Reading the title, one might think I’m describing some sort of Conan-esque mythological character. Instead, the Axor is the name for the new Mercedes-Benz commercial truck. The launch for the Axor came this week as Benz unveiled the new 6×4 monstrosity to the public.
While the truck industry’s sales are expected to drop, Mercedes-Benz still expects to sell around 8% more than last year. With business projections looking up, Mercedes-Benz is putting a lot of stock into its new Axor. So far this year the over-3.5 ton truck segment experienced growth of about 10% compared to the 15.43% fall in the passenger market, which is good news for producers of large trucks.
The Axor was built by Mercedes-Benz to fill the gaps between the premium Actros tractors and the Atego trucks. Targeted by and large at fleet customers looking to outfit their repertoire with a solid brand name, the Axor is a simple truck. A manual gearshift is used instead of the electronic paddle shift on the Actros, making driving the truck easier for the big rig drivers. The Axor is powered by a 12-litre straight-6 engine.
While learning about the Axor may not mean that much to the average driver who doesn’t take long-haul trips across the country, it is interesting the note the growth in the transport truck sector and how Mercedes-Benz has risen to the challenge of creating a powerful production truck for fleet consumers.
The release of the Axor comes on the heels of the news that the 40-ton Mercedes-Benz Actros tractor-trailer combination made the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most economical truck of its class. Consuming 19.44 litres of diesel per 100km was good enough to get put in the book. The Actros was tested for a seven-day round-the-clock examination.
So with Mercedes-Benz certainly making waves in the world of transport trucks and producing fuel efficient big rigs to fill market gaps, other facets of the company will likely reflect the success. Keep your eyes on Mercedes-Benz.
