UD has given Australian Brisbane Truck Show attendees a sneak preview of its new heavy medium truck, the Croner which is set to arrive later this year.
The Croner will replace the UD PK and PD models and will come to Australia from the company’s Thailand facility which UD execs explained is a manufacturing hub for South East Asia and our region.
US says the name Croner is derived from the Greek god of time, Chronos and added that is has been engineered to deliver on productivity and uptime, helping customers to maximise their time on the road.
UD Trucks Australia boss Mark Strambi says the Croner range will deliver he best of three worlds with strong Japanese heritage and craftsmanship, Volvo Group’s global technology and local design influence.
UD claims its local product and engineering team has worked closely with the global UD network to adapt the spec of the Croner range to Australian conditions and unique requirements.
While the Croner has been engineered to suit Australia’s unique conditions, the range itself has been tried and tested in markets around the world.
This testing has taken place in some of the most extreme conditions clocking up over 1.5 million kilometres in countries such as South Africa, Peru, India, Thailand and United Arab Emirates.
UD says the first Croners in Australia will include two models, the PK 18 280 and PD 25 280, covering a number of vehicle applications.
It will be powered by UD’s new 280-hp 7.7 litre GH8 engine which will be coupled to Allison’s 3000 series six speed auto and will be available in 4×2 with 18 tonne GVM or the 6×2 with a 25 tonne GVM
Mark Strambi says he is delighted with UD’s latest offering in advance of the truck’s launch.
“UD prides itself on building smart and modern trucks that the world needs today and the Croner is an exciting addition to our range in Australia,” said Strambi.
“By understanding customers’ demands and business needs, the Croner has been engineered to maximise uptime and productivity.
“It delivers on UD’s brand promise of Ultimate Dependability – it is a reliable and versatile truck and has been built with robust components to the highest of quality standards,” he added.
