Mercedes Actros is a popular family of heavy-duty vehicles and truck tractors, embodying the advanced solutions of German designers. It includes models with a total weight from 18,000 to 41,000 kg. The Mercedes Actros series is a benchmark in the segment of long-distance long-haul transportation. Due to its high reliability, cross-country ability and durability, the car is equally effective on asphalt and completely off-road.

Mercedes Actros is characterized by true German quality. The manufacturer provides a warranty of 36 months (450,000 km), and maintenance intervals are 120,000 km. Mercedes Actros also stands out for its low fuel consumption. The model is listed in the Guinness Book as the most economical truck.

The family includes over 500 modifications, and the most popular in Russia are models 1844, 1841 and 1840.

Model history and purpose

Mercedes Actros has a relatively short history. The first car with this name was released in 1996. Several years before the debut of the advanced family, the German manufacturer began to think about updating its line of heavy-duty vehicles. The SK series is outdated in many respects. The “indestructible” truck began to lose in demand, and the manufacturer needed something fundamentally new. As a result, the Mercedes Actros family appeared. The developers took a revolutionary path. Almost nothing remained of the simple “predecessor” in the design. The model has noticeably changed, and a lot of electronics have appeared inside. This had a positive effect on the quality of work and level of comfort, but reliability decreased somewhat.

The car received a standard appearance and design for heavy-duty models - a large rectangular cabin and a durable chassis. Mercedes has not forgotten about its corporate identity. The front part of the cabin was decorated with a powerful radiator grille, typical of the brand’s products, and a large company badge.

1st generation

The first Mercedes Actros received a lot of criticism from consumers. Electronics were especially hard hit, problems with which arose regularly. It took the manufacturer 4 years to treat the “diseases”.

2nd generation

In 2000, the Actros MP2 series premiered. In fact, the car was a redesigned version of the debut model (MP2 – Modellpflege 2 or “redesigned model 2”). Externally, the truck has remained virtually unchanged, but has become much more reliable. However, the image of a “problem” car behind the Mercedes Actros persisted for a long time.

3rd generation

In 2008, the German brand introduced an updated version of the truck. The MP3 version received major changes in design and construction. The truck's cabin has increased in size and become more expressive due to a large U-shaped grille with an enlarged brand logo, vertical sharp headlights and an aggressive bumper. Mercedes Actros MP3 has become incredibly stylish. The design of the model has also undergone fundamental changes. Since 2008, a fully automated gearbox began to be installed on the car. At that time, no truck could boast of such an option. The production of Mercedes Actros has been established in Russia since the fall of 2010. Assembly is carried out at the facilities of the joint venture between Daimler and KAMAZ in Naberezhnye Chelny.

4th generation

In 2012, the German concern again surprised the world by introducing the fourth generation Mercedes Actros. The project became one of the most ambitious, and investments in it exceeded $1 billion. The model is based on a modular configuration system. All models of the family received 3 equipment packages (Top, Classic, Basic), differing in the list of equipment. Batch formation was applied to all systems (interior, security, body and others). The appearance of the Mercedes Actros IV has become even more brutal. Interesting block headlights in the shape of a boomerang added some chic. The engine line now includes unique, ultra-efficient units with Euro-6 environmental class.

Currently, the family includes models with wheel formulas 4 by 2, 4 by 4, 6 by 2, 6 by 4; several cab options, 2 chassis modifications and various types of attachments and bodies. This significantly expands the scope of application of the car, allowing you to select a specific version for specific purposes. However, the most popular remain tractors and vehicles designed for transporting various cargoes over medium and long distances.

Video review

Specifications

Due to the presence of many modifications of the Mercedes Actros, the characteristics of the cars in the family differ markedly. Dimensions:

• length – 6000-10000 mm;
• width – 2500 mm;
• height – 1920 mm;
• ground clearance - 270 mm.

