Deals on Wheels #464

New DEALS
for fuel, oil pressure, engine temperature, air
pressure and the like.
Further left on an angled fascia is another
row of gauges for oil, gearbox and exhaust
temperatures, and turbo boost pressure, all
sited above a panel of switches for functions
such as hill-hold, lane departure warning, rear
axle air suspension height, traction control,
power divider and diff lock.
The master switches for transmission
engagement are placed similar to current
models on the left dash fascia and while in
relatively easy reach, it’s not as convenient as
some competitor designs which nowadays
tend to have all transmission controls on a
dedicated wand on the steering column. Still,
newly designed wands on each side of the
steering column are at least within fingertip
reach for control of turn indicators, wipers,
engine brake and quick driver-selected
gearshifts.
Back on the steering wheel, buttons for
cruise control, phone, radio volume and
various Co-Pilot functions are ideally placed.
But the most appealing driver feature of
all, of course, is the stand-up cab where a
full 1.8 metres of standing room is available.
What’s more, a quick stretch-out on the bunk
suggests there’s ample convenience and
comfort for an overnight stay, including a
generous and sturdy array of internal lockers
for storing all the usual odds and sods.
Finally, Mack has a modern long-haul cab.
So now for the road run and as already
conceded, 200km down an easy stretch
of the Pacific Highway is way short of an
expansive evaluation. Still, the opportunity to
be the first truck writer to sample Anthem on
Australian roads wasn’t about to be ignored.
Nor was the temptation to at least sample the
dog’s crawler cog as the truck idled super-slow
out of the parking area.
Anyway, into the real world at a gross weight
said to be around 41 tonnes, it was almost
immediately apparent that the upgraded
electronic platform has produced decidedly
improved performance and response
Standing tall. Anthem and
Super-Liner demo units
fitted with the stand-up
cab and 36-inch bunk
Anthem in day cab form. This
is the configuration that will
replace much of the previous
Granite’s workload
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