In the latter years of the 20th century, truck manufacturer MAN offered a hulk of an engine in their straight-faced F90 and subsequent F2000 series. I mean, stuffing a twin-turbo and intercooled, 18.3 liter V10 diesel underneath the dog house of a 4×2 on-highway tractor wasn’t exactly ‘business as usual’ in the trucking world.
Starting with an F90 19.462 from the late eighties, housing a specimen of the original, 460 DIN-hp beast. The classic tractor, present at the May 2024 MAN-Büssing gathering in the east of the Netherlands, is registered in Belgium.
At the end of 1990, the V10 engine was upgraded to 500 DIN-hp, the 19.502 model designation says it all. Do a Wessels Vriezenveen image search and plentiful MANs will show up.
And in 1994, the F90 evolved into the F2000, easily recognizable by the smooth bumper and headlamp units. Two years later, MAN unveiled the F2000 with the 600 DIN-hp V10. An owner from Landkreis Gießen (GI on the plate) in Germany showcased a mighty fine, all-silver F2000 19.603 at the event.
If you wanted to fly over the Alps with the usual tri-axle semi-trailer, then this was the tractor to have. Power-wise, it had no equal.
Something is telling me that Roordink’s 1996 F2000 19.603 hasn’t (fully) retired yet.
Still untamed, seemingly. Given the planetary drive axles, this 1997 F2000 26.603 6×4 tractor must have worked in the heavy-haulage business.
See? I’d say it’s the very same MAN with a green trader’s plate on its bumper. (courtesy of H.J. Boerkamp Trailers & Trucks)
Now to the current state of affairs. These days, the MAN TGX 18.640 is the truck maker’s most potent 4×2 tractor, powered by a 15.2 liter inline-six, known as the MAN D3876. Downsized engine, upsized cab. And with two wipers, instead of three.
Of course, an owner-operator can go all the way, as this 2024 dealership special proves. It’s a 640 DIN-hp alternative to those other powerhouse members of the Traton family.
Related article, full MAN F90-F2000 V10 story (video included):
Truck History: The MAN 18.3 Liter V10 – The Last On-Highway Turbodiesel Behemoth in Europe
It’s almost an irony of history that the two gems of European truck manufacturing – MAN and Scania – both are now part of the KdF-Wagen Group. A company that has never managed to produce a decent truck on its own.
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus. Though their Meteor is a Big MAN, loud and clear.
The other way around, MAN and Scania never managed to produce a decent car.
The Volkswagen Group -specialized in making cars and light commercial vehicles since day one- simply acquired two premium and highly experienced manufacturers of heavy vehicles. Seems perfectly fine to me.
Mercedes went one crazier, but not for seriuos road use, I forget the model but at the height of truck racing in the late 80s they made a few 4×2 tractors with a V10 engine set back in the chassis to make the trucks semi mid engine, which made for a great race truck but a useless haulage truck.
…’more than 1,000 (DIN) hp’…
https://www.eurotransport.de/fahrzeuge/oldtimer/zehn-zylinder-und-satte-18-liter/
Thank you for finding that
I suddenly remembered this one, another useless 4×2 haulage tractor. A 2,000 hp MAN F90/F2000 V10 for the truck pulling competition, I shot it two years ago at an event nearby.
Keep on posting photos of all these European cabovers. I miss the COE’s. 😢
Oh, I will. See, there’s no other choice, that’s all we have here, when talking modern-era trucks and tractors (apart from a handful of Scania and Volvo cabovers converted into conventials)
Reminds me of the large displacement V-10 and V-12 Isuzu Gigas that were just as much a legend in Asia.
Great pieces of iron! I always appreciate your photos and explanations.
Thanks Tom, the 2025 show season is about to begin (though I still have plenty of 2024 photos).
Somewhere around 1988 I got to drive a MAN Commander for a while when my own truck (a DAF 2800) was being repared for damage. We did nightly runs from Rotterdam to Paris with fresh fruit, and that MAN was a beast. Having the right gearings and axle ratio, it could do 160 km/ph. Great fun, amd of course totally irresponsible. Butbdamn, what a truck.
Always zen in a V10.