Until a few years ago, the word truck, for Indians meant only two brands - Tata and Ashok Leyland. Children used to identify Tata trucks as the ones with a nose (the bonnet) and Leylands as those without it.
Though Premier and Hindustan trucks were also available in those days, at the mention of a truck, people used to visually imagine only a Tata or a Leyland. Even today, the situation is more or less the same, but for the fact that the impregnable wall around their market share has developed a few cracks owing to the invasion of foreign players.
Competition in the truck market has intensified in the recent past following the entry of international manufacturers such as MAN and Mercedes Benz from Germany, Sweden's Volvo, U.S-based International, Japan's Eicher and SML, apart from AMW, a product of European and Chinese technology.
These international truck makers first targeted the weak spot of the Indian manufactures. All Tata and Leyland trucks for years used to come only with a chassis and the buyers had to get the body, typically made of wood and metal, built from after-market builders. Benz and MAN trucks came with factory-fitted bodies and that proved to be a big threat for Tata and Leyland.
Though they took their own sweet time, the domestic manufacturers did indeed wake up to the foreign challenge. While Ashok Leyland procured technology from outside the country to keep in the race, Tata went a step ahead and bought out Daewoo's truck manufacturing unit. In short, the domestic players have now equipped themselves to fight any kind of competition.
When compared with international manufacturers, the domestic ones have a distinct edge in terms of cost. They are able to provide similar trucks at a cheaper price which are at the same time frugal in terms of periodic maintenance bills.
Leyland's U-Truck is such success story of 'Make In India'. It is an ideal example of the perfect blend of heritage, durability and technology.
U-Truck is in fact not a new face in the trucking circuits. It is the most modern version of India's largest selling truck and comes in two models, namely U -3718 and U-3118. The former, a 37-tonner 14-wheeled truck, is a market leader.
The 14-wheeled model is one of the most successful models in India from Leyland and the only competition the company faces is from Tata. Leyland has an 85% market share in this segment and in Kerala it has a near monopoly with market share of close almost 100%.
Though the U-3718 is a pretty long truck, the first two rows of its wheels are steerable, helpings its manoeuvrability to a great extent. The latest model comes with a modern sleeper cabin that offers enough space for a driver and the helper. The cabin also has a berth for sleeping.
Ample space on the loading platform is another advantage of the U-3718. The truck is 26.5 feet long and the 12-wheeler version of the U-Truck is capable of carrying up to 31 tonnes. Though Tata and Benz too offer trucks in the same segment, Leyland vehicles have an edge over them in terms of pricing, durability and cost of maintenance. The 12-wheeled version comes with a 24-feet load platform and both the trucks are designed in such a way that they can be easily converted into container carriers.
Both the trucks have the H series engine at their hearts which pumps out 180 Bhps. The highlight is that this engine is fed through a conventional in-line fuel pump, which, considering the poor quality of fuel available in the country, is a better bet since they are more durable owing to the lubrication.
The first service has to be done only at 80,000 kilometres and this is another aspect where the Leyland scores over competition. The trucks are priced at Rs 25.50 lakh and Rs 22.50 lakh. Not many foreign truck manufacturers are active in India in this segment of load carriers.
Since the factory made cabins in U-Trucks are lighter, it helps in overall weight reduction and hence the fuel average too. The U Truck is 5% more efficient per litre of fuel than its competitors. The company promises its customers that the body of the truck will be totally maintenance free. Add to these features a wide network of service centres and high resale value that all Leyland trucks enjoy and you have an undeniable winner in the U-Truck.
And above all, Leyland has been a faithful workhorse over varied landscapes for many years now and the brand certainly carries a lot of trust.