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What comes to mind when you hear the words “Super Truck”? Do you picture a Superman-esque cape flying behind a speeding pickup, or a Batman-like cowl draped around a truck slowly, quietly moving through the city? While super trucks don’t really wear capes, nor are they used for search and rescue missions, they are bigger, more powerful, and able to take more wear and tear than the regular truck.
Super trucks are typically commercial trucks, used in a myriad of ways that utilize their heavy-duty status. There are several companies that manufacture these big guys, including, Nissan, Denby, Daewoo, Samsung, and Bering HDMX, and some make multiple versions of the trucks to enable clients to choose what works best for them, whether they want an 8-ton truck or a 25-ton cargo truck, an 8-ton or 24-ton dump truck, or a mixer or tractor.
Hyundai’s super truck is just such a product, a line of vehicles rather than one particular model. They’re usually rear-wheel drive, with a manual or automatic transmission, and are capable of hauling up to 25 tons. They’re used for all sorts of commercial work, and are competitive with other brands such as Samsung and Daewoo. They’re available in North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Nissan’s Diesel Big Thumb was popular in the 90’s and early 2000’s, competing with such vehicles as the Hino Profia, the Isuzu Giga, and the Mitsubishi Fuso Super Great, which were also made available in Australia and New Zealand. After the Big Thumb retired, the Nissan Diesel Quon took over.
Hyundai’s New Power Truck became available in 2004, again with a variety of options, including different transmission packages, engine options, and cargo availabilities. Whether buyers wanted a truck to haul cargo, dump, mix concrete, or work as a tractor, Hyundai provided an array of possibilities with four or more choices in each category.
The Denby Eco-Link, another super truck, hails from the UK and is designated as a super lorry, and although it has been tested for quite some time, is still the subject of much debate because of its size and weight. Embroiled in a legal battle since 2004, it is not legal to be sold in the UK, although a loophole was found that allowed it to be tested on public roads. It remains to be seen whether the Denby Eco-Link, a truck that was built to answer the need for an environmentally friendly, productive, safe cargo vehicle, will at some point in the future be able to service the UK. It is, however, legal in the Netherlands.
If you are not familiar with super trucks, they are worth looking into and I recommend learning more about them. They are an interesting group of vehicles, and without recognition of all they’re capable of, they are sometimes looked over for flashier models. Without them we would not be able to keep large areas clean, we could not put down new roads, and we would be unable to haul cargo over long distances. Without them, commerce would be nigh impossible. So when you see a super truck next, be sure and notice just how much they’re capable of — they’re pretty heroic in their own right.
