MAN F Series

The MAN F Series was a range of trucks produced by MAN from 1967 to 2000.

History

F 7, F 8, F 9 cab-over-engine trucks

In 1967, new cab-over-engine trucks with a completely new appearance were introduced. The new cab came from the French cooperation partner Saviem, with whom MAN had entered into a technical and sales partnership between 1967 and 1977. In France, this cab was used by the Saviem SM Europe trucks, before it was taken up by MAN in Germany.

From 1972 onwards, the additional decorative grilles with chrome strips (F7) arranged next to the radiator grille were omitted at the front, but they are still retained in the pontoon short-bonnets. The fins of the radiator grille now ran horizontally (F8). Between 1968 and 1972, the competitor Büssing was taken over and its logo, the Braunschweig lion, was affixed to all trucks below the MAN lettering, this is still the trademark of MAN vehicles today, the logo of the MAN Group was the stylized arch of the Müngsten Bridge.

A slight facelift took place from September 1979, recognizable by a new bumper, plastic-encased, with larger headlights. Regardless of the motors installed. Since MAN produced its own underfloor engine from 1979 – production of the old Büssing engine was discontinued – the Büssing lettering on the radiator grille was now also omitted and replaced by the usual diesel lettering. From 1981/1982 onwards, the last major facelift of the F8 series took place. The most striking feature is the turn signals that have been set further down and enlarged, as well as a revised instrument panel/dashboard. The diesel lettering was also omitted. In the medium-duty vehicles of the “New Middle Series” introduced from 1983 onwards, the radiator grille is lower than in the heavy version. D08 engines and adapted chassis brought payloads adapted to the model range.

The model designations can be further differentiated:

• Until 1979: Zero at the end of the engine performance index in the type designation (e.g. 280): Engines of the D25 (later D28) series as naturally aspirated or turbocharged engines. The 1 was only given to the so-called 281 and 321 series in the type designation as well as the 241s, which were only rarely built. The zero still remained. E.g. 280 (turbocharged engine only), 320 V10 naturally aspirated engine, 240 naturally aspirated or 192 engine series.
• Built between 1979 and 1985 with a one at the end of the type designation (e.g. 281 + 321): Constant-power engines with combined turbocharging (intercooling plus resonance charging).
• From 1986 onwards with a two at the end of the type designation (e.g. 292, 332, 362): F-90 series.

Due to the emission regulations that came into force at the end of the 1980s, the next valid level was sometimes represented by changing the last digit (e.g. 3 or 4) or by new engine performance specifications.

In the 1970s and 1980s, these vehicles were among the most common truck types on German roads. From 1973 onwards, the cab of this series was also used for the underfloor models that MAN had included in its own range from its acquired competitor Büssing. These vehicles bore the brand name “M·A· N Büssing” on the radiator grille. All other MAN were (previously) labelled with the addition “Diesel” under the lettering “M·A· N”. In the country of origin France, the cab was used by Saviem until 1978. The trucks were also built with license in other countries, such as Romania by Roman, and in Hungary by Rába.

The Romanian produced trucks proved very popular in their home market, and were also exported in small numbers to other Eastern Bloc countries. From 1984 to 1990 all trucks of Brașov plant were made under the DAC brand. In 1990, after the transformation of the plant into a joint-stock company, the Roman brand appeared again. The main production program for that time was the upgraded range of vehicles that were updated along with the DAC trucks. Externally, they can be recognized by an increased size of the radiator grille and new front bumper with twin round headlights. Trucks received new engines, local made or imported MAN, Deutz, Renault, Caterpillar, Detroit Diesel and Navistar with an output from 110 to 450 hp, and multi-speeds gearboxes ZF, Eaton, Spicer and Fuller. “The German” indexing of models remained for this family. Probably, especially for a local fuel company Petrom was made an updated version of Roman trucks. From the previous truck it could be distinguished by a plastic kit, which totally refreshed the appearance of truck. Most of the trucks were made in form of 2-axle tractor trucks and 3-axle chassis, with the cabs painted in bright yellow. The rest of the trucks entered the free market and not treated that fuel contract. Interestingly, that the Petronam also used the same trucks under the brand DAC, which was differed in appearance from the Roman trucks.

F 90, M 90

In 1986, the F 90 series appeared, replacing the previous F 9 series, and essentially being a modernized and modified version of it. The F-90 cab, which this time also officially gave the series its name, was slightly redesigned, with the design strongly based on its predecessor. The most striking distinguishing feature is again the turn signals, which moved a little deeper into the bumper. Since 1986, the dots between the letters in the logo (“MAN” instead of “M·A· N“). The introduction of the different models took place step by step until 1988. The F-90 models all received the new generation of engines further developed from the predecessor. Some of these innovations had already benefited the predecessors from 1985 onwards. The top engine was now 460 hp, which initially gave MAN the top performance of European road trucks, and later rose to 500 hp. The engines of this series are recognizable by the type number of the models ending in 2.

In addition, the M 90 was now available as an independent model series in the medium-duty weight class.

In terms of engine technology, some engines of the F 9 series were still used in the first generation. The in-line six-cylinder engines were available with 290, 330 and 360 hp. The engine range was supplemented by a V-10 engine with 460 hp. These engines were replaced by the second generation, which was later also used in the F 2000. The 320 hp engine had five cylinders in line, the 422 hp engine had six cylinders and the top model (the 500 hp version) was a V-10 engine.

Currently, the F 90 is only manufactured by Shaanxi. The company began production in 1986 as an independent manufacturer and discontinued domestic sales of the vehicle in 2007. Since then, the vehicle parts have only been delivered disassembled as a CKD kit to the Arabian subsidiary Shacman Motors, where the F 90 is now assembled for the Middle Eastern market under its own brand name.

F 2000, F 2000 Evo, M 2000

From 1994 onwards, the heavy-duty F 90 series was replaced by the F 2000 series (recognisable, for example, by the modified – now four individual – headlights, the new front apron and a new muffler) – from 1998 “F 2000 E” (Evolution, externally recognisable by the absence of the chrome frame around the radiator grille). In the F 2000 E, new technology was also tested for the first time (on-board computer), which was standard in the successor model TGA. The medium-duty M 90 series was succeeded in 1996 in the M 2000 series, and from 2000 onwards as the “ME 2000”, whereby the customer could choose between a heavy-duty and light-class cab.

Until the end of production in 2007, the LE 2000 and ME 2000 vehicles were produced at the MAN plant in Steyr.

At present, the F 2000 is still being assembled by two companies. The model is manufactured and assembled as the MAN F 2000 and as the Youngman F 2000 by Jinhua Youngman Vehicle and as the Shaanxi F 2000 by the Shaanxi Heavy-duty Automobile Group in the People’s Republic of China. Shaanxi also supplies fully disassembled kits to the United Arab Emirates, where the model is assembled and offered under the brand name Shacman Motors.