[GTO]

Thanks to Moralfibre for sharing these pictures of the next-generation Ashok Leyland truck. The CV was caught at Hosur, Tamil Nadu (close to the Ashok Leyland factory).

This next-gen truck is Ashok Leyland's premium range and will go head on against the Tata Prima. It will be positioned for heavy duty transportation. As is the norm with the high end segment, expect a range of driver-comfort features as well.

The medium & heavy commercial vehicle segment is dominated by Tata Motors (over half of the market), followed by Ashok Leyland (market share of 26%). In the recent past however, the sector has been under a lot of pressure due to the overall economic environment. The current financial year has seen a sales loss of 22%. Manufacturers & dealers alike are sitting on a huge pile of inventory.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Commercial Vehicles Section!

[silversteed]

I do see Merritor rear axles, an AL-ish front wheel hub (which, IMO also resembles that in Bharat Benz), and indicators that look similar to those in DOST.

Originally Posted by GTO

This next-gen truck is Ashok Leyland's premium range and will go head on against the Tata Prima. It will be positioned for heavy duty transportation. As is the norm with the high end segment, expect a range of driver-comfort features as well.

Source of this piece of info?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Source of this piece of info?

Reliable insider information, as is usually the case with most scoops & rumours.

Thanks!

[nbr]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I do see Merritor rear axles, an AL-ish front wheel hub (which, IMO also resembles that in Bharat Benz), and indicators that look similar to those in DOST.



Source of this piece of info?

Hope the indicators will soon be a family face of all Ashok Leyland Trucks and Buses , since its looks nice and distinct

[Power House]

Yes it is an AL product and we call it NGC, abbreviation for New Generation Cab. Just like the Avia D120, this one also has been in the pipeline for a long time. Just like GTO said, it will be positioned against the Tata Prima. The 49 tonner will come with 360hp Neptune engine.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Power House

Yes it is an AL product and we call it NGC, abbreviation for New Generation Cab.

The NGC has been around for quite a while, if my memory serves me right. The NGC offers better driver ergonomics and aesthetics, just like the cabs on Tata EX series of trucks. I'm referring to the cabs that came just before the launch of the U-trucks. Maybe the name of the new cab is something else.

Originally Posted by Power House

...it will be positioned against the Tata Prima. The 49 tonner will come with 360hp Neptune engine.

Good to know that the Prima is getting a contender from our nation. I hope this AL product is developed indigenously rather than assembling everything designed by proven manufacturers as is the case with Prima. With 360hp output, this truck would be more powerful than the Prima's 49 tonners.

Hope this engine finds its way to AL buses as well.

[Power House]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I'm referring to the cabs that came just before the launch of the U-trucks. Maybe the name of the new cab is something else.

The U-truck cabs are called G-91 and the NGC refers to the cabs for Ashok Leyland's next generation trucks (like the 1 in the picture) which are still under development. I dont think any cabs were earlier released by AL as NGC.

[Power House]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I'm referring to the cabs that came just before the launch of the U-trucks. Maybe the name of the new cab is something else.

Okay now i get you. Was going through some other threads and saw the AL 4026 with J engine and newgen cab. Well, i dont have an answer for that. Maybe this is new New gen cab.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Power House

Okay now i get you. Was going through some other threads and saw the AL 4026 with J engine and newgen cab. Well, i dont have an answer for that. Maybe this is new New gen cab.

Was there a 4026? I remember seeing a 3135 tipper with the J-series engine (with the exhaust pipe pointing up, behind the cab, unlike the conventional plumbing). Anyway, glad that you got what I'm saying

Will there be just the 360hp Neptune, or is it going to be scaled up and down based on the application?

[Power House]

@ Silversteed. Dont know whether it would be scaled up or down as it is still in the development and testing stage. But it could be fine-tuned i guess. Dont know whether you are aware of it or not, the Dost's 1.5 litre engine is capable of generating around 65hp, but it was scaled down to 55hp for mileage reasons when released and now if you refer the brochures, you can see that it has been raised to 58hp.

[julupani]

Any updates on this, or likely time of launch?? Or updates on the Neptune engine about which we have been hearing for years now???

Will the Neptune engine not be launched with the U-truck platform?? I remember some news reports about Neptune engine being introduced last year itself.

[silversteed]

Today's press release mentions about the launch of an N-truck, and also rolling out some select multi-axle vehicles with Neptune engines towards the end of this financial year.

Source: http://www.ashokleyland.com/press-releases-list

[directinjection]

In 2003, AL had signed a fresh agreement with Hino to license-manufacture the 8 litre J series engines. At that time Hino had said that it would be the first time that J series engines would be made outside of Japan. Then in 2007, Hino decided to enter Indian CV market on its own. So what happened to the J series manufacture by AL?

Can AL experts throw some light on this?

Is it possible that the Neptune engine is nothing but the name given by AL to "J" series engine (although the AL guys at Auto Expo had claimed to me that the engine was indigenous). May be, to save on trademark royalty cost, AL deliberately does not call it "Hino" or "J Series" just like Tata does not use the designation OM 352 to describe its 697 engine whose license rights were obtained from Daimler Benz after the expiry of its "regular" collaboration.

Some relevant news items:

http://www.ashokleyland.com/sites/de.../22003news.pdf

http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/b...2951040200.htm

[julupani]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Today's press release mentions about the launch of an N-truck, and also rolling out some select multi-axle vehicles with Neptune engines towards the end of this financial year.

Source: http://www.ashokleyland.com/press-releases-list

Thanks for that.

But somehow I remain sceptical about any launches of either the Neptune Engine or the N-truck as they are calling it. Like I said they have beentalking about launching the Neptune engine equipped products for quite a few years now. The statement of the executive is also not very clear on timelines. Its seems more like a general statement regarding future products. And the Neptune engine has been featuring in such statements a lot, but hasnt made it beyond that point.

Originally Posted by directinjection

Is it possible that the Neptune engine is nothing but the name given by AL to "J" series engine.

If that is the case, why so much delay in launching these engines?? I think I had heard about the Neptune engine from Leyland before I had heard about Tata World Trucks. The World Truck got launched as the Prima, and has made a decent name for itself as a high quality truck, but there is still no sign of the Neptune engines.

I hope to see Neptune engines soon enough, or ALL is likely to be left behind in a few years time. With Tata Cummins already making the 8.9L ISLe and looking to make the 11L ISMe engines in India, Leyland will have to start making equivalent engines soon to remain competitive in the next decade. With close to 50,000km of 4-lane roads likely to be ready within a few years time, India is sure to see a lot more high hp engines and high comfort cabs to help speed up truck transport.