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The layout is same. Just the the pic on the website has a black panels on a beige colour dash. While the actual truck has a grey-on-grey dash.

The pic is taken in Hyderabad, Andhra. If you guys remember a while ago I reported seeing a Yellow version of this in the night with a lower side body for the tipper though. I even have a picture of it up but it's blurry.

AFAIK all these are custom fabricated. I think the regular 12 Wheeler bare bones version is bought and this is built. This also belongs to the LPT 3118C tipper (photo in previous pages) owner. They do a lot of heavy hauling(boulders)hence the full side bodied tipper and extra axles.

@Ashley, no it's not in a mine. Like I said in AP mines you'll only see ACTROS, Volvos, and AMWS, Scanias, or Primas.

This is the FES version of the U-3123.
The aggregates( synchronised service interval upto 40K) are common between them and this one seems to be one of the the first batch given to customer.

So this has no tipper body or tipping mechanism, no cab, only a PTO in the gearbox??

Do a considerable number of customers want this?? Would it not be better for the customer to just buy a fully built U-3123 tipper???

Cab built by approved body builders like Praba, Kailash and tipper is built by Kailash,Hyva (though not sure of the exact source of this vehicle) and sold as fully built only.This model is not with the New Gen cab but with other aggregates sharing with its U - sibling as told earlier.

Thats purely a customer's choice.
AL is serving both the end of customers.

Ok, so this is just a standard U-3123 tipper, but without the New gen-cab.

It may make economic sense, but I dont think ALL should do this. I think this dilutes the U-truck brand. When ALL said they intended to move to the U-truck platform completely, I was very happy, but if they are going to dilute it like this, I dont think its good.

AL was right.
The platform mainly include the rugged, heavy duty axles with bigger brake drum , joggled frame,higher rated engines, 2 years/5000 hrs driveline warrenty and most importantly the synchronised service interval of 40K kms. This is carried forward to this model also. The only thing missing will be the cab.
So you need not forgo your happiness as AL has kept its words!

Well, I consider the whole package as the whole. You cant lob off any parts of the package, especially one as important as the cab. The rest is just standard improvements that any manufacturer will try to bring to any of its trucks. When you move forward to a whole new level, I think you should not compromise, in any way at all.

Today, they are giving a U-truck without the new gen-cab. Tomorrow, they will provide a 31tonner with a 180hp engine.

In the long run, it dilutes the brand of the U-truck as a modern ready for the future truck. I was hoping that the U-truck platform will be built upon, and serve as a template for the Leylands of the next decade. Instead of building upon the template and adding even more and better features to it, they are eroding it.

I had thought that in the next 2-3years, the U-truck will grow to something more like the Tata Prima, but instead they seem to be moving backwards.

AL is trying to address the lower end of products with high rated aggregates.
IMO this is always better as this pulls the entire range of products to a next level and improves the brand value. Now the M&HCV range from AL starts from 160 HP even for a 16 Tonner.
Here TM is as usual taking two different strategy - launching Prima in one end and still having 130 HP for a multi axle haulage (LPT 2513), when entire heavy commercial vehicles are migrated to 24V electrical system TM is offering 12V option in LPT 1616.
The standard improvements which are spoken is not being happening across the models and are limited.
And at any point the core values of U truck are not diluted but are rather being addressed to different group of customers.
And with respect to Prima the production figures of 25 to 30 for the tractor versions seems to be picking slow but in a steady manner.

I am not saying that one should ignore the lower end customers. But my point is to offer them a improved product from your existing low end product portfolio. And not degrade your high end products to suit the needs of the low end customer. This will, in my opinion, devalue the high end trucks.

Even if Tata Motors, has gone in for a much more high end product in the Prima and are not selling it in very large numbers. At least they are not diluting the Prima truck range.
While continuing to offer the best products they can in the low end segment. They do still have a 2513, and a 2518 too.

In my view, tamper all you want with your legacy truck range, to cater to the lowest and most stingy kind of customer you can find, but dont do it for your high end trucks.

If it continues like this, in 2-3 years time, when the high end customers will want to look beyond U-truck, they will have nothing from the U-truck stables. The U-truck will become just another Leyland. While for the Tata Prima, in 2-3years time, they will say "it didnt make sense earlier, but it does so now". Which is why its important not to dilute these high-end products of today.

Xtra Powar?? Is it sharath or Rajesh? Also did you notice any difference in this guy braking? Seems to be having ABS system lol:

I dont understand where the high end products are degraded.
AL continue to offer products in the both the end of spectrum and it seems that you are not understanding the strategy!
.

Knowing the TM for decades its sure that they are in the kind of strategy you are speaking - mix up the product portfolios - Star buses and Marcopolo's are itself a great mix up. Every option is available in both the models - Tarmac coaches, RE, FE SLF's. No body knows clearly how these products are categorised.
And expect soon a lower version from Prima as they are looking at volumes and not just /25 to 30 per month.

Here its not done.
U truck continues to be the higher end product without any dilution and there are slew of next models in line up.
I can also quote examples from Volvo - A Similar option product with ABS, ESP, retarders, i shift(up to 12 speed automatics) is available as Fully built Coach as well as a Chassis. Does this mean that they are diluting their higher end products?
So what AL is doing is nothing new and only our understanding should be clear.By offering such products, it actually improves the overall product portfolio to next level rather than just offering primitive products to lwer end customers.

He was driving at as usualclap: 40 Km so there was no much need of ABS

I think this clears up what I mean by diluting the brand of the U-truck. This is what I dont want happening. What I want to see is the U-truck available only with the Neptune series engine.

As for ACGL and MarcoPolos, they are just different body options available for the buses. In bus market, in Europe where Volvo offers chassis, the kind of body manufacturers that exist are way beyond the standard body manufacturers in India. Look at where Tata Hispano is and where even big players like Sutlej and Azad are in India. Thus you dont see Volvo or Merc offering you a chassis only bus for full-customisation in India. Because that would not help in maitaining their brand image.

As for seeing a low end Prima, my experience with Tata Motors says, they are not looking to sell a thousand Primas a month. They are well aware that the Prima is a low volume product. And I can tell you, the demand for Prima is as of now high enough for them. Remember Tata are not looking to replace their legacy range with the Prima range in the next decade even, unlike ALL who said they will move to U-trucks in 2-3years. The kind of new Primas you can expect to see now are the 25 and 31ton rigids, both again with the 280hp engines, probably within this year. And then high hp FPT Cursor-10/Cummins ISM engines on the tractors, in the range of 400hp.

I think directinjection was right in his part in his other thread.

The European workhorses of Madhya Pradesh's Mines: