Hino Australia’s new 500 Series GT Crew Cab Automatic four-wheel drive truck builds on the manual version by adding a five-speed automatic transmission to combine ease of use with off-road capability.
Hino Australia Product Planning Manager Daniel Petrovski said the GT Automatic was designed primarily with Australian fire-fighters in mind.
“Australia’s fire-fighting organisations were at the forefront of our thoughts when designing the GT Automatic,” Mr Petrovski said.
“Hino four-wheel drive trucks are used to fight bushfires in some challenging environments across Australia – we saw a need to build an automatic truck that retained Hino’s off-road capabilities.
“It’s not just a matter of convenience – the simplicity of an automatic gearbox means fire-fighters have one less concern on their minds in what can be a highly stressful environment.”
To suit the needs of fire-fighting teams, the GT Automatic features an engine-mounted live-drive power take-off (PTO) as standard.
The 500 GT Automatic’s switchable engine PTO can operate independently of the drivetrain, which enables constant operation while the truck is stationary or in motion.
Hino chose to adapt the Allison 2500 Series automatic transmission to help the 500 GT Automatic handle Australian conditions.
The gearbox features a system called Preselect which automatically shifts down when the exhaust brake is activated, increasing driver control by ensuring the engine and gearbox offer peak compression braking and reductive force respectively.
A unique feature of the transmission is the 500 GT Automatic-specific Allison 2500 series T-bar type gear selector that displays the gear selector position within the instrumentation cluster, removing the need for the driver to take their eyes from the road ahead to check the gear selection.
In response to individual fire-fighting authorities’ requests and as a way of tailoring solutions to individual customers, Hino offers a variant with no-slip differentials and factory removal of the ABS (anti-lock braking system).
Hino offers the ABS-equipped variant at no extra cost, ensuring the 500 Series GT Automatic’s capabilities are suited to any situation.