Renault Trucks for Sale (126)

Renault Trucks – A Brief History

The Renault Trucks brand is not as old as one might think, bearing in mind the car company has been in existence since 1899.  The Renault Brand was first associated with commercial vehicles back in 1978 when it replaced the Saviem and Berliet brands, which were both little-known in the UK.

At this time, the company was known as ‘Renault Véhicules Industriels’ and went on to buy the Dodge brand – the company even continued using the brand in the UK. Some of us still remember ‘Renault Dodge’ Trucks.

1987 saw the company take on 41% of US-based Mack Trucks and bought the business outright just three years later.

Current owners of the brand, Volvo Group, took over Renault VI in 2001, renaming the business Renault Trucks the following year.  As a part of the deal, Renault received a significant shareholding in the Volvo Group although by 2012 had sold off their interests in the business.

The Renault Trucks Range

At Truckpages we like to cover not just the models you can buy new today, but also the ranges that are sold in the secondhand truck market across all the ‘Truck Pages’.

Earlier Trucks

Premium

Launched back in 1996, the Renault Premium was a solid truck – nothing wrong with it – and it was well priced.  This meant that they were to be found in rental fleets and were available in their hundreds in white, ready for the used market for the owner driver to buy into.

When sold new, the Premium was the smaller relation to the flagship flat-floored Renault Magnum.  The Premium cab was narrower than you would expect for a full sized long-distance truck at 2.3m, although there was a ‘Privilege’ high roof version. There was also an ‘Excellence’ version – but we don’t see too many of these advertised for sale here.

This smaller cab and well-packaged 11-litre engine meant that the Premium was light and good on fuel.

After nearly ten years with the same 11.1 litre engine, 2005 saw Renault dip their hands into the Volvo Group parts bin to use their 9-litre engine which was increased to 10.8 litres and called the DXi11 – this engine lasted until the Premium was replaced by the Range T in 2014 for Euro 6.

Magnum

You may love the look of these trucks, but you won’t find too many for sale now.  Renault stopped manufacturing the Magnum in 2013 when the new Euro 6 range was launched.  It has been replaced by the flat floor version of the Range T.

Launched in 1990, the futuristic looking truck was available with an underpowered 374hp six cylinder or a Mack V8 (Renault Trucks owned Mack).  The truck was facelifted in 2001 and 2008 for Euro 5, but the basic look and appeal remained.

Midlum

The lightest truck in Renault’s previous range from 7.5 tonnes to 18 tonnes GVW, the Midlum shares a cab with the DAF LF and the Volvo FL.  Launched in 2000, there are very few of the older models remaining.  You can still find some Euro 4 and Euro 5 models available for sale.

Originally the Midlum was fitted with the 4-litre 4 cylinder or 6.2 litre 6-cylinder with outputs from 150 to 270hp. Engines available at Euro 5 saw increases from 160hp at Euro 4 to 190hp on the Euro 5 for 18 tonnes operation there was a 220 hp, 5-litre, 4-cylinder. Top power came from Renault’s DXi7 engine Euro 5 at 270hp to 300 hp (was 280hp at Euro 4).

Kerax

The Renault Kerax was the construction version of the Renault Premium cab.  Usually kitted as a 8×4 tipper or hookloader, the lightweight truck was popular for the rigged upgrades Renault had given it to withstand life on and off building sites.

Launched in 1997, just a year after the Premium hit the streets, the heavy duty Kerax was one of the first standalone construction truck models from any European truck manufacturer.  The choice of engines mirrored that of the Premium with the Euro 3 11.1-litre engine available from launch with 330, 380 or 440hp. There was a facelift in 2006 for Euro 4 and later Euro 5 models using a Volvo Trucks engine managed 380, 430 and 460hp.

Current Models

Renault Trucks relaunched their whole range for the Euro 6 standard at a huge award-winning event in Lyon (which coincided with a French air traffic controllers strike) in June 2013. Whilst some of the trucks did look extremely familiar for a ‘brand new range’ there were genuine new trucks on show – payback for the EU2 Billion that Volvo Group had invested.  The new cab was for the top weight trucks, whilst the smaller Range D trucks used a facelifted version of the Midlum cab.

