Hino Australia has introduced an all-new automated manual transmission (AMT) as an option on a selection of its 500 Series medium-duty truck models. Dubbed ProShift 6, the new AMT will be initially available as an option on FC 1022 and FD 1124 variants of the 500 Series.
The Hino-designed and manufactured ProShift AMT is one of a number of key improvements Hino is making across its expanding model range this year.
Hino Australia’s divisional manager product strategy, marketing and dealer development, Alex Stewart, said the introduction of an AMT further strengthened Hino’s diverse range of transmissions across the 500 Series range.
“An increasing number of operators are choosing AMTs over conventional transmissions thanks to their all-round versatility and driveability,” he said. “Hino believes in offering true choice to customers, which is why we’ve decided to introduce ProShift transmissions in two of our most popular 500 Series models, alongside the existing 500 Series range of manual and fully automatic models.
“In this case, the 500 Series ProShift 6 is a six-speed version of Hino’s own AMT and is perfectly suited to the needs of truck owners in the medium-duty class. The introduction of the ProShift 6 in the 500 Series means Hino now offers AMT options in all three truck categories: The ProShift 5 is fitted to the Hino 300 Hybrid, while ProShift 16 AMTs feature on 700 Series models.”
In addition to the mechanical upgrade, all Hino FD 1124 models now feature an 11 tonne gross vehicle mass (GVM) rating, up from the previous 10.4 tonne rating.
According to Alex Stewart, the new Hino AMT models have the potential to deliver significant fuel savings for operators under certain circumstances.
“Hino engineers have tailored the shift points of the ProShift 6 transmission to maximise the use of effective engine torque at all times, increasing fuel efficiency and driveability,” he remarked. “This transmission has been optimised for use in Australian conditions following an extensive development program that relied on the input of local testing.
“Shift points, final drive ratios and up-rated oil capacities to provide ample cooling in high-temperature climates are just a few of the modifications made on Australian models,” Alex added. “Having been proven in the Japanese domestic market for more than 10 years, we feel Australian operators will be pleasantly surprised by the benefits ProShift models can provide.”
ProShift AMTs will become progressively available across the Hino model range over the next few years.
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