When the Scania R 730 was released, the headline figure, in reality, was not the 730hp (544 kW) but the more impressive 3500Nm (2581 ft lb) of torque available to the driver. The horsepower is the thing that keeps the truck and its load at high speed but it is the torque which gets the truck up to speed and drags the vehicle mass uphill on a grade. The badge on the front of the truck says 730hp but its torque rating doesn’t get a mention. However, those in the know are well aware that it is the high torque figure that should impress.

Taking a B-triple from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory to Longreach in Queensland is an opportunity to test the mettle of the engine output from the all new V8 engine from Scania. Loaded to 77 tonnes, the combination could travel in its natural element, in a situation where plenty of power and plenty of torque can really make a difference. Prime Mover joined the convoy over a period of two days to see just how much difference an extra 300Nm can make.

In reality, most of the R 730 trucks sold by Scania around the globe will not be expected to handle the rigours of multiple combinations in outback Australia. Many will be sold in Europe where the 730 badge will be seen as a method of recruiting drivers and retaining their services. Although trucks in Europe can run up to 60 tonnes, most prime movers pull single trailers and rarely go over 40 tonnes and 90km/h.

The engineering achievement of creating a V8 engine that can put out this much power and torque is matched by a driveline which has been engineered to handle this kind of turning force and retain the kind of durability required by trucking operators. Truck manufacturers are now living in the over 700hp era, something we have never seen before – the horsepower race is on.

It is clear as soon as the truck sets off that the driveline appears to be doing it easy. Normally, when taking off with a combination at this kind of weight, it is simply a matter of waiting while the speed and rpm levels slowly rise before taking the next gear. Acceleration is normally steady and it’s important to make sure you’ve got a completely clear road before pulling out on the highway.

From the driver’s point of view, taking off with a B-triple with this kind of power feels like the kind of acceleration you would expect from a top power prime mover pulling away with a B-double. And from the driveline there is a kind of effortless feel from the driver’s seat. All of the evidence points to something working very, very hard as the truck pulls away, but the feeling in the driver’s seat is that it’s not working too hard at all. The sound levels in the cabin from the engine are very low, as are the rpm levels. There is no vibration from the driveline, it all seems to be going very smoothly but, at the same time, a 77 tonne combination is accelerating down the highway.

In most situations out on the road it is this sensation of effortlessness that recurs over and over. As a driver, you are insulated and isolated from what is clearly a lot of hard work being done by the driveline and the other vehicle systems, like the retarder. Sometimes it is almost too quiet. It is possible to forget just how heavy this combination is and lose sight of the responsibility that comes with heading down a highway at 100km/h with 77 tonnes up.