The weight of the transported cargo is from 9000 to 135000 kg (as part of a road train). The total vehicle weight can reach 144,000 kg. Despite the heavy weight, the Mercedes Actros shows good dynamic characteristics:

• maximum speed – 162 km/h (with a limiter – 85 km/h);
• acceleration to 100 km/h – 20 seconds.

The latest generation of truck with new units has an average fuel consumption of 19-21 l/100 km. Less economical engines show higher consumption - 25-45 l/100 km (depending on load, season and type of unit). The fuel tank holds from 450 to 1200 liters of fuel.

Engine

Mercedes Actros uses economical turbodiesel units:

• V-shaped 12-liter engines: rated power - 235-350 kW (320-476 hp), number of cylinders - 6;
• V-shaped 16-liter engines: rated power - 375-440 kW (510-598 hp), number of cylinders - 8.

The power units are controlled by the Telligent system, which provides injection pressure of up to 2300 bar. This technology guarantees the most efficient combustion and low emissions. The environmental friendliness of the units is also enhanced by the BlueTec system. An injection of AdBlue is added to the exhaust gas stream at the outlet, which converts carbon monoxide into water and nitrogen through an SCR catalyst.

Device

The frame design uses side members with holes with 50 mm pitch. This design simplifies the installation of platforms and attachments. In the front part, fastening is carried out through bolts.

A distinctive feature of all Mercedes Actros models is the presence of a unique Telligent system, which processes in real time data coming from several dozen sensors installed in various areas of the car. This monitors the actual wear of the brake system, gearbox and engine, as well as adjusts the load. The result of the Telligent system is an increase in system life and service intervals.

It is no coincidence that Mercedes Actros is considered one of the most reliable trucks. For models with power 510-598 hp. The HL 8 hypoid axle is used, which is highly durable; for versions with units up to 480 hp, Actros Low-Liner modifications and machines with a low frame, the HL 6 axle is used. An optional drive axle with HL 7 wheel drives is available. It allows you to reduce the radius turning and increases the ease of driving. Most Mercedes Actros models are equipped with air suspension with 2 air springs, flatbed trucks are equipped with air suspension with 4 air springs. The latter are also offered with a body vibration control system, which provides greater safety and comfort of movement. Parabolic springs used in the car suspension are reliably protected from corrosion and optimized for weight. All versions are also equipped with axle stabilizers and shock absorbers.

The braking system in the Mercedes Actros guarantees a minimum braking distance thanks to the ASR, ABS systems, internally ventilated disc brakes and the presence of constant pressure in the brake drive (10 bar). There is also an auxiliary braking system that quickly reacts to possible danger and provides sharp braking. During braking, wear-free brakes are used, except when braking to a complete stop. The integrated anti-rollback system prevents unwanted rolling backwards or forwards. A braking system with ABS is standard on all modifications of the Mercedes Actros. Additional braking aids are available as options.

The latest generation of the German truck is offered with an automated 12- or 16-speed Mercedes PowerShift 2 transmission, increasing safety, comfort and efficiency. The system activates several operating modes: Power, EcoRoll, free swing mode, hysteretic cruise control mode and maneuvering mode. Each of them helps to increase certain characteristics of the machine. Additional functions (switching from first to reverse gear), Kickdown function and rapid reverse gears make operation as easy as possible. An alternative to Mercedes PowerShift 2 are four 16-speed gearboxes with standard gear shifting.

The interior of the car is perfect in terms of quality and ergonomics. The dashboard shows all the necessary information about the operation of the car. The steering wheel, indicators and levers are located conveniently and do not interfere with driving. The truck is equipped with a sprung seat that even the pickiest driver will like.

Mercedes-Benz is a German company specializing in the production of passenger cars and engines, founded in 1926. Currently, it is a subsidiary of the Daimler-Benz concern. The headquarters is located in Stuttgart.

