I hate to say I told you so...but I told you so. Yes back in September 2008 Biglorryblog revealed that Volvo was considering offering the extra deep (by 245mm) XXL Globetrotter cab---as fitted to the FH sold in Australia---as a special order for Europe and that it would be launched in Norway first. And lo it has come to pass. How's that for a prediction eh?
And I have BLB regular Barney to thank for supplying me with these two pictures from the official launch of the XXL cab in Norway. And from the second shot you can clearly see the extra room on the bunk. Why Norway...? Well because Norway's transport minister Liv Signe Navarsete successfully argued for a 17.5m artic length limit in place of the normal 16.5m EU limit (she also got 19.50m for drawbars) making the longer cabbed XXL a more viable proposition. As to which European country will have it next I cannot say. But my spies are currently digging as you read this. Indeed Barney says: "It will be interesting to see if Volvo will offer the XXL as a special order to the rest of Europe. I too have just come back from a trip to Oz and the local Volvo/Mack dealer in Perth had loads of new Volvos with the XXL cab". And here's some shots of Aussie XXLs ...
Barney continues: "While I was there I got talking to the transport manager of a big cement company who only run Volvos and Kenworths---mainly with owner drivers---and he said the Kenworths were for the 'showboaters' and the Volvo was the truck for people who wanted to do the hardwork in comfort! Regards Barney."
Great stuff mate now click through here for more Aussie XXLs and if they do offer it in the UK I'm sure there will be plenty of interest in it....not least from Biglorryblog. And naturally, if they do, you'll read it first on BLB!
The XXL is the same height of a regular XL Globetrotter which we get over here on the FH---but as previously mentioned is slightly longer offering a noticeably wider bunk and living room. Having been developed specially for the Aussie market XXL cabs are built at the same main Volvo truck cab plant at
Umeå as all the other the FH cabs---however , XXL cabs destined for downunder are shipped fully-trimmed in containers to Volvo in Australia where they're mounted locally. However, Norwegian XXLs, which will initially be restricted to FH16 chassis, will be entirely built at the main Gothenburg truck plant.
Mmmm.....I can think of all that extra room now. Move over Longline!
"KWs are for showboaters" said the owner of the chromed-out, candy-apple red Globetrotter. :)
I would like to see those Volvo COEs in the states though.