MAN launches TGM 18.320 4x4 chassis in top off-road class for fighting forest fires
MAN is offering its first chassis in the highest off-road category under DIN EN 1846-1: an 18-tonne TGM 18.320 4x4 with permanent all-wheel drive built for forest and vegetation fires off paved roads.
- up to 11.5 tonnes
- 6,000 litres
- 500 litres
- up to 950 mm
What Happened
MAN now offers, for the first time, a chassis for firefighting applications in the highest off-road category under DIN EN 1846-1. The 18-tonne MAN TGM 18.320 4x4 has permanent all-wheel drive and is designed for operations off paved roads. Its payload of up to 11.5 tonnes makes bodies with up to 6,000 litres of extinguishing water, 500 litres of foam agent plus standard equipment possible. Power comes from a 320 hp engine through the automated MAN PowerMatic gearbox, with 14.00 R20 single tyres at the front and rear axle. Depending on the body and cab variant, as standard or double cab, different wheelbases and crew concepts can be realised.
11.5tonnes
Enough for bodies carrying up to 6,000 litres of extinguishing water and 500 litres of foam agent plus standard equipment.
For operations near fire sources the chassis has a special heat protection system: air, electric, AdBlue and fuel lines are designed to withstand a temperature of up to 130 degrees Celsius for ten minutes. Mechanical protection measures are added for particularly exposed vehicle components. A rotating roof hatch between the driver and passenger seats opens up extra operational options, helped by a height-adjustable step surface, and even with the hatch the cab meets the latest crash-test standard ECE R29-3. The concept also allows firefighting while driving on the "Pump and Roll" principle, and the driver can adapt tyre pressure to different surfaces from the workplace using the tyre pressure control system, supported by tyre pressure monitoring and run-flat tyres. A wading capability of up to 950 millimetres means the vehicle can also be used on flooded roads and tracks.
“With the new MAN TGM 18.320 4x4 we offer fire services and civil protection organisations worldwide a vehicle that was developed specifically for demanding operations under the most difficult conditions. Its high off-road capability and the diverse configuration options make it the ideal basis for fighting forest and vegetation fires. At the same time, the chassis is also suitable for numerous other tasks in civil protection and disaster control, wherever emergency crews must be supported quickly, safely and reliably off paved routes.”
- MAN TGM 18.320 4x4 BB CH, TN cab, wheelbase shortened to 3,300 mm, crew of three (Trupp) with a central seat from MAN Individual; also off-road category 3 adaptation, heat protection, mechanical self-protection, rotating roof hatch, tyre pressure control, tyre pressure monitoring and run-flat tyres
- DN cab, 3,900 mm wheelbase, crew of six (Staffel), with the protection and off-road functions plus an exhaust stack raised behind the cab
- MAN TGM 18.320 4x4 BB CH, TN cab, 3,600 mm wheelbase, crew of three including a central seat from MAN Individual, with off-road category 3 adaptation, heat protection, mechanical self-protection, raised exhaust stack and rotating roof hatch
On first test drives at the MAN ProfiDrive test track in Simmelsdorf near Nuremberg, fire service journalists could experience the off-road properties and technical features of the new vehicle under realistic operating conditions. Three MAN TGM 18.320 4x4 with different firefighting bodies were used, showing the range of body, crew and deployment concepts the chassis can accommodate. Its high off-road capability is supported by further technical adjustments, including a mechanical protective cover for the transfer case and an exhaust stack raised behind the cab, while an optimised entry situation eases access to the crew compartment. MAN Individual carried out the extensive modifications to the TGM 4x4 together with ESTEPE, a specialist for cab modifications and chassis adaptations.
Why this matters
More summers with record heat and weeks of drought are making forest and vegetation fires a growing challenge for fire services worldwide, and crews must be able to reach large blazes in difficult terrain safely. This chassis gives fire services and civil protection organisations a basis for tank firefighting vehicles carrying up to 6,000 litres of water, with the first bodies coming from three specialist builders.
Terms in This Story
- DIN EN 1846-1
- A European standard that classifies firefighting and rescue vehicles, including categories for off-road capability.
- Pump and Roll
- A firefighting technique in which water is pumped while the vehicle is still moving, so a crew can attack a fire front along a road or track.
- TLF
- German abbreviation for Tankloeschfahrzeug, a tank firefighting vehicle that carries its own water supply and pump.
- ECE R29-3
- A United Nations regulation setting crash-test requirements for commercial vehicle cab strength and occupant protection.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.