 |
| NZG windowed
box. |
 |
 |
| Smart wheel
hubs. |
 |
| Good chassis
detail on the rear axles. |
 |
| Good steering
angle. |
 |
| Access ladder
folds down. |
 |
| Detailed
exhaust system. |
 |
| Looks good as
part of a diorama. |
|
 Comment on this model.
This model is a truck mixer mounted on a Mercedes-Benz
Arocs 8x4 chassis. The Arocs was announced by
Mercedes-Benz in 2013
and is their truck aimed at the construction sector.
The Liebherr HTM 904 Mixer can be installed on a variety
of truck chassis and has a geometric drum capacity of
almost 16m³.
The model is in the colours of
Holcim,
a worldwide leading supplier of cement, aggregates and
ready mixed concrete. The company was founded in
Switzerland in 1912.
Packaging
The model comes in an NZG branded box with a window.
There were no defects or missing parts on the review
model.
There is no information about the real machine,
and as the model is complete out of the box, there are
no instructions provided.
Detail
This is a heavy model with a relatively low plastic
content. Underneath, the chassis is fully detailed in
metal with only the steering linkages being modelled for
functionality rather than detail. The tyres
have a decent tread pattern and are the same on all
wheels.
The cab has horns and aerials on the roof, and another
small aerial and a plastic grab rail on the
driver's side. The door mirrors have some texture
and the distinctive Arocs grille is modelled with a
realistic appearance. There is a number plate front and
rear. The Holcim and Mercedes-Benz graphics are small
and fairly sharp.
Inside the cab, the seats have arm rests but
surprisingly the Mercedes-Benz logo was not on the steering wheel.
Behind the cab the exhaust and intakes are modelled in
plastic, with the snaking perforated exhaust pipe
looking good. The wheel
arches are metal throughout and the light bar at the
rear has nice plastic lenses.
The mixer drum is metal and looks smart in Holcim
colours. The
water tank and engine are moderately detailed, and at the
rear the access ladder and platform rails are a little
on the fat side for the scale. The loading funnel and discharge
chute are metal.
Features
The truck rolls well and the front two axles have linked
steering which can be posed to a very good angle without
fouling.
The mixer drum rotates very smoothly.
At the rear the access ladder folds down.
The
discharge chute has full side-to-side movement.
Quality
As a heavy model it has a quality feel and the
use of plastic is limited.
The paint
and graphics make the model look good.
Price
It is reasonable value.
Overall
This is the first of no doubt many Arocs truck
models. It captures the look of the real truck
well and it is attractive model. It would have
been nice to have seen a tilting cab revealing the
engine.
Footnotes
The Arocs model first appeared in prototype at the
Nuremberg Toy Fair 2014. This version in Holcim
livery was produced in a run of 300
models and appeared in July 2014.
|
|
|
|
 |
| Distinctive
Arocs grille. |
 |
| Profile view. |
 |
| Rear ladder is
metal. |
|
|
 |
| On the road. |
 |
| Pumping the
grey stuff. |
|
