Mercedes-Benz dump truck with 530 hp takes customers on and off road

Star Truck Korea, the official importer of Mercedes-Benz trucks in South Korea, held a hands-on test-drive event for its new dump truck, letting customers take the vehicle on both paved roads and off-road terrain. Unlike a conventional exhibition, the event was designed to let participants assess the truck's power output, gear-shift response and driving stability under the heavy-load conditions typical of real worksites.

Star Truck Korea announced Monday that it had held the "New Arocs Dump Overnight Trip." The vehicle featured was the New Arocs 4153K Single Reduction Dump, which went on sale in South Korea in June.

Over two days and one night, participants drove the truck on public roads and unpaved sections, evaluating acceleration, gear-shift response, steering feel and ride comfort. They also experienced how forward and side visibility from the cab and various driver-assistance systems perform in practice.

The New Arocs 4153K is powered by an inline six-cylinder third-generation OM471 engine producing 530 hp and a peak torque of 2,600 Nm. It uses an X-Pulse common-rail system that injects fuel at high pressure with precision, balancing fuel efficiency and durability.

The drivetrain pairs a 12-speed automatic transmission with the PowerShift Advanced system, which reads the vehicle's weight and current driving conditions to select the appropriate gear automatically while minimizing power loss during shifts. Participants were able to feel the 530 hp engine's performance and shift response firsthand when pulling away from a standstill or accelerating again at speed.

The truck was also engineered with South Korea's construction and aggregate-hauling environments in mind. The underbody structure is designed for load conditions up to 41 tonnes, with a reinforced frame and enhanced durability in the single-reduction axle that transfers power to the wheels.

The cargo bed uses Hardox wear-resistant steel. The dumping system features a HYVA cylinder with a 149-millimeter inner diameter and a reinforced cylinder-support structure, allowing the truck to handle repeated loading and unloading of heavy materials.

Safety equipment is extensive. Active Brake Assist 6 Plus warns the driver and applies braking support when a collision risk with a vehicle ahead or a stationary obstacle is detected. The warning-and-braking sequence has been condensed from three stages to two, enabling a faster response to hazards.

Active Side Guard Assist 2 addresses lateral collision risks. When a lane change or a side obstacle is detected while driving, the system alerts the driver via the MirrorCam display and instrument panel, and can bring the vehicle to a complete stop in an emergency. Front Guard Assist for detecting obstacles directly ahead, lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control are also included.

A terrain-prediction system helps improve fuel economy. Predictive Powertrain Control Plus (PPC+) uses GPS and three-dimensional map data to read upcoming gradients, curves and intersections in advance, then automatically adjusts vehicle speed and shift timing accordingly. Its coverage has been extended beyond highways to urban roads, regional roads and national routes. Star Truck Korea estimates the feature can cut fuel consumption by up to about 5 percent compared with vehicles that do not use it.

The cab is equipped with features aimed at long-haul commercial drivers: a second-generation multimedia cockpit, a MirrorCam system that replaces conventional side mirrors with cameras, ventilated leather seats and cab air suspension to absorb road shock.

Post-purchase operating-cost support is also part of the package. The connected fleet-management service Fleetboard analyzes fuel consumption, idle time and driving habits, giving drivers and fleet operators a clear picture of vehicle operating status.

A dump-truck-specific maintenance program, StarCare 5+ Tipper, covers scheduled inspections and key consumables including engine oil, filters and HYVA filters, and provides a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty on major powertrain components.

Star Truck Korea also plans to launch a mobile test-drive service that will bring the vehicle directly to customers who were unable to attend the event.

The company has been expanding its financing options to lower the barrier to purchase. Last month it ran a long-term installment program covering all Mercedes-Benz truck models, with terms of up to 120 months — or 10 years. Separate purchase incentives were also offered for the New Arocs 4153K Dump.

Service network expansion is proceeding in parallel. When the New Arocs launched in June, Star Truck Korea announced plans to grow its authorized service centers to 22 locations and its service bays to 174 by the end of the year.

"Commercial vehicles are with our customers every day at their worksites, so a product's competitiveness is best confirmed through direct experience in real operating conditions," said Dong Geun-tae, chief executive of Star Truck Korea. "We hope the New Arocs Dump Overnight Trip gave customers a chance to experience the performance, stability and driving convenience of the New Arocs 4153K Single Reduction Dump firsthand, and to connect more closely with Mercedes-Benz Trucks."