As we reported recently, Volvo has announced its new D17 engine with 780hp and 3800Nm of torque. It is now the most powerful production engine available in the country.
The new 780 is the new king of power and torque, taking over from the Scania 770 V8 as the most powerful production truck on the road.
The 17-litre D17 engine has a range of horsepower ratings from 600 to a whopping 780hp, and we got our hands on one towing three loaded trailers out of Geraldton, WA.
The 17-litre, Euro 6 powerplant shares the same basic architecture as the 16-litre six-cylinder engine it replaces with the extra capacity resulting from an increase in cylinder bore.
In pursuit of efficiency and cleaner operation, the engine also features a new fuel injection system, low-friction cylinder liners as well as wave-top pistons designed to optimise combustion.
While the 780 can claim bragging rights as the most powerful engine, it’s the torque that really gives the new Volvo the grunt to pull like never before.
Our test truck was a very WA-specific spec with load-sharing twin-steer front-end in an 8×4 configuration. We were towing an AB-triple ‘grain train’ trailer set which is a typical setup for grain work in the west.
The Volvo prime mover was rated at 150 tonnes and our weighbridge docket read 106.8 tonnes, so this was going to be a real-world test for the new 780.
The 150-tonne rated Volvos have a single reduction rear end with hypoid gears whereas the trucks rated over 150 tonnes a have hub reduction rear-end with conical spiral-cut gears.
Our planned drive route would take us east out of Geraldton through Mullewa and Yalgoo to Mount Magnet and return. A distance of just under 700 kilometres and a popular run for the ore trucks.
The Globetrotter XL cab of the 780 we had is pretty much unchanged from the FH16 save for a few minor things like badging, some extra USB ports and a stereo upgrade, so we won’t go too far into that. Suffice to say that it’s a very well-specced and comfortable place to work.
What we really wanted to know was how the new engine performed under this rather arduous test.
We set off early from Geraldton to give us plenty of time to get to Mount Magnet for lunch with a couple of stops along the way to get a few photos and stretch the legs.
From the initial take-off, the massive torque of the D17 is a standout. Looking at the torque curve on a graph, it’s evident that the maximum of 3800Nm is achieved between 1000 and 1200rpm, but even at 1600rpm, as it starts to drop off, it’s still producing 3400Nm.
It’s a huge amount of torque and translates to a truck that can haul the three trailers with ridiculous ease. I made the comment on the drive that it didn’t feel like I was driving a triple, it felt more like a B-double with about 40 or 50 tonnes, not 107.
The Volvo was a dream to drive. I found it liked to sit on about 1250rpm and just purred along.
On the jump-ups that are common on this road, it would hang on to top gear in the 12-speed I-Shift auto down to about 1100rpm then smoothly shift into 11th if necessary, hardly noticing the hills.
The I-Shift auto is a new generation which has been beefed up to take the extra power and torque of the D17 780hp engine. The new generation is across the board for the D17 with subtle changes for the different horsepower ranges.
What Volvo has done with this new engine is something that they call ‘downspeeding’ which is where the team is trying to get the engines to rev lower which results in better fuel economy. One of the ways they are doing this is by running taller diff ratios.
The higher torque in the 780 enables the higher diff ratios to work with the overdrive so that the truck remains in top gear for longer and can use the torque to lug down low in the rev range.
There is one big hill on the return trip which the big Volvo handled with ease, getting down to about eighth. On the flat sections, we were cruising along at about 90-100km/h with no trouble at all.
At one stage, we were stuck behind a big quad full of ore travelling at 70-80km/h but as soon as we came to an overtaking lane, we marched past effortlessly.
However, it’s not all about charging along and ripping up hills, there’s a downhill aspect to this truck as well. And while we didn’t have many serious descents to deal with, there were a couple of useful downhill runs.
The FH16 is fitted with a multi-stage exhaust brake operated on the right-hand side of the steering column.
It’s a powerful affair that you can downshift by pushing a button on the end of the stalk, or you can do as I did and slip the transmission back into manual mode and drag it back a couple of gears.
To back that up, the FH16 is fitted with an excellent electronic braking system which includes ABS and electronic stability control (ESC).
Driving the FH16 780 is an absolute pleasure. It’s easy to get comfortable in the driver’s suspension seat with heaps of adjustment, and the steering column is adjustable for rake and reach.
All the controls are easy to get at and well laid out. The stubby transmission shifter sits neatly on the left of the driver and falls easily to hand for those manual downshifts, and the electronic park brake is on the dash.
Vision is great and the mirrors are mounted top and bottom so that don’t impinge on the peripheral vision too much while still giving a great view of what’s happening behind.
The Globetrotter cab is a roomy space with plenty of storage for all your gear and a mattress that is 213cm long and nice and wide for good night’s sleep.
But if want more room, you could opt for the XXL cab. The XXL cab now has one of the biggest beds in the business – 130mm longer and 250mm wider than in a regular Volvo FH, providing plenty of space to stretch out.
Of course, as with all Volvo trucks, safety is a big deal and the FH16 comes with full suite of safety features. Standard fare are things such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, an energy absorbing cab, driver and passenger airbags and more.
It also has a little camera in the A-pillar that watches the driver and if you spend too much time looking at the screens and gauges, as I did a few times, it’ll give you audible reminder and flash up on the screen to pay attention to the road.
It can be annoying but is a stark reminder not to take your eyes off the road for more than a couple of seconds.
On the road, the Volvo is a great truck to drive. The steering is light and direct, it doesn’t have any vices and even through the third trailer was wagging a little at times, it didn’t translate to any movement at the front of the truck.
The Volvo just tracks straight and true and you’re not chasing it all over the road as can be case with some multi combinations.
And it was quiet. The engineers have done a great job with insulating the cab. It was easy to have relaxed conversation in the cab or hear the radio with only a slight rumble of the big six under the cab.
Our trip took us about 10 hours which included a lunch stop at the Swagman Roadhouse in Mount Magnet (excellent burgers if you’re ever in the area) and I felt quite refreshed when I stepped out of the truck.
At the end of our near-700-kilometre trip we were showing fuel usage of 87.6 litres/100kms or 1.14km/litre.
We were told the previous driver, on the same run, got 1.3km/litre which isn’t bad considering we were over 100 tonnes, and the truck was brand new. I’d expect it get significantly better with a few thousand clicks under its wheels.
It’s rare that I get out of a truck without a few gripes, but this truck is one of them. It’s a lovely truck to drive, it’s powerful, quiet and really well-mannered.
It went about its business with a minimum of fuss and well, just got the job done.
It’s one of those trucks that I’d use as a benchmark from which to judge others.
So, if you’re in the market for a truck to do some serious heavy lifting, see if you can track down a Volvo FH16 780 for a test drive. It will not be a disappointment.
Its got to be better than their 540 engines because they are gutless