Truck on Trial this issue is a little different from the norm. We take a look at two of the ultimate Scanias, built almost 25 years apart, and see how the famous V8s have evolved
By Dougie Rankine
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE McCANN
R730: ON THE JOB
A few years ago, a common way to describe the potency of a performance car was to label it a ‘Cossie Eater’. This was in reference to Ford’s ‘supercar for the working man’ series of RS Cosworth-powered Sierras and Escorts. The phrase was borne primarily out of respect for what had become a performance benchmark over the years, and now these cars are true icons, commanding a healthy price premium.
In the world of trucks, the same thing has happened with the classic Scania from a time many consider to be the golden era of truck driving – the 1970s and 1980s. When those big 14-litre V8s began to hit our shores over 40 years ago, they blew the doors off the opposition and commanded an unparalleled position as kings of the road for many years. Okay, you’ll always hear stories about someone who had something like an E14 ERF with a great spec list which used to “blow Scania 142s off the road”, but remember the Scania is the benchmark against which all others are measured.
From the original 350 bhp 140 (unleashed when 180 bhp was the norm in the UK), right through to the Streamline 143, any model of Scania V8 is sought after and, what’s more, many of them are still working hard today. They’re worth a small fortune, and the price you’ll pay only seems to be going in one direction.
Interior Images: above left R730 and above right 143
Read the rest of this feature in the November issue of Trucking. Buy the magazine here
