Volvo F10, F12 and F16: the flagships of the 1980s

The Volvo F10, F12 and F16 were heavy trucks built from 1977 to 1993, with about 200,000 made. They replaced the F88 and F89, took their names from engine capacity and carried the Globetrotter cab that became a byword for long-distance comfort.

Volvo F10, F12 and F16 at a glance

History of the Volvo F10, F12 and F16

The F10 and F12 arrived in 1977 as replacements for the F88 and F89, the company’s flagship tractors. The names came from engine capacity, although the F10 in fact used a 9.6-litre engine and the F12 a twelve-litre one; the TD100 and TD120 units produced 280 and 320 hp respectively. The new trucks offered more comfort, power, style and safety than the models they replaced, and their chassis and driveline components were largely derived from those introduced for the N-series in 1973.

In 1979 Volvo introduced the Globetrotter models for long-distance work. Their cabs were higher than the standard ones so that drivers could stand and sleep properly, and the Globetrotter was offered only on the F12. The range received two major upgrades during its life. The first, in 1983, brought a larger windscreen, a taller roof, a lighter chassis with parabolic springs and revised engines at unchanged power, plus a taller Globetrotter windscreen; the F10 won the International Truck of the Year award in 1984.

The F16

The F16 appeared in 1987 with a sixteen-litre engine and became Volvo’s flagship as well as the most powerful tractor in Europe, beating the MAN 19.462, Mercedes-Benz 1644, Iveco TurboStar 190.42 and the Scania 2-series with 460 hp from its TD162F in-line six. In 1993 the F10, F12 and F16 were replaced by the FH series, whose first models were the FH12 and FH16.

Design and features

• Engine-based names: F10 for the 9.6-litre, F12 for the twelve-litre, F16 for the sixteen.
• Globetrotter cab: standing height and proper sleeping space from 1979.
• 1983 modernisation: bigger glass, lighter chassis and parabolic springs.
• F16 flagship: 460 hp, the strongest tractor in Europe in 1987.
• Long run: sixteen years and about 200,000 trucks.

Volvo F10, F12 and F16 versions

• F10: 9.6-litre TD100 with 280 hp.
• F12: 12-litre TD120 with 320 hp.
• F12 Globetrotter (1979): the high-roof long-distance cab.
• F16 (1987): 16-litre TD162F with 460 hp.
• 1983 models: revised cab, chassis and springs.

The F10, F12 and F16 replaced the Volvo F88 and F89 and were succeeded by the Volvo FH. More trucks are in the Volvo collection.

Sources

• Volvo F10, F12 and F16, English Wikipedia: history, engines, Globetrotter, upgrades, F16