Penske Power Systems Sydney has delivered its first new MAN prime mover since recently becoming the exclusive sales, parts and service dealer of Western Star Trucks, MAN Truck & Bus and Dennis Eagle in Sydney.

Dardania Transport took delivery of an MAN TGX D38 earlier this week, having placed an order for the 15.2 litre, 560hp flagship MAN after a three day trial of a demo model.

Already having owned and had success with an MAN TGS 480, when in the market for a new truck Dardania Transport went straight to MAN.

“We have had a very positive history with MAN so when the opportunity presented itself, we were very keen to trial the demo provided by Penske,” said Dardania co-owner, Tim Dardania.

“The D38 is a very impressive vehicle. After trialing other European competitors, it seemed far more capable for the job at hand.

“Major factors for us were reliability and low cost of maintenance, and when coupled together with MAN’s pedigree, we knew the truck would work for us.”

Transporting raw ingredients from Eastern Creek to Lithgow, NSW, for the production of confectionery, Dardania Transport requires high torque in the lower rev range when travelling across Mt Victoria.

“We carry heavy loads of raw materials for a confectionery manufacturer up to Lithgow and return with the product on the way down, so engine horsepower and torque are important features for us,” he said.

“The load over the mountain exerts a great deal of stress on trucks and this is where the true performance of a truck shines through.”

Given the successful relationship Dardania Transport has had with MAN to date, the transport operator is considering an exclusive arrangement with MAN.

“Although Penske in Chipping Norton is not particularly close to our base, the team and the customer service we receive makes it enticing enough for us to travel the extra distance to the dealership,” he said.

“They are a great group of people who are easy to communicate with, responsive to our needs as a customer and willing to help meet those needs.

“We are very impressed with MAN trucks and hoping to re-generate our entire fleet over to MAN in the future, and we’ll be looking to Penske to help us achieve this goal in building our fleet of MAN trucks.”