I will not be exaggerating if I say that the latest offer from VOLVO Trucks has turned my life 180 degrees upside down. Just as once the profession of a truck driver allowed me to see most of our vast country, so now, I am discovering the world. A Schengen visa, a short flight, and here I am, together with a company of journalists from world, are already met by a VOLVO representative in the arrival's hall at Gothenburg airport.

The advertising campaign for the new Volvo FH began with unconventional solutions. I must admit that I watched the video with the rope hoist a couple of dozen times, looking for a catch and editing, but in vain - everything was done at the highest level. In another way, Volvo simply cannot be! With the launch of its first FH truck in 1993, the company raised the bar for quality and safety to such a high level that it has become a style icon. And not to the detriment of the main component of any transport business - profitability.

During its existence, FH has undergone a deep reincarnation four times in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008. One way or another, environmental standards changed, the power of power units grew, the transmission improved, but the truck was based on the same design of the late eighties and early nineties. Which by the way did not prevent Volvo FH from staying in the leading positions.

But it was impossible to reap the laurels of the winner forever, especially since the competitors are not asleep. Major rivals have long since expanded the size of the driver's office to be obscenely large compared to the 1993 Volvo cab. The sloping cockpit, which was painted for the sake of aerodynamics and ate up so much internal volume, begged to rest, everyone was waiting for the new dress of the "King". In the spirit of the times, the premiere took place on September 5th with a broadcast to the whole world via the Internet channel.

We must pay tribute to the management of the PR-company of the new Volvo FH. For most, the intrigue of the new look of the car has been preserved until the last seconds. At first glance, when the cover was removed and the new FH was presented to the public, I had a slight shock and misunderstanding. This can be explained by the fact that my Volvo associative range has been identical to the old cab for twenty years, and there is no getting away from it. Later, on the second day, it passed and everything fell into place, and every line of the cabin, every detail of it took on a finished look. Which developed into the ideal design and corporate identity of Volvo.

In order to increase the interior space, the cab windshield in the new FH is installed almost vertically. But in order to continue the style of the old FH, the Swedes found a non-standard solution: they cut off the front corner of the roof. That did not affect the height of the "ceiling" in the cockpit, since the corner is located directly above the dashboard. The ceiling height above the engine tunnel in the top-end version is 211 centimeters. The interior space has increased by one cubic meter compared to the old cab. Glove compartments and lockers added an extra 300 liters of volume, by the way, these are 15 standard 20-liter canisters.

But there is one drawback, which may outweigh all additional advantages, liters and cubic meters in the eyes of drivers. In the comments to my reportage from the presentation, he was voiced by a driver from Europe, who in the near future will already sit behind the wheel of the new FH. Perhaps I will give him here without cuts: “Big minus - again there is no table. Well, take an example from Magnum, make the lower sleeping bag transformable as it has. It is very convenient, as in our second-class carriages, the lower sides of two chairs and a table are transformed into a berth. After all, in Volvo you have to eat food either on a sleeping bag, spreading a napkin or buying a folding table for this. The same inconveniences are in the new cab ”. How the designers with Volvo missed this point defies explanation. And of course that rubber stand for small things cannot replace a stationary table.

For me, as a consumer, it is simply incomprehensible how it is possible to improve what is already ideal. It turns out you can! The ergonomics of the driver's seat in the Volvo FH were top notch as well. And now, in an effort to blur the boundaries in driving a road train and a passenger car, the designers have done a lot of work. In addition to the independent suspension, about which a little later, the driver's seat travel was increased by four centimeters. The new adjustable steering wheel can be tilted 20 degrees compared to the previous version, the algorithm for its movement has been changed. This means that drivers will be able to comfortably and naturally sit behind the wheel, almost like in a passenger car.

The dashboard deserves special attention, there is nothing left of the previous car in it, everything has been redone. The quality of materials and workmanship are worthy of a premium car. A clear, easy-to-read display, the driver can customize it and select three main functions for quick adjustment on the steering wheel. The secondary display shows secondary information: audio, navigation, telephone, etc. Perhaps someone will find the decision strange, but Volvo decided to say goodbye to the good old air valve of the parking brake. Now an electronic button is responsible for the parking brake, which not every passenger car can boast of.

There is one more feature of the new FH, which was presented to journalists and paid a lot of attention - this is the remote control. Almost everything ingenious is simple, I even wonder why no one has done this before. A little thing that fundamentally changes the order of things. Raise and lower the suspension, tilt the car on its side, operate the tailgate, interior and exterior lighting, start and stop the engine, lock the doors. All this requires only a remote control. We remembered how we used to switch the TV - we had to get up and come up, now it's in the past. Shock-resistant, protected from moisture and dust, it will save a lot of time and become an irreplaceable assistant for the driver.

If I were asked to describe the new Volvo FH in one word, I would choose the epithet “first time”. For the first time - on trucks, a heat exchanger for a parking air conditioner was integrated under the cab lining.

For the first time, an escape hatch is included as standard.

The new Volvo FH is the first truck to be equipped with independent front suspension (IFS). According to the assurances of Volvo representatives, in combination with another novelty - a rack and pinion steering mechanism - it significantly improves the driving performance and handling of the truck. Independent suspension will be optionally equipped with some trucks. Also, according to mechanics from the About FORD CARGOet="_blank">www.tacomatruck.repair service, this type of suspension is very resistant to breakage. Service experts say that they do not repair with this type of suspension, trucks come quite rarely. This means that this suspension will be in operation for a long time without breaking.

Time will tell how much the option will be in demand, but apparently by taking such a step and investing a lot of money in the development and promotion of the product, the Swedes desperately monitored the market. In addition, other options for spring and air suspensions remained available. The section of the springs was slightly changed: they became wider, they changed the profile.

In conclusion, I will say that this is one of the best trucks in the Volvo can. It has many advantages over other models of similar trucks.