Not everyone wants or needs the biggest truck in a manufacturer’s lineup. Indeed, sometimes it’s wiser to look at something a little more economical and budget-friendly in the stable.
Volvo has myriad models in its lineup, and due to the local manufacturing, most can be tweaked to meet an operator’s particular specifications.
Sitting just below the big FH range is the FM, a very versatile truck that can be had in either prime-mover or rigid forms with axle configurations of 4×2 or 6×4 in prime mover form, or 4×2, 6×4 or 8×4 in a rigid truck.
The FM range can be powered by either the Volvo D11 or D13 engines with a horsepower range from 380 to 460hp for the 11-litre or 460 to 500hp for the 13-litre engine. Torque is very impressive, ranging from 1800Nm for the 380hp engine right up to 2500Nm for the 13-litre 500hp version.
There is also an electric version on offer from Volvo which is rated at 666hp and 2400Nm of torque, but that’s a story on its own.
The truck we’ll focus on in this feature and the one that we spent some quality time with in and around Brisbane, is a 6×4 prime mover with a Day Cab, 11-litre Euro 6 engine rated at 460hp and 12-speed I-Shift transmission. The truck was hauling a single, loaded tri-axle trailer with a GCM of just under 40 tonnes.
Why Volvo FM
In prime-mover form, the versatile Volvo FM can be rated to 60 tonnes with the 11-litre engine or as much as 90 tonnes with the 13-litre engine. That’s good enough for B-double work.
Also, it’s agile and manageable around town. The cab is low, with just two steps up to the driver’s perch – great for getting in and out multiple times a day.
However, just because it’s a bit smaller and lower than its big brother, the FH, it doesn’t scrimp on features or comfort for the driver. As I parked myself in the plush Volvo suspension seat, I found the layout instantly recognisable. The big wrap-around dash with its sensible layout was pretty much how I remembered the last FH I drove.
You’ve got all the driver-support and safety systems on the left, the HVAC pretty much in front and the big digital gauges are concise and easy to see. Our test truck was fitted with the Camera Monitoring System which replaces mirrors with cameras and screens on the A-pillars.
Personally, I like this system for single-trailer setups. It’s very easy to get used to and provides excellent vision day or night and even in the rain. It increases peripheral vision because you don’t have big mirrors on the outside, and you don’t have to look as far to the right or left to get a good view of what’s behind.
And speaking of vision, the view from the driver’s seat is fantastic. The big, deep windscreen offers a great view ahead and the low-slung stance of the FM makes it easy to manoeuvre in the city.
The view from the driver’s seat is fantastic.
Cab options
As stated, our test truck was a Day Cab which is great cab for around town or limited country work, but Volvo offers a wide range of cabs for the FM including a sleeper cab which would be great for those overnight intrastate trips, or even the big Globetrotter cab that turns the FM into a true linehaul truck.
The Globetrotter cab offers masses of storage, accommodation for up to two people and full-height standing room on the flat floor.
Interestingly, even with the Globetrotter Cab, the FM still has that low-slung stance with the two-step entry and exit.
On the road
We picked up our test truck at Volvo’s big facility at Wacol on the outskirts or Brisbane with the intention of spending a day with the truck doing what a truck of this spec would do on a typical day. A trip down to the docks, a rumble through the city, a bit of motorway work and then back to base.
At 40 tonnes, this 460hp 11-litre is in its element. It really feels like a bigger engine. The 2200Nm of torque hauls the load easily and the 12-speed I-Shift transmission is smooth and unfussed.
The FM has a three-position engine brake on the right-hand side of the steering column and it has a button on the end that, when pushed gives maximum braking with downshifts. Driven sedately using this, the driver barely needs to use the service brakes. It’s a great system that saves on brakes for both your prime mover and your trailers.
Our Volvo FM was fitted with the company’s new Volvo Dynamic Steering (VDS) which is an electrically-operated system that provides extra steering boost to the hydraulic system. It makes the steering easier and more precise leading to fewer driver inputs. Basically, it makes the truck easier to handle and more direct to drive.
