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FUSO Trucks, a division of Daimler Trucks & Buses Southern Africa, is continuing its growth offensive with the launch of its latest medium to heavy-duty truck, the FUSO FJ 16-230, that is being positioned as the truck of choice in the southern African region.
This milestone, according to the company, represents yet another successful addition of vehicles built from the world-class Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) plant, based in Chennai.
The company maintained that FUSO FJ 16-230 is a testament of FUSO Trucks’ continuous growth offensive in the countries naking up the southern Africa region which include include South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Lesotho and Swaziland, following the opening of the Regional Centre Southern Africa earlier in the year.
Fuso Trucks said with the addition of the robust FUSO FJ 16-230, it is now poised to unlock the full potential of southern Africa, stressing that to ensure this, the FJ 16-230 offers a wide choice for various applications such as distribution, rentals, courier and Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises.
“The FUSO FJ 16-230 was expertly built not only to be able to handle tough operating conditions experienced in southern Africa, but also to be ergonomic, fuel-efficient and custom-tailored to meet the ever-demanding expectations of our customers,” Head of FUSO Trucks Southern Africa, Naeem Hassim, said.
“Like with all the rest of the commercial vehicles produced at DICV plant in Chennai, the FUSO FJ underwent rigorous testing and was assessed under the most strenuous driving conditions to ensure maximum reliability,” Hassim added.
The FJ’s 6.37-litre, water cooled, direct injection and turbocharged diesel engine makes light work of any task, offering an output of 170kW/2200 rpm and the torque levelling at 810Nm between 1,200rpm to 1,600rpm. When the dry-single plate, hydraulic actuated control with servo assistance clutch is paired with the all-conquering 6-speed manual transmission, there is no task too tough for the FJ series of trucks. Unit fuel injectors and higher boost pressure on the turbocharger ensure complete burning of fuel, reducing emissions and increasing performance, while the oil-lubricated fuel pumps reduce wear and increasing durability.
On the inside, the engineers have designed a more comfortable cabin that reduces driver fatigue, using three-way adjustable driver seat and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel which allows the driver to choose an optimum driving position. The cabin is fitted with standard air-conditioning and rear windows that allow maximum ventilation.
Driver aids include a variable green band indicator that shows the driver the correct gear and speed required to minimise fuel consumption, and an intelligent instrument cluster ensures all vital information is always easily visible. The trip mileage indicator displays the distance travelled, average speed and fuel consumption.
On the outside, the aerodynamic design of the cab reduces wind resistance and reduces noise, resulting in a quieter, more comfortable drive. The FJ aims to be a driver’s best friend by offering a parabolic front suspension that increases comfort and drivability. The multi-leaf rear suspension has more and thicker leaves to improve longevity and carry heavier loads.
The FUSO FJ 16-230 is set to be one of the safest trucks on the roads, as it is fitted with front standard anti-roll bars for greater safety and to improve road grip and vehicle stability, especially when cornering or changing lanes at high speed.
