Penske Australia has re affirmed its support for one of the leading Ford teams in the Supercars Championship, Shell V-Power Racing (AKA Dick Johnson Racing) by again providing a gleaming new prime mover, in the form of a new MAN TGX 26.640 powerhouse to haul the team’s transporter around the country.
The new MAN was delivered last week and is powered by MAN’s flagship 640hp engine, Penske claims the TGX boasts ‘excellent driver fit, great efficiency and economy, and optimised uptime’.
Penske’s support for the the Shell V-Power Racing Team has extended from the time when the truck distributor’s principal and chairman Roger Penske purchased a major share in the venerable Australian touring car/Supercar team in 2014 and has continued on well past the decision to set that share to new team principal Dr Ryan Story in 2020.
The accomplished Supercars team, which happens to be doing reasonably well this season, says it is building on that 10-year relationship with MAN Truck & Bus, having been victorious in 10 drivers’ championships and three teams’ championships over the years.
This means that the Shell V-Power Team has now taken delivery of its third MAN truck.
“It’s wonderful to partner with the Shell V-Power Racing Team again, delivering a truck that we believe redefines the Australian trucking landscape,” said Craig Lee, executive general manager of on-highway at Penske Trucks Australia.
“Streamlined and modern, the TGX is incredibly spacious, boasting an optimised dash layout and a luxurious rest and sleep area and features innovative driver assistance systems and 640 horsepower, means that the team can rest assured that its precious cargo will be well taken care of,” Lee added.
David Noble, the Shell V-Power Racing Team CEO, said that MAN made for a winning solution.
“With MAN, we’ve always had a highly reliable and efficient prime mover to transport our race cars and equipment to Supercar rounds,” said Noble.
“The new transporter contributes to our mission in achieving carbon-neutral status as a race team, giving us one of the most efficient fuel-burning prime movers on the road,” he said.
“Wherever our transporter driver travels across our vast country this year, not only can he count on the might of MAN, but also the extensive support coverage provided by Penske Australia and its comprehensive network of dealers,” Noble concluded.
Penske said in its statement announcing the extension of its support that the driving environment of the MAN impresses with outstanding ergonomics, SmartSelect navigation, a comfortable bed, generous storage space, and a modern and an easy-to-use infotainment system, and is underpinned by an intuitive operating philosophy.
It added that the advanced driver assistance systems, including emergency brake assist, lane guard system, adaptive cruise control, and anti-locking braking, combine state-of-the-art technology with intuitive operation in the new MAN.
The company said that the economical engine, improved aerodynamics, and many other efficiency-enhancing innovations improve fuel savings, not that the Shell team would be too worried by fuel economy given its naming rights sponsor and the relatively light GVMs the trucks tackle.