Articles by James Stanford

That said, Allison was keen to conduct several races between trucks fitted with its automatic transmissions and rigs with manual shifters during a recent demonstration event at Queensland’s Mt Cotton driving centre. While there is no prize from tearing away from the traffic lights in every day driving, Allison wanted to illustrate how much time can be saved using a traditional automatic with a torque convertor as opposed to a human operated manual or a computer controlled automated manual (AMT). That might sound strange, but when you actually think about the time it takes to make a shift yourself (or let the computer do it) and then multiply that by the amount of shifts needed in an average day’s work (more than 1000 in extreme cases) and the time adds up fast. Allison performed several drag runs during its demonstration and even threw open the opportunity to journalists to have a crack at beating the Allison equipped truck by driving a manual transmission rig. We elected two of our most experienced and best-shifting journos (not me) and they were still beaten. The only ‘victory’ for the manual truck came when a Chinese trucking journalist forgot to put the Allison automatic in Drive. Allison reckons the difference between an AMT and a full automatic from 0-100km/h can be 18 seconds. That sounds a bit much, but the demonstrations certainly did prove the point that full automatics shift faster. Allison engineering chief, Steve Spurling explains that the torque convertor smoothes the shifts, maintaining power delivery during changes. “With a manual or an AMT, each time these shifts occur vehicle momentum is lost and must be regained.” So what about the extra fuel used by an automatic? Allison insists the fuel consumption of trucks running its automatics is “competitive” with manuals and AMTs but doesn’t go so far as saying the consumption matches or is better than them. However, Allison marketing man, Larry Love (yes, that’s his real name), puts it another way. He concedes a full automatic Allison might use more fuel for the distance travelled, but gets the job done quicker.  “Fuel economy is important, but fuel efficiency is really what we see as the most important,” Love says. “Fuel efficiency is the measure of work done per litre of fuel burned, or the ability to deliver a higher average speed per litre of fuel.” Driver comfort is another factor and Allison says a full automatic is easier on the driver than a crash box manual and a synchromesh manual because the driver does a lot less work. This writer can also attest that it’s also a lot less stressful to use than a crash box (non-synchro) for those not overly experienced in the complex art of driving a RoadRanger style gearbox that requires perfect timing, finesse and the ability to remember which gear (out of 18) you’re in. Allison has also introduced a range of safety features. For instance, one feature ensures the truck or bus will not move forward unintentionally when dropped into drive. The transmission simply doesn’t select drive until the service brake is applied. If a driver puts the park brake on and leaves the transmission in drive, the gearbox computer decides to select neutral instead. The smooth changes of automatic transmissions are known to reduce stress on driveline components and tyres during take off and changes, eliminating potential jerkiness, but they can also do damage if mistreated. One issue is when a driver moves back and forward, perhaps when doing a multi-point turn, selecting drive and reverse without actually bringing the vehicle to a stop. An optional Allison feature means the change can’t be performed without the vehicle stopping, avoiding harsh loads on the driveshafts. Other features include a torque peak reduction system to spread out power delivery, which is a handy way of keeping lead-foot bus drivers from scaring passengers and optional transmission retarders, which slow the acceleration of vehicles so the driver can avoid over-using the brakes.  

An American pick-up concept has proved to be an exception after a being called on to help out after tornadoes tore through a region near Houston, Texas, last month. Ford’s F-550 Super Duty emergency response concept truck was built for the Chicago Auto Show in February to test demand for a production version. The build was organised by marketing company NewScope, which took advice from a Texas fire department on what to fit it out with. NewScope was also in charge of taking it to a range of events after the Chicago show including the Houston Rodeo. Just after that event, an Arlington-based fire department called for help to respond to a series of twisters that tore through the region. A call was placed with NewScope and soon its vice president, Brad Snyder and an employee were driving the special pick-up into the heart of the devastation to a nursing home that had borne the brunt of a tornado. “We were scared when we took it out there, because it had never been driven more than three miles,” Snyder told the New York Times. “It came through with flying colours.” The big Ford was reportedly especially useful as it could get into spaces too small for traditional fire trucks. Some of its cool features also came in handy. These include a tower than can be raised 11 metres and uses thermal imaging to check for heat sources up to 2.4km away and an elevated night vision camera. It also has an 1135 litre water tank, two pumps and a powerful winch. An array of powerful lights, including 113 LEDs, allowed the crew to light up houses and check for anyone who needed help. Snyder says the truck checked 124 houses that were so badly damaged they will need to be destroyed. Authorities say about a dozen tornadoes hit the area. There were no fatalities.  

