1st Actros ‘25 Driver Edition’ Finds a Home

In-depth

10 July

If you were at the Brisbane Truck Show you couldn’t have missed the Daimler stand which – if the organisers still gave out prizes for Stand of the Show – would almost certainly have won.

Standing out amongst the Freightliner Cascadias, Fusos and Mercedes–Benz on display was a special M-B Actros ‘25 Driver Edition’, built to celebrate the model’s 25 years in Australia.

Amongst the crowd admiring the truck was one Darren Carey, Managing Director of Carey’s Freight Lines in Tamworth. So impressed was Darren that he shortly thereafter put his hand in his pocket to shell out some ‘hard-earned’ to secure the first Driver Edition Actros for his fleet.

The purchase was no ‘whim’ though, as Carey’s added the first Actros to its fleet back in 2017 and today has 18 of the good looking Euro in its fleet.

“Right from the start, the Actros has given us great fuel economy and we also appreciate the safety features and the comfort. They have been a solid and reliable performer for the company,” commented Darren. “The acceptance level among drivers has been really good too.

“As anyone in this business knows, buying a truck is one thing but of equal importance is the aftersales support, and Mavin (Truck Centre) have certainly delivered in that respect.”

**Darren Carey with the company's new pride & joy.**

The company has purchased all the Actros trucks with Daimler Trucks Financial Services. Darren said DTFS always provided a very competitive rate, the process was simple and the team was easy to deal with. “The support from the team at Mercedes-Benz from head office, the sales guys and the service dealer in town has been so strong and that is really important.”

The special Actros 25 Driver Edition is a welcome addition to the fleet.

“It looked good on the stand, but it looks even better in the metal, in our yard with our trailers,” Darren said. “I’ll go even further; it looks brilliant!”

Mercedes-Benz Trucks Vice President, Andrew Assimo, is thrilled the milestone truck is joining the Carey Freight Lines fleet. “Carey’s is known for its well-presented trucks, its customer dedication and safety-first approach and they are a wonderful brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz Trucks.”

Carey’s Freight Lines dates back to 1947, when Harold Carey bought his first truck after returning from World War II. Having bought the company in the 1980s, his sons, Mick and John, grew the business. Now, Harold Carey’s grandsons Darren,

Todd and Rick have taken up the reigns of the business.

“The Special Edition Actros 25 Driver Edition is full of features that drivers often request and it also looks fantastic, so we know it will be a popular addition to the Fleet,” said Darren.

. . . . . . .

The Actros 25 Driver Edition is a 2663 (as are all Actros trucks in the Carey fleet) that features the top-of-the-line 630hp 16-litre six-cylinder OM473 engine linked to the latest generation 12-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT).

It is comes with the Predictive Powertrain Control system, which uses topographical information, including pre-mapped three-dimensional GPS data, to enable the truck to make the best, and most economical, choice of throttle application and gear selection. This includes saving fuel by coasting for long periods.

It also features Active Drive Assist technology, which helps to actively help steer the truck and keep it in the centre of its lane, although the driver is still required to hold the steering wheel.

The Actros 25 Driver Edition features a grey metallic paint scheme matched with Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels and a raft of upgrades that ensure it stands out on the highway. Beyond the visual upgrades, there is also a list of comfort features to make life on the road easier.

There’s the Gigaspace cab, which is taller and provides more headroom and space for front-mounted cabinets above the windscreen. One of these cabinets includes a microwave.

On the rear wall of the cab, there are two beds including a fixed bed at the bottom and folding bunk at the top. Below the bottom bed are twin fridges that are within easy reach of the driver.

The special truck features luxurious leather-seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel and woodgrain trim. A bunk curtain, with Mercedes-Benz logo, is also provided.

Since it was introduced launched locally in 1998, the Actros has introduced several technical innovations and recorded a number of milestones. These include being the first truck with radar-based Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) technology, the first with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the first with SAE Level 2 Automation and the first heavy truck with a complete range of engines meeting the Euro 6 standard.

We’ll leave the last words to Darren Carey: “It’s nice being first.”