Scania trucks
A century on the road
The year was 1902 and it was an age of pioneers.
In Malmö, Maskinfabriksaktiebolaget Scania built a truck with a 2-cylinder, 12 hp engine,
and a 1.5 tonne payload.
Meanwhile in Södertälje, Vagnfabriks-Aktiebolaget (Vabis) test-drove a truck with a 9 hp
engine on cobbled streets and rough country roads.
A century of development work has followed, leading to vehicles whose performance far
exceeds even the wildest dreams of Sweden’s pioneering truck builders.
Scania trucks are marking their centenary. This booklet not only tells how their technology,
design, carrying capacity and maintenance requirements have progressed in 100 years, but
also offers a glimpse into their exciting future.
100 eventful years
From chain-drive
to Opticruise
A lot can happen in 100 years. Two Swedish companies - Scania, established in Malmö in
1901, and Vabis, founded in Södertälje in 1891 – each produced their first truck in 1902. At
the time, Sweden had about 50 motor vehicles. The world had yet to experience two world
wars, men on the moon, nuclear power, 250,000-tonne supertankers, personal computers and
the Empire State Building. The Nobel Prize was one year old and Rudolf Diesel had eleven
years left to live.
The very idea that mechanically powered trucks could replace the horse and wagon was so
revolutionary that it took several more years before winning the acceptance of business
owners and the public. Only in 1907 did series-production of trucks in any modern sense
begin at Scania and Vabis. However, both budding companies launched tipping platforms at
an early stage as options on their trucks. A desire for more economical, reliable operation led
to gradual introduction from 1912 of wheels with ball bearings, which became standard in
1923.
In 1911, Scania and Vabis merged, enabling them to combine each company’s best technical
solutions. Eight years later, Scania-Vabis decided to focus on trucks. This strategy was based
on new fuel-efficient engines and a 4-speed gearbox designed in about 1920.
Scania-Vabis soon also looked for ways to improve its already fuel-efficient engines. In 1922,
it patented a new type of carburettor designed by Technical Director August Nilsson. A year
later, it launched a new engine range that could be adapted to different types of fuel.
These new engines could be given different compression ratios by changing pistons;
customers could thus individually adapt their engines to the most economical fuel – petrol, a
petrol-alcohol mixture or pure alcohol. This engine family laid the groundwork for the
modular system that later gave Scania customers so many specification options and
advantages.
The 1929 Wall Street stock market crash did not directly affect Scania-Vabis. From the mid1920s, the company's business was in good order and returning a profit. In 1932, however, the
depression hit Sweden. Sales fell by 60 percent.
But by then, Scania-Vabis had a completely new engine type in its range – the
Hesselman engine. Designed and unveiled in 1926 by Jonas Hesselman, it was based on a
carburettor-equipped engine but could run on fuel oil as well as petrol. Fuel oil cost half the
price of petrol, so operating costs fell substantially.
Unlike engines with carburettors, the Hesselman engine had an injection pump that
distributed fuel to each cylinder via pressure pipes. The pump controlled the quantity of fuel
depending on engine load. Ignition was of the magnetic induction type, using ordinary spark
plugs. Optimal ignition and injection timing were controlled by a centrifugal governor. The
engine started on a small quantity of petrol before switching to fuel oil.
The Hesselman engine was another way that Scania-Vabis helped its customers cut operating
costs, but this engine had some snags. It required a heavy load to achieve sufficient working
temperatures, consumed many spark plugs and emitted unpleasant exhaust during cold starts.
Scania-Vabis soon focused on developing its own diesel engine. Influenced by the depression
and the lack of imported fuel, the company also experimented with producer gas-powered
trucks.
The first diesel engine
The first in-house diesel engine was introduced in 1936, a 6-cylinder pre-combustion diesel
with a 7-bearing crankshaft and 120 hp output. The same basic engine could also be ordered
in a petrol version, producing 140 hp when burning light bentyl (75 percent petrol and 25
percent ethyl alcohol) and 115 hp as a Hesselman engine.
Three years later, Scania-Vabis launched another new modular engine family in 4-, 6- and 8cylinder models, available in both carburettor and diesel versions. Among numerous shared
components were cylinder heads, pistons, connecting rods, bearings and exhaust systems.
The Second World War forced Scania-Vabis to develop many important components in-house
and its experience of alternative fuels proved very useful. Due to petroleum shortages,
during1940, for example, 16,000 Swedish trucks were modified to run on wood or charcoal
producer gas; two years later, more than 90 percent of Sweden’s 35,000 trucks ran on such
gas. Previous experience with this fuel made it relatively easy to convert the Scania-Vabis
trucks in service when war broke out.