Toyota launched its second-generation Aurion across the road from a graveyard. Seriously.Tombstones and locally made six-cylinder sedans are a good match at the moment, but it's unusual for carmakers to highlight the fact.It probably wasn't deliberate. Toyota's large Adelaide dealership just happens to be nearby. But the event began at the very moment Toyota security staff were rounding up 350 workers at its Victorian plant for compulsory redundancy.If it had the makings of a wake, the company's executives failed to notice. Toyota is moving in the right direction, they said, and had never invested more in its Altona factory and its people. Including the ones getting the sack?They even presented the fact the Aurion was the 38th bestselling car in Australia with the enthusiasm you would expect if it had just claimed top spot. It doesn't matter how you say it, 38th is terrible for a company used to winning every segment in which it competes.But Aurion has a history of underperformance. Of the three locally made vehicles in the large-car class, Aurion has run a clear and consistent last. Sales fell to just 8917 last year, well short of the 25,000 anticipated at the 2006 launch.Not to worry, says Toyota, this will change. It predicts the new Aurion will swim against the tide and sell more, although it declines to say how many.VALUEToyota pitches the Aurion as affordable luxury and says that with a starting price of $36,490 it's better value than the Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore, whose fleet models start higher.The Aurion's equipment list is strong, but Ford and Holden dealers have a long and painful history of discounting, so list prices don't reflect reality. What you'll actually pay is determined by how long it has been since their last meal.TECHNOLOGYToyota has largely left alone the 3.5-litre quad-cam V6 as it does a good job producing 200kW and 336Nm, all of which heads for the front wheels. That's enough for it to get up and go in a hurry -- and it's superior to the raucous revving of Camry's four-cylinder -- although Toyota's claim it is faster than the Falcon and Commodore remains unproven.Not that owners are likely to care. A reduction in fuel use to 9.3 litres per 100km will be of more interest, along with the interior upgrades. There's a better impression of prestige thanks to improved surfaces, good leather trim and reduced road noise.It's a competent cruiser with a strong engine but limited thrills. The only uncertainty is whether this Aurion could match, for the first time, Toyota's optimistic sales expectations.DESIGNAurion is the V6 version of the new seventh-generation Camry, with some styling and specification differences to the four-cylinder car. In some markets it's known simply as a Camry V6.So, like the new Camry, the Aurion has a restyled body that is ever so slightly larger, but also 50kg lighter than before. It has fuel-efficient electronic steering assistance for the first time and a new dashboard.There are two types of Aurion: an allegedly sporty Sportivo, which attempts to lure (relatively) young people with gung-ho bumpers, boot-mounted wing and two-tone seats. Then there are three grades of chrome-plated conservative models focused on comfort. These are better suited to the vehicle's market, which Toyota sales and marketing chief Matthew Callachor describes as “experienced motorists”.That's another way of saying old. The new car has been developed in the traditional Toyota way. That means comfort, safety and reliability top the list of priorities and driving fun is largely overlooked.DRIVINGThere's no better example of this than the steering-wheel mounted shift paddles fitted to some models. Put the six-speed automatic transmission into manual mode and you can control the gearbox, or at least that is what's supposed to happen.Get near the top of the rev band and the gearbox changes up whether or not the driver wants it to. More annoying is the fact the gearbox will overrule the driver and change down when it thinks a better gear can be found.It did this to me as I charged up a hill in third. I was happy in that gear because I was nearing the crest, but the gearbox decided it knew better. Most automatics with paddles will kickdown in an emergency, but only when the driver pushes the pedal to the floor.The chief engineer says the override is there in case inexperienced drivers forget they are in manual mode. In effect, it has made an allowance for dementia. So why bother with paddles at all? Benign is the key word when it comes to chassis tune and the suspension has been calibrated for plushness.Get used to a fair amount of pitching under acceleration, diving under brakes and body roll when pressed. This is not necessarily bad, but it doesn't encourage sporty driving. It's the same with the steering, tuned for easy parking rather than attacking twisty tarmac. It feels light and numb.VERDICTSo no alarms and no surprises. Aurion sticks to Toyota's proven method of simple design done well.

