MAN Truck & Bus
Testing the new D15 Engine
Distribution transport in Munich Anne Durante test drives a MAN TGS 18.330 4x2 BL with D15 engine.
The company Durante Transporte has around twenty-five years forwarding experience in the Greater Munich region and is in a class of its own in terms of distribution. Owner’s wife Anne Durante is on the road herself as a driver, usually in a MAN TGL with D08 engine and six-speed automatic transmission. But now she’s at the wheel of a MAN TGS 18.330 with the new D15 diesel engine. The one-week testing opens up completely new perspectives: “It feels really good having the D15 and twelve-speed automatic transmission. The 18-tonner pulls away cleanly when starting and gear changes are pleasantly smooth. The powerful engine means you barely notice if you’re driving empty or with a load”, Durante describes her driving impression. “It’s also precise when manoeuvring and the background noise is spot-on – just enough to still hear the engine.”
From a commercial perspective, Anne Durante recognises the clear potential for saving fuel with the MAN D15 – because for example of the SCR technology for emission control. At the same time, the SCR system fulfils another significant criterion for Durante: "The engine meets the latest environmental standards. I find it decidedly positive if we can make such a contribution to reducing pollution. And I'm sure our customers will too." The fact that omitting an EGR unit makes the engine very light, compact and maintenance-friendly also suits her very well. “We use our own workshop to undertake minor maintenance activities like oil changes or replacing fuel filters. So it’s definitely important to us that it has good all-round access.” Factory preparation of the six-cylinder for belt drive of a FRIGOBLOCK generator is also appreciated: “That would also be interesting for us, as we already have around 15 chiller units in the fleet.”
Positive impression
Durante is also enthusiastic about the tested MAN TGS 18.330 for reasons beyond the engine. Her favourite features include the electronic steering with active lane control and the camera-based blind spot assistant: “That’s brilliant, especially considering all the accidents involving cyclists.” The carrier’s ultimate conclusion about the trial is entirely positive: “A really great vehicle: agile, comfortable and with a powerful engine.”
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Use in the Glück gravel plant Alois Gamsreiter is impressed by a MAN TGS 18.400 BLS 4x2 tipping tractor-trailer with D15 engine.
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Construction site Truck driver Andy Großmann also tested the MAN TGS with D15 engine and TipMatic. The conclusion: "This vehicle is superb to drive, it's quiet and smooth."
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Distribution transport Owner and managing director Christian Durante and his wife Anne Durante anticipate significant fuel savings from exhaust gas cleaning by the SCR technology – more than just a glass full.
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Trust is good, control is better Following this old adage, Alois Gamsreiter also thoroughly investigated the much-praised maintenance friendliness of the D15 during the test week.
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Equipped The new D15 diesel engine meets the Euro 6d exhaust emission standard. Exhaust gas cleaning is performed exclusively by an SCR system. This also benefits its lightness, compactness and easy maintenance.
A few kilometres further on, in the Glück gravel plant in Gräfelfing, the opinion of truck driver Andy Großmann veers in a similar direction. The 56-year-old was under way for a week on roads and a construction site in a tipping tractor-trailer version of the TGS 18.400. “The quick, smooth gear changes alone makes this a vehicle you can absolutely work with. The TipMatic Offroad is superb, the new D15 and transmission work really well together”, he reports. The driver goes into detail to praise the smooth start: “It all starts off quite easily and fluently; loaded in third gear and empty in fourth.” Großmann is also impressed by the economical EfficientRoll function on roads and easy manoeuvring on the construction site: “You can select a forward or reverse gear while still rolling and it’s immediately there when you stop. That’s not yet available on my conventional TipMatic version.”
Andy Großmann has been driving MAN for almost 30 years, usually with greater cylinder capacity than the test truck – namely with 12- to 13-litre engines. He currently uses a MAN TGS 26.440 with D26 engine. But the connoisseur’s opinion is that the 9-litre D15 engine also makes a convincing impression in terms of performance and dynamics: “I find it remarkable that the small 400-horsepower engine can easily keep up with the traffic flow even with a full 40 tons. Of course you also have the performance mode, which even makes it go significantly better.”