Scania-Vabis’ post-war truck range was largely influenced by what the company had been
forced to learn from wartime isolation and Swedish Army requirements. The company
continued to modularise its product range by introducing the L/F10 and L20/LS20 trucks (4x2
and 6x2, respectively) in a choice of four wheelbases and the 4- and 6-cylinder “Royal”
engine with swept volumes of 5.7 and 8.5 litres. Soon there was a steady stream of technical
improvements in these trucks, such as hydraulic vacuum-assisted brakes and an optional
auxiliary gearbox that doubled the number of gears (to eight), as well as helical gearwheels.
In 1949, 4- and 6-cylinder pre-combustion diesel engines were replaced by direct-injection
equivalents, a technology Scania-Vabis had learnt from Leyland, the master of diesel engines
in those days. The change to direct injection improved fuel economy by up to 20 percent,
while the auxiliary gearbox increased tractive power by 40 percent. The improved engines
were also more reliable and needed less maintenance.
Scania-Vabis now had a promising modern engine and gearbox range, especially since from
1951 the company could also offer a synchromesh 5-speed gearbox as standard. It now
devoted major resources to developing frames, axles and springs that could handle heavier
axle weights. Compressed-air brakes and power steering gradually became standard
equipment.
A large proportion of Scania-Vabis’ engine production was for marine and industrial
applications. The company also produced 8-cylinder diesel engines for railcars. In this niche,
a minor engine revolution occurred in 1951 when Scania-Vabis’ first turbocharged diesel
engine made its debut.
The Drabant (L51) and Regent (L/LS71) were launched in 1953 and 1954, respectively. They
were replaced five years later by the L55 and L75, which were to remain largely unchanged in
appearance until 1980.
Higher engine outputs
The trend towards reduced maintenance and higher engine outputs continued in the late
1950s, with new 7- and10-litre engines and Scania’s centrifugal oil filter, which purified
engine oil very effectively and was easy to clean during servicing. The LT75 was launched as
the company’s first series-produced 6x4 truck. Two years later came the LA82 “Anteater”
6x6. This all-wheel- drive truck was newly designed in every detail and began to be delivered
to the Swedish Armed Forces as one of the largest truck models built in the country. Its kerb
weight was over 11 tonnes and it could pull an artillery piece weighing 10 tonnes.
The new engine series introduced in 1958 on the L/LS/LT75 started as a newly developed 10litre engine, followed in 1961 by a turbocharged version. Trucks with turbocharged engines
were identified by the word “Super” on their front. In 1963 this engine range was enlarged to
11-litres swept volume. With this engine Scania-Vabis passed the 200 hp mark (205 hp),
giving its product range a crucial competitive advantage well into the 1970s. With numerous
improvements, the 11-litre engine remained in use until the arrival of the 4-Series.
During the 20th century, razor-sharp competition with Volvo in the domestic market forced
Scania-Vabis to stay at the absolute forefront of research and development. This competition
contributed strongly to the leading positions enjoyed by the two Swedish truck manufacturers
today.
In the 1960s, Scania-Vabis focused its R&D work on two areas: firstly, the company worked
on developing high-output engines that could operate at low speeds for better fuel economy,
less noise and longer service life, in keeping with the company’s low-rev philosophy which
has subsequently served as a model for the industry. Secondly, the engineers systematically
built up knowledge of loads on truck components under all types of driving conditions. This
knowledge began to influence new designs, resulting in vehicles that offered higher load
capacity without adverse consequences for frames and axles.
The 1958 launch of the L75 series also signified the abandonment of Scania's unitary engine
range. Instead, the company introduced a number of 6-cylinder engines with a variety of
strokes and cylinder volumes, dimensioned for and equipped with turbocharging. In 1963,
Scania-Vabis revived its forward-control truck concept. The LB76 – also available with
right-hand drive for the first time since 1945 – was highly appreciated during its five years of
production. In 1968, it was replaced by the substantially more modern LB110 with its tilting
cab. During this period, the company also launched twin-circuit air brakes and a gearbox with
main and planetary sections in the same housing.
The new 1968 generation of forward-control trucks signified a major advance in the driver
environment. It was as much a matter of spaciousness and easy access to the cab as of making
trucks easier to drive. The new gearbox had an air-operated planetary section, and in 1971 a
completely new generation of range-change gearboxes arrived. Five years later, Scania
introduced an automatic gearbox and power steering became standard for the whole product
range. The same year, Scania launched its air-suspended rear axle. In 1978, air springs were
also installed on 3-axle trucks with a tag axle (6x2).
