Ever since Mercedes introduced the 1644 way back in 1985, it’s been at the front of the ‘power race’. It spent much of the 80s and 90s, if not in front, then certainly on the coattails of the high-powered trucks from Scandinavia and its German rival MAN.
When the Actros was launched in 1996, the top model was the 1857/2557, and that crept up to the 1860/2560 with the first Actros cab shape. But thereafter, Merc slowed down, it peaked, and when the new Actros was launched in 2012, the 2563 was the top model. And 12 years on, it remains so.
The 2563, a 6×2, and its 4×2 1863 sibling have the highest OM473 15.6-litre straight six engine rating. The truck is clearly aimed at owner-operators and small fleets, which are like prestige trucks. The 3363 and 4163 heavy haulage units are also available, but they are built for a specific role.
In fairness, you only see a few 2563s on the road, and when you do, you have to look at the badge to identify them. But with the flat-floor GigaSpace cab, the 2563 is a truck that most drivers would be very happy to be handed the keys to.
It’s a very good flagship, and correctly specced would be a sought-after machine. Limited edition trucks are a bit of a strange one. Some manufacturers get it right, others less so. The key is deciding how many you make and offer in respective markets. Merc got it wrong with its Actros 1 a few years ago. It offered 100 as 2553 or 2563s, but the key thing was that it chose the colour scheme. Its intentions were good, but the Mercedes racing team-inspired livery of black or silver with a turquoise flash wasn’t especially attractive. It didn’t sell out, and there are stories of people getting a damn good deal on one when Merc wanted the last of the stock shifted. Since then, it has offered Edition 1, 2 and now 3 Actroses.
The Edition 3 was launched in 2022, units went on the road at the tail end of 2023; and were available for all two- and three-axled models of the latest Actros L generation with GigaSpace and BigSpace cabs in left- and right-hand drive versions. The livery was up to the buyer and could be adapted to customers’ liveries.
The front of the vehicle is painted in white aluminium metallic and, in a break from always going for the biggest engine option, hauliers could have any engine that Mercedes offers under the largest of its two cabs, so the 15.6-litre OM473 or the new third-generation OM471.
So what do you get in Edition 3? Mercedes says it has “up to” 30 additional interior and exterior features and design elements stemming from the previous Edition 1 and Edition 2 models.
Only 400 are being built, and just 25 right-hand drive units in the UK and Ireland. The instrument panel and door handles are in nappa leather, various interior parts have a carbon fibre look, and the roof hatch has ambient lighting.
The Edition 3 badge on the front passenger side and the illuminated Edition 3 entry badge on the driver and front passenger sides are also additions. The 900m wide top bunk comes with bedding, and the curtains are almond beige on the inside and black on the outside. The same applies to the curtain with the Mercedes-Benz star in front of the bunk.
The exterior includes decals on the side wall, Edition 3 lettering in the white aluminium sun visor with two additional LED headlights, the Actros emblem at the front in dark chrome, and the Actros lettering on the upper rear cab wall.
The stainless steel entry steps are striking features on the side of the vehicle. The front and rear axle caps are also made of stainless steel. The scope of delivery also includes the illuminated Mercedes star in dark chrome, several painted decorative grille applications made of stainless steel, and the aluminium steps in the side trim.
Whether that warrants the price differential, which I can’t tell you because it will vary from dealer to dealer, no doubt, is up to the hauliers. But there can be no denying the Actros L 2563 Edition 3 GigaSpace does look like an impressive flagship truck, and it’s hard to believe this truck will not sell out, especially with die-hard Merc users and those just looking for a change.
But is the truck any good? I took one out for a spin to find out, and as it’s the top of the range that Merc has to offer, I also slept in it.
Technical overview
The truck I drove, YN73 SXY, was a 2563 with the OM473 engine in the higher of its three rating – 625hp. You can also have it at 517hp and 578hp as the 2553 or 2558. In my truck, that maximum power is achieved at 1,600rpm and the maximum torque is an impressive 3,000Nm at 1,100rpm.
The gearbox is the standard fit of the Mercedes PowerShift 3 12-speed automated manual. It’s responsive, easy to use and very quiet. Sometimes it seems to be a fraction too late to change up or down a gear, but nothing that becomes overly irritating.
