SCANIA S500 VS S650 V8
(^70) July 2019 Truck & Driver
T
hese two trucks clearly
have a great deal in
common – the cab,
chassis, axles and
transmission are
identical, the main difference
being the engine, Scania now
offering a huge range of
SCR-only engines for 44-tonne
operation. The straight-six
engines (410, 450 and now
500hp) are by far the most
popular; these all have a
reputation for good fuel economy
and decent performance, as long
as the power rating is matched to
the operation.
The V8 also comes in a
variety of ratings, making it
suitable for the toughest of jobs.
Its effortless performance always
involves a hefty price penalty
initially, but the V8’s first-rate
reliability, ability to soak up years
of hard work and its sell-on value
have been the foundation of
numerous smaller fleets.
Many operators found that
these big engines gave the
possibility of good fuel
consumption on lighter work; that
is, until Euro 6 came along, when
the use of EGR in conjunction
with SCR (requiring AdBlue) to
reduce emissions resulted in
poorer economy with some
versions of the V8 range.
Bullish about 650
Now all of this has changed with
the introduction of SCR-only V8s,
with outputs of 520, 580 and
650hp; only the top-of-the-range
730hp engine retains a combined
EGR/SCR emissions system.
Scania is bullish about the new
650 V8, claiming that with
3300Nm torque output,
developed over a wide rev range
in every gear, it is remarkably
close to the mighty 730 out on
the road at most weights.
In fact, the 730’s 3500Nm
torque is available in the top two
gears only; in every other gear it
is limited to 3300Nm to protect
the driveline. Scania claimed that
the 650 will return better fuel
consumption than the previous
Euro 6 V8s and this operator’s
experience has shown that the
manufacturer is dead right –
driven carefully, it will almost
match the 500hp six-cylinder.
Now V8 engine supply is
starting to return to something
like normality after production
issues, it looks likely that the 650
will be the engine to go for if you
want a high-power V8 with
decent fuel returns. You just need
Extra power and torque of S650 is immediately apparent on the road. Note the different grille
Inside the S650: driving position is first-rate and all-round visibility excellent