The latest Iveco Eurocargo version is launched, more competitive and productive than ever, ready to overcome new challenges and to respond in a batter and more complete way to all the needs of the fleet operator.

The vehicle segment covered by the Eurocargo is very wide, from 6 to 19t, it covers municipal, public utility, retail distribution and general light haulage. Eurocargo is a work horse with a proven track record. Originally launched in 1991 as the first vehicle in its class designed and developed by Iveco, Eurocargo has won many accolades internationally starting with the coveted ‘International Truck of the Year’ in 1992. Since its launch in 1991 to date, Iveco has built over 430,000 Eurocargo vehicles; testament to its popularity among vehicle buyers and it has always sold at either number 1 or number 2 position in its segment in Europe.

The addition of the Tector engine in 2000 and cab restyling in 2003 further cemented the Eurocargo as the vehicle of choice in the medium weight truck segment.

Now in 2008 the latest incarnation of this popular product range is launched, more competitive and productive than ever, ready to overcome new challenges and to respond in a better and more complete way to all the needs of the fleet operator.

Since its first launch in 1991 it has been recognised as being an incredibly versatile product range and now new Eurocargo today offers even more available model variants with new equipment, both optional and standard. These aspects allow the customer to configure the vehicle appropriately to the needs of the operation, whether this is urban distribution, building work or municipal services.

New Eurocargo is renewed both in form and in content. Starting with the driver’s cab, completely renewed from the outside to the internal appointments, offering the best of driver comfort for the driver and passengers, improving life on board and so contributing to improving road safety by not subjecting the driver to fatigue brought about by discomfort. The grille and front panel adopt the latest Iveco family feeling with provision for vehicle owners to personalise their vehicle with their specific fleet livery. Front mudguards are new with also new integrated light cluster groups.

The cab is immediately available with the familiar three Eurocargo cabs, The MLC day cab, the MLL sleeper cab and the MLD crew cab ensuring the immediate success already achieved by earlier Eurocargo models in being specified to every chosen vehicle mission. Eurocargo MLL sleeper cab models gain the benefit of twin large capacity external tool lockers introduced with the new Stralis.

New Eurocargo inherits the excellent Tector engine range, developed and produced by  FPT –Fiat Powertrain Technologies, exploiting its performance, reliability and low operating cost and so contributing to the vehicle’s earning potential and performance with a low environmental impact.

A new range 6 and 9 speed ZF transmissions are introduced with fully automated transmission shifting and clutch control optionally available on 6 speed versions so making further driver safety and drive train durability enhancements. Lighter than before, the manual transmissions optimise the vehicle performance in all configurations of 5, 6 or 9 speeds. The Eurotronic 6 speed version is equipped with transmission control software that optimises fuel consumption, initiating gear changes at the ideal point from an engine speed and load point of view.

The Allison full automatic hydrodynamic transmission is, for the first time offered on the full range from 12t gvm, providing an elevated ease of operation, driver comfort and reduced operating cost for vehicles on typical stop-go missions (e.g. refuse collection) from 7.5t upwards.

Active safety features have been made available aplenty; ASR (anti wheel-spin control), ESP (electronic stability control) and Hill-Holder (anti roll-back system for hill starts), to be introduced at a later date, are all optionally available. Acoustic warning devices such as the seat belt reminder, alerting the driver if the seat belt is not fastened when the vehicle moves from rest, and the park brake warning, alerting the driver if the driver’s door is opened without first applying the park brake, are available as standard.

Body builder intervention has been further simplified by the addition of an option. ‘Tipper Body Control’. The tipper body control and the PTO control levers are mounted onto the base of the driver’s seat and include all electrical and pneumatic controls, so reducing body builder intervention time and maintaining the integrity of the cab interior.

Iveco has developed a range of after market accessories dedicated to the new Eurocargo in order to further enhance the new vehicle enabling the driver to achieve the maximum in terms of performance, comfort and safety on board.

The new Eurocargo, – like the new Stralis and new Trakker -  was designed to demonstrate Iveco fundamental values towards excellence: Commitment, Reliability, Performance, Team Spirit and Power. Values new Eurocargo shares with the New Zealand rugby national team, the All Blacks, who in their history have won more than anyone else.