Großmann sees an enormous advantage in the fact that a lot of weight has been saved in the D15 – among other things given new production methods and materials: 230 kilogrammes compared to the D20 predecessor model. These benefit the payload and become profitable for transport operations that are settled by delivery quantity. The South German suddenly has a good idea. “Among other things, I’ve been delivering beverages for over 20 years. I could well imagine that being a good use for the light D15: full on the way out, empty back”, he suggests. Either way, whether as a beverage or tipper truck, he had no reservations regarding the small cylinder capacity. Andy Großmann finally comes to speak of a real eureka moment as a driver: “Judging by the braking effect, I initially assumed it must be fitted with a retarder. The three-stage engine brake on its own is quite impressive.”
A really great vehicle: agile, comfortable and with a powerful engine.
User friendly The relevant components on the D15 engine are easily accessible from all sides.
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Horsepower
The 9-Liter engine with 330 to 400 HP is characterized by improved engine efficiency.
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Kilogrammes
is the amount by which the D15 is lighter than the D20. This weight saving enables a higher payload.
New benchmark
Engine developer Moritz Späth intervenes at this point. He explains the aspects in addition to the already mentioned lightness that were particularly important to his specialist department when configuring the D15: “The turbo EVBec with up to 350 kW braking performance from nine litres of cylinder capacity should actually be a benchmark. Up to 1800 newton metres of torque over a wide engine speed range also enabled us to achieve drivability with the D15 that is on par with its D20 predecessor.”
Meeting the Euro 6d emission standard was another development goal. “We opted for a compact and robust design without exhaust gas recirculation. The SCR system enables us to implement higher NOx figures than the D20”, explains Späth. He stresses the single-stage turbocharger and the new common-rail system with up to 2500 bar as other special features. The peripherals on the D15 are also characterised by their low power consumption, this applies for example to the regulated fans, the controlled water pump, the optimised oil cooler with thermostat or the three selectable air compressors: with saving function in the one- or two-cylinder version or switchable in the one-cylinder version.
Alois Gamsreiter, fleet and workshop manager at the Glück gravel plant, pays attention to exactly such details when purchasing vehicles. “The various regulated peripherals like those now on the D15 certainly make a difference to consumption. Although everything has to be fit for purpose. With so much manoeuvring in the gravel plant and at customer premises, for example, we’d be more likely to decide on the two-cylinder air compressor.”
Trust is good, control is better: following this old adage, Alois Gamsreiter also thoroughly investigated the much-praised maintenance friendliness of the D15 during the test week: “I took a close look at the vehicle and directly tilted up the cab. And it’s true: the new engine really is very accessible.”
More payload
Individual components such as the cylinder head cover, cylinder head, camshaft, sump, oil cooler and engine mounts were replaced due to new production techniques and new weight-optimised materials. The D15 weighs in at a total of 230 kilogrammes less than its D20 predecessor. This weight reduction improves your payload.
Lower consumption
Also contributing to fuel efficiency improvement in the nine-litre six-cylinder engine are the electronically controlled water pump and other items like the new common-rail injection system and the air compressor with one or two cylinders. The D15 consumes significantly less fuel compared to the D20.
Strong performance
The D15 engine provides excellent power delivery thanks to an efficiency-optimised turbocharger, which is single-stage with a wastegate (330 and 360 HP) or with variable geometry (400 HP). Its drive dynamics are on par with the 10.5-litre D20 engine.
Strong performance
It can optionally be fitted with the turbo EVBec brake system with 350 KW braking performance.
Easy maintenance
This new diesel engine is particularly easy to maintain, because the relevant components, such as the fuel filter, are easily accessible.
Easy maintenance
Also the oil filter is positioned to be easy to maintain.
Easy maintenance
A further advantage is the option for mounting a FRIGOBLOCK generator. The D15 is available for the TGX and TGS series in the mid performance ranges between 330 and 400 horsepower.
Low emissions
The D15 meets the latest Euro 6d exhaust emission standard. Exhaust gas is treated by an SCR system without separate EGR, which saves space and reduces system complexity. The exhaust silencer with airless AdBlue injection has basically the same design as in the D26 and D38 engines.
Truck power house The advantages of the new MAN D15 engine can be explored in this infographic. It scores particularly on efficiency, lightness, cleanliness and easy maintenance.
