It is hard to believe that it’s getting on for three years since the new generation of Renault trucks was led into battle by the flagship Range T. The new line-up marked a clear turning point in the Volvo Group’s ownership of the iconic French brand, rewarded by the model winning International truck of the Year in 2015.
Clearly, Volvo and Renault have been working together in an intelligent way. Renault has developed what is largely a clean sheet of products in terms of cabs, retaining a distinct identity. Underneath, though, tough decisions had to be made to recognise that a truck manufacturing group can’t afford the luxury of two entirely different drivelines, however good both are.
So, at the heavy end at least, it has kept Volvo’s highly regarded engine range and I-Shift transmissions, but has allowed Renault’s engineers to develop their own interpretation of the operating software. The result is two ranges with their own characters but sharing the best bits the group has at its disposal.
Engine power and emissions
The Range T long-haul tractor range is powered by two different capacity 6-cylinder engines – the 10.8-litre DTI 11 with outputs of 380hp (1,800Nm), 430hp (2,050Nm) and 460hp (2,200Nm), overlapping the 12.8-litre DTI 13 units rated at 440hp (2,200Nm), 480hp (2,400Nm) and 520hp (2,550 Nm).
Euro-6 emissions on both are by the full complement of three-letter acronyms, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation), SCR (selective catalytic reduction) using AdBlue, and DPF (diesel particulate filter). The big difference is that the smaller unit retains the common-rail injection system from Euro-5, while the 13-litre uses a new electronic unit injector setup.
Cab options
A fairly straightforward choice of cabs from Renault comprises the Day cab, and the extended Night & Day cab with bunk, both with standard height roof, and the high-roof sleeper. If you want the flat-floor High Sleeper, arguably the spiritual successor to the Magnum, you will have to drive from the other side of the cab, something which at least a modest number of UK buyers are prepared to do.
T480 review truck specifications
The review Renault's full title is a T480.26 6x2 TML E6, so a 480hp 6x2 with mid-lift axle.
Added to the basic sleeper cab spec is the Protect Pack, comprising adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning system, automatic lights and wipers, emergency brake lights, cornering lights, tyre pressure monitoring and headlamp washers.
Efficiency is enhanced by the Fuel Eco Pack, including power mode override, eco cruise control, disengageable air compressor, variable-flow steering pump, automatic engine stop after prolonged idling, and Fuel Eco gearshifting strategy on the Optidriver gearbox.
Cab comfort
After the fine showing by the left-hand-drive only, flat-floor Range T in our cab test earlier this year [ADD LINK TO CAB TEST IF AVAILABLE?], we were expecting great things from this Renault in terms of accommodation. As a home from home, that example was a convincing winner, with virtually nothing to criticise, but we came to this not-flat floor sleeper with an open mind.
First impressions last, and unfortunately the first impression when entering this Renault T480 is the sound of the door closing with a clang; a shame, as a few pence spent on anti-vibration pads inside would improve the experience considerably.
Once inside the review truck, though, the general fit and finish seems to be of a high standard, the only exception being a poorly fitting panel in front of the passenger’s knees – no doubt easily fixed under warranty.
Calibration issues with our noise meter meant we couldn’t trust the readings. However, subjectively, noise levels in our review 6x2 were satisfactory in all circumstances, apart from the radio aerial bouncing off the roof spoiler. Unfortunately, we didn’t have access to a ladder to rectify that.
Instruments and controls
The T480's instrument panel is a mixture of digital and analogue, with traditional rev counter and fuel/AdBlue, air and temperature gauges flanging the driver information display (DID). At the top is the digital speedometer and cruise control status, and beneath this is gear selection information.
The main lower section can be customised to display whatever bit of information you need. Accessing data is initially not intuitive, but becomes easy when you realise that the controller is hidden behind the right-hand steering wheel spoke (as is the cruise control button behind the left spoke).
Dashboard and steering wheel
A good example of Renault’s creative thinking is the cruise control on the left spoke of the steering wheel in the T480, with two buttons labelled S1 and S2 allowing two separate speeds to be stored simultaneously, handy if your route frequently swaps between town and country. Simple but obvious.
The adjustable column adds neck tilt to the usual angle and reach adjustments. The right spoke is home to the phone controls and the computer mouse for the DID. Column stalks are relatively conventional, with horn, indicator and dip on the left, and engine brake, gears and radio controls on the right.
The chunky dash switches in the T480 are clearly labelled and logically grouped, with a self-contained heater module including the automatic climate control and night heater functions. There’s a big electronic park brake control, but this is rarely used as the brake engages and releases automatically.
Cab storage
The overscreen storage includes a net-fronted open shelf on the lower level on the left and a secure locker in the centre, with another row of lidded lockers at the top level.
On the panel above the screen in front of the driver are the tachograph, the head unit and AUX and USB input ports for the radio/CD, whose display is integrated into the dash, and roof hatch and sun blind switches.
The main sun blind is an electric roller blind across the front, manual versions on the sides and small plastic visors filling the corner gaps. There are three power sockets on the dash and another two in the bunk area. The flat area on top of the dashboard has a hidden trick, as its mat lifts out to reveal the fusebox. The T480's driver gets three air vents, while the passenger makes do with two.