Heir to the Tradition

New Eurocargo is the worthy heir to a series of commercial vehicles that have written the history of in its medium mass segment that began prior to the formation of Iveco. Starting with OM of Brescia with the Lupetto and the Leoncino and of Fiat with the 600 series, the list bears witness to all the vehicles seen over the years at work on the roads of our towns and in the countryside.

First of all the Lupetto, that in the 60s carrying goods above all in an Italy still very much an agricultural country but making strides towards industrialisation and modernity. The Lupetto, launched in 1959 perhaps contributed to the Italian economic ‘boom’ to pass the baton, at the end of the 70s, to the Zeta range.

The innovative project of that time was the Z range launched in 1977 to meet the needs of light to medium transport with payloads from 2.5t to 6.5t. The bull nosed front of the Lupetto giving way to the ‘modern’ Zeta range. The evolution of this segment saw the introduction of the turbocharged engine in 1987, so giving birth to the TurboZeta, whose claim to publicity fame was, “TurboZeta, the best made better”.

A few years later in 1991, EuroCargo arrived and the new vehicle represented a true revolution revising the in which medium commercial vehicles were seen. Quality, enormous levels of component standardisation making possible over 500 versions to be made applicable for every possible transport mission. In 1992 EuroCargo won the “International Truck of the Year” award, the first in a long line of awards from the specialised commercial vehicle press. In 2003, finally the cab restyling arrived and with it the new logo that we now know today: Eurocargo. These then are the ancestors of the new Eurocargo, a range that has won more accolades  than any other truck in history.

The values of the new Eurocargo 

The new Eurocargo was created sharing the same values of the most famous rugby team in the world, the All Blacks, thus along the lines Iveco adopted for designing the new Eurocargo. In addition to the four Iveco values – Commitment, Reliability, Performance, Team Spirit – Eurocargo inherits the Stralis’ product value too, Power, to reaffirm one of the strong points which distinguish the excellence of Iveco engineering solutions.

Power

For Eurocargo, Power means offering the extremely modern Tector Euro 4 and 5 SCR engines with a swept volume of 3.9 and 5.9 litres, power from 140 to 300 hp and maximum torque from 460 to 1050 Nm. Efficient, reliable engines, with optimized power and torque delivery over a wide range of engine speeds to ensure maximum power availability under all operating conditions.

Commitment

Eurocargo Commitment is the sense of responsibility for the customer’s business without forgetting the comfort and safety of he/she who spends most of his/her time in a truck. The close family relationship between Eurocargo and her heavy range cousins is clearly evident: highly ergonomic cabins with enhanced driver comfort, an essential aspect for working vehicles. But Eurocargo customers are also offered a unique design, because respecting who drives also means to offer him/her a truck in which it is nice to be seen.

Reliability

For Eurocargo it means keeping promises: product reliability, durability and high safety standards in every situation. Reliability for Eurocargo means also flexibility for body builder intervention supported by a wide range of ZF and Hydrocar transmission PTOs and the Iveco Multipower direct engine-driven PTO, easily dependable body builder electric connections, and more.

Performance

Eurocargo Performance is supporting the customer’s business value. It means raising productivity and reducing running costs. Eurocargo assets are optimised bodybuilder intervention, servicing downtime, and consumption. Periodic maintenance time is minimised in order that the vehicle spends as much time as possible working hard. Always a vital consideration is fuel cost; Eurocargo’s Euro 4/5 Tector engines return excellent fuel economy.

Team Spirit

It means working alongside the customer for the whole vehicle life: during the product development, through the work of 2,500 skilled designers and numerous R&D centres which involves the customer in the design stage; during the purchase, with the support of skilled dealers and financing solutions to meet all company needs; during the vehicle operation, through the daily work of a 24/7 call centre and an efficient and widespread service network (more than 4,600 service points in over 100 countries).

Eurocargo: what’s new?

The new Eurocargo, latest evolution of Iveco’s medium truck range, new Eurocargo, arrives to the market very much with the customer in mind. New Eurocargo continues the proven development of Iveco’s well known range of medium weight distribution vehicles, built to meet the industry’s highest operational expectations. The new Eurocargo combines the durability and the finish, that were already excellent characteristics of the previous model, with an improved driving comfort and a higher level of internal noise reduction in order to make more pleasant the working day for the person at the wheel of new Eurocargo. The new Eurocargo shares the family relationship established by its heavy range cousins, the new Trakker and new Stralis and this is clearly evident by the external and internal cab design.

