Volvo Trucks’ flagship celebrates with 750hp

Volvo Trucks announce that the Volvo FH16 is now available at 750hp and 3550Nm to handle the heaviest and most demanding transport assignments – with production planned to coincide with the 16-litre engine’s 25th anniversary next year.
 
1987 saw the introduction of the Volvo F16 with Volvo’s first-ever 16-litre engine, producing 470hp. Since then, market needs have driven the development towards increasingly powerful trucks.
 
“With the Volvo FH16-750 we can offer our customers a truck with absolute top performance, good fuel efficiency and extremely low emissions. It’s an uncompromising combination for the heaviest and most demanding of transport operations,” says Staffan Jufors, President and CEO of Volvo Trucks.
 
Performance, fuel efficiency and environment
 
The new engine is based on the same technology as Volvo Trucks’ current 16-litre 700hp diesel engine – an in-line six with overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and unit injectors. It has been optimised for higher power and torque, but fuel consumption is unchanged. The 750hp engine is available in two versions, one for Euro-5 and the other for EEV (Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicle), giving even lower particle emissions and less smoke.
 
The Volvo I-Shift automated gear changing system is fitted as standard and has been modified to handle the engine’s high torque. The rear axle range encompasses axles for gross combination weights of up to 250 tonnes. For fast long-haul duties, the recently introduced RS1360 solo axle is a fuel-efficient alternative.
 
Driveability and productivity
 
The new 750hp engine produces 2800 Nm of torque at 900 revs/minute. After this the torque curve rises sharply and reaches its peak level of 3550Nm at 1050 revs/minute, then levels out to 1400 revs/minute. This makes it possible to maintain a high speed on even the toughest uphill climbs.
 
“The more power you have at your disposal at low revs when starting to haul a heavy load, the less strain on the engine and the more fuel-efficient your progress. This in turn results in superb drivability,” says Hayder Wokil, product manager at Volvo Trucks.
 
The Volvo FH16-750 is intended both for truly heavy transport duties and for assignments that demand high average speed running on hilly or very undulating roads.
 
“For most FH16 customers, the focus is on transporting as many tonnes as possible in the shortest possible time. However, many customers also need to quickly transport high-value goods and fresh products across long distances with varying topography and deliver just-in-time,” explains Wokil.
 
Heavier transport – more powerful trucks
 
There has long been a trend towards increasingly heavy transport and thus also a greater need for more powerful trucks. Since the introduction of the Volvo F16 in 1987 and the first-generation 16-litre engine producing 470hp, power levels have risen step by step in pace with market and customer needs. In 1993 power rose to 520hp and ten years later an all-new engine arrived, producing 610hp. In 2009 Volvo was the first manufacturer to reach 700hp - and now it is time for the next step – the Volvo FH16 with 750hp.
 
Production of the first Volvo FH16 trucks for the European market with the higher power output will get under way at the beginning of 2012.
 
In addition to the 750hp version, Volvo’s 16-litre engine is also available with power outputs of 540, 600 and 700hp