Mahindra currently sells the Pik Up ute in Australia and is readying another load hauler that will come it at a more affordable price point.The Pik Up starts off at $21,990 for the two-wheel drive single cab, which is cheap but not as cheap as the Chinese and the Great Wall V240 range that starts off at $17,990. Mahindra Australia, which is now a factory owned operation, will import a new ute called the Genio to compete with the Great Wall and other Chinese cut-price machines.The company is not ready to disclose pricing, but told Working Wheels the new narrow-bodied ute will not be cheaper than the Great Wall products.The Genio is based on the Xylo people mover platform and is not as focused on off-road work as the Pik Up, although it will be available with a locking four-wheel drive system as well as a two-drive.“It will really be aimed at your metro tradie, it will be suited to the urban kind of life,” says Mahindra national sales manager, Russell Thiele. “The Pik Up is more of a rural focused vehicle.”The full list of equipment will be made public closer to the launch, but the Genio will come with cruise control and airconditioning, front disc brakes (and rear drums) and a front airbag for the driver and passenger.It will not have as much gear as the Pik Up and items such as the sound system will be one grade lower than in the Pik Up model. No side airbags, curtain airbags or electronic stability control are available for the Genio.It has not been tested by ANCAP unlike the Pik Up, which has been given a poor three star rating and was criticized by the safety body. The Genio uses a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel, which generates 90kW and 270Nm. 

Michael Hawthorne pulled over when he heard a complete stranger yell out that his wife was in labour near Dallas, Texas.He used a special birthing kit he carries in the cab of his truck and a helped introduce a healthy baby to the world.Hawthorne’s mother and grandmother were both midwifes, so he knew exactly what to do when he was called on to help deliver a baby at a truck-stop in 1999. Then in 2010, Hawthorne delivered another one beneath an overpass in Baltimore.

The Citan, which is due to arrive in Australia in the middle of next year, is not a new stand-alone model but is heavily based on the Renault Kangoo. While the mini van has its own distinctive face, its Kangoo likeness is clear from the familiar body. This is not a cheeky clone though. It’s all part of an agreement between Mercedes and Renault that will lead to the Citan being built alongside the Kangoo on a Renault production line in France. The Citan has its own face and a fresh interior, but shares many other components with the Renault. Mercedes has announced there will be two diesel engines and supercharged petrol unit although it is unclear if the powerplants are shared or unique. The Citan will come in three lengths: 3.94 m, 4.32 m and 4.71 m. It will be sold mainly as a cargo van, which is a size smaller than the existing Vito. A special five-seater crew version based on the longest model called the Mixto, which seats five and has a removable second row, will also be offered from launch. Mercedes-Benz is not ready to state the exact payloads of each model, but says the maximum gross vehicle weight (the weight of the van and the load) will be 2200kg. Looking at the comparable Renault models, this should mean a maximum payload of around 850kg. All models will come with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), daytime LED running lights and height adjustable seatbelts. Up to six airbags will be available, but it’s not yet clear how many will be fitted as standard. The panel van version will come with a wall behind the driver and passenger to prevent any cargo entering the cabin area.  

