Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
This week sees me celebrating four years with GulfWeekly and, after hundreds of events and motoring launches, very little surprises me anymore. However, Mercedes-Benz managed to do just that after a fascinating day of activities in the metropolis of Dubai.
It culminated in me watching the marque’s new Actros and Arocs trucks being launched on a barge in the middle of the Arabian Gulf, bedecked with a stunning light and laser show display with the emirate’s new iconic Ain Dubai Ferris Wheel providing the backdrop.
I had a few ideas of what might be in store when I took this job, but standing on a boat in early March whilst a DJ played music and waiters brought me endless streams of food while I watched the show was not one of them. This truly was one of the most memorable moments of my career to date.
However, I’m getting ahead of myself. Journalistic rule number one: never start a story at the end!
Joined by Al Haddad Motors’ marketing manager Imran Ali and fellow journalist Hussain Al Marzooq, amongst other assembled media and corporate representatives, our first port of call was the Dubai Autodrome where the trucks were waiting on the start/finish line.
The Actros is an impressive vehicle, made for long-distance work as well as heavy-duty distribution haulage. It is available with up to 22 different cab variants and comes in steel or air-suspended versions. For tough operations, it features a heavy-duty 15.6l engine and the 16-speed Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated gearbox.
What’s even more impressive is the safety features, particularly the Active Brake Assist 4: a radar-based emergency braking system that initiates maximum full-stop braking ahead of moving and stationary obstacles.
It was this feature put to the test in front of us, as first the Actros followed behind a lead car which suddenly braked, in turn meaning the truck did without any driver input.
Best of all was the pedestrian sensor; some poor soul whose job it was to walk out in front of a truck going 80kmph while chatting on his mobile phone repeatedly, did just that whilst presumably engaging in frantic conversation with his life insurance provider. Fortunately it works impressively so no claim from the wife was needed.
Sitting in the truck’s passenger seat alongside a German long distance driver of more than 30 years’ experience was cool, but it was nothing compared to being taken to the other side of the circuit and actually driving the trucks myself!
I got the chance to drive both a bin wagon and a cement mixer around a portion of the track, and it was undoubtedly the most fun I’ve ever had during a test driving experience.
The huge difference between one of these monsters and a normal saloon car is palpable, obviously, but it surprised me just how comfortable and seamless these hulking chunks of metal were, not to mention how much pure fun I had turning the giant steering wheel around a chicane. Of all the activities I did, this was the one I wish I had more time with.
After a quick lunch, we were taken to the desert where it was the turn of the Arocs to showcase their stuff over a series of obstacles, such as deep trenches and sand dunes.
These trucks share many similarities with the Actros, but are designed to be more robust. They are more for use on construction sites or away from surfaced roads, and this was no more apparent than when they were put through their paces.
What really staggered me was how still the frame remained whilst it was leaning in every direction, which protects the cargo being carried, but can still easily overcome challenges thanks to an incredible axle twist.
The sweltering heat in the desert, plus a quick blast around the sand dunes in a 4x4, meant that we were afforded some time to freshen up before the evening’s festivities. It had already been a phenomenal day, but nothing will top being out on the sea, a breeze in the air and watching two beautiful pieces of machinery revealed in medley of 3D lighting and pulsating music.
Bravo Mercedes, you’ve really pushed the boat out this time!