Sleeper area
The bunk area controls are on a wander lead, and the comprehensive functions include just about everything you need during the night. Map lights at each end of the bunk in the T480 are long enough to be used by occupants of the driver and passenger seats. There’s a big document rack, handily located on the front of the fridge.
With two bunks specified, the upper one features an idea so obviously clever that it’s hard to believe no-one has thought of it before. The bunk base splits lengthways to create a large shelf to store the usual single occupant’s kit without the need to be restrained by fiddly nets and the like. At the same time, it provides adequate headroom for the driver when sitting on the lower bunk, without lifting the whole bunk upwards. If you do need to use the upper bunk in the T480 for sleeping, an integrated aluminium ladder aids access.
The 6x2's cab seats are of grey cloth with a black mesh backrest panel, presumably to help ventilation in hot weather, although we didn’t find the need in the English spring. The mattress is as comfortable as you would expect from something bearing the Renault name.
Power and torque
The Renault's 13-litre engine pulls well, producing noticeably more grunt than the 11-litre 460. Although the 480 has 2,400Nm of peak torque, compared with the 460’s 2,200Nm, more importantly, it is delivered over a wider range. On the hills, it digs in solidly at 1,000rpm, which is the bottom of the green band that extends to 1,500rpm.
At the other end of the rev counter scale, a blue sector lights up to show the engine braking operating range. The Renault's engine brake has three stages of operation, blend, full and downshift, and is best described as useful but not outstanding. The service brakes in our 6x2, however, performed exactly as they should, being powerful and progressive.
Optidriver transmission
Renault takes a different approach to Volvo when it comes to interfacing with its version of the I-Shift transmission – the Optidriver – with the controls accessed by twisting or pushing a dedicated column stalk. Renault’s answer is more convenient, with the benefit of not impeding access to the central cab area. In use, there’s little more to be said about the transmission: it gets on with the job, and is almost inevitably in the right gear at the right time.
It has no performance programme, but the controller provides easy access to the manual mode, although it is rarely needed given the difficulty in outsmarting the electronics. Other than the driver doing the work of the latest predictive cruise control systems, not offered in our review truck, by reading the topography ahead and holding or shifting gears to match, by the time you’ve thought you could do better than the transmission, it has already done it.
Roadside support
We didn’t manage to get any time on the hill at Holmescale at J38 of the M6 during our review, because we were distracted trying a sort a potentially serious problem, in the shape of a persistent trailer brake error message. Although the problem turned out not to be too worrying, it was a good chance to try the Renault roadside assistance service. As we pulled into the yard at Gretna for our overnight halt, we were followed by the Renault service technician from Border Trucks of Carlisle, who gave the diagnostics a going-over and discovered a fault from a previous trailer that hadn’t been properly cleared from the system. Why it occurred we never knew, but the response was flawless.
Traction performance
We also had an unexpected opportunity during our review to test the Renault T480’s traction after an unscheduled stop at a set of temporary roadwork traffic lights on the steepest part of the A68 Castleside climb. Despite some confusion over which switch operated the axle traction assist lift, we restarted on the damp and greasy surface without its help, with a minimum amount of wheel spin.
Overall ride and handling
The T480 6x2's steering is sensitive and precise, but not to the extent that it’s readily deflected by ruts. The ride is generally comfortable and well controlled, although certain bumps sent a shudder through the cab, and there is quite a bit of body roll.
A big rotary switch on the dash conveniently selects normal cruise control, adaptive cruise control and speed limiter modes. However, setting the ACC distance control has to be done through the DID menu system, while adjustment of downhill cruise control parameters only has three pre-set values.
Review verdict: 76%
Volvo Group’s marketing gurus must be in a bit of a dilemma these days. When it began the process of acquiring the Renault business in 2001, it inherited a range that had clear blue water between itself and Volvo’s own offerings. The perceived, and to a lesser extent, actual quality of Renault’s trucks was clearly on a different level to Volvo’s.
Where we see a possible conflict in the Franco-Swedish pairing is that the Renault product has become all too good, blurring the lines between the two brands. While Gothenburg clearly wants Renault to sell lots of trucks, it would probably rather it wasn’t at the expense of the Volvo brand. We suspect this is the real reason behind the decision not to sell the top-spec flat-floor Range T in right-hand-drive form, as it would inevitably take some sales away from the flagship Volvo FH.
We don’t necessarily believe this would happen to a huge extent In the UK, as both brands seem to appeal to different demographics. While Volvo features on many a shortlist in the blue-chip operator sector, from anecdotal evidence, we believe a significant proportion of Renault sales are to smaller fleets, who may be as likely to buy from a favoured dealership as from a specific brand.
Fuel consumption: Renault T480.26 6x2 mpg performance
Moving on from the marketing politics to the actual truck, we were impressed by the T480 6x2. We’d have liked to see slightly better fuel consumption, given the economy optimisation, but at 7.13mpg (39.5 litres/100km) overall, it wasn’t disastrous by any means.
That apart, the driving experience in our review truck was summed up in the aforementioned cab test report, in which we said that the Range T had obviously been designed by people who understood how trucks are used, and we can do no better than to repeat that judgement.
Images: Tom Cunningham