It’s called the Doblo Work Up and is one of several new Fiat commercial vehicles now being considered for sale in Australia.Fiat commercial vehicles have been brought to Australia by independent importer ATECO since 2001, but the local distribution will switch to Chrysler Australia group, now part of the Fiat family, from May 1.Given the local Fiat commercial vehicle arm is now part of a factory operation there is every chance it will be given access to more models than before.Working Wheels understands Chrysler Australia group has started meeting with dealers for the Fiat commercial brand, along with Fiat cars and Alfa Romeo, and is taking on board the models the dealers are especially keen to get hold of.“Their message was that now we are factory backed they are hoping for the supply pipeline to open up,” says Chrysler Australia group spokeswoman Lenore Fletcher. Currently, the only Fiat commercial vehicles sold in Australia are the large Ducato van and slightly smaller Scudo van. More models could now be introduced to the local line up following the change of distributor. Ms Fletcher says Chrysler Australia group doesn’t have anything to announce at the moment as it is far too early, but is “looking very closely at everything”. “We are looking at ways that we could expand the product line-up,” she says.In terms of Fiat commercial vehicles, there are three more models that could be considered for Australian sale including the Doblo Work Up ute, The van version of the Doblo, which is also sold as the Opel Combo and Vauxhall Combo in Europe, could also be added, along with the small Fiorino van.Like the Doblo, the Fiorino is not a Fiat-only model and is also badged as a Peugeot Bipper and Citroen Berlingo. Citroen vehicles, including the Berlingo, are imported to Australia by previous Fiat importer ATECO, so it would not have made much sense for it to bring both the Berlingo and Fiorino to sell against each other.The Doblo Work Ute has just been introduced in the UK, which means Fiat is already producing it in right hand drive. It has a metal flat tray that is 4960mm long and 1870mm wide and has fold down sides and tailgate along with a metal ladder rack that also forms a barrier between the back of cab and cargo area and also features some tie down points.Fiat says the tray holds three Euro pallets, which measure 1200mm by 800mm, or 33 boxes fruit. It is also able to carry a payload of 1000kg. The Work Up features a plastic surround below the tray, with in-built steps on each side. It also has a lockable fold-down flap below the tailgate, which allows access to a compartment designed for storage of long tools up to 2m long.Two four-cylinder turbo diesel engines are available in Europe and both feature stop-start engine technology, which kills the engine when the vehicle comes to a halt and starts up again when the driver is ready to go again.The entry-level unit is a 1.3-litre MultiJet with 66kW and 200Nm and should deliver fuel consumption of less than 5 litres per 100km. A 1.6-litre MultiJet engine is better suited for heavier loads, generating 77kW and 290Nm. It is expected to deliver fuel consumption of just above the 5L/100km mark.The Work Up sits on rear multi-link suspension and comes standard with electronic stability control (ESC), anti-skid brakes and has a hill holder function to make the driver’s life a little easier. Front airbags are standard in Europe. Bluetooth phone connectivity and satellite navigation are available as options. 

The charity rescues excess food supplies and turns them into healthy meals for the needy by using innovative technology to manage its logistical challenges. FareShare is a Melbourne-based non-profit group that salvages various ingredients that would normally be thrown out from a range of food producers, farmers and restaurants. Some of it is passed on directly to charities that distribute it to people who need it most, but FareShare uses many of the ingredients to make nutritional meals to feed the hungry and homeless. So far this year it has given away close to 350,000 meals through 168 charities. The numbers are impressive and the logistical challenge posed by collecting ingredients, deciding what to do with it all and then distributing the cooked meals is daunting. FareShare CEO, Marcus Godinho, says the group benefits from a cutting edge application, which was the brainchild of a young IT expert, John Wilson. “John contacted us and said he wanted to help, but not in the kitchen,” Godinho says. Time passed and Wilson suggested making an iPad application to streamline the entire process. “The driver can now plot his route using Google Maps, he can enter what he has collected at each destination rather than having to fill out paperwork,” Godinho says. “He can then type in how much of each ingredient he has picked up, there might be 20kg of fruit or 10kg of meat.” This information is immediately relayed to the logistics manager and the kitchen. “The kitchen might be informed it has a bumper amount of pumpkins coming in. So it can be prepared and gear up to make the right kind of meals,” he says. FareShare runs six refrigerated vans and trucks, which are maintained (free of charge) by Linfox, which also provides training to the drivers.  