The front axle is rated at 8,000kg, the drive axle is rated at 11,500kg, and the pusher axle is rated at 7,500kg. Being a big cabbed, 6×2, then it will weigh in at somewhere between 8½ and 9 tonnes, so this isn’t the truck you’d want for maximum payload. But this is the kind of truck you want for maximum comfort and space for the long haul.
Gone are the days when Mercedes had a steering wheel so large your arms would ache, and now it’s a perfect size for this kind of truck.
I took the truck fully loaded from the Mercedes site at Wentworth Park, near Barnsley, north up the M1, onto the M62, where I stopped at Hartshead Moor for my 45-minute break (I’d been driving another Merc earlier in the day before you think I was taking an age to cover such a short distance!)
Then it was round the M60 and onto the M67 and off across the Woodhead Pass, where I parked up for the night for my overnight stop. That was a good mix of roads, with stop-start traffic in the outskirts of Manchester before joining the challenging single-carriageway Woodhead Road with all its climbs, turns and descents.
And in fairness, the truck handled the road superbly; it never ran away from me, with the engine brake doing its job admirably when called into use. The steering was just right, not too heavy nor too light. If I were going for mile after mile, for nine hours a day, I would be more than happy to do so in this GigaSpace, and with that amount of power under the cab, there’s little scope for not meeting schedules – roads permitting of course!
Whether many operators need to go for the OM473 is open to debate, and there will be operations where it is a sensible option, such as the 2558 model. But for most, the OM471 is still the best of Merc’s engines, but it’s good that there is a choice.
On the road
Being the GigaSpace cab, and to give it a flat floor, it has four-step entry into the cab, but the steps are big and wide enough, so getting in is pretty easy. There are two very good and sturdy grab handles to aid entry and exit.
Because I was sleeping in the truck, I did have the experience of loading the cab up with my stuff; my duvet, pillows, food and so on, and it is a bit of a chore, so if you are, like me, only doing one night out in it, that is a lot of hassle. But if you are out for a week or two, it’s a small price to pay to have a huge amount of space inside the cab.
Regular readers will be aware I have sometimes been critical of Mercs’ pulling power and how they always seem to be laboured going up hills, which can result in losing time. That’s in a 2545; you don’t have such issues with a 2563!
In fairness, it is an extravagance to have 625hp on tap for 44 tonnes, but nevertheless, this is a powerful beast with performance to boot. It did take a little longer than I expected for it to get up to 56mph, but once there, it will stay there even on some of the toughest climbs on the M62, even when grossing out at 44 tonnes.
One thing I like on Mercs is the Hill Hold, which is a very good and easy-to-use feature. I remain a little ambivalent towards electronic parking brakes, mind… I guess one day I will get used to them!
The steering is excellent, and both the service brakes and engine brake are also very good indeed. It’s comfortable to drive, and overall, the driving experience is incredibly relaxing.
Being a Merc press truck, it had the new Version 2 MirrorCam digital mirrors. These are an improvement on the first design with shorter camera arms, which are almost stump-like now, and the images are crisp and clear day and night.
Yes, I’m a self-confessed advocate and fan of mirrorless technology, and Merc’s system is improved and very good to use. I still find the arguments for not having this system are weak and getting weaker with every new version introduced by the different manufacturers.
Merc still has conventional kerbside and cyclops mirrors, and I’m still unsure why. But looking ahead, the headlights are incredibly impressive in the dark, and the full beam is excellent.
In the cab
Inside, the steering wheel is adjustable, not as impressive as those from DAF, MAN or Scania, but it’s good enough. I do like the new Merc dashboard with its digital screens. It’s very good. If I drove one every day, I think I’d like it even more, as driving it only every few months or so does mean you can ‘forget’ what is the best screen and how to adjust it, but I shouldn’t let my own ignorance be an excuse. This is a superb setup, and the fact every other manufacturer has followed Merc’s lead in introducing digital dashes proves it got it right five years ago in bringing them to market. It’s clear and easy to read, doesn’t hurt your eyes and is well thought out.
Digital dashes do take some getting used to, and some features are a little difficult and potentially distracting to use while on the move, but I guess that gets easier the more you use them
There are many features like buttons in the door and on the steering wheel that we all take for granted now, but they do make life so much easier for the driver. Merc’s set-up is very good in this respect; the gear selector and engine brake are on the right-hand stalk and the wipers and indicators are on the left-hand stalk. You need the dash to turn the lights on.
