I've seen future of long-haul artics (at the IAA Hanover Show) says Biglorryblog - and it's called the Actros Space-Max.

Have you ever wondered what life will be like for the truck driver of the future?

Well you can stop wondering as the future is here today, thanks to the Actros Space-Max, (above) a brand new 4.0m high concept tractor from Mercedes shown at the IAA Hanover show this week. (There now, how's that for a cheesy intro? Move over Tomorrow's World!)

Following hot on the heels of previous Actros concept models, with Space-Max Mercedes’ designers have really gone to town on the cab interior and in particular the bed, which is integrated into the back panel and folds out via an electro hydraulic mechanism operated via a dash-mounted switch.

And when you’re relaxing on top of the 80cm wide mattress you can either watch your favourite DVD on the monster flat screen TV…or simply gaze at the stars through the large powered sliding roof.

As for the leather and walnut interior it’s all very plush and comes complete with your own relaxation seat on the passenger side of the cab which can be swivelled around 90° making it ideal for breaks.

And because you can stow away the bed, naturally there’s a oodles more living room inside, and with a cab roof height of almost 4.0m you’re going to have no problem standing up or moving around inside the Space-Max.

Meanwhile, if you want to see what life’s really like inside the Space-Max then simply sign up to CMTV, our webcast from the IAA and check out our report from day 2 where you'll find the big ugly mug of yours truly sitting inside the Space-Max and having a rare old time.

For the moment Mercedes says it’s a concept vehicle but I reckon that once drivers get a look at it they’ll want one. And soon.

To see CMTV's two-day coverage of the IAA Show (produced in association with Chevron Global Lubricants) click onto www.commercial-motor.com/signup and get yourself registered to receive access to the webcasts

16 wheels on my wagon (and the puncture repair bills alone are all but crippling me!). Biglorryblog from the IAA Truck Show at Hanover and a very unusual rigid.

Just how many axles DO you want on your truck? (And whatever happened to rhetoric questions?) This rather long crane carrier was spotted by Biglorryblog on the walk over to the MAN hall at Hanover (never mind ‘stands’ at the IAA, Merc and MAN have halls to themselves!).

The six-axle rigid appears to have no less than four driven (and steered) axles thereby making it err…now lemme see, one and one is two, add the fingers you first thought of...err…a 10x8!

It looks to be a special conversion by local manufacturer Paul and features an extremely truncated Actros cab on the front. Well all I can say is I’d hate to have his tyre bill.

To see CMTV's two-day webcast of the IAA Show (produced in association with Chevron Global Lubricants) click onto www.commercial-motor.com/signup and get yourself registered to receive access to the webcast shows.

If 'H' stands for Hanover it also stands for 'Hybrids' reckons Biglorryblog who's in 'shocking' good form from the IAA Truck Show.

If ‘H’ stands for Hanover this year at the IAA it also stood for hybrids (of the diesel electric variety) as there were plenty of them on display from the likes of Mercedes, MAN, ZF and Volvo.

Not to be left out Daf unveiled a brand new prototype hybrid based on an LF45 light middleweight chassis - though naturally painted in the compulsory green just to show how environmentally aware you are.

It’s been developed between Paccar’s UK truck manufacturing arm at Leyland Trucks together with Eaton and like the Volvo hybrid has a fuel-saving parallel diesel electric driveline which also stores braking energy on board the vehicle in a battery pack.

And here's where the real break-through appears to have come with the latest generation of hybrid trucks. Once upon a time if you wanted a battery pack on a hybrid truck you were looking a hernia-inducing one that weighed up 3-tonnes which all but wiped out your payload. But thanks to advances in battery technology you can now get battery packs weighing 200 kilos or less, so suddenly hybrid trucks