Regular BLB reader and contributor (and scourge of the manufacturers) 'The Boss' has been in touch. It seems the old boy is tickled pink with his new Renault Magnum which is proving to be just the ticket for his regular runs to France.
Anyway he e-mails me the picture of his new 'baby' above and to say: "This is a tale of a really big fish,'the one that got away' but more of that later. First of all my Maggie is on the left...it's the 'new' Renault Magnum and very good it is proving too. The one on the right is what the French call the 'Vega',a limited-edition Magnum with every conceivable extra that exists in the manufacturer's 'goodies book'. Black leather everywhere, flat screen TV and air-con in the hatch plus 500hp and a strip of tin across the front."
And here's one of the official publicity shots for the Vega which was launched at last year's Hanover truck show. Actually I think the Boss has done really well. I've been trying to get a drive in one of these things for almost a year and so far I've achieved very little in my dealings with Renault... and he comes a lot closer to a real 'live' one on the road at a truckstop without trying. There's no justice in the world!
Being a chatty sort of bloke the Boss introduced himself to the driver and l'entente cordiale freely followed as he explains: "French driver, by the name of Serge, is a recent Scania man but was very pleased to be driving the Vega." And the Boss's new Maggie is certainly delivering the goods at the pump as he tells me: "Fuel figures, tank-to-tank,same route, almost same load: Actros 7.7mpg [that was his old truck], DAF XF105 [demonstrator which he told me was 'boring' to drive!] 8.0mpgish; and the Magnum 9.26mpg. And I owe these manufacturers sod all!"
But what was all that talk of a 'big fish'? Well read on and you'll find out
It seems my man might have stumbled onto something 'interesting' as we journos say. But I'll let him tell the story. "Trundling along in the South of France this week, I didn't pay a great deal of attention to what seemed like another black Maggie coming towards me. But as it drew close I was surprised to see it was a prototype mule all wrapped in 'black leather'."
"It had a Maggie shape, driver was high up, but with a smaller windscreen. Was it another Maggie? Or the 10,000th modification,maybe? But since everything on my rig except cab and electrics is Volvo (and Volvo really do need a larger cab) have I seen what is a new Volvo cab based on the Magnum?"
Hmmm. Could be. It certainly does sound interesting (not least following my recent blog on Volvo's latest investment in its cab plant). Meanwhile, the Boss is hot on the trail as he promises me: "I will 'catch this big fish!" So keep reading BLB for some 'exclusive' spy pictures. Because, when the Boss gets his teeth into something... I promise you he doesn't let go!
Its not a Mercedes actros is it? I have seen some spy shots of a facelifted one reportedly due for release at the 2008 iaa show.Although since he previously owned a mega space i would have thought he would recognised it.Photos please.
Its not a Mercedes actros is it? I have seen some spy shots of a facelifted one reportedly due for release at the 2008 iaa show.Although since he previously owned a mega space i would have thought he would recognised it.Photos please.
Its not a Mercedes actros is it? I have seen some spy shots of a facelifted one reportedly due for release at the 2008 iaa show.Although since he previously owned a mega space i would have thought he would recognised it.Photos please.