Scania Australia is using the launch of its new Super 11-litre engine to put a renewed focus on rigid distribution fleets, with a new 350 P 8×2 14-pallet curtainsider aimed at operators looking for fuel efficiency, safety and payload flexibility.
The truck was part of Scania’s Australian launch program for the Super 11 engine family, which has been developed for regional haulage, construction and distribution applications where uptime and fuel efficiency are central to the operating model.
For Scania, the curtainsider is an important part of the broader Super 11 story. The new engine is not only about linehaul efficiency. It also gives Scania a stronger platform for urban and regional distribution, where operators need a vehicle that can carry freight efficiently, handle changing loads and deliver a high level of safety for drivers and road users.
Ben Nye, Sales Director – Trucks at Scania Australia, said the 8×2 configuration has an important role to play in distribution.
“Scania pioneered this 8×2 setup, and I’m determined not to let it go, because it fixes so many problems in distribution,” Nye said at the launch.
“It means that you don’t have to be careful how you unload. Diminishing loads aren’t a problem for it, because it’s two axles at the front, two axles at the back.”
Powered by the Super 11
The 350 P curtainsider is powered by Scania’s DC11 100 Euro 6e engine, a 10.62-litre five-cylinder inline diesel producing 350 hp, or 257 kW, at 1,800 rpm.
The engine produces 1,800 Nm of torque from 950 rpm to 1,360 rpm, giving the truck strong low-speed performance for urban and regional distribution work.
The Super 11 engine sits between Scania’s 9-litre and 13-litre engine families. It is 85 kg lighter than the Super 13-litre six-cylinder engine, shares 85 per cent parts commonality with the larger Super engine, and delivers up to seven per cent improved fuel efficiency compared with Scania’s 9-litre five-cylinder engine.
For distribution fleets, the lighter and more efficient engine is designed to support productivity without stepping up to a larger powertrain where it may not be required.
Nye said the 8×2 rigid arrangement has a clear fuel efficiency advantage because only one of the rear axles is driven.
“The difference with ours is that the two axles at the back, only one has been driven, which has been massive fuel savings,” he said.
Built for 14-pallet distribution work
The truck shown at launch was fitted with a Prestige Truck Bodies 14-pallet curtainsider body.
The body is 8.84 metres long, 2.5 metres wide and 2.8 metres high, with an overall vehicle height of 3.9 metres. It includes front and rear curtain tensioners, a 5 mm steel floor and a 2-tonne Dhollandia tail lift.
The specification makes the vehicle suitable for palletised freight, metropolitan distribution, regional deliveries and mixed-load operations where the load profile may change during the route.
The 8×2 configuration is particularly relevant for diminishing-load work. As freight is delivered and the weight distribution changes, the two-front, two-rear axle layout helps manage balance and load distribution.
G25 Opticruise transmission
The 350 P 8×2 curtainsider uses Scania’s G25CM1 Opticruise gearbox.
The transmission provides 14 forward gears, made up of 12 standard gears, one super-crawler and one overdrive. It also offers up to eight reverse gears, Opticruise automated shifting and Eco-Roll.
Scania Opticruise driving modes include Economy, Standard and Power.
The rear axle ratio is 3.08:1, while the truck has an axle distance of 5,550 mm and a bogie distance of 1,350 mm.
The driveline is supported by Scania’s Variable Valve Brake, rated at 234/344 kW, giving the vehicle additional braking support in urban and regional work.
Safety specification for urban roads
Distribution trucks operate in environments where safety systems are increasingly important. The Scania 350 P curtainsider includes a wide range of active and passive safety features.
Standard equipment includes Electronic Stability System, Traction Control, Adaptive Cruise Control with Active Prediction, Hill Hold, Differential Lock, Advanced Emergency Braking and an electropneumatic parking brake.
The ADAS package includes Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning with Active Steering, Lane Change Collision Prevention, Vulnerable Road User Collision Warning using front, side and rear radar, and Blind Spot Warning.
The truck also includes driver and passenger seat belt pretensioners, driver airbag, and driver and passenger side curtain airbags.
Nye said safety remains a central part of Scania’s product offer.
“Safety is paramount,” he said, pointing to features such as lane assist, Advanced Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection and rollover curtain airbags.
Driver comfort and cab features
The curtainsider uses Scania’s CP17 normal-roof cab with electronic cab tilt system, 25 cm roof air deflector and 12 cm side air deflectors.
