Volkswagen Constellation
The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck produced by the Brazilian manufacturer Volkswagen Truck & Bus since 2005. The line covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass (GCM)[1] segment. It is produced at Resende in Brazil,[1] and is primarily for the South American market.
| Volkswagen Constellation | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen Truck & Bus |
| Production | 2005–present |
| Assembly | Resende, Brazil[1] Quezon City, Philippines (MACC) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Commercial vehicle - truck |
| Body style | Tractor unit, Chassis cab, Flatbed - all "cab-over-engine" |
The truck, a "cab-over-engine" released in September 2005, was designed in Volkswagen's Wolfsburg Design Studio at Volkswagen Group Headquarters, but engineered by Volkswagen Truck and Bus, in Brazil, South Africa, and mainland Europe - on a rigorous 7 million kilometre test phase over a four-year period.[2]
In 2006, Renato Martins won the Brazilian Fórmula Truck Championship in the Constellation's first season racing.
Variants
The cab is available in daycab and sleeper cab configurations.
It is available in the following internal combustion engine / payload configurations: 13.180 and 15.180 with 180 hp (134 kW; 182 PS) MWM International Motores; 17.250, 24.250 6x2 and 19.320 Titan with 250 hp (186 kW; 253 PS)[1] or 320 hp (239 kW; 324 PS) Cummins diesel engines.[1] A further three models were subsequently launched in 2007; a 19.370, 25.370, and 31.370, with a Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus engineered and MWM produced 370 hp (276 kW; 375 PS) Volkswagen NGD 370 diesel engine.[1]
Powertrain
VW NGD 370 engine
The Volkswagen Group NGD 370 turbodiesel engine premiers new attributes for the heavy trucks sector. The high "flat" torque at low engine speeds is improved by a variable geometry turbo-compressor: the Multi Turbo System - MTS. Its cylinder head features four valves per cylinder, displaces 9,354 cubic centimetres (570.8 cu in) (9.4 litres), and generates 367 horsepower (274 kW; 372 PS) at 2,000 rpm. It also comes with the Dual Power Brake – DPB.[1]
It features an exclusive high pressure direct fuel injection similar to the Pumpe Düse (PD) system found in Volkswagen's car engines, the Hydraulic Electronic Unit Injector - HEUI – with electro-hydraulic digital unit injectors and extended durability, developed by the partner company Siemens/VDO. An important advantage is the removable wet cylinder liners which will assist with easier maintenance and lower costs.[1]
Its Multi Turbo System (MTS) turbine with variable vane geometry, is electronically controlled. This helps achieve faster responses, better performance, and better thermal efficiency. This also works as part of the engine brake retarder in the exhaust system. The water-cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, coupled with the cylinder block, reutilises part of the exhaust gasses, producing combustion at lower temperatures with less discharge rates.[1]
It includes a new engine brake system, the Dual Power Brake (DPB) fed into the cylinder head, is electronically integrated into the turbocharger. It is claimed that the advantages are: increasing the operational average speed, the brake force, safety, retaking with fuel reduction, and speed on downward slopes. This means less gear shifts, lower maintenance costs, and helps improve the service life of the brakes and tyres.
Transmission
Clutches on all variants are the hydraulically operated with pneumatic assistance single-plate diaphragm type.[3] All are supplied by ZF Sachs, and range in diameter from 362 millimetres (14.3 in)[3] to 430 millimetres (16.9 in). The engine output is routed through a variety of transmissions. One option is the ZF 16S 1685 TD 16-speed manual synchromesh transmission. This latest ZF box is 80 kilograms (176 lb) lighter than existing models, due to its all-aluminium alloy casings. It has a torque handling capacity of 1,800 newton-metres (1,328 lbf⋅ft).
The 6x2 variants use a Meritor MS 23-185 tractive rear axle, and this has a maximum capacity of 60 tons. It includes a series differential locking system when used on the VW 25.370 tractor unit.
The 6x2 variants also have the facility for partial or total lifting of the third axle, which helps achieve better traction, particularly on slopes. This Extra Traction Device (ETD) ensures part of the third axle load, during partial lifting, is transferred to the tractive axle.