Range T

Designed and launched for Euro 6 the ‘Range T’ is the long distance transport truck – available as a flat floor version (although not in right hand drive for launch) and a version with an 20cm high engine tunnel.  The ‘T-High’ arrived in the UK by Summer 2018 with three variants: International, Driver and Driver Lux.  The engines available for this long haul version are the 13-litre DT13 with 440hp and 480hp and 520hp.

The brand new cab design means that modern aerodynamic theory has been taken into account with the front of the cab narrower than the rear, for example.

The Range T is powered by Renault’s Euro 6 DTI11 and DTI13 engines with Renault’s automated Optidriver transmission as standard.  The Range T is also shipped with the Optifuel Infomax system which helps drivers to operate more efficiently.

2016 saw an update to the Range T for Euro 6 step C with improvements to fuel consumption.  Much of this was achieved with aerodynamic tweaks plus the availability of the predictive cruise system called the Optivision.

2018 saw the launch of a limited-edition T High Renault Sport Racing tractor unit.  This was no racing truck, merely one painted in the same yellow as the Formula one team.

2019 saw more revisions to the Range T with a new Adblue system.

Range D

The Renault Range D or ‘Distribution’ is a reworked version of the earlier Midlum and Premium cabs.  There are two different types of cabs – the ‘D’ (Midlum 2.1m wide narrow cab) and the ‘D-Wide’ which was the old Premium at 2.3 metres wide.  There is now low entry version as is sold in France.

There was supposed to be a smaller 2-metre cab called the ‘D2’ to tun at 6 – 7.5 tonnes, based on a Nissan NT500 vehicle, but there has been no sign of it in the UK and little sign overseas.

The range was launched in June 2013 and starts at 10 tonnes GVW in the UK (although other European markets get a 7.5 tonne version) and goes as far as 18 tonnes GVW for the ‘D’ – this is where the ‘D-Wide’ takes over, with weights from 18 to 26 tonnes.  Operators at 18 tonnes can therefore choose between a normal or wide cab.

The ‘D’ has a number of cab variants; day cab, global cab, (Extended at the rear) and the crew cab.  The D-Wide has a day, day cab with flat roof, global cab, night & day cab plus a sleeper cab.

The ‘D’ has a choice of a 5-litre engine at 210 or 240hp or an 8-litre engine with 250 or 280hp, whilst D-Wide truck buyers can only chose the 8-litre DTI with a choice of 250, 280 or 320hp.

Automated transmissions are fitted across the range as standard.

2020 saw a facelift of the ‘D’ and ‘D-Wide’ – the changes were mainly to the interior with some minor aerodynamic mods.  Some extra safety features were added – adaptive cruise control is now standard for these trucks.  Connectivity also comes as standard, although the customer has to pay for the Optifleet package.

The 2020 model year Range D also saw the Fuel Eco Pack becoming an option, which includes an adjustable roof deflector, inhibited power mode, automatic engine stop after three minutes, the Optiroll “free wheel” function (on the D Wide), optimised Fuel Eco gearbox software (on the D Wide) and a clutchable air compressor (on DTI 11 engines only).

Range C

In the UK the Range C comes as a 4×2 or 6×4 tractor unit or as a rigid with a huge choice of axle configurations, including Tridem (triple rear bogie).  Truck buyers can choose between the 11- and 1-litre engines with outputs of 380, 430 and 460 (11-litre) and 440, 480 or 520 (13-litre).

Range K

For heavy duty construction applications, the Range K is much more specialist and is as well suited to the quarry as it is to the road, whilst the ‘C’ is much more civilised on the road.   The steel front bumper gives better ground clearance and a better approach angle for off-road use.

Available only as a 6×4 tractor unit, the rigid options include a 6×6 as well as the usual 8×4.  Choice of engines mirror the Range C with outputs of 380, 430 and 460 (11-litre) and 440, 480 or 520 (13-litre).

Heavy duty versions can operate up to 50 tonnes GVW and a gross train weight of up to 120 tonnes for heavy haul operations.

The transmissions have had a makeover – they include Optidriver XTREM reinforced robotic box for heavy mine, quarry, transport and earthmoving applications. There is extra protection screen for components subject to shocks: radiator, air management, pneumatic components, brakes, etc.  and the steel tanks with high ground clearance.

The Range K includes an ‘off-road’ mode which increases vehicle mobility and improves safety.  The manual retarder allows full control of the vehicle on rough roads (no foot action).