Fuel Consumption & Performance
| Section | Fuel consumption | Average speed |
| Overall (laden) | 7.3 mpg (38.5 lit/100km) | 74.7 km/h |
| Tough A-roads | 5.2 mpg (54.3 lit/100km) | 59.8 km/h |
| Easy A-roads | 8.4 mpg (33.5 lit/100km) | 74.6 km/h |
| Motorways | 9.3 mpg (30.3 lit/100km) | 82.1 km/h |
Acceleration
| 0-80km/h: | 41.2 sec |
| 32-64km/h: | 17.6 sec |
| 48-80km/h: | 22.4 sec |
Brake performance
| From 32km/h: | 6.8m |
| From 48km/h: | 15.0m |
| From 64km/h: | 26.7m |
In-cab noise
| At 48km/h: | 60.9dB(A) |
| At 64km/h: | 62.1dB(A) |
| At 80km/h: | 64.0dB(A) |
| At maximum speed: | 65.8dB(A) |
| At tickover: | 55.9dB(A) |
Linda Salkfield drives a Scania 124L 400 out of Boroughbridge for Reed Boardall Transport. “The steps are staggered except for the last one,” she noted as she climbed up into the cab at the BP truckstop at Crick. “I can’t see the ignition key tucked away down on the steering column and I don’t much like the position of the park brake either – I prefer it to be on the fascia. Controls for the night heater, lights and clock are handy on the rear panel.
Steve Perry from Rainham was at Crick with the Daf 95 430 4x2 tractor he drives for Forest Freight. It has a conventional sleeper cab. “The entry is no different to mine but the size inside is fantastic,” was his first reaction. “For some strange reason I like the floor raised a little more than a flat floor. I like the overhead lockers but there is nowhere round the driving position to keep maps. There’s loads of room on the bunk and it’s very comfortable. With so much power I don’t need to change gear as often and the engine brake, with revs in the blue band, is very good.”
Dennis Reddings runs out of Felixtowe, driving a Scania 114 380 for Taylor Barnard. At our suggestion he started off in second gear. “We are told to start in first to save the clutch on the Scania,” he explained. “The gear lever has a short travel. It’s got a bit of grunt, hasn’t it? You can just feel the power. The controls are light, the pedals are the right height and everything is in where you want it. You can just get in and go. The gear lever is a
