The Germans don’t mess about. They like to do things properly – whether making cars or trucks or, indeed, testing them, no stone is left unturned.
So, when German trade magazines did their 1000 point test, nobody would be surprised to see an MAN or Mercedes truck come out on top. However, the Swedish-built Scania S Series took the top awards.
OK, Scania is now owned by German automotive group Volkswagen through their Traton subsidiary, but the results are still impressive.
The two comparison tests took place last autumn, organised in Germany by European trade magazines. The results for the 1000 Punkte Test (1000 Point Test) and European Truck Challenge (ETC) have now been published and Scania´s 540 S tractor has won both, and with healthy margins ahead of the runners-up. Competing for the titles were a MAN TGX 18.510 BLS and Mercedes Actros 1853 LS.
“Winning these comparison tests is yet another point of proof for Scania’s industry-leading position,” says Stefan Dorski, Senior Vice President and Head of Scania Trucks. “When independent and experienced journalists assess all the relevant aspect of our products with scientific methods and compare them with our peers, the results tell a story that is highly relevant for potential truck buyers.”
About the Tests
The 1000 Point and ETC tests are among the most established comparison tests for commercial heavy trucks in the world. They are organised by German trade magazines with the participation of senior journalists from other countries. Cab-related qualities like the driver environment, sleeping comfort and noise levels are assessed, as well as other aspects such as road handling, gear shifting and serviceability. The trucks are also driven more than 300 km on different types of public roads, equipped with calibrated fuel-measurement equipment to confirm the true fuel consumption with the highest accuracy. Every aspect is then given a score that adds to each truck’s final result.
“We are awarded the highest overall scoring in both of these tests, but personally I am most proud of the fact that our truck has the lowest fuel consumption while at the same time offering the highest average speed,” says Dorski. “It highlights Scania’s inherent transport efficiency. And not only will our customers benefit from the outstanding result, it also gives a substantial – here and now – contribution in the fight against the climate challenge from CO2 emissions the world is facing.”
The 1000 Point Test, organised by Michael Kern, is published in several trade magazines, including “Lastauto Omnibus”. The ETC, organised by Hans-Jürgen Wildhage is published in “KFZ Anzeiger” and several other magazines. Participating in the 1000 Point Test, which took place in October 2020, were the Scania 540 S, MAN TGX 18.510 BLS and Mercedes Actros 1853 LS. Participating in the ETC test in November 2020 were the DAF XF 530, Scania 540 S, MAN TGX 18.510 BLS and Mercedes Actros 1853 LS. All of the major European manufacturers were invited to both tests.