King of the Road
Development work continued on chassis and suspensions. Apart from stronger gearboxes, the
new Scania truck range featured more rugged frames and advanced brakes in response to
ever-increasing engine outputs. In 1969, development work reached a new peak in terms of
engine output with the introduction of the 14-litre V8 turbodiesel engine. With an output of
350 hp, it was the most powerful truck engine in the market. In its modified 1977 version, the
V8 became a clear manifestation of Scania’s low-rev philosophy. Since the engine could
always be driven at low speed, yet provide high tractive power, drivers could achieve very
good fuel economy – and long engine service life. This engine became a legend. Driving a
Scania V8 became a privilege that helped make Scania the ”King of the Road”.
For Scania, 1980 was an important milestone. The company began to introduce the most farreaching changes in its product range to date. Work begun nearly a decade earlier now
resulted in the entirely new truck range. Not only were engines, transmissions and axles
organised into a modular system, but also frames and cabs. The range featured three engines
with swept volumes of 8, 11 and 14 litres; three chassis strength classes (M – medium duty, H
– heavy duty, E – extra heavy duty); four main cab models (G, P, R and T); gross weights of
between 16.5 and 36 tonnes; all-wheel-drive and four-axle trucks.
The new range, known as the 2-Series, gave Scania customers unsurpassed opportunities to
tailor trucks exactly to their needs – while the efficient modular system with its smaller
number of unique components led to lower manufacturing costs and short delivery times.
At this time, Scania also started field tests of computer-aided gearchanging (CAG).
Laboratory testing had begun some years earlier. In 1983, Scania launched its CAG system, in
which a computer continuously gathers information on the position of the accelerator pedal,
the speed of the truck and what gear it is being driven in. The data is processed and, via a
display, the computer suggests to the driver which gear should be used. The driver changes to
the recommended gear by declutching.
CAG allowed simplified – and more economical – driving. It also signalled the beginning of
modern electronics in trucks; in the 1980s, Scania launched electronically controlled anti-lock
brakes (ABS), electronic diesel control (EDC) and field trials started with electronic braking
systems, which were to be launched in 1986.
Shortly after introducing CAG, the company launched an entirely new 9-litre in-line engine in
250 and 280 hp versions. Meanwhile, work continued on developing the 14-litre engine. In
1982, Scania introduced a 420 hp charge-cooled version – again Europe’s most powerful
truck diesel. Five years later, this engine was also the first to be equipped with EDC electronic
fuel injection, boosting its output to 470 hp.
In 1988, the 2-Series truck range was succeeded by the 3-Series, with the new Topline sleeper
cab as one of its high points. In 1989, the 3-Series was named International Truck of the Year.
The next major step in Scania’s long record of technical innovations was the turbocompound
engine. Launched in 1991, it again proved that traditional combustion engines had not reached
the end of their development capacity. Based on Scania’s straight six 11-litre turbo engine,
with charge-cooling and electronically controlled fuel injection, the turbocompound engine
also harnesses energy that would otherwise be lost through the tailpipe. An additional exhaust
turbine – placed after the regular turbo – utilises energy in the exhaust gases leaving the
turbocharger. Power is fed to the engine’s flywheel via a hydraulic coupling and a set of
gears.
This significantly boosted the efficiency of the charge-cooled diesel engine; output and torque
rose 5 percent to 400 hp and 1,750 Nm respectively – and specific fuel consumption dropped.
Also contributing to improved fuel economy was Scania’s aerodynamic Streamline cab, also
launched in 1991, along with a new generation of gearboxes.
Opticruise
At this time, Scania also introduced a new improved CAG system and began experimenting
with systems for integrated control of the entire powertrain. As a result of these trials, in 1995
Scania unveiled its Opticruise system, in which engine, gearbox and retarder (Scania’s own
concept, introduced in 1993) work together to allow automatic pneumatic, clutch-less
gearchanges using a standard manual gearbox.
In 1995 Scania also introduced its 4-Series truck range, featuring a brand new 12-litre inline
six-cylinder engine. A few years later, the company launched unit injectors on the 12-litre
engine, with the pump and injector integrated in a single unit.
Today Scania is at the forefront among world vehicle manufacturers working to combine the
growing need for transport services with an improved global environment. Scania's
environmental work in the modern sense began in the 1970s. Having previously focused
mainly on emissions from production plants, environmental work today also takes into
account the environmental impact of vehicles throughout their life cycle.
In 2000, Scania unveiled the successor to its classic V8, an entirely new V8 engine with a
swept volume of 16-litres and modular parts shared with the 12-litre engine. The following
year, the company launched a new 12-litre turbocompound engine with Scania HPI (High
Pressure Injection), an advanced system developed and manufactured together with Cummins.
The modular system – with as many shared components as possible in a large model range –
has been the basis for Scania’s successful growth for more than 60 years. This way of
thinking has enabled Scania to offer its customers a huge variety of unique vehicles that are
specially adapted to different operating conditions. It has also enabled the company’s preproduction engineers to quickly introduce new developments into the existing model range.
