With the gradual easing of lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic, commerce will see a shift in business operations like never before in a post-COVID-19 era.
The logistics and trucking sector is also experiencing hard times due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions that disrupted the freight movement, raised the operating cost, and panicked drivers and crew members.
And as inter-city travels resumed on July 1, after the Federal Government lifted the ban, it is inevitable that organisations will increasingly seek only the most reliable commercial vehicles with easy maintenance facility for their payload transits.
Ashok Leyland with their range of commercial vehicles can fulfil this promise on quality, ruggedness and reliability.
Ashok Leyland, an internationally recognized automobile brand with a rich pedigree is not new to this country, as it is distributed by Stallion Motors in Nigeria. It is undoubtedly one of the strongest players in the commercial vehicle segment by the virtue of its vast distribution network.
Stallion Motor’s exclusive national partnership with Ashok Leyland has evolved with time to bring the best in class products and service to the Nigerian consumer. These commercial vehicles are assembled locally and are best engineered for the road severity in Nigeria.
The company’s Managing Director Mr. Manish Rohtagi reiterated that the wide range of commercial vehicles from Ashok Leyland shows the company’s renewed commitment towards bringing tough dependable and durable vehicles for logistics use in affordable range to the Nigerian customers.
The company has sales and service outlets in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Port Harcourt and has invested in state-of-the-art central auto parts and service centre at Orile Lagos, to support the distribution of genuine parts across the nation for the upkeep of these vehicles.
He further added that the new range of Fully Built trucks will sport contemporary design, a new-generation platform and will offer best-in-class efficiency, performance and comfort. Reinforcing the brand promise of ‘Your win is Our Win’. We are offering products that will provide the best Total Cost of Ownership to our customers.”
Aside the reliability of the brand, the patrons of Ashok Leyland are pleased because its models can easily be adapted to different usages such as garbage compactors, refrigerated and dry vans, cargo or agricultural trucks, construction trucks, mining trucks, distribution vans, troop carriers, high capacity passenger vehicles etc.
Ashok Leyland Partner
The popularity of Partner is driven by customer profitability as well as cabin comfort for driver and passenger. Its strength emanates from load-carrying ability, stability and maneuverability, ensuring a superior return on investment.
Users of the Partner do not have issues with navigation, even when the vehicle is fully loaded because it is powered by the advanced ZD30 Common Rail diesel engine offering more power and pick-up advantage.
Safety is not compromised as the heavy-duty parabolic leaf springs in the front, superior braking system and frontal crash protection offers the driver and passengers a safe and smooth ride.
Low fuel consumption as well as affordable and easy to handle long maintenance intervals is boosted by its Euro III compliance engine.
The Partner’s power steering with tilt-able adjustment and a cable-operated gear shift mechanism with a 5 speed Overdrive Synchromesh Gear Box makes gear shifting effortless and driving stress free.
Ashok Leyland Boss
Then comes the Boss. Like the name implies, it is truly the Master when it comes to delivery for businesses looking for quick returns on investments with little or no downtime.
Equipped with powerful ‘H’ Series Inline Engine tuned for delivering Power and Torque, it is built with rugged overdrive gearbox and best-in-class turning radius.
According to the automaker, “the Boss offers superior payload and needs fewer maintenance brakes, delivering a superior uptime with lower operating costs making the business more profitable.”
Its purpose-built organic clutch is meant to serve a very long time, unlike the ordinary clutches, while the fitted tubeless radial tyres ensure better grip and the lifetime lubricated bearings enhance manoeuvrability and safety.
The dashboard is ergonomically designed with the controls placed intelligently, just as Ashok Leyland has also provided for multi-angle adjustable seats, and steering column with tilt-able and telescopic movements, while the 2-point suspended cabin offers comfort and convenience.
Ashok Leyland 1718
The Ashok Leyland 1718 truck comes with Euro II compliant turbocharged intercool diesel engine with 5759-litre capacity, coupled with a synchromesh ZF S6-36 (OD) gearbox.
In order to enhance safety, its braking system is fully air pressure diaphragm on all wheels. The parking brake is pneumatically controlled on rear wheels only.
The double-acting telescopic type shock absorber works with the semi-elliptic multi-leaf shackle ended system to improve the vehicle’s standard suspension system.
With a maximum speed of 199 kilometre per hour, which checks drivers from over speeding, it offers an easy to read electronic speedometer and load sensing valve.
The truck which has been doing well in the Nigerian market comes with front and rear anti-roll bar, exhaust brake and clutch booster.
Customized versions of the 1718 trucks come as Garbage Compactors with automatic operation suitable for city garbage collection.
Interestingly, the Garbage Compactor comes with hose burst valve to prevent tailgate descending in the event of hydraulic failure. Emergency stop switch stops all the operation instantaneously in case of emergency.
The Stallion group made a bold statement recently when it provided some Ashok Leyland high capacity passenger buses to the Lagos state government to ease movement during the recent lockdown as a result of the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.
Brand Manager of Ashok Leyland in Nigeria, Mr. Anjan Aditya confidently says “these commercial vehicles have been tested and trusted in different parts of Nigeria because they are very reliable, and we have the technical competence to maintain and service them in any part of the country”.
