by Nick Drew | Tue 26 Apr 2016
HX excavator range star for Hyundai at Bauma
Hyundai’s HX range of excavators were the undoubted stars on the stand in Munich earlier this month, for many myself included, it was the first time to get up close and personal with the latest offerings from the Korean giant.
It’s fairly clear that 2015 was a very successful year for Hyundai Heavy Industries Europe. According to a company spokesman sales numbers and turn-over reached an all-time high with more than 5,000 units sold and 8% growth in turn-over for construction equipment and forklifts. European Hyundai dealers managed an excellent performance in key markets including France but especially so here in the UK where sales reached unprecedented levels.
New HX models on stand included the upgrade to the 145LCR model which has proven to be very popular with UK end users. I was a little surprised to see that externally the cab has remained virtually the same. However most of the changes to this compact radius favourite are hidden under the skin. The 14 tonne class machine is powered by a Perkins 1240F Tier 4 Final emissions compliant engine rated at 87kw (116hp). The aforementioned cab is according to Hyundai able to offer 13% more space inside and the same goes for cabs on the HW wheeled variants too. For those out there who have become dedicated Hyundai users I know this machine will once again tick all the right boxes.
The HX145LCR’s larger brother the HX235LCR was also on stand and getting a lot of attention from the gathered crowds. This 24 tonne class compact radius model takes its power from a Cummins QSB6.7 Tier 4 Final engine rated at 136kw (183hp) giving the machine big power and performance in a compact package! Maximum digging depth on the HX235LCR is 6,700mm (22ft) with a reach at ground level of 9,910mm (32ft 6 in).
The new Hyundai models feature a new 8 inch interactive, touchscreen cluster-monitor in the cab and end users can select the optional Hyundai AAVM (All- Around View Monitoring) system which provides a 360o surround operating view on the screen for improved on site safety. There is also another option for the Intelligent Moving Object Detection (IMOD) system that senses and warns the operator when objects come within working distance of the machine.
Perhaps surprisingly the new conventional tailswing HX140L was not presented at Bauma but its wheeled variant the HW140 was on display fitted with a 2.6m dipper arm and a TAB boom configuration. The HW140 weighs in at 13880kgs and, thanks to the new 117kw (157hp) Tier 4 Final Cummins QSB6.7 engine, is up to 15 percent more fuel efficient in truck loading and levelling applications, Hyundai says.
The HW140’s larger brother the HW210 was displayed sporting a waste handling grab, an ideal application for this size machine.
There was a very positive vibe around the Hyundai stand at Bauma and I would like to thank the team for the hospitality shown to me during my visit.