Three of a Kind: The Daimler Kind

News

28 June

Ken Blanch Transport has added a Fuso Shogun 510 to its Taree-based fleet, giving the company the full tranche of the latest Daimler product.

The Shogun joins a Freightliner Cascadia and Mercedes-Benz Actros as the latest models provided by local Daimler Truck dealer, Mavin Truck Centre.

Ken was after a truck that could haul bricks and steel around the region, but also go for the occasional run to Newcastle or Brisbane from his Taree home base. He didn’t necessarily need the biggest truck on the market but it had to have plenty of guts for the loads it was destined to carry.

A conversation with Mavin Truck centre’s Steve Pinkerton with whom Ken has dealt with over a number of years resulted in the suggestion that he should look at Fuso’s latest product, the Shogun 510. Steve reckoned it would fit the bill, reminding Ken that this was the only Japanese truck on the market producing more than 500hp.

Like any successful businessman, Ken did his due diligence and, more than satisfied with the Shogun’s 510 horses and 2500Nm of twisting power along with its suite of safety features, laid out his hard-earned, adding the Fuso to his fleet.

“It’s a good thing,” he said. “It’s doing the job well.”

The top-shelf Shogun features the OM471 13-litre six-cylinder Euro 6-rated engine from the Daimler.

“It’s strong down low with 86 per cent of its maximum torque available from just 800rpm, while 84 per cent of maximum torque is still available at 1700rpm. Those are the sort of figures I need for lugging bricks and steel around,” said Ken. “It’s replacing a (15-litre) DD15 Freightliner Argosy and it’s doing fine; manages it no problem.”

The performance of the Shogun engine was one of the key reasons Ken selected it for the role. The engine features an asymmetric turbocharger and the latest generation common rail system with variable pressure boosting for ultimate fuel efficiency.

**Ken stands proudly with the latest addition to his fleet**

The 510 Shogun uses a 12-speed fully automated transmission (AMT) that features the clever EcoRoll system to maximise efficiency. It also features a very effective three-stage engine braking system gives the driver more control.

Mavin Truck Centre is the winner of the 2021 Daimler Truck Dealer of the Year award, and their support is appreciate by Ken.

“The Mavin’s guys give us great support. Nothing is ever a problem for them. It certainly helps to have that backing. It’s great that they won the award. They deserve it if my experience with them is anything to go by.”

The Shogun 510, along with all Shogun models, benefits from the latest generation of Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) that now uses camera and radar camera technology to provide enhanced pedestrian sensing capability, making it able to completely stop for a moving pedestrian in the event the driver does not respond to an audible warning. Radar-based adaptive cruise control is also part of the package.

Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), a driver airbag, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Hill Start System (HSS) assistance function are also standard.

Australia and New Zealand are the only markets in the world that offer the 13-litre Shogun 510, which was developed in response to requests from local operators who wanted a Japanese truck with more than 500hp.