The cab is finished in Phantom White with Glossy Steel Grey grille inserts.
Driver features include climate control air conditioning, LED headlamps, tail-lights and daytime running lights, DAB audio, Bluetooth, CB radio and USB charging.
The driver and passenger seats are Scania’s Medium style with knitted and woven upholstery, while the driver’s seat has air suspension and a seat cover.
For distribution fleets, where drivers are in and out of the truck throughout the day and spend long hours in traffic, the combination of visibility, comfort and safety systems is a key part of the vehicle’s appeal.
Full truck specification
Model: Scania 350 P Super 11-litre 8×2 14-pallet Curtainsider
Vehicle status: Vehicle as driven
Engine: DC11 100 Euro 6e
Configuration: 5-cylinder inline, 10.62 litres
Power: 350 hp / 257 kW at 1,800 rpm
Torque: 1,800 Nm at 950–1,360 rpm
Bore and stroke: 130 mm x 160 mm
Firing order: 1-2-4-5-3
Compression ratio: 23.0:1
Fuel system: Scania XPI Extra High-Pressure Injection
Emission system: Scania SCR, DPF, twin AdBlue dosing system
Fuel tank: 395 litres
AdBlue tank: 47 litres
Gearbox: G25CM1 Opticruise
Forward gears: 14, including 12 gears, one super-crawler and one overdrive
Reverse gears: Up to eight
Shift system: Opticruise automated changing
Fuel-saving function: Eco-Roll
Opticruise modes: Economy, Standard and Power
Rear axle ratio: 3.08:1
Brakes: ABS/EBS9 disc brakes with Advanced Emergency Braking
Parking brake: Electropneumatic
Engine brake: Variable Valve Brake, 234/344 kW
Axle distance: 5,550 mm
Bogie distance: 1,350 mm
Suspension: Air suspension front and rear, extra stiff anti-roll bars front and rear, load transfer system, axle load display on dash, tag axle lift
Wheels: 22.5 x 8.25 Alcoa DuraBright alloy rims
Tyres: Continental 295/80 R22.5 steer and drive
Cab: CP17 normal roof with electronic cab tilt system, 25 cm roof and 12 cm side air deflectors
Body: Prestige Truck Bodies 14-pallet curtainsider
Body dimensions: 8.84 m long, 2.5 m wide, 2.8 m high
Overall height: 3.9 m
Floor: 5 mm steel floor
Tail lift: 2-tonne Dhollandia tail lift
Cab colour: Phantom White with Glossy Steel Grey grille inserts
Key standard features include Scania Communicator C400, Electronic Stability System, Traction Control, Adaptive Cruise Control with Active Prediction, Hill Hold, Differential Lock, LED lighting, DAB audio, Bluetooth, CB radio, USB charging, climate control air conditioning, driver and passenger seat belt pretensioners, driver airbag, and driver and passenger side curtain airbags.
Lower emissions and lower operating costs
The Super 11 engine family is HVO compatible across all variants, giving distribution fleets a renewable fuel option where supply is available.
B100 compatibility is available on the 390 hp and 430 hp versions of the Super 11, while the 350 hp version used in the curtainsider specification is focused on diesel and HVO operation.
The 350 P 8×2 curtainsider also benefits from the broader Super 11 performance claims, including up to seven per cent improved fuel efficiency compared with Scania’s 9-litre five-cylinder engine and service intervals up to 30 per cent longer than the 9-litre engine, depending on application.
For distribution fleets, these gains can support lower whole-of-life costs, particularly when combined with Scania’s factory-backed service network and inclusive maintenance offer for Super 11 vehicles.
A smarter rigid for distribution
The 350 P 8×2 curtainsider shows how Scania intends to use the Super 11 engine to expand into more day-to-day fleet applications.
While Scania is often associated with linehaul, heavy vocational work and emergency vehicles, this curtainsider is aimed squarely at distribution operators looking for fuel efficiency, load flexibility, safety and driver comfort.
The combination of a lighter 11-litre engine, 8×2 configuration, 14-pallet body, advanced safety package and G25 Opticruise transmission gives Scania a stronger offer in a highly competitive segment.
For Nye, the logic is straightforward: if a vehicle can do the work with one driven rear axle instead of two, while improving fuel efficiency and maintaining performance, it deserves a closer look from Australian fleets.
With the new 350 P Super 11-litre 8×2 curtainsider, Scania is making that case directly to distribution operators.
