If you are delivering Aston Martins and Ferraris then your truck needs to look the part and perform as well. Low ground clearance for the cars means that great care has to be taken in the specification of the body – but it is important for the chassis too. Having an air suspension system that raises and lowers massively helps the loading process, for example.
If you are involved in premium car transport, then take a look of the specification of South west-based car dealership group Dick Lovett’s two new Volvo FL 4×2 rigids, that the company has specified for comfort, driving performance and practicality.
The Volvo FL Specification
Supplied by Mike Gill, Area Sales Manager at Truck and Bus Wales and West, the new FLs are each mounted with a Belle Coachwork twin deck body and will be used to transport customer cars for Dick Lovett’s Aston Martin and Ferrari dealerships.
Aaron Allnutt, Head of Business at Dick Lovett, says: “I started my career as an apprentice technician at Volvo Trucks so I’m well aware of the product quality, reliability and performance its trucks deliver. When the time came to refresh our delivery trucks, Volvo was always high on our list and quickly proved to have the best overall package.”
Horse Power Important
Dick Lovett’s drivers had reported back that a previous transporter from a different manufacturer struggled to deliver consistent, reliable power, so Aaron set out to design a specification to avoid these issues with the company’s new trucks – without compromising on payload. The resulting effort sees the two 16-tonne FLs each equipped with a Euro-6 compliant engine producing 280 hp and a peak torque of 1,050 Nm, driven by an automated six-speed I-Sync transmission.
Air Suspension a Must
The FLs are also equipped with front and rear air suspension to not only aid driver comfort but to also ensure the utmost care is taken of the trucks’ luxury cargo. Combined with the ability to carry two SUV-sized vehicles at once – a feat unachievable for Dick Lovett’s previous transporters – the Volvos are already receiving rave reviews from the company’s drivers.
“When you’re dealing with cars of this calibre, every millimetre makes a massive difference,” adds Aaron. “Volvo’s air suspension means we can work with the optimum load angle every time, making loading and unloading customer vehicles a far less stressful process, even when dealing with the largest cars in the Aston Martin and Ferrari ranges.”
The trucks also each feature a Comfort cab, with Dick Lovett opting to include an additional fold up bunk in the rigids’ already spacious interiors. The vehicles are also equipped with a suspended and heated driver’s seat, DAB radio and Dura Bright alloy wheels.
Safety and visibility benefit from a lower window installed in the passenger door and electrically heated and operated main mirrors. Also onboard are Forward Collision Warning with Advanced Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning systems.
The Buyer’s View
“The Volvo team has gone above and beyond for us, even going as far as sourcing bespoke paint colours to match Aston Martin and Ferrari’s official schemes,” says Aaron. “We simply couldn’t be happier with the help we’ve received from Mike and his colleagues.”
The trucks will typically operate Monday through Friday, collecting customer vehicles for repairs and servicing, as well as occasionally helping to deliver new purchases to Dick Lovett’s clients. The company expects the trucks to each cover 100,000 km annually, working across the UK.