Truck & Driver UK – August 2019

(^78) Summer 2019 Truck & Driver
D
af’s CF range is
probably one of the
most familiar on UK
roads. It might well be
the truck you drive
every day, a rental truck you
were given when yours was off
the road, or even the truck you
learned to drive in and passed
your test with.
The original versions were
introduced way back in 1992 as
the 75 and 85 Series, only
becoming available in the UK in
early 1993, coinciding with the
Daf and Leyland Daf operations
going into bankruptcy. Ironically
the cost of developing the new
ranges put huge additional
pressure on the company’s
already overstretched finances.
Dutch government intervention
combined with customer loyalty
enabled the company to restart
operations and the new models
quickly found favour with
customers in many markets.
Later upgrades saw them
named the CF75 and CF85 and
eventually just the CF range. The
18-tonne 65 two-axle rigid came
along just after the launch and
became as popular as the bigger
CF rigids and tractors. While the
basic cab shell is similar to the
original, the rear wall was
extended to give more room
behind the seats and the floorpan
has been modified to make room
for higher-capacity engines.
Mix of work
We used the truck for a mixture
of work that reflects the CF’s role
as a fleet tractor unit, capable of
handling a wide range of different
jobs. We tried it on local
distribution work with a tandem-
axle urban trailer, along with
some medium- and long-distance
work with a variety of trailers at
maximum weight. In addition,
another driver did a couple of
night trunks with a double-deck
trailer loaded both ways.
We also had a few nights out
in the Space Cab to see if a
relatively compact cab is still up
to the job, despite many buying
the biggest possible cabs in
order to retain drivers.
The example we tried was a
well-used manufacturer’s
demonstrator with 70,000km on
the clock. It had no doubt been
driven by many drivers but was in
excellent condition.
The New Generation CF
range, to use its proper name,
shares many of the specification
changes with the bigger XF
DAF CF450
Our 10 days with the twin-steer CF450 saw it undertake a variety of work
Bob found the nearside locker a reasonable size but reckons the exterior aperture is way too small