Ford is now selling a high percentage of turbo V6 engines instead of traditional V8s with its F-Series range and Chrysler has announced a raft of fuel saving technology for its Dodge Ram 1500 large pick-up. It is now available with an ultra efficient eight-speed automatic transmission, the first time an eight-cog gearbox has been in an American pick-up. A new 3.6-litre petrol V6, which Chrysler says is at least 20 per cent more efficient, is being introduced along with electric power steering, stop-start technology, grille shutters that close when not needed and suspension that adjusts on the run for optimum aerodynamics.

Volvo is about to get extremely dirty with the offroad FMX truck.The tough truck has been developed by Volvo globally for work in the booming resources industry as well as construction, but most variants are built in Australia at Volvo's Brisbane plant with many local revisions.Volvo already sells an FM model, which is built for distribution.The FMX is based on the FM, as the name suggests, but has been optimized for off-road duty.Volvo Australia already has experience in this regard, having developed its own off-road conversions for some of its customers who were happy with an FM but wanted to take them off-road.Previously, a palm-oil operation in Papua New Guinea worked extensively with Volvo Truck Australia to modify the FM so it could perform better in the rigors of the rainforests. Several mining companies also ran the FM on dirt at its sites.Volvo in Sweden took on some of the lessons learned by Volvo Australia and its off-road FM modifications when it came to developing the FMX, including approach and departure angles.The FMX will be available in 6x4 and 8x4 configurations, both of which are made at Volvo Australia's plant in Queensland. A 6x6 version, which is shipped straight from Sweden, is also part of the line-up.A differential lock for optimum traction is fitted as standard to all FMX models, while tandem axles also feature differential locking between the axles. Depending on the specification, the FMX is capable of handling gross vehicle weights of up to 48 tonnes.There are two different engine options, the 10.8-litre D11 and the 12.8-litre D13. Both are in-line six-cylinders. The D11 is available with 306kW (410hp) and 1950Nm or 336kW (450hp) and 2150Nm.The D13 is available with 343kW (460hp) and 2300Nm, while a 373kW (500hp) and 2500Nm variant tops the engine line-up. Transmissions include a 14-speed manual and a Powertronic six-speed full automatic, but the most popular gearbox option is the i-Shift automated manual.This 12-speed unit has been tuned specially for off-road work in the FMX and is now able to detect the truck's load and then select the right gear for take off. The FMX has a range of upgrades over the standard FM to toughen it up and make it a more focused off-road worker.It is impossible to miss the FMX given its strikingly aggressive design. Volvo designers realized it wasn't enough for the FMX to be tough, it had to look tough too. The FMX front end is dominated by the unique rugged bumper that wraps around a steel bash plate. It's not all just about looks though as this three-part bumper has 3mm steel outer corners and a tough central tow hook rated to 25,000kg.There are also separate lenses for the high beam, low beam, parking lights and turn indicators, which can all be replaced individually in the field which also add to the rugged look. The FMX's air intake is mounted high above the side windows to keep out as must dust as possible while maintaining good rearward visibility.There is also an optional ladder that sits behind the cab, which allows the driver to check the load. It has been designed so the driver can step onto it from the cab, which means they don't have to step onto the ground, which is handy if it is muddy. A new ladder and grab handle has been designed for easier access and a new swing-step folds out at the bottom for safety.The 6x6 model also comes standard with heavy-duty engine protection and its special steel fuel tanks have been raised for better protection. Volvo Trucks Australia general manager, Gary Bone, explains it made sense for the company to build the FMX."In a lot of markets around the world we were modifying the FM product to move into extreme applications," he says. "The decision was then taken by the senior truck management to build a dedicated Volvo truck for the extreme applications our world can throw at us."