Daimler Truck introduces Mercedes-Benz Arocs and Actros heavy-duty trucks in Japan, featuring the OM473 engine and PowerShift 3 Advanced transmission.
Arocs & Actros Designed to Transport Special, Extremely Heavy Cargo
Daimler Truck has officially made the Mercedes-Benz Arocs and Actros heavy-duty trucks available for the Japanese market. The Arocs in the 4763 8×6 recently made its Japan debut at the Japan Mobility Show 2025.
Both the Mercedes-Benz Arocs and Actros are designed for logistics of “extremely heavy loads” and “special cargo”, such as wind turbines, generators, transformers, heat exchangers, or equipment for infrastructure projects.
The Arcos 4763 8×6 is equipped with the OM 473 15.6L engine that can deliver 625 hp (3,000 Nm) and a 16-speed PowerShift 3 Advanced transmission. It is fitted with an additional cooling unit and a fifth-wheel coupling mounted on a special plate. With this configuration, the truck can tow up to 500 tonnes.
For the Japanese market, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has made a special adaptation by reducing the truck’s height. As Japan sets a maximum height of 3.8 metres, the manufacturer has developed a combination of the ClassicSpace 2.3 cab with a compact auxiliary cooling tower on a chassis with a fourth axle.
The truck is equipped with Mercedes-Benz Trucks‘ latest safety systems, from Attention Assist, Active Brake Assist 6 (ABA6), Lane Keeping Assistant ASGA2, to Front Guard Assist.
By using the PowerShift 3 Advanced transmission combined with the Turbo Retarder Clutch, the Mercedes-Benz Arocs and Actros are guaranteed to have a long service life, “outstanding” efficiency, precise gear changes, and strong braking performance.
When starting the vehicle, drive power is transmitted fully hydraulically until the engine and transmission speeds are almost synchronised, at which point the friction clutch engages. During this process, the PowerShift 3 Advanced transmission delivers the efficiency of a fully automatic transmission with up to 40 per cent faster and more precise gear shifts.
Meanwhile, optimal gear selection is ensured by utilising the “Heavy” driving programme and, during braking, the primary retarder—combined with the engine brake of the OM 473—provides up to 980 hp of braking power at low speeds, including when reversing.
Both the Arocs and the Actros are produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth before being turned into heavy-duty transporters at the Molsheim plant, where each vehicle receives a fourth axle, the additional cooling tower, and a heavy-duty-compatible coupling & mounting plate from the “Custom Tailored Trucks” (CTT) division.
The arrival of the Mercedes-Benz Arocs and Actros is a result of Daimler Truck’s cooperation with Y-Engineering, the company’s long-standing partner in Japan, which will handle sales and service of the vehicles.
“We are delighted to launch the Mercedes-Benz Arocs and Actros models for exceptional heavy-duty transport in Japan with our long-standing and proven partner Y-Engineering. This is a real milestone for the Japanese transport industry,” said Stina Fagerman, Head of Marketing, Sales, and Services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
“Existing customers have already indicated their specific needs for trucks to transport particularly heavy loads in Japan. Accordingly, we see considerable potential for these vehicle types in this particular market segment,” she concluded.
