Published: Commercial Motor, 14 Oct 2004
Volvo Earthmoverby: Colin Barnett
350hp used to be plenty for a top-weight tractor. Then we got used to 400hp and latterly 500hp. But does anyone really need over 600hp? Who cares - driving the Volvo 610hp FH16 is an awesome experience.
Verdict
Nothing stays still in the world of truck design. While the FH16 610 is the most powerful truck on sale in the UK today, Mercedes-Benz unveiled an Actros with a bit more power at the Hanover show, and it's no secret MAN has much more power ready to roll as soon as there's enough demand to justify the search for a suitably butch transmission.
But for now, you can't buy bigger. So is biggest best? Not for everyone's needs, that's for sure - but put it this way, there's already a hundred very lucky drivers out there on Britain's roads.
Vehicle Specifications
Volvo FH16 610
| Fuel Consumption: | 7.8mpg(36.4lit/100km) |
| Average speed: | 75.4km/h |
| Gross weight as tested: | 40,000kg |
| Net payload: | 25,310kg |
