Volkswagen Constellation
The Volkswagen Constellation is a truck of brand Volkswagen Trucks and Buses MAN, produced since late 2005, mainly for the South American market. The smaller truck tractor manufactured already since 2002 in the same factory as VW titanium.
Development
German and Brazilian engineers were involved in developing the new generation of commercial vehicles by the then Brazilian subsidiary of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Volkswagen Trucks and Buses. The development time was four years and the development cost investment of approximately 400 million.
The first vehicles of the newly developed Constellationreihe, including heavy-duty trucks up to 45 tons, but for now just roll on the streets of Latin America and Africa. The launch to around 30 additional markets in the southern hemisphere is then planned. VW announced in a press release, be on the developing markets of the southern truck and bus global players want to. For these markets is thus now present a modern and tailored offer. For the year 2007, according to Volkswagen Trucks and Buses, a production target of 50,000 units was targeted.
Description
Due to the selection of materials, welding and painting the manufacturer grants a six-year anti-perforation warranty for the cab of the Constellation.
Treads of the front to facilitate the operator to clean the windshield. Smaller service work, such as replenishing engine oil, controlling the clutch fluid, changing the air filter and filling up the washer fluid container can be carried out through the open " hood ". A manually operated hydraulic device sets the cabin to 58 degrees.
In developing the Constellation trucks virtual and real crash tests have been made both in Germany as well as in Brazil. The cabin is designed to receive a maximum of the energy of deformation to be compensated for. This feature already exists in the current cab of the tractor and will also feature in the Delivery and Worker models.
To tilt the cab of the shift lever must be disengaged, tightened the brakes, the doors closed and the front grille to be opened. If you try to tilt the cab with the doors open, you will hear an acoustic signal. In order to perform tests during periodic maintenance, the starter is equipped with a remote controlled engine start system. This works only if no gear is engaged and the parking brake is applied.
MAN Latin America is in Brazil with a market share of 30.7 per cent market leader in heavy trucks, and with a market share of 27.4 percent of the leading manufacturers in the city and buses segment.
The company is the largest truck producer in Brazil and leads the market for trucks with a gross vehicle weight of more than five tons. The vehicles are sold in over 30 countries in South America, Africa and the Middle East.
Versions in Europe
According to Volkswagen Constellation is not approvable in its current form produced in South America in the EU. However, the press of the Constellation vehicles are certainly in Europe have qualified for admission or have been specially modified.
Motorsport
Occasionally in Europe occurs on the Constellation as the pace car in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
In Brazil VW took with a factory used VW Constellation part in the Formula Truck and won in 2006 and 2007 the championship.
In the season of 2004 and 2005, VW went to in Germany in truck races to the FIA Super Race Truck Series. Here, however, the VW worker was used as the basis of race trucks. In both years, VW won the league title with the drivers Markus Oestreich and Ralf Müller pressure. Partner of the Wolfsburg manufacturer was the German Post World Net Truck team.
2006 was piloted by Markus Oestreich racing version with a more than 1,600 -hp 12 -liter twin turbo diesel in the international mountain race Arosa ClassicCar guest. Due to its large turning circle of the truck in the two closest hairpin bends had just reset each.
Drive
The chassis of the Constellation consists of the following components: axles from Meritor brakes with standard air dryer and optional Consep separator ( oil separator ), electronic Cummins Interact or ISC engines with modified coolers in copper and tin, radiator propeller with electromagnetic fixation (less noise) and a system with cylindrical dampers.
After all Constellation initially were equipped with engines from Cummins, the models VW Constellation 13.190, 17.190 and 17.280 were converted to a MAN D08 engine. The larger engines above 17,330 will continue to be powered by a Cummins ISL.
The electronic management of these engines allows the use of a VCO -950 diagnostic tools and the installation of new components, such as the Volksnet, a tracking and real-time information system for vehicle localization. The management also allows you to record data on driver performance and warns of possible malfeasance.
The Constellation has a straight six- cylinder engine with 8.3 liters, which develops 235 kW (320 hp) and a torque of 1288 Nm. The transmission of ZF do Brasil has 16 gears.
New Specification of the VW Constellation:
- Six-cylinder, turbo, front along
- Displacement 9354 cc
- Power 273 kW/367 hp at 2000 / min
- Max. Torque 1600 Nm at 1100 rpm
- Rear-wheel drive
- Sixteen -speed transmission
- Tank 620 l
- Top 130 km / h
- Curb weight 8850 kg
- 0-80 km / h in 21.32 s
- Braking distance 80-0 km / h 41.9 m
- Consumption about 35 liters of diesel per 100 km
- 928 CO2 g / km
- Price from circa 130,000 euros