Cabin Design

The most obvious distinguishing feature of the new range is seen from the front of the vehicle: new Eurocargo has a typical design, developed by Iveco Style Centre in compliance with the needs pointed out by the customers, because respecting who drives also means providing him/her with a good looking truck.

Adoption of the grille and badging, already introduced on the new Stralis and new Trakker ranges, provides an improved platform for sign writing in the vehicle users livery. The self-coloured plastic bumper, which is also available in body colour looks very much the part. Also available is the one-piece steel bumper, an essential cost saving aspect of the Eurocargo range specifically for tipper models and other versions subject to arduous duties, is painted in a darker grey colour to match the self-coloured plastic parts. On both sides of the MLL sleeper cab are the large capacity tool storage lockers. External access is by electrically operated door locks with internal access beneath the driver’s rest bunk.

Internally, all is new. The new dashboard comprises a centrally mounted switch console also housing the Iveco satellite navigator, when specified, guaranteeing ergonomic comfort thanks to the further enriched and functional instrumentation. Improved positioning of the most frequently used push-button switches is new as are the new large air outlet ports.

The central control module is new with the parking brake control more readily reached and provides provision for differential lock controls and the 24/12v power convertor when specified. Steering column stalks incorporate optimised switching achieving all functions including automated manual gear shifting and cruise control functions when specified, with just two stalks.

The steering wheel is slightly larger at 470mm in diameter than that used previously, is fully adjustable and carries the Iveco brand name in sparkling grey lettering. The new instrument cluster provides stop light bulb failure indication in addition to those functions previously applicable and now bears the Iveco logo at start-up.

New door panels incorporate an improved arm rest, increased capacity door pockets, heated and electrically adjustable mirror controls, where specified, and the controls for the standard specification electrically operated door windows so further enhancing an ideal working environment for the driver.

All new ergonomic seating, with material in cotton and micro fibre promises enhanced driver comfort. Drivers seat and the single passenger seat, where specified, incorporate integral inertia reel seat belts and head restraints and are available with optional pneumatic suspension. As a new safety feature, a driver’s seat belt warning system is included in which a persistent  audible  warning sounds when the vehicle moves off and the driver’s seat belt is not fastened.

A dual passenger bench seat is base level offering with MLC and MLD cabs available with a choice of vinyl or fabric covering. Fabric covering is new in a dark grey colour with a light grey tattoo pattern, reflecting the Iveco All Blacks patronage, to the seat edges and side boxing. The seat base houses the external tool locker door electrical switching applicable to MLL cabbed vehicles on both driver and passenger sides, and the Tipper Body Control switches, where specified, on MLC cabbed vehicles.

Door and ignition keys for new Eurocargo are of the desmodromic type providing for increased key strength and added vehicle security. Optionally available is remote central locking and also engine immobilizer incorporated into the ignition key fob.

Robustness and versatility for the Body Builder

Already at its launch in 1991, Eurocargo became the reference point for the durability and the versatility of its chassis frame. New Eurocargo inherits these characteristics boasting its parallel side member structure in high strength steel that is completely free of an above frame intrusion allowing body mounting from 3845mm to 10070mm in length on factory finished chassis variants.

The new Eurocargo is built by Iveco as a chassis cab and every vehicle built will require the intervention of a body builder to provide load carrying bodywork personalised to the end users specific transport needs. In order that this third party intervention can be made as speedily as possible without compromising factory build quality, Eurocargo provides significant body builder facilities, starting with a full range of ZF and Hydrocar PTOs for all transmission applications and the Iveco Multipower direct engine PTO for 280 hp and 300 hp engined versions. PTOs are electrically activated and control is managed by the cruise control and the expansion module, providing communication with the vehicle CAN bus in order that PTO operation can be matched specifically to the customers’ requirements. Body Builder electrical connections are provided allowing up to 3 PTO operation modes and electrical connections providing a variety of logic signals applicable to different operating modes of the vehicle’s systems.

A range wider than ever

Starting from a maximum authorised mass of 6.0t, new Eurocargo is available with a choice of either the MLC day cab or the MLL sleeper cab in truck and tipper chassis. At 7.5t drawbar trucks and tippers become available and at 8.0t the MLD crew cab becomes available. Throughout the range of vehicle masses, all of the wheelbases of the previous Eurocargo model line-up are retained. 4x4 models with maximum permitted masses of 11.5t and 15.0t, both MLC and MLL cabs being available.