6x4 variants utilise Meritor MD/MR 25-168 tractive rear axles, and are located via Randon S.A. rear suspension (bogie type rigid shafts in tandem).[1]
Specifications
| Rigids / Freight Carriers / Tippers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| model | engine make / configuration / engine displacement | max. motive power @ rpm | max. torque @ rpm | clutch make, dia (mm) | transmission make / type / speed | rear axle, ratios | wheelbase | GVM (kg) technical capacity | GCM (kg) technical capacity |
| 13.180 (4x2) | MWM 4.12 TCE I4 CR turbo intercooler 4,748 cubic centimetres (289.7 cu in) | 132 kW (179 PS; 177 bhp) @ 2,200 | 600 N⋅m (443 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,550-2,000 | ZF Sachs 362 | Eaton FS 4205 A manual synchromesh 5-speed | Meritor RS 23-230 4.88:1 / 6.80:1 | 4,800 mm (189.0 in) 5,207 mm (205.0 in) | 13,200 | 23,000 |
| 15.180 (4x2) | MWM 4.12 TCE I4 CR turbo intercooler 4,748 cubic centimetres (289.7 cu in) | 132 kW (179 PS; 177 bhp) @ 2,200 | 600 N⋅m (443 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,550-2,000 | ZF Sachs 362 | Eaton FS 4205 A manual synchromesh 5-speed | Meritor RS 23-230 4.88:1 / 6.80:1 | 4,800 mm (189.0 in) 5,207 mm (205.0 in) | 15,400 | 23,000 |
| 17.250 (4x2) | Cummins ISBe I6 CR turbo intercooler 5,880 cubic centimetres (358.8 cu in) | 184 kW (250 PS; 247 bhp) @ 2,500 | 950 N⋅m (701 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,200-1,700 | ZF Sachs 395 | Eaton FS 6306 B manual synchromesh 6-speed | Meritor RS 24-240 4.10:1 / 5.59:1 | 4,800 mm (189.0 in) 5,207 mm (205.0 in) | 17,100 | 27,000 |
| 24.250 (6x2) | Cummins ISBe I6 CR turbo intercooler 5,880 cubic centimetres (358.8 cu in) | 184 kW (250 PS; 247 bhp) @ 2,500 | 950 N⋅m (701 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,200-1,700 | ZF Sachs 395 | Eaton FS 6306 B manual synchromesh 6-speed | Meritor RS 24-240 4.10:1 / 5.59:1 | 6,024 mm (237.2 in) 6,431 mm (253.2 in) | 24,100 | 27,000 |
| 26.260 (6x4) | MWM 6.12 TCAE 7.2 litres (439.4 cu in) | 194 kW (264 PS; 260 bhp) @ 2,300 | 900 N⋅m (664 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,300-1,900 | ZF Sachs ?? | Eaton RT 7608 LL manual synchromesh 10-speed | 26,200 | 35,000 | ||
| 31.320 (6x4) | Cummins ISCe I6 CR turbo intercooler 8.3 litres (506.5 cu in) | 235 kW (320 PS; 315 bhp) @ 2,300 | 1,288 N⋅m (950 lbf⋅ft) at 1,100-1,600 | ZF Sachs ? | ZF 16S ?? manual synchromesh 16-speed | ?? | 63,000 | ||
| 31.370 (6x4) | VW NGD 370 9,354 cubic centimetres (570.8 cu in) | 270 kW (367 PS; 362 bhp) @ 2,000 | 1,800 N⋅m (1,328 lbf⋅ft) at 1,100-1,500 | ZF Sachs 430 | ZF 16S 1685 TD manual synchromesh 16-speed[1] | 30,000 | 57,000 | ||
| Tractor units | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| model | engine make / configuration / engine displacement | max. motive power @ rpm | max. torque @ rpm | clutch make, dia (mm) | transmission make / type / speed | rear axle, ratios | wheelbase | GVM (kg) technical capacity | GCM (kg) technical capacity |
| 19.320 (4x2) Titan | Cummins ISCe I6 CR turbo intercooler 8,270 cubic centimetres (504.7 cu in) | 235 kW (320 PS; 315 bhp) @ 2,000 | 1,288 N⋅m (950 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,300-1,600 | ZF Sachs 430 | ZF 16S 221 OD manual synchromesh 16-speed | Meritor RS 23-165 3.73:1 | 3,560 mm (140.2 in) | 17,100 | 35,000 |
| 19.370 (4x2) | VW NGD 370 9,354 cubic centimetres (570.8 cu in) | 270 kW (367 PS; 362 bhp) @ 2,000 | 1,800 N⋅m (1,328 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,100-1,500 | ZF Sachs 430 | ZF 16S 1685 TD manual synchromesh 16-speed[1] | 16,800 | 48,000 | ||
| 25.370 (6x2) | VW NGD 370 9,354 cubic centimetres (570.8 cu in) | 270 kW (367 PS; 362 bhp) @ 2,000 | 1,800 N⋅m (1,328 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,100-1,500 | ZF Sachs 430 | ZF 16S 1685 TD manual synchromesh 16-speed[1] | 24,100 | 57,000 | ||
| 31.370 (6x4) | VW NGD 370 9,354 cubic centimetres (570.8 cu in) | 270 kW (367 PS; 362 bhp) @ 2,000 | 1,800 N⋅m (1,328 lbf⋅ft) @ 1,100-1,500 | ZF Sachs 430 | ZF 16S 1685 TD manual synchromesh 16-speed[1] | 30,000 | 57,000 | ||
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Volkswagen Trucks and Buses presents the Constellation 370 line". VWTBpress.com.br. MAN Latin America. 2007-08-07. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
- ^ . VWcommercial.co.za. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
- ^ a b c . VWcommercial.co.za. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
- ^ . FleetWatch.co.za. FleetWatch On-Line. 2007. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
External links
- Volkswagen Constellation International portal