Volvo Heavy Duty Trucks: Evolution
Next year the Volvo Group will celebrate its anniversary. Needless to say, the remarkable company’s history abounds with noteworthy events. Many years have passed since Volvo produced its first heavy duty diesel truck. So let’s track the evolution of long-haul offerings from the world’s second-largest heavy truck manufacturer.
The early 1940s: the turning point for Volvo engines
1946 was a landmark year in the history of Volvo heavy duty trucks. Until then, the company had concentrated on Hesselman engines (although the diesel engine was already far superior). The reason was that one of Volvo’s co-founders, Gustaf Larson, was an engineering fellow of Jonas Hesselman, whose creation required lower development costs. But finally the call of the market and the push for progressive change did their part and Volvo began to implement pre-combustion type diesel engines in the new L29 C (‘Civil’) and L29 V (‘Highway Management Vehicle’ ).
The era of the Volvo Vikings
One of Volvo Trucks’ most notable triumphs came from the Viking series. The company explains the success of the series by its symbolic nature. First of all, it is the letter ‘V’ that starts both the brand and the model name. Second, it reflects the genuine “Scandinavian” origin that is so typical of ancient Viking and Volvo vehicles.
The improved Viking L38 and L48 models were important for the 7-liter direct injection engine and the choice between 2- or 3-axle versions (often with all-wheel drive).
Titan’s fame
The Titan is another emphatic name in truck history. Its designers were among the pioneers in making a breakthrough in engine technology. Later they presented the L39 (followed by the L49) with a turbodiesel that increased the engine power from 150 to 185 hp. In the decade that followed, the truck also received such prominent features as the Volvo air brake system, power steering and safety cab. Until now, these units have been an integral part of Volvo trucks.
The story about the Titan range would be incomplete without praising the Titan TIPTOP / F88, which became the first Volvo F-Type (Front Control / Top Cab) truck to have unprecedented success around the world.
New Era: truly global Volvo trucks
Despite the overseas attention to some of the F trucks, the US and Australian markets have always given top priority to N-type (conventional) trucks. For such areas, Volvo offered the N10 / 12 and NL10 / 12 series. And these offers were received with enthusiasm, especially in Brazil. The wide acceptance was obtained thanks to the excellent grip to the ground, which provided impressive cross-country mobility. In addition, in the case of the toughest off-road conditions, the N family included versions with all-wheel drive.
The present: one big family, thousands of versions
Today’s most popular Volvo trucks belong to the FH family. Considering the supreme international recognition of the Volvo FH12 / 16, it might be quite accurate to understand the abbreviation “FH” as “Fantastic story”. However, the genuine meaning is ‘Forward Control Input High’ (the numbers after the letters represent the engine capacity in liters).
The FH was preceded by the F-series, noted for being equipped with either of two new automatic transmission systems: the Powertronic and Geartronic, designed by Volvo in the 1980s. This legacy was intensified by FH innovations such as the Volvo Engine. Patented Brake (VEB), a driver’s airbag in a truck (the first to be used in 1995) and certainly the powerful engine with a power output of 420 and 540 hp (the FH12) to 750 hp (the FH16) .
It’s no wonder that right now, the FH series has already received three ‘Truck of the Year’ awards in all time. And there is a strong belief that the best conclusion to this story should be something like “the best achievements are yet to come.”