The MAN CLA, short for Cargo Line Asia, was a medium and heavy truck developed for Asian markets and built in India by the MAN Force Trucks joint venture from 2007. It was updated as the EVO in 2016, gained a bus chassis in 2018, and ended when MAN left the Indian market in 2018.
MAN CLA at a glance
| Maker | MAN SE with Force Motors, through MAN Force Trucks Pvt. Ltd |
|---|---|
| Plant | Pithampur, India |
| Production | 2007–2018 |
| Class | medium and heavy truck |
| Based on | MAN LE series |
| Engine | MAN D0836 common rail, 220–300 hp |
| Gearbox | ZF six- and nine-speed manual |
| Configurations | 4×2 and 6×4 rigid trucks, tippers and tractors |
| Axles | MAN AP and Meritor hypoid axles |
| EVO series | 2016, 300 hp, nine-speed gearbox |
| Bus chassis | 2018, 18.250 and 22.300 |
The article relies on a single English Wikipedia page and includes a company video made by MAN Automotive.
History of the MAN CLA
The CLA was developed specifically for the developing markets of Asia as a joint venture between MAN SE and Force Motors at the Pithampur plant. Its cab design came from the global MAN LE2000/LE series and it was powered by a MAN D0836 common rail engine capable of 220 to 300 hp, with six- and nine-speed ZF manual transmissions. The truck was available in more than twenty variants, including rigid trucks, tippers and tractors in 4×2 and 6×4 configurations, with MAN AP axles and Meritor hypoid axles for the heavy-duty units.
CLA EVO
At Bauma Conexpo India in 2016 MAN Trucks India launched the EVO series of its 6×4 CLA dump truck and tractor head, marking ten years of the company’s presence in India. The trucks used the common rail MAN D0836 engine, now complying with Bharat Stage IV, producing 300 hp and paired with a nine-speed manual gearbox. Externally they had new white and blue colours and a redesigned bumper with twin headlamps and daytime running lamps.
Bus chassis and the end
At the beginning of 2018 MAN Trucks India launched a CLA bus chassis with a front-mounted D0836 engine of 250 or 300 hp and a six-speed ZF manual gearbox. The Bharat Stage IV chassis had anti-lock brakes and was designed for intercity work, in two variants: the 18.250 with 4×2 configuration and the 22.300 with 6×4. In August 2018, a month after the bus chassis launch, MAN Trucks India announced its exit from India as part of a global restructuring by MAN Truck & Bus AG. All CLA truck and bus manufacturing, sales and exports were called off, and dealers went to court over their investments.
Design and features
- Asian market design: developed for developing Asian markets and built at Pithampur, India.
- MAN D0836 engine: a common rail six-cylinder with 220 to 300 hp.
- Many variants: more than twenty, including rigids, tippers and tractors in 4×2 and 6×4 form.
- EVO update: the 2016 version brought Bharat Stage IV engines, 300 hp and new styling.
MAN CLA versions
- CLA rigid trucks: 4×2 and 6×4 cargo models.
- CLA tippers: construction versions, including the 6×4 EVO dump truck.
- CLA tractors: 6×4 tractor heads.
- CLA EVO (2016): 300 hp, nine-speed gearbox, new bumper with twin headlamps.
- CLA bus chassis (2018): 18.250 4×2 and 22.300 6×4.
The CLA used a cab derived from MAN’s LE series; MAN’s lighter TG truck is described in the MAN TGL article, and the heavy TGA in the MAN TGA article. More MAN vehicles are in the MAN collection.
Video: MAN CLA – Hauling
Video by MAN Automotive on YouTube.
Sources
- MAN CLA, English Wikipedia: history, engines, EVO, bus chassis, India exit
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