Engine Range

New Eurocargo retains the renowned Tector engine range – developed and produced by FPT, Fiat Powertrain Technologies as the Nef programme-, an engine family that has already fully demonstrated its high qualities in terms of performance, fuel consumption and reliability. 4 cylinder 3.9 litre versions have power ratings of 140hp, 160hp and 182hp and 6 cylinder 5.9 litre versions are available at power ratings of 217hp, 251hp, 279hp and 299hp. All versions are available compliant to the Euro 5 tail-pipe exhaust emission standards already compliant with post October 2009 emission legislative requirements. Specific engine variants are available for specific ‘Rescue mission’ in which the torque reduction provision is not applicable. Such ‘Rescue mission’ model variants are available as special orders according to the European Directive 2006/51/EC.

Powerful and reliable; Tector engines have been designed to ensure not only excellent performance but also low running costs in addition to high driving comfort given their exceptional flexibility.

Transmissions

Added to the ZF 5 speed transmission already available with the previous Eurocargo range, new Eurocargo has ZF 6 and 9 speed transmissions, all equipped with the ZF Servoshift assistance system. The ZF 6 speed versions are also available as Eurotronic, a fully automated transmission and clutch operating system. While the clutch operation is always fully automatic on the automated transmission versions, fully automatic gear shifting or manually initiated gear shifting is made according to driver preference. Furthermore, all ZF transmissions use a synthetic oil specification requiring transmission oil renewal only after each 300,000km.

Allison 5 speed fully automatic hydrodynamic transmissions are available across the model range starting from 7.5t models providing an enhanced degree of driver comfort.  All models with the Allison S3000 automatic transmissions have a hydraulic retarder optionally available.

Braking system

An advanced technology braking system for added vehicle safety. All models from 180hp have an engine exhaust brake as standard; for 140hp and 160hp versions this feature is optionally available. Exhaust brake control is effected by the right hand steering column mounted stalk in one of two automatic exhaust brake application modes: either on accelerator pedal release (i.e. overrun) or on service brake pedal application.

6t to 10t models use the air over hydraulic brake application system with full air application starting with 11t models. All 6t to 10t models have new brake discs with larger disc diameters and increased disc thickness allowing more disc wear before disc replacement is necessary. Brake pads too are increased in lining thickness with pad volume increased by a significant 35% guaranteeing improved brake performance with optimised brake servicing costs.

The service brake system includes the Anti Lock Braking (ABS) system and Anti Slip Regulation (ASR) is available providing easier starting from rest on loose or low adhesion surfaces and so reducing tyre wear. Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) is also available on full air braked models providing selective wheel braking to ensure directional control and anti roll-over control are optimised under all driving conditions. Hill-holder is available as an aid to the driver in starting from rest up a gradient. With the device activated, the service brakes are not released for one second to allow time for the driver’s foot to be transferred from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and so avoiding the vehicle rolling backwards down the gradient. As an additional safety feature, new Eurocargo features an audible parking brake warning system which operates if the driver’s door is opened without the park brake having been applied.

Suspension availability

All new Eurocargo models have parabolic leaf suspension for the front and rear axles . Heavier duty multi-leaf suspension is available for heavier mission applications throughout the model range with increased capacity parabolic leaf suspension available on 15t and 16t models. Pneumatic rear suspension is available on all 4x2 models with the addition of front axle pneumatic suspension on 8t to 15t models (excluding ‘EL’) models. 6t to14t models use 2 air springs for the pneumatic rear suspension and 15t to 19t models use 4 air springs.

New Eurocargo, the medium truck range with the maximum adaptability to meet the customer’s requirements thanks to an availability of engine power, payload, wheelbases, transmissions and suspension variants unequalled in the market. Now, thanks to a new range of transmission options, the latest evolution of the medium range of vehicles from Iveco becomes even more efficient, even more versatile thanks to the new range of PTOs, even more comfortable thanks to the new cab internal appointments and even more beautiful, thanks to the new cab appearance. With perfect harmony with the new Iveco heavy range products Eurocargo is increasingly the brand of choice, the commercial vehicle ready for every application.