Deals on Wheels #464
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
You know<br />
this is a Mack<br />
with a<br />
difference<br />
that goes well<br />
bey<strong>on</strong>d the<br />
quirky snout<br />
Inside views. Anthem is the first Mack with<br />
a stand-up cab but vital new developments<br />
also include a more advanced electrical<br />
system and improved dash layout<br />
As menti<strong>on</strong>ed in our special report <strong>on</strong><br />
Anthem late last year, the opti<strong>on</strong>al 13-speeder<br />
provides an additi<strong>on</strong>al and some might say<br />
l<strong>on</strong>g overdue, crawler ratio of 17:1. There’s<br />
also a 14-speed XHD versi<strong>on</strong> available with<br />
‘bog cog’ ratios of 19:1 and a tree-climbing 32:1,<br />
but there’s no questi<strong>on</strong> the 13-speeder’s 17:1<br />
crawler cog which also delivers the benefit<br />
of two reverse ratios, is unquesti<strong>on</strong>ably a<br />
welcome additi<strong>on</strong> to the Mack drivetrain.<br />
Vitally, the crawler boxes are also opti<strong>on</strong>ally<br />
available in Trident and Super-Liner.<br />
Mack’s integrated drivetrain sees the<br />
direct-drive transmissi<strong>on</strong> feeding into singlereducti<strong>on</strong><br />
rear axles running a tall 3.09:1 diff<br />
ratio and as would so<strong>on</strong> be revealed <strong>on</strong> the<br />
run south, notching 100km/h at a touch over<br />
1,400rpm.<br />
With the demo truck built <strong>on</strong> a 4,485mm<br />
wheelbase and obviously c<strong>on</strong>figured for<br />
highway work, the test unit carried fuel<br />
capacity of 1,460 litres in two D-shaped<br />
aluminium tanks – 960-litre driver’s side and<br />
500-litres passenger side, al<strong>on</strong>gside a 150-litre<br />
stainless steel AdBlue tank.<br />
Still <strong>on</strong> the outside, a short stroll around<br />
the truck reveals LED headlights, fog, marker<br />
and tail lights, a two-piece windshield, and<br />
attached to the step atop the passenger side<br />
fuel tank, the Bendix Blindspotter scanner for<br />
signalling the presence of objects al<strong>on</strong>gside<br />
the truck. Blindspotter is, of course, part of<br />
the Bendix Wingman Fusi<strong>on</strong> safety package<br />
al<strong>on</strong>g with functi<strong>on</strong>s such as an excepti<strong>on</strong>ally<br />
perceptive adaptive cruise c<strong>on</strong>trol.<br />
With deep steps recessed into the fuel tanks,<br />
it’s an easy climb into the cab and typically,<br />
the Isri seat and a steering wheel easily<br />
adjusted by a foot-operated lever make it easy<br />
to find a comfortable positi<strong>on</strong> for a multitude<br />
of shapes and sizes.<br />
The first thing to grab your eye though,<br />
is the steering wheel. Rather than fully<br />
round, it has a straight lower edge which,<br />
according to Mack’s US designers in 2018,<br />
provides more girth room for those drivers<br />
with big spreads. Fair enough too, because<br />
while modern Australia has its fair share of<br />
dumpling drivers, the gargantuan guts of<br />
some American steerers has to be seen to be<br />
believed. Eat your heart out, literally!<br />
Meantime, the gauge and switchgear layout<br />
has been substantially revised with the centre<br />
of the dash occupied by a bigger versi<strong>on</strong> of<br />
Mack’s Co-Pilot digital informati<strong>on</strong> display.<br />
On each side are the rev counter (left) and<br />
speedo, and underneath are needle gauges<br />
142