The trucks also had Pilot Assist which is enabled by the VDS. It uses the truck’s camera to read lane markings and provides drivers with continuous active steering support to keep course and stay in its lane. This results in more proactive support, designed for a safer and more relaxed drive.
The system isn’t fully-autonomous and requires the driver to keep hands on the steering wheel, but it certainly adds to the safety and efficiency of the truck. It is enabled using the adaptive cruise control and is basically another step up in the cruise control menu.
The Volvo FM is just brimming with safety and driver assist programs and these include Lane Keeping Assist, Stability Assist, Intelligent Speed Assist, Downhill Cruise Control, Active Emergency Braking, Driver Alert Support, tyre pressure monitoring and more.
Add this to all the regular safety systems on all Volvo trucks and you really do have one of the safest trucks on the road.
But it’s also one of the easiest to drive. I had a ball driving the FM. It is so easy to get used to and very easy to place exactly where you want it on the road. And the big horsepower and torque make short work of the load.
On the hills, there is really no reason to switch from full auto in the transmission. I found that if I wanted a lower gear on a hill, it was simply a matter of pushing past the détente on the accelerator and it would almost instantly give me another cog.
Driver comfort is up with the best of the Euro trucks which are renowned for being driver focused. The seat is up there with the best in the business, and the steering column is multi-adjustable so you can get a comfortable driving position no matter what size you are.
Over the course of our day with the Volvo FM, we drove through city, suburban and port traffic with a bit of motorway thrown in.
Checking the telematics data at the end of the drive we clocked 2.41km/litre which, at 40 tonnes, isn’t too shabby.
If you are looking for a truck to slot into your fleet that can fill a number of rolls – from urban delivery to intra- or even interstate runs, the Volvo FM is well worth a test drive. You may be pleasantly surprised.
The truck was fitted with the Camera Monitoring System.
New Safety Zones speed limiting
Our Volvo FM 11 460 was fitted with Volvo’s new Safety Zones feature that can speed-limit trucks in specified areas.
For example, if you want to limit your trucks to 25km/h in your yard, you can specify that area and the truck will not exceed 25km/h in that zone.
Similarly, if you want to limit a truck to, say, 50km/h on a certain section of road, then you can specify that piece of road, set the limit, and even if the cruise control is on, the truck will not exceed 50km/h. In fact, the Safety Zone will override the cruise control and reset it to the requested speed.
The Safety Zone is programmed by the fleet manager using Volvo Connect and whole areas, like dock precincts, school zones and the like can be geofenced limiting the speed of the truck in that area.
If a driver knows of a certain dangerous curve or an area that has a safety risk or even a speed camera, that area can be pinpointed and speed limited.
When entering an area determined by Safety Zones, the driver receives information in the instrument cluster, the truck will not exceed the speed limity, then he or she is alerted when leaving the Safety Zone and the truck will resume normal operation.
Customised speed limits can be set between 20 to100km/h, and the manager can set up different zones for individual vehicles.
We tried this on a pre-set piece of road and it worked a treat, as we entered the zone, a warning came up on the screen and the truck slowed to the designated speed, the truck would then not exceed that speed.
The system can be overridden by the driver but if this is done, the events are presented in the Volvo Connect Map and in the Tracking Report with position and timestamps.
We reckon it’s a great idea that benefits drivers and businesses as well as the general public.
We understand that it comes free of charge if you have a Service Agreement with Volvo, or it costs a nominal monthly fee if you don’t.
The test truck was hauling a single, loaded tri-axle trailer.
Quick specs
Volvo FM 11 460
Engine: Volvo D11K six-cylinder, turbo-diesel
Power: 460hp at 1700-1800rpm
Torque: 2200Nm at 1050-1400rpm
Transmission: 12-speed I-Shift auto
Configuration: 6×4
Emissions: Euro 6
GCM: 60 tonnes
Cab: Day cab
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