Major model changeovers have occurred at relatively long intervals, but technical
development work has never stood still: Scania customers always benefit from the latest
technology for high transport efficiency and reliability, low maintenance costs and excellent
overall operating economy.
Captions:
The first Vabis truck carried 1.5 tonnes at 12 km/h, compared to its competitor the horse,
which could pull a wagon laden with about 1 tonne at 5–6 km/h.
In 1909, this 24 hp Scania IL with roller bearing-equipped wheels made a well-publicised
three-day journey, covering 700 km and consuming over 400 litres of fuel.
Scania’s first truck export was an IL sold to St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1910 to repair overhead
tramway power lines.
The Hesselman engine was based on a carburettor engine but could run on fuel oil as well as
petrol.
In 1991, Scania was the
world’s first manufacturer
to offer a turbocompound truck engine. This innovation began a
new era in diesel engine development.
Service and maintenance
Planning and design cut
downtime by half in 30 years
“No topping-up between oil changes” was one of Scania-Vabis’ sales arguments for the direct
injection diesel engines launched in 1949.
The move was one of many steps towards lower-maintenance trucks.
At that time, most trucks were maintained by their owners – owner-drivers, larger companies
or public authorities with their own workshops. Given the relative simplicity of the vehicles,
and their high quality, a fairly simple service organisation sufficed.
The modular engine range introduced in 1939, (4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines for both petrol
and diesel fuel, with shared components such as pistons, crankshafts and cylinder heads), also
provided a basis for uncomplicated parts supply. Engine overhauls were still part of the
routine – until Scania-Vabis launched its “400,000 kilometre engine” in 1954. The reason for
the name was that after driving 400,000 kilometres with no engine overhaul, the owner
received a badge to place on the radiator grille. More than 1,350 badges were awarded before
the company realised that such mileages without engine overhauls had become commonplace.
Around this time, Scania-Vabis also started building up a dense network of service
workshops. Even more importantly, it emphasised its workshops were staffed by well-trained
employees working in well-planned premises with special tools. Company specialists also
performed method studies, which not only helped workshop staff provide faster service but
also laid the groundwork for more service-friendly vehicle designs. For truck owners, this
meant less downtime and higher vehicle utilisation. Workshop planning was so forwardlooking that many Scania workshops still operate the way they did in the 1960s, without
major changes apart from those required by new product ranges and larger vehicles.
New maintenance programmes
In the 1980s, Scania collaborated with major customers to develop entirely new maintenance
programmes based on time instead of mileage. By then, maintenance and repair agreements
had already been introduced in Sweden and the Netherlands, for example.
These new ways of handling service and maintenance meant that truck owners could often
cease with their own routine maintenance and could plan their truck utilisation without
problems. The basic concept behind today’s service philosophy is that no repairs should be
needed. Instead, maintenance prevents unplanned stoppages by means of regular inspections
of vehicles and their components and replacement of parts that are subject to wear before they
fail.
Preventive maintenance can also be scheduled at times when trucks are idle for other reasons,
for example during driver changeovers or rest periods.
“In the past 20 years the need for maintenance and service has actually been determined
entirely by the development of engine oils,” says Håkan Ericsson, Scania’s Senior Vice
President, Service. “Or rather, by the fact that engine oils have not developed further. The
industry has hit a ceiling, which is also unnecessarily low in markets where the sulphur
content of diesel fuel oil is high. Sulphur causes faster deterioration of the engine oil than
low-sulphur diesel.”
How much repairs and maintenance needs have declined in recent decades is clear from
Scania’s own statistics. In 1967, a long-haul truck averaged 95 hours of maintenance per year.
Thirty years later, it was 48 hours. For trucks in heavy long-haulage the figures are 100 and
74 hours, for construction trucks 75 and 28 hours and for distribution trucks 65 and 26 hours.
Scania’s progress in the service field can hardly be illustrated more effectively.
Caption:
A hinged radiator made it easy to service the engine.
From 2 to 60 tonnes in 100 years
A century ago, trucks were hardly more than an idea among forward-thinking vehicle
manufacturers. Long-distance haulage was undertaken by rail and water, local distribution by
horse-drawn wagon. There was simply no market for trucks, the pundits noted. But optimists
saw an unexploited business opportunity.
To generate publicity for its trucks and underscore their reliability, in 1909 Scania drove one
of its commercial vehicles from Malmö to Stockholm. The 700-kilometre journey took three
days at an average speed of 20 km/h. Along the way, the two-axle, 2-tonne truck with solid
rubber tyres consumed more than 400 litres of fuel – almost 60 litres per 100 km.
Today, in 2002, a Scania truck makes the same trip in one day – though road improvements
have cut the distance to 600 kilometres – with a payload of 25 tonnes, a fuel consumption of
200 litres, or 33 litres per 100 km, and an average speed of almost 80 km/h.
