Mercedes-Benz will use commercial vehicles show in Germany to launch new mid-sized prime mover
Gary Worrall | July 6, 2012
Mercedes-Benz will use the 2012 IAA commercial vehicles show in Germany to launch a new mid-sized prime mover targeting the local distribution sector.
Resembling a scaled down version of the all-new Actros, the Antos is a single-drive chassis aimed at the rigid truck and single trailer market, with a choice of three engines and two transmissions to suit specific applications.
It will also be offered with either short or medium length cabs, with a standard width of 2.3 metres, along with an optional low roof variant the ‘CompactSpace’, designed for refrigerated applications to allow the chiller unit to sit above the cab.
The Antos is offered as either a ‘Loader’, boasting lightweight construction for reduced tare weight, or as the ‘Volumer’, with a low load height for increased payload volume.
The Euro 6 engine options will use a combination of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and selective catalyst reduction (SCR) along with a particulate filter, with engine outputs ranging between 175kW and 375kW.
The Antos will also receive the new PowerShift 3 automated manual transmission, in either 8- or 12-speed versions, complete with a crawler mode for low-speed operations, allowing the driver to use just the brake pedal to control the truck’s speed.
In keeping with the Mercedes-Benz philosophy of high levels of passive and active safety, the Antos will also receive the latest active brake assist which can automatically apply full braking if the radar detects a stationary object in the truck’s path.
Other safety systems include electronic braking system (EBS), anti-skid braking, acceleration skid control (ASC) and stability control assist.
The IAA show is held every two years in Hanover and is the largest truck and equipment show in Europe. The 2012 show runs from September 18 to 26.