After the death of Gottlieb Daimler in 1900, the car production business was continued by his son Paul and engineer Maybach. Wilhelm Maybach, Gottlieb Daimler's loyal assistant, took over all management of the company. In 1900 he began to develop a new car. It had a classic arrangement of parts - the engine and radiator were located in front under the hood, the drive was carried out through a gearbox to the rear wheels. The new car had a 4-cylinder engine with 35 hp. The first sample was made in the form of a two-seater racing car. The model was named Mercedes, in honor of the daughter of one of the company's co-owners - the Austrian entrepreneur, diplomat and avid racing driver Emil Jellinek. Using this car of an improved design, at the next race in March 1899, Jellinek won, glorifying the Daimler company and the name Mercedes throughout the world. Since that time, all Daimler passenger cars began to be produced under the Mercedes brand. The first Mercedes itself served as the basis for the creation of a more advanced Mercedes Simplex car, which ushered in the era of the most powerful and comfortable cars of this brand.

Daimler decided to use a good name and registered the name. as a trademark. in 1902. And for the personally built car of Mr. Emile Jelinek, a personal name was given: “Emile Jelinek-Mercedes”.

In 1921, Mercedes became an innovator in the production of supercharged cars, and in 1923 it relied on a model with a six-liter engine, which became the base for the modification with a short-wheelbase chassis - Model K, and then Model S. On its basis, a new modification was created - Mercedes Model SS , with a 7-liter supercharged engine producing 200 hp.

At this time, the most outstanding engineers who created the name of the Deimler-Benz concern were Ferdinand Porsche, Fritz Nallinger and Hans Nibel.

The first production cars were equipped with a powerful engine capable of developing power up to 140 hp when the supercharger was turned on, then the displacement of this engine was increased to 7 liters, which served as the starting point for the creation of the SSK sports car with a 170/125 hp engine. s.. and the speed limit of such models has already reached about 160 km/h. The next stage was an improved and shortened version of the “SSKL” with a 300 hp engine. - the undisputed favorite of numerous sports competitions of those years.

In 1926, Deimler Geselschaft and Benz und Co began negotiating a merger, and the result of their union was a three-pointed star, symbolizing the three elements subject to the concern's cars - air, water and earth. This official emblem of Daimler Sr.'s company became common to the new concern, and cars were supplied to the market under the Mercedes-Benz brand.

So, by the 1930s, Mercedes-Benz had established itself as a designer and manufacturer of luxury cars when Hans Niebel produced the 770 Grosser. Under the hood of this giant hid a 7.7-liter supercharged engine, so the super-powerful car for that time was in particular demand among high-ranking customers, including ex-Kaiser Wilhelm II and Emperor Hirohito of Japan, and the next modification of the car, launched into production only in 1938-1939 years, was intended exclusively for the top of the “Third Reich”. It featured a modernized engine from the 770 Grosser model, which developed a power of 230 hp with the compressor turned on. plus a new product from the concern - a completely new tubular frame, as well as independent front and rear suspensions, tested on racing cars. The average consumer was offered a fairly cheap Type-170 model, with a tubular frame, independent front and rear suspension, production of which began in 1931.

A few years later, the concern began producing the first diesel passenger cars, offering customers the 2.6-liter Type-260 D, and the design team led by Porsche was already preparing rear-engine models for production: “130 N”, “150 N” and “170 N”. , which were of great interest (approximately 90,000 such cars were produced until 1942) - a huge figure for the automotive market at that time.

In the early 40s in Germany, the demand for luxurious, powerful Mercedes cars increased sharply. They were produced on special orders for heads of state and government, high-ranking Nazis, as well as those for whom traditional cars seemed not ambitious enough, by the entire Mercedes-Benz plant in Stuttgart.

After World War II, Mercedes returned to motorsport and even won the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1963, the “600” model was released, which, according to its manufacturers, was supposed to compete with Rolls-Royce in the automobile market.

Mercedes G–class is a series of off-road vehicles. The small demand for these rather expensive cars, characterized by enviable durability and cross-country ability, entails a relative constancy of the design and a minimum of changes. The new generation was presented in Paris in September 2000.

When in November 1979 the new generation of large executive sedans S-class (factory body index W126) of the Daimler-Benz automobile concern was presented to the public, it was already announced that they would become the best cars of the 1980s. And this turned out to be true. In May 1991, the company officially announced the cessation of production of the W126 model range.