Until the mid-1930s, truck payload capacity rose rather slowly. In 1929 Scania-Vabis could
offer an 85 horsepower truck with gross weight of six tonnes – and petrol consumption of 25
litres per 100 kilometres. The introduction of the Hesselman engine and later the diesel
engine, both of which provided relatively high torque at modest engine speeds, meant that
gross weights could be raised above 6 tonnes while the amount of fuel used nearly halved
compared to the petrol engine. This was at a time when long-haul truck transport was starting
to emerge: rail haulage, often involving several cargo transfers, slowly began to be replaced
by door-to-door truck delivery services.
However, genuinely heavy trucks were still rare immediately after the Second World War. In
Sweden, for example, not a single truck with a maximum payload of more than 10 tonnes was
registered in 1950. That same year, truck traffic accounted for less than 20 percent of
domestic transport services; railways dominated with nearly 63 percent, while domestic
maritime traffic accounted for the remaining 17 percent.
In 1954, the launch of the Scania-Vabis L/LS71 Regent models marked the beginning of
significant growth in truck haulage capacity. Gross weights of 17–18 tonnes became common.
Within a few years, the upper limit was 22 tonnes (LT75 with tandem bogie). Another decade
on, in 1969, the introduction of Scania’s first V8 engine made new capacity increases to more
than 22 tonnes possible. Meanwhile, the engine’s specific fuel consumption was a modest 216
g/kWh.
Modularised construction
Truck capacity is determined not only by engine power, but just as much by frame,
transmission and axle size. Scania-Vabis and Scania trucks have been continuously updated in
this respect. The task became easier as the company’s pre-production engineers modularised
vehicle systems and components. By 1974, Scania could thus deliver its LB111 in a 40 tonne
model (as a semitrailer tractor unit). With its thoroughly modular structure, the GPRT range
launched in 1980 enabled buyers to specify the exact strength of their Scania trucks based on
their own particular needs. Given exactly the right capacity for each type of transport work,
they were able to optimise their operating economy and efficiency.
This proved important when just-in-time deliveries and running to tight schedules became
competitive tools among hauliers in the 1980s. Scania’s response to demands for high
reliability, short downtime and good fuel economy included its 420 hp V8 engine, unveiled in
1982. This engine had low fuel consumption, 197 g/kWh, and was ideally suited to high
average speeds; its large output “flattened the hills”.
The turbocompound engine of 1991 demonstrated even better fuel consumption and the 500
hp 14-litre V8, which could handle gross train weights of up to 60 tonnes, had record-low fuel
consumption levels.
During the 100-year history of Scania trucks, development work has never stopped. Rather, it
has accelerated from one decade to the next. Scania’s experts foresee even faster development
rates in the near future. Ten years hence, truck haulage performance may have doubled as a
result of improved fuel economy and higher cargo capacity. The driving time for the 600kilometre journey from Malmö to Stockholm will not fall below one day but payloads could
be raised from 24 to 40 tonnes, and it is realistic to expect that fuel consumption can drop
from 200 to 160 litres.
Captions:
Early in 1909, the München Brewery in Stockholm bought this 3.5 tonne IL, which could haul
a heavily laden trailer.
Design, ergonomics and comfort
From basic to best
As early as 1907, both Scania and Vabis (the two had not yet merged) could offer their
customers trucks with tipper platforms, which in Scania’s case were even engine-driven.
This is an early example of Sweden’s truck industry, which had just begun to emerge, taking
the concept of design very seriously. A designer’s task is to combine form and function in a
harmonious whole. And good functionality frequently results in an aesthetically pleasing
shape.
A tipper platform makes a truck far more versatile and eases the workload of the driver and
any assistants.
During Scania’s early decades as a truck builder, design work was largely a matter of giving
trucks good functionality. In the 1910s, this meant equipping trucks with simple protection
against the elements: windscreen, roof and little doors, which, by the end of the decade,
included windows.
The 1920s witnessed steady minor improvements in the driver’s working environment and
ergonomics. Pneumatic tyres made travel more comfortable and less noisy. Closed cabs kept
out the worst of the weather. Ventilation hatches enabled drivers to regulate airflow to some
extent. But heating systems were not in evidence, even as options, so drivers often created
their own solutions to make winter driving more bearable.
Manufacturers, including Scania, paid little attention to how trucks looked. Trucks were
delivered as chassis which customers themselves often drove to specialists, who built the cab
and the bodywork.
The only styling tasks that Scania-Vabis took upon itself in the early days following the
merger of the two companies, were the appearance of the radiator and bonnet – and by the
1920s, the characteristic look of a Scania-Vabis radiator gave the brand a strong visual
identity.
Over time, the quality of cab-building techniques improved. Wood gradually gave way to
steel. Structures became stronger and thus more durable. Not until 1944, when Scania-Vabis
launched its post-war range, spearheaded by the L10 model, did its truck feature radiator
grilles in the modern sense. Designed to envelope and protect the radiator, the new grilles
gave Scania-Vabis trucks a fresh, more imposing face.
By then, a long series of engine and gearbox improvements had made the driver’s job easier.
More powerful engines and carefully adapted gearboxes simplified the task of driving. By the
early 1950s, customers could also order trucks with heating inside the cab. 'Ergonomics' –
adapting equipment to users in an effort to improve comfort and reduce the risks of fatigue or
physical injuries - became a recognised feature of Swedish design, including that of ScaniaVabis. And in a natural way, ergonomically-correct function was often accompanied by a
characteristic look.
Design and functionality
The name of the designer of the grille on Scania-Vabis’ first post-war trucks is long forgotten.
But by the time the L75 model was launched in 1958, the company had a stylist with a name
and a face. Björn Karlström modified the appearance of Scania-Vabis trucks in a way that
gave them an almost timeless character. The main features of the 1944 front remained, but
Karlström integrated the headlights into the mudguards, giving the bonnet a new look. He also
made the grille more prominent.
But the 75 series was not styled merely for the sake of change. The cab, bonnet and
mudguards on trucks featuring Scania-Vabis assembled cabs made by AB BeGe
Karosserifabrik in Oskarshamn were combined into a single rubber-suspended unit that
insulated the driver from noise and vibrations. Form and function went hand in hand.
Another major step in design and ergonomics was taken by positioning the instruments in
front of the driver, not in the centre of the dashboard as previously. The brake pedal was also
repositioned so the driver did not have to lift his foot high off the accelerator in order to
brake: the driver applied the compressed air brakes using a plate-type pedal level with the
accelerator – which was more convenient and safer.
In 1961, Sweden introduced strength requirements for truck cabs. The purpose was to
improve driver safety in case of accidents. To meet these standards, cabs had to be impacttested: A 1-tonne weight was suspended from the laboratory ceiling and swung in a 3-metre
arc against the A- pillar of the cab. The resulting deformation had to remain within certain
limits if the cab was to receive Type Approval in Sweden. Some competitors saw this as a
ploy by Swedish authorities to protect their domestic truck industry. But for Scania-Vabis,
impact-tested cabs offered a good sales argument.
The next major design and ergonomics breakthrough at Scania-Vabis came in 1968 when the
company unveiled its second generation of forward-control trucks. A follow-up to the
successful LB76 series, they featured new styling by Britain’s Lionel Sherrow that
represented a major departure from the cute lines of earlier models – but the real revolution
had occurred in cab comfort and ergonomics.
The driver of a forward-control truck now entered the cab via two steps in front of the wheel.
The cab was generously proportioned and offered good visibility through its large windscreen.
But what perhaps pleased drivers most of all was the powerful ventilation system, which was
soon supplemented by air conditioning mounted in the cab’s roof.
The cab interior was almost luxurious, with new seats and space to install a radio and
loudspeakers. Cabs were available in two types – day cabs or sleeper cabs with two beds, a
wardrobe and curtains. Starting in 1972, the LB models also featured suspensed seats that
were easy to adapt to the driver’s weight.
Apart from their new look, the trucks also boasted a number of practical features. Behind a
large hatch at the front, a number of inspection and servicing points were easily accessible for
using dipsticks to check engine and power steering oil; adding oil to the engine, power
steering and hydraulic clutch; adding anti-freeze for the brake system and activating the coldstart function.
For major servicing inside the engine compartment, it took only about a minute to tilt the cab
forward using a one-person manual hydraulic pump. As a safety feature, the cab had to be
pumped back to its normal position where it was locked in position by two independent
latches.
Together with technical improvements like power steering, compressed-air brakes and servoassisted clutch, innovations in the form and function of its 1970s trucks placed Scania, (the
Vabis name had been dropped in 1969 when Scania merged with Saab), at the cutting edge of
automotive technology. In 1972, Scania also introduced bonneted trucks with V8 engines in
its 140 series, since many hauliers preferred this once-universal and conventional concept to
the forward-control range. The new series gave buyers a level of cab comfort not previously
available in bonneted trucks, thanks to their three-point cab suspension systems and roomy
interiors.
These bonneted 140 series trucks had an appearance that represented a major change in
Scania’s then traditional lines. The broad, sloping bonnet was integrated with prominent front
wings. The whole unit was balanced and could be tilted for easy access to the engine and front
suspension; for this reason it was made of glass fibre-reinforced plastic.
