The launch of the new Dash 9 range, marketed by Porter Group subsidiary, Eagle Equipment, has accelerated the emergence of Hyundai Construction Equipment as the New Zealand leader in excavator and wheel loader sales.
The Dash 9 range is powered by a more environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient and cleaner-running engine, and will build upon the growth of the Hyundai brand over the past decade.
The Dash 9 range features a Cummins QSB6.7 engine which is Tier 3-compliant, and meets the increasingly stringent European and American emission regulations. The turbo-charged six-cylinder, 6.7L, four-cycle charger, air-cooled power unit features 24 valves with centred injectors and a symmetrical piston bowl. Thanks to improved air-flow and even dispersal of fuel, the result is a more powerful, better transient machine with reduced fuel consumption.
The core of the hydraulic engine operation is the computer-aided power optimisation (CAPO) system, which tunes it and pumps power to optimum levels through multiple mode selections that maintain high performance under reduced fuel consumption. The Dash 9 system features automatic engine over-heat prevention and automatic warm-up through constant monitoring engine speed, coolant and hydraulic oil temperatures. The self-diagnostic capabilities of the Dash 9 system allow it to register and display error codes on the enlarged —to seven inches wide—LCD monitor.
In addition to a larger and more user-friendly display, the upgraded Dash 9 cab features a climate-controlled air-conditioner, and a mobile phone immigration system that allows a mobile phone to be plugged into the audio system for hands-free communication. This feature and a rear-view camera are now standard, along with a remote, web-based management system linking the machine by satellite back to base, that can be actuated by dialling in on the internet to monitor the machine’s operating conditions, from fuel-burn and productivity to over-heating and over-revving.
The introduction of the full Dash 9 range will be staggered over the next 12 months. The first two models—the R210LC-9 and the R290LC—are already available, and the 14-tonne R 140 and 25 tonne R250LC-9 are due this month. The complete Dash 9 range, including derivatives and variations, will include around 30 models, ranging from 1.6 to 80 tonnes.
Hyundai’s growth in the New Zealand market has been under-pinned by the Porter Group’s extensive dealership network for both sales and plant-hire—some 36 branches nationwide. It’s also been helped by Eagle Equipment repair and maintenance contracts allowing purchasers to secure their post-sales costs at a flat rate for up to four years.