In the 80s, Japanese companies began to set the tone in the luxury car market. However, European automakers bravely took up the fight: an example of this is the latest Mercedes S-class models in their 12-cylinder version, which confirmed the high competitiveness of German technology. The famous Mercedes 600S has super power and reliability, is capable of sharp turns despite its size, and has many other excellent characteristics, which is why it is considered to be the best car produced by this company today.

Mercedes CL C215 is a luxury car with a coupe body. The 126 series model was first introduced back in 1981, the 140 series in 1992 (platform type C215). In 1999, the model range was replenished with new modifications - CL 600 and CL55AMG.

With the advent of the 190 model (body serial number W201) in November 1982, Mercedes-Benz took the lead in prestige in the European D-class car segment. In September 1983, the long-awaited 190D model premiered, which immediately became popular among taxi drivers. In May 1993, at the Daimler-Benz plant in Bremen, the model with the W201 body was changed to C-class sedans (W202).

Mercedes E-class, a series of upper middle class cars. First shown in 1984. A new generation appeared in 1995. In Frankfurt in 1997, the E 55 AMG modification and V8 engine were presented. Since 2000, models have been equipped with 270 CDI and 320 CDI engines.

The most popular Mercedes-Benz of all time was the series with the factory body index W124. In total, more than 2.7 million copies were produced over eleven years. The W124 range of four-door sedans was introduced in November 1984 in seven engine versions.

Mercedes SL is a luxury sports car with a roadster body and a removable roof. The model was first presented in Geneva in 1989. In 1992, the model range was replenished with a new modification - SL600. In the spring of 2001, a new generation of these machines appeared.

The debut of the S-class - W140 in Geneva in 1991 created a sensation. "Super" S-class! In terms of size, luxury and interior space, as well as the quality of materials used, the W140 was unmatched. Production of the much-loved “elephant” was stopped in the second half of 1998, replacing it with the newest, more compact (at least externally) S-class with a W220 body.

For the first time, the Mercedes C series, a middle-class car (sedan), was shown in April 1993. Since the fall of 1995, it has been equipped with a compressor, since June 1997 - with 2.4 liter and 2.8 V6 engines. A new generation of models appeared in the spring of 2000.

The new C-Class Sport Coupe, equipped with a newly developed 2.0-litre supercharged engine, is one of the most dynamic vehicles in this segment.

The second generation of small Mercedes-Benz called C-class (body of the factory W202 series) was born in April 1993. In the winter of 1996, the four-door sedan in the W202 family was supplemented with a five-door Touring station wagon (abbreviated as T).

The Mercedes-Benz SLK, a two-seat roadster with a folding roof, was first presented in April 1996 in Turin. In January 2000, a model with an updated design and a 3.0-V6 engine appeared. The car received more than 35 international prizes and awards, including: “Golden Steering Wheel” (Germany, 1996), “The Most Beautiful Car in the World” (Italy, 1996), “Car of the Year” (USA, 1997), “Best Convertible in the World” (Germany, 1998), “The Most Popular Convertible” (Italy, 1999).

The Vito truck family (Mercedes-Benz V - class) won the title of best van of the year in 1996. The Sprinter family includes 9 basic models and 137 modifications. Main body types: all-metal and cargo-passenger vans, as well as a minibus with 15 seats.

Mercedes ML combines the most important characteristics of an SUV, minivan, station wagon and passenger car, being a multi-purpose vehicle. The family of all-terrain vehicles with permanent all-wheel drive are manufactured in the USA. The model was first introduced in 1997. The M-Class delivery program for Europe includes three model options: the base ML 230; The 6-cylinder model ML 320 and the 8-cylinder version ML 430. In 2000, these cars did not change, but the model range was supplemented by two new basic options - the diesel ML270 CDI and the tuning ML55 AMG.

Since October 1997, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class family of compact cars has been successfully sold. In 2000, this family remained virtually unchanged.

