Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/821508
26 commercial carrier journal | may 2017 Volvo's VNR a response to evolving regional market BY JASON CANNON V olvo Trucks North America has a new addition to its VN Series: the VNR, a region- al-haul tractor that will succeed the VNM at yearend. It will be available as a day cab, a 42-inch flat-roof sleeper and a 61-inch mid-roof sleeper. "With the new VNR, we've actually brought really great aesthetics to that product, but we've also brought aero- dynamics with that," said Wade Long, director of product marketing, at the truck's debut at ExpoCam in Montreal. e Volvo D11 is standard on the VNR, with up to 425 hp and 1,550 lb.- . of torque. It also can be spec'd with a D13 rated up to 500 hp and 1,850 lb.-. of torque. Compared to a VNM equipped with an EPA 2014 engine, the new VNR, with an EPA 2017 engine, features a fuel economy improvement of more than 3 percent. "e regional-haul segment is changing and growing," said Göran Nyberg, VTNA president. e VNR's launch coincides with what the company believes is strong market potential in regional trucking opera- tions, citing shrinking lengths of haul, driver desire for more home time and consumer demand for immediate deliveries. e VNR features Volvo's high- strength steel cab that exceeds the Volvo Swedish Cab Safety Test and ECE R-29 rollover requirements. Available side airbags for the driver's seat offer extra protection; the steering wheel-mounted airbag is standard. VNR's chief designer Brian Balicki said inspiration for the exterior came from motorsports. "We wanted to make sure it looked light and airy but also very robust," he said. With a 113-inch BBC and improved sightlines over the hood, the VNR is designed for increased maneuverability and versatility in tight spaces to com- plement its 50-degree wheel cut. "We've brought the hood in closer to the radiator package, giving us 4 more inches of corner visibility," Long said. "It puts the ends of the bumper completely inside the turning circle so the driver doesn't have to worry about where those are in tight turning situations." Volvo Active Driver Assist warns drivers through sound and a critical warning signal projected onto the windshield when they approach too close to an object in front of them. e system can apply brakes automatically to help mitigate a collision. A 5-inch full-color display features audio with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, naviga- tion, apps and an exterior camera. VNR production will begin in August at Volvo's New River Valley plant in Dublin, Va. Volvo's VNR improves the driver's position with two additional inches of seat travel. The seating is designed to ensure that shorter drivers can keep their feet flat on the floor. A new three-motion adjustable steering wheel offers tilt and telescoping and provides a 30-degree tilt relative to the steering column.