes-Benz Actros made its debut at the Hanover Motor Show in Germany in 1996, replacing the previous Mercedes-Benz SK series heavy trucks. As the successor of Mercedes-Benz classic heavy truck SK series, Actros is not only powerful but also more advanced.
Mercedes OM 501 LA
The first generation of Actros can be equipped with two engines, one is a V-type 6-cylinder engine with a displacement of 11.95L, and the other is a more powerful V-type 8-cylinder engine with a displacement of 15.93L The power section covers 313-571 horsepower, which is matched with a 16-speed manual and an automatic gearbox. It can basically meet the needs of most users.
These two power systems have been used until the release of New Actros in 2011.
Compared with the old SK series heavy trucks, Mercedes-Benz Actros has been improved a lot in technology, adopting more electronic systems to ensure driving safety, upgrading the braking system to air brake, and providing disc brakes for the front and rear axles to choose from.
1st generation Mercedes-Benz Actros redesigned (MP2)
Mercedes-Benz Actros redesigned (MP2)
Six years after the first generation of Mercedes-Benz Actros was launched, it ushered in the first change. The most obvious change was the design of the front face. A new grille and a newly designed xenon headlight were adopted, and the safety was further strengthened, such as body stability system (ESP), lane departure and emergency auxiliary braking.
The first generation Mercedes-Benz Actros redesigned (MP3)
Mercedes-Benz Actros redesigned (MP3)
In 2008, Mercedes-Benz launched the second modified model of Actros, which was also the last modified model of the first generation Actros. The power continued the previous power matching, and the emissions were upgraded to Euro 4 and Euro 5. The difference was that it matched the 12-speed automatic gearbox of Mercedes-Benz’s new PowerShift 2.
Other aspects have not changed much, and it is estimated that this is also a concession for the next generation of brand-new heavy trucks.
Mercedes-benz New Actros
From left: Mercedes-Benz SK Heavy Truck, Mercedes-Benz Actros and Mercedes-Benz New Actros.
In the second half of 2011, Mercedes-Benz officially launched a brand-new New Actros heavy truck. Strictly speaking, this is the real replacement model. Basically, except for the name, all aspects of Mercedes-Benz New Actros have been upgraded in different ways, which is one of the important reasons why it can be imitated by domestic heavy trucks.
Mercedes-Benz New Actros is built with a brand-new platform, cab and power system.
Mercedes-benz New Actros
New Actros has adopted a brand-new style appearance, and the overall design mostly adopts full lines, which looks full of strength. More importantly, the aerodynamic performance of this generation of New Actros has been further strengthened, and the design has gone through 2600 hours of wind tunnel experiments, making it more powerful in fuel saving performance than the previous generation.
In-line 6-cylinder engine of Mercedes-Benz OM471
In terms of power, the inline 6-cylinder engine has been adopted for the first time since the birth of the car series. This is a newly developed inline 6-cylinder engine with the model OM471, with a displacement of 12.8L L. It can meet Euro 6 emissions through EGR, SCR, DPF and other aftertreatment technologies. Through different adjustments, it can provide 421, 449, 476 and 510 horsepower versions.
At the same time, the PowerShift gearbox has also been optimized, more intelligent and more fuel-efficient.
In terms of safety and auxiliary configuration, New Actros is equipped with functions including adaptive cruise, lane departure auxiliary system, auxiliary braking system and automatic braking in case of emergency, and also comes standard with vehicle stability auxiliary system, which is not necessary for Mercedes-Benz cars.
New Actros cab
In terms of cab, there is a huge internal space to distinguish the obvious working area and living area. More importantly, the interior design of Mercedes-Benz New Actros has begun to tilt towards the comfort of passenger cars, which is more obvious in the redesigned Mercedes-Benz New Actros launched last year.
However, for Mercedes-Benz New Actros, what makes my brother more interested is that the car was released and listed in Europe in 2011, and it will not officially enter China until 2017. However, this does not prevent this generation of Mercedes-Benz Actros from becoming the favorite model of new heavy trucks in China, especially in the cab. Many new domestic heavy trucks have reference marks.
Change New Actros
Less than a year after New Actros officially entered China, at the Hanover Motor Show in Germany in 2018, the redesigned New Actros was officially unveiled. From the perspective of my brother, this should be regarded as a preview of the next generation of heavy trucks in the European market. The new car adopted a lot of innovative configurations.
Compared with the previous model, the new Actros has undergone six major upgrades, namely, canceling the rearview mirror and replacing it with a camera; Full LCD large screen instrument panel and center console; A new generation of safety assisted driving system; A new generation of electronic handbrake and LED lighting; Reduce fuel consumption by 5%, etc.
MirrorCam brand-new rearview mirror
Among them, the most eye-catching is the brand-new rearview mirror named MirrorCam and the full liquid crystal display central control instrument. The former converts the rearview mirror image into a digital signal, which can have many additional functions, such as adjusting the field of view and angle, which can assist the driver in driving and improve the aerodynamic performance.
Full liquid crystal display central control instrument
The latter is closer to the operation of passenger cars, providing a more advanced feeling. The screen of the center console can not only display the relevant information of the vehicle cab, but also support human-computer interaction. Smartphones can be directly connected to the system through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which can also derive more functions.
As for the auxiliary system, New Actros Predictive Powertrain Control also considers the terrain, traffic signs and other elements along the route to avoid unnecessary braking, acceleration or gear shifting, and improve the fuel efficiency of Actros as much as possible.
On this brand-new Mercedes-Benz New Actros, we can see the shadow of the next generation of smarter heavy trucks in Europe. It is conceivable that in the next generation of heavy trucks, the degree of electronicization will be higher, and various driving assistance functions will be more perfect. Autopilot may be in the near future.
After a hundred years, Mercedes-Benz trucks have always been able to bring surprises to the industry, but also lead the development of the European truck industry.
As the flagship truck product of Mercedes-Benz brand, Mercedes-Benz New Actros is also the best performance of Mercedes-Benz’s century-old technology precipitation and understanding of modern high-end heavy trucks.