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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
JULY 2017
24
T
ruck operators often base their
new vehicle selection on several
common factors ranging from fuel
economy, total cost of ownership through
to performance. Notably, versatility has
become a key driver of buying decisions as
a go-anywhere truck is regarded as a boon
in any fleet owner’s stable.
Launched internationally earlier this year,
the new UD Croner, a heavy commercial
vehicle, replaces UD Trucks Condor in a
market segment dubbed the “bread and
butter” of the local commercial vehicle
market. The Condor was discontinued
earlier this year after serving the local
market with ultimate dependability for
many years. UD Trucks Southern Africa
introduced the new Croner to its local
customers at a glamorous event held at the
Kyalami Racecourse last month.
To be assembled locally at UD’s
Rossyln, Pretoria plant, the new Croner
is specifically developed for UD Trucks’
growth markets, and will be introduced to
UD Trucks Southern Africa’s other markets
in the SEA region later this year.
Speaking of the truck’s value proposition,
Jacques Michel, senior vice president
of Group Trucks Asia, says the new UD
Croner – named after God of time in
Greek mythology – was developed with
versatility in mind. It comes in three gross
vehicle weight (GVW) models – MKE, LKE
and PKE – and their 13 variants can offer
up to 21 different basic configurations to
suit specific needs of various industries.
Gert Swanepoel, MD of UD Trucks South-
ern Africa, adds that Croner is a versatile
truck designed and engineered to help cus-
tomers save time and money. “We believe
that the more time the Croner spends on
the road and less in the workshop, goes a
long way in adding up to the success of our
customers’ businesses,” says Swanepoel.
“By understanding customers’ specific
requirements and business needs, Croner
is engineered to help fleet owners stay
ahead of competition through the simple
concept of saving time,” he adds.
Highly adaptable
One of the key advantages of the Croner
is the fact that it can be adapted for any
heavy-duty role with an array of wheelbase
selections to deliver greater productivity.
There are six basic wheelbase choices
ranging from 3 3 750 mm to 6 000 mm
available for 9,5 t, 12 t, 14 t, 15 t or
17 t GVW variants. Longer wheel base
choice of 6 500 mm is also available for
15 t and 17 t GVW variants, according to
Toshi Odawara, vice president of Product
Management at UD Trucks.
GOING THE
EXTRA MILE
Versatility is right up on the checklist of most truck owners, and the
new UD Croner, now available in the local market, goes the extra mile
with its 13 variants and 21 customisable configurations to maximise
adaptability across a number of applications, writes
Munesu Shoko
.
TRANSPORT