Page 34 - Newcom

Equipment
Volvo debuts all-new VNR
regional truck at ExpoCam
New interior design heavily influenced by drivers
By James Menzies
MONTREAL, QUEBEC
Volvo’s new VNR regional haul truck made a flashy debut at ExpoCam Apr. 19, in front hundreds of custom- ers, dealers, and industry press. The truck, which will replace the VNM, features a more modern interior and aerodynamic design.
It will be about 3.5% more fuel-ef- ficient than a VNM with GHG14 engine, according to Wade Long, product marketing manager, Volvo Trucks North America.
Brian Balicki, chief designer, said Volvo looked to motorsports for inspi- ration, and set out to design a truck that embodied the terms: bold, edgy, innovative, modern, and human.
“We really translated these state- ments into the product,” Balicki said at the ExpoCam launch. “We wanted to make sure this was an iconic design, that many years down the road this will still feel very modern and people will know from very far away that this is a Volvo truck.”
The exterior features a redesigned hood that provides better visibility of the road. It’s also 70 lbs lighter.
A new honeycomb-style grille gives the truck an updated appearance. Headlights are mounted in from the edge of the fenders to prevent dam- age. The three-piece bumper has two replaceable end caps that can be swapped out when bent or broken.
The interior of the truck is homier, with an automotive-inspired design and many new amenities for the driver. For example, a refrigerated passenger seat, where a driver can store beverages within reach. Driv- ers can even adjust the interior vol- ume of the turn signal. Balicki said Volvo looked to the airline indus- try for inspiration when designing the interior, specifically at how first class cabins are designed.
“With the new VNR, we brought aesthetics – it’s pleasing to the eye – and we brought aerodynamics to a segment that has not histor- ically had that brought to them,” said Long.
The new grille was designed to optimize air flow, and comes with a chrome bezel surround. Options include rain-sensing windshield wipers and automatic headlights. More than 2,000 drivers were inter-
viewed during the design process, Long said.
“Regional drivers had different needs,” he said. “There are more requirements for ingress and egress, they’re in and out of the cab fre- quently. We wanted to make sure our VNR was designed around that.” Three interior levels are offered.
The cab features a new modular rail system with cupholders that can be placed exactly where the driver wants them. And there is no short- age of power options; there are mul- tiple USB and 12-volt power outlets in the front, and up to 12 in the sleeper.
Long said the steering wheel has been redesigned and can now be
Get your video in front of the right audience
No video, or old video?
No worries. We can create one for you. Call or email for more information.
The Driver Recruitment Directory has become a key resource for drivers and owner operators looking for a new carrier. Now, you can add video to your recruiting ads.
An increasing number of drivers and owner-operators looking for work, are visiting the Driver Recruitment section of our video library to check out our growing collection of recruiting videos. Check out our packages for the one that best meets your recruiting needs.
Recruiting Video Packages:
Video Listing [$500]
• Placement: Truck News Driver
Recruitment Directory & Video Gallery
• Summary: Unlimited word count and hyperlinks
• Promotion: Regular appearance on homepage
Video Listing Plus [$850] Includes the entire Basic Package plus:
• Placement: Today’s Trucking Video Gallery and “Trucking Jobs” Channel
• Ads: Four [4] “Carrier Spotlight” ads in Truck News Daily newsletter
• Social Media: Uploaded to Truck News and Today’s Trucking YouTube channels
Call Kathy Koras 416-510-6892 kathy@newcom.ca
34 Truck News • June 2017