City Slicker

Truck makers use the word ‘new’ liberally, the New Daf LF being a case in point.

- Will Shiers

In fact, from an external point of view, the most significant change is a switch in launch colour from traditional Daf orange to blue. The only other visual changes are a subtly redesigned name badge on the front (matching that on the latest CF and XF) and some splashes of silver on the grille.

It is a similar story inside the cab, where redesign highlights consist of updated seat fabrics and a different colour for the dashboard. The options list is slightly longer and includes a Sadiq Khan-friendly window cut into the bottom of the nearside door. Specify this and you also get an electric sliding passenger window.

One element of the truck that is genuinely new is the launch of a 7.5tonne LF City. As the name implies, the truck is aimed at urban distribution. It might look like the rest of the range but under the skin is a new 3.8-litre four-cylinder PX4 engine. It is SCR-only – Daf’s first since the launch of Euro 6.

A new turbo has its outlet closer to the engine’s SCR after-treatment system. The downpipe has been rerouted too, ensuring higher after treatment inlet temperatures. The Cummins-built engine, available in 156hp and 172hp guises, is paired to a five-speed manual Eaton gearbox. There is no two-pedal option.

The LF City is available as a chassis cab or with a Leyland-built body.

Who will buy it?

The City is expected to have widespread appeal, Daf anticipating it accounting for 20%-25% of the 3000 or so 7.5-tonne LFs sold in the UK every year. Specifically, it will target those companies whose trucks spend most of their time in the urban environment and have low-duty operating cycles. This includes parcel carriers such as Royal Mail, which already favours 150hp and manual gearboxes in its LFs.

“The 7.5-tonne market is getting smaller and we are doing everything we can to capture the customers we can,” says Daf marketing manager Phil Moon.