Renault Magnum 23 Years On | A TruckLocator Review Feature

It is hard to believe the Renault Magnum has been around for 23 years now, but it was indeed launched in 1990. We know that good French wine ages well but can the same be said for their trucks? Getting into the cab might not require the same care as uncorking a bottle of good Bordeaux but it is still a little tricky. It has an 'up over and in' type of entry arrangement, with the steps mounted behind the front wheel and the action requires all of your attention and both of your hands. Thankfully, both doors are restricted to a 45 degree opening aperture, so at least they won't flap too wide when you are holding on and can be closed fairly easily once inside. The cab is pretty impressive when you are safely aboard, with a totally flat floor and more than six feet of headroom, so it feels very airy indeed. The controls will be familiar to anybody who has driven a Renault Premium.

On the road, you might notice a sharper than usual steering response, caused by the Renault Magnum's front axle being located right at the front of the chassis. There is also great visibility provided by the large windscreen and side windows. Braking comes from all-round electronically operated discs which easily bring this French steed to heel with just a modest touch on the pedal. The Renault Magnum's braking system also encompasses ABS, ASR traction control and hill-start assist. The engine is a 500hp six-cylinder unit which delivers most of its power in the low 1,400 to 1,800 rpm range and gives out 2,450nm of torque between 1,050 and 1,400 rpm. It is a Swedish-built unit and delivers all of its power with typically quiet Scandinavian good manners. A high-pressure fuel-injection system, four valves per cylinder and overhead cam all contribute to good acceleration and effortless performance from the 13-litre unit.

The Optidriver+ automatic box looks after most of the cog shifts, with Renault claiming that 95% of operations need no driver involvement. That is mostly true in town but out on the open road, where the electronics can't anticipate upcoming changes in road conditions, driver intervention is probably a bit more frequent. Not that it is difficult to flip between auto and manual, though. The twelve forward and four reverse gears are controlled by a stalk on the right side of the steering wheel and simply pulling this towards the driver shifts the system into manual.

There is little perceptible cab roll on the Renault Magnum, despite the extra height and that speaks well about the four-point air-suspension mount layout. Care has been taken too to optimise fuel consumption by getting the trailer as close to the cab as possible. This is achieved admirably by the sliding VBG/Fontaine fifth wheel set-up which offers 13 positions in 37.5mm increments. This no doubt offsets somewhat the fuel cost of the flat front cab design. The Renault Magnum was offered in Privilege, Excellence and Vega trim levels and each features a decent level of comfort. The large bottom bunk is especially comfortable and makes the Renault Magnum suitable for most long-distance work.