James S Hislop has taken delivery of four identical previous-generation Mercedes-Benz Actros1 6x2 tractor units. All are running the marque’s 530hp straight-6 engine, and have been fitted with GigaSpace cabs.
According to the company’s MD, Alan Hislop, the Mercedes were bought because James S Hislop “needed new vehicles at the time, and the Actros were available so we’d thought we’d try those. It was a good deal too, because they were the previous generation”.
The Scottish Borders-based company’s Actros1s come with Style Line interior trims, which includes a leather steering wheels, leather massage seats, an uprated multimedia and infotainment systems, and a Premium comfort mattresses.
Active Brake Assist 4 and Proximity Control Assist feature on the new vehicles, as well as Predictive Powertrain Control. Externally, they all wear Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels, have roof-mounted horns, and an illuminated grille-mounted three-pointed star.
Hislop said the Actros1s “are doing absolutely fine”, and they’ve been delivering “average returns that are around the 9mpg mark. That may not sound a lot for us, given that we’re almost two hours from the nearest motorway”.
They’ve gone down well with the firm’s drivers too: “The drivers are more than happy with their Actros1s. That’s hardly surprising because as well as being striking in appearance, it’s also a lovely truck to drive, and very well specified,” Hislop commented.
Supplied by Mercedes-Benz Western Commercials dealership on four year lease agreements, the new vehicles join a mixed fleet of 20 DAFs, including two new XF 530s, and one Scania – a new R 580.
“Myself and the drivers enjoy working in all of our trucks, and operating the Mercedes has been great (touch wood) so far. We’d definitely consider getting more,” concluded Hislop.