The truck has a keyless start-up, which has advantages and disadvantages; I quite like it, though. There are plenty of the newer USB-B ports in the truck, but none of the still more commonly used USB-A type, which is a pain.
The seats are, as you’d expect, leather, and there are decent foldable armrests as well, and the recline is very good as well.
There is storage around the dash area and three cup holders of different sizes. Overhead there are large storage lockers, ample underbunk storage, and plenty of pockets around the bunk.
The interior lighting is very good, and the electric sun visors are very easy to use. And the radio is also very good!
Overnight
Long haul trucks have come on leaps and bounds in recent decades, and they have had to. Improving the lot for the driver is a – relatively – quick and easy win for the manufacturers – well, it’s cheaper to do that by redesigning the drivelines!
I have often said the age of the cab shell is relatively academic; it’s what’s done inside it that counts. After all, there is only so much you can do with a cube-shaped tin can!
Look at the new MAN. It’s now the oldest heavy truck cabin, knocking on 25 years old, but the last interior facelift was superb and inside, it’s one of the best on the market.
I remember when the Actros Version 4 – this cab shell – first appeared in 2012, and I commented that it was akin to a luxury executive car in terms of its interior. Admittedly that opinion was based solely on the brochure pictures I’d seen, and let’s face it, they are always going to be the best and most aspirational cab and rarely ever the bog standard fleet cab. That’s just the way of the world!
But the Edition 3 is, as you’d expect, the most aspirational cab in the Mercedes product range. And it’s pretty impressive. I am always keen to stress any cab is only really fit for purpose, from a driver’s point of view, when they have kitted it out just as they want it for their multiple days out on the roads and when I sleep in a truck it will often be fairly plain inside.
But the Edition 3 is a lovely workplace, and the bunk is uber comfy. The curtains go over the MirrorCam screens, which means you can turn them on when you are resting to see if anyone is around the truck. They meet in the middle and have Velcro strips to keep them closed, and they block the light out.
The Actros L is meant to block out external noise better, but I was still woken up at 0300 by a fridge lorry parking for his 45. But I would have been woken whatever truck I was sleeping in.
The bunk is very comfy indeed; it’s nice and soft, yet it supports you well. It’s certainly a nice place to rest. It’s not as wide as the new DAF XG, but it’s still more than adequate for sleeping night after night.
Conclusions
When the Actros cab was launched in 2012, it was superb, and the improvements to V5 in 2018 moved it up a gear with all its gadgetry. A new V6 model is expected very soon using the new front look unveiled on the electric eActros 600 or something very similar. I have to admit, the eActros 600 is not the most beautiful truck I’ve ever seen, although I might change that opinion when I see them in a nice livery. Trucks need makeup up too!?
But what about the 2563 Edition 3 – is it worth a punt? Well, the GigaSpace cab is certainly going to impress drivers; it has plenty of room, and it’s comfortable enough to both drive and rest in. There are plenty of features.
I’m never convinced about limited editions for trucks. Are they worth the extra money? I’d say not, and I’d say that because, in this case, the Merc already has the scope to be highly specced. That said, they can boost the driver and a reward, so you can’t say they don’t have a place in the product catalogue.
And it is also true they may hold their value slightly better, though Mercedes has always been pretty strong in its residuals, especially on the bigger models, and a top-of-the-range 2563 won’t have an issue in being sold on.
But it is good for Merc that it has an all-singing, all-dancing prestige truck on a range that can often be seen as something of a bit of a plain Jane gaffer’s motor. The 2563 certainly is not that; it truly is a decent flagship vehicle, and in its Edition 3 guise, it does stand out from the crowd. For loyal Merc operators, of which there are many, it could be just the flagship they are looking for.
Overall a lot is going for the 2563. I can’t say hand-on-heart that it’s the best possible flagship, but it certainly cannot be ignored, and being an Edition 3 adds just that little bit extra class to it. This is a nice truck indeed, and any driver handed the keys to one should feel both valued and privileged.
We like
- The comfy bunk
- MirrorCam V2
- Interior cab space
- Image and prestige
We don’t like
- Might be a hard sell
- Big cab means it’s heavy
