Over Rough And Smooth: Man Is Extending Its All Wheel Drive Range For The Tge To Up To 5.5 Tones Gross Vehicle Weight

Impressive payload: the MAN TGE 6.180 with single cab and short wheel-base can carry around 3,370 kilograms despite additional all-wheel drive.

As a supplement to the existing TGE all-wheel-drive range, MAN Truck & Bus is introducing a new version with gross weights of 5.0 and 5.5 tones. MAN is working with the Austrian specialist Oberaigner for all-wheel-drive conversions of the vehicles that can be ordered directly from the factory.

• Permanent all-wheel drive with load-dependent power distribution
• Optimum off-road mobility with high payload
• Wide range of applications, including fire brigades, local authorities and caravanning

With the new TGE variants, which can be ordered now, MAN offers individually configurable all-wheel-drive vehicles in the range from 3.0 to 5.5 tones gross vehicle weight. The existing range of light all-wheel-drive vehicles as chassis, panel van or minibus is now being supplemented by 5.0 to 5.5 ton trucks, which MAN has developed together with the Austrian specialist Oberaigner. Typical areas of application include fire-fighting and emergency vehicles, municipal transporters, vehicles for the construction industry or even off-road motorhomes and minibuses with high payload requirements.

The common feature of the new 5.0 to 5.5-ton trucks is a permanent all-wheel drive system with single-stage front-axle drive and three-shaft transfer case with load-dependent power distribution between the axles (Torsen differential). If traction should decrease on one axle, more torque is automatically transferred to the other axle without delay.

In fire-fighting operations: the 5.0-ton MAN TGE 5.180 is now also success-ful off the beaten track thanks to its new all-wheel drive. (Copyright: Oberaigner)

The basis for the conversions is formed by standard TGE panel vans or TGE chassis with rear-wheel drive, 4.7-to-1 rear axle ratio, twin tires and the most powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine with 130 kW (177 PS) and 410 Nm torque. The options available include a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission and a wheelbase of 3,640 or 4,490 millimetres. In addition to that the TGE panel vans can be equipped with super single tyres as an option.

A level increase is not necessary for the all-wheel drive conversion, so the entry height remains unchanged - a clear advantage when used as an ambulance or minibus, for example. Raising the vehicle level by 30 millimetres to increase the ground clearance is, nevertheless, possible as an option.

The payload is also almost completely unaffected, as the additional weight of the all-wheel drive system is only around 130 kilograms. For example, a 177 hp 5.5-ton TGE with single cab and short wheelbase has an impressive payload of around 3,370 kilograms despite all-wheel drive.

With the extended 4x4 range MAN Truck & Bus now offers its customers even more choice to configure the right vehicle for their application. The previous all-wheel drive range in the van segment ended with a 4,0-ton traction power. Here, the smart four-wheel drive is still used, which reacts automatically within 0.084 seconds in the event of a loss of traction and turns a front-wheel drive road vehicle into a four-wheel drive vehicle.