Mercedes-Benz CLK is a family of cars with coupe and convertible bodies of an intermediate class between C and E, created on the basis of the C class. The CLK model with a coupe body was first shown in the winter of 1997 in Detroit. In 1998, a convertible was added to the lineup; in the summer of 1999, the design of the cars was updated.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR is a unique road version of the GTR Grand Turismo class racing car. Limited edition production (25 pcs.). First performance - November 1998.

In an effort to expand its product range, the company launched the production of a completely new car, the Smart compact car.

1998 - Merger of Daimler-Benz AG and Chrysler Corporation.

The Mercedes Vision SLR Roadster Concept, a two-seater sports car, was first unveiled in Detroit in July 1999. The model is used in Formula 1 racing.

Mercedes Vision SLA Concept, compact roadster. Presented as a concept model at the Geneva Motor Show in 2000.

Mercedes-Benz remains at the top of the automotive industry, just as it was 100 years ago. By making high-quality cars and engines, the star concern with the famous three-pointed star brand has consistently maintained a leading position in the automotive industry and high competitiveness for a century.

Cars of this model are often called “big-eyed” due to the easily recognizable design of the headlights of the E-210 body. It is this modification that is widely represented on the used car market, but the newer, restyled version, which appeared in 2002, is quite rare.

Selection and purchase

If you are planning to buy a used Mercedes E-Class, be prepared for a scrupulous, attentive and objective assessment of the car before concluding a deal: most examples of the “eyeball” can boast a rich past of accidents and thefts.

Tempting offer

Why is this model so attractive for car enthusiasts? First of all, its solid design and comfortable interior, considered the standard for business-class cars. In addition, the high level of noise insulation of the cabin and the functionality of the suspension, which can painlessly absorb any bumps in the road, make the ride in this car comfortable and enjoyable for both the driver and passengers.

Rust

The body is characterized by increased strength, so even in accidents, passengers of such a car often escape with minimal damage or slight fear solely thanks to the body, which took the blow. It is also resistant to corrosion, as well as to the effects of road reagents - it takes a lot of effort to make the body surface colored with spots of rust and peeling paint.

Suspension

In terms of reliability, the Mercedes E-210 suspension is inferior to the E-124 model; in particular, the steering rack often fails (this is especially typical for early production models). However, the remaining suspension elements can serve you for quite a long time without causing any problems (brake discs - up to 80,000 - 120,000 km, rear suspension arms - up to 140,000 km, depending on the characteristics of the car’s operation and the driving style of its owner) .

Since the range of engines with which this model was equipped is extremely wide, everyone will find an option to suit their taste: from the most unpretentious and practical 4-cylinder engines (volume - 2 or 2.3 liters) to powerful 8-cylinder engines that give the car strength and the agility of a sports car. The golden mean is 6-cylinder versions of a gasoline engine with a volume of 2.4 liters to 3.2 liters. Regardless of which of them your Mercedes is equipped with, remember: you should change the antifreeze, oil and filter in a timely manner, without relying on “maybe” - otherwise you will face expensive repairs (the water pump and hydraulic compensators are the first to react to inattentive handling). The air flow meter in the injection system can also suddenly fail. Have you noticed a problem associated with increased gasoline consumption and incorrect engine operation? Be prepared to shell out about 11,000 rubles.

Transmissions

A manual transmission rarely causes inconvenience to the driver and, due to the stability of its operation, is considered practically “indestructible,” while an automatic transmission can be problematic (if the previous owner of the car handled it carelessly). The ventilation system can also be a source of trouble.

The cost of a Mercedes E-class in a “shabby” condition (or with a criminal record) starts at about 240,000 rubles, a car in good condition will cost at least 400,000 rubles (an all-wheel drive copy will cost even more). It should be noted that finding a well-preserved car of this model on the secondary market is not so easy; moreover, cars that have been stolen are very common. But even a car in excellent condition will require serious expenses during operation, so it’s not worth spending your last money on it.