The post-war decades thus witnessed numerous breakthroughs that improved the safety,
comfort and working environment of Scania drivers. The importance of good ergonomics
through good design was also underscored by the company’s decision to work with
internationally recognised automotive stylists to achieve good results. A genuine high point in
terms of publicity value occurred when Scania revealed, during the launch of its 2-Series
range in 1980, that the man behind the look of these trucks was none other than Giorgio
Giugiaro.
At the time, Giugiaro was the wunderkind of the automotive styling world and his company,
ItalDesign, had quickly become the pacesetter of the industry. Scania came into contact with
ItalDesign via the Karmann bodybuilding company in Osnabrück, Germany, which was
helping Scania’s Oskarhamn plant develop tools and fixtures for cab production.
Giugiaro was instrumental in giving the trucks in the 2-Series range an individual character
despite their highly modular nature. The bonneted T truck was outstanding, but the most
impressive feature of the range was its high level of driver comfort. The cab door opened
wide (90o), the dashboard was totally new, the steering wheel was adjustable for rake and
reach; the engine did not intrude as much on the interior as in previous models; the gearshift
was closer to the driver – and a pollen filter was standard equipment.
In 1988, the new 3-Series presented a reconfigured interior including a dashboard curved
towards the driver. Designed by Aldo Sessano, this has now become a standard feature in the
industry.
Streamline cabs
Scania’s Streamline cabs, introduced in 1991, lowered the truck’s aerodynamic coefficient of
drag towards 0.5. Lower air resistance, achieved through new styling and refined by lengthy
wind tunnel testing, improved fuel consumption by 4–5 percent, or 2–3 litres per 100
kilometres. Thus, a truck driven 120,000 kilometres per year could save between 2,400 and
3,600 litres of diesel fuel.
“The 4-Series, introduced in 1995, must be regarded as one of Scania’s high points in styling
terms. A manufacturer like Scania makes such major changes only every fifteen years,” says
Kaj Holmelius, who for nearly two decades was in charge of Scania’s cab development
programme. “Scania has always had limited in-house styling resources, so this task was
contracted out to Bertone, the Italian design house.”
However, this did not mean that Bertone was given a free hand. The cab’s dimensions,
visibility angles, corner radii and various other criteria were prerequisites that stylists had to
work with.
Simultaneously, Scania continued its efforts since the 1970s to improve the driver
environment and ergonomics.
“In this respect we have always had highly capable people in-house,” Mr Holmelius says.
“We have always had a good grasp of what drivers appreciate and what will improve the
bottom line for hauliers. We have combined this knowledge with new technical and aesthetic
possibilities.”
Captions:
A curved dashboard brings all controls closer so
that the driver does not have to lean forward.
Cab interior, 1929 style.
In the 1970s, there was growing awareness of the role of air resistance in fuel consumption.
Wind tunnel tests with half-scale models provided greater knowledge during the development
of the GPRT range launched in 1980.
In the early 1930s, large 3-axle long-haul rigs were built with cabs featuring a bunk bed.
Three-way tipping bodies were offered by Scania in the early 20th century.
Industrial designers peer into the future
Tomorrow’s rugged T-trucks
Despite the distinctive new styling, the lines are familiar to any Scania customer. A concept
study on future bonneted trucks shown at the IAA in 2002 combines tradition and fresh
thinking.
Scania’s bonneted T-truck, despite relatively limited sales volume in Europe, is an important
identity platform for Scania. It signals both strength and prestige, showing that the driver is
pulling such a heavy payload that he does not need full cargo length. It says that the owner
has enough money and experience to offer the driver a flat floor and the superior comfort
provided by a driver’s seat behind the front axle.
But how should Scania extend its heritage of 20th century bonneted trucks into the 21st
century? Some of the company’s industrial designers were asked to carry out a concept study,
looking 2 – 3 generations ahead and using the T-truck as their starting point. Project manager
Ola Pihlgren and his team began by gathering both abstract and concrete evidence for
discussion.
”At that stage we were not looking particularly at vehicles or trucks but were trying to
distinguish expressions and feelings. For example, if we asked what type of boat a Scania
tractor unit reminds you of, the reply might have been not so much a streamlined day cruiser
as a tugboat that exudes confidence and strength.”
Another early source of inspiration in the concept study was the US and European
customisation cultures in which owners who refuse to settle for a mass-produced look
personalise their trucks to create a more distinctive image.
"We also decided to use the sloping grille and A-pillar you see on many 1960s pick-ups,"
continues Ola Pihlgren. "In the end, the slope was where the team of stylists principally
focused its attention."
But at least as important as identifying new design concepts was the task of conveying the
historical identity of Scania bonneted trucks. Put simply, it was all about finding Scania’s
soul and seeing how it could be expressed in the future. “We looked at T-trucks as part of the
history of Scania," says Ola Pihlgren. "Which design features have survived? Which ones are
important? Which are not so good?”
The final result, unveiled at the IAA show , is a shorter but more purposeful bonnet than has
been the custom on such trucks. Cab, bonnet and chassis unite to form a clearer whole. The
bonnet lines continue into the cab, making the bonnet seem longer than it is in reality.
Ola Pihlgren concludes: ”This is one in many concept studies as we prepare to work with our
trucks several generations ahead. That is important to remember. But a Scania T-truck might
look like this in 10–15 years time. We are very much looking forward to the reaction it
generates, which will form part of the basis for any future development decisions.”
Captions:
Before the model of the future T-truck can be built, a so called tape rendering is made where a
top-, side- and front view is made from tape.
When drivers can decide
An improved road network between Europe and the Far East will open the potential for very
long intercontinental truck transport services. At the 2002 IAA commercial vehicle show in
Hanover, Germany, Scania unveiled a full-scale study of how future drivers might live in their
vehicles. Industry reaction will provide vital input to Scania’s pre-production engineers.
Drivers who face journeys of up to two weeks and over 12,000 kilometres will demand high
standards of comfort, functionality and safety. Therefore, vehicle manufacturers need to think
along new lines about how best to organise and equip a cab for such long hauls.
The interior concept developed by Scania’s styling department is based on customer clinics
with drivers who spend at least four nights a week in their cabs. “These customer meetings
showed that there is a gap between how drivers live in their vehicles today and how they
would actually like to live,” says Johan Lundén, ergonomics engineer and project manager.
Today’s length restrictions and resulting relatively short cabs are the main constraint on
improved comfort. Using the ubiquitous modular system, Scania ergonomics and styling
specialists built a sleeper cab with the same overall length as Scania’s CrewCab, making
maximum use of the additional length. Cab length is indirectly limited by legal requirements
but also by vehicle manoeuvrability. The aim of the new cab is to offer the driver a better
environment for rest and recreation between shifts behind the wheel, thus promoting active
safety.
The added space gives the driver an easily accessible sleeping area, with a large spring
mattress – at a comfortable seating height – that does not have to be folded away each
morning.
An enlarged social area enables the driver to sit comfortably and relax or eat at a regular table.
A flat-screen TV set in the cab wall and a DVD player provide entertainment regardless of
geographic location.
The cab features a microwave, coffee maker and washstand with sink and running water, plus
drawers for kitchen equipment.
Luggage lockers on the side of the cab provide easily accessible and convenient storage.
Cash, credit cards and other valuables can be locked in a safe permanently attached to the cab.
“Most important has been to create a genuinely spacious cab. Technical refinements have
therefore been limited to the most desirable," Mr Lundén explains. "We have also increased
‘elbow room’ and thus created a cab that supplements today’s range. With Scania’s modular
system, it is fully possible to start production of such a cab, if and when the time comes.”
The Silk Road of
the 21st century
l From Pusan in East Asia to Rotterdam in Europe, it will run through 31 nations. In the not
too distant future, Scania trucks will carry heavy cargo along the new Silk Road as an
alternative to the transoceanic traffic.
l For nearly half a century, various projects have been initiated to revive the ancient Silk
Road. So far, no one has succeeded, but in May 2002 the route for a new Asian highway
system was finalised, 43 years after it was first mooted by the United Nations as a way to
promote prosperity and unity in the region.
l The highway will have 86 segments. The No. 1 route, considered the Silk Road of the 21st
century, will start in Pusan, South Korea, and run through China, India, Turkey and into
Europe. The project should move into an even higher gear if participating nations sign a
planned treaty at the end of 2002. This treaty will detail the route specifications, standardise
traffic signs and create ways to cross borders more easily. The nations will also discuss an
inspection system to enable vehicles to drive straight from Europe to Asia and vice-versa.
l Construction costs for this huge project will be shouldered partly by the World Bank and
various international financial institutions.
l The ancient Silk Road and its various branches spanned more than 13,000 kilometres and
endured for more than 1,500 years. Though it helped stock bazaars on two continents with
silk, porcelain, spices, furs, gems and ivory, its most influential commodities could not be
hauled by camels – the trucks of those days. Culture, cutting-edge technology and many of the
great religions were carried between East and West by the traders. They brought with them
the secrets of printing, papermaking, ceramics, glazing, astronomy, fireworks and
winemaking. The Silk Road became the world’s first information superhighway, some 2,000
years before the first electrical signal was transmitted on earth.
l Just as the future Asian Highway consists of a road system, the fabled Silk Road refers to a
series of routes that criss-crossed Eurasia. The best known segment of the Silk Road began in
the Chinese city of Changan (Xian), diverged into northern and southern routes that skirted
central Asia’s Taklamakan Desert, converged to cross the Iranian plateau and ended on the
eastern shores of the Mediterranean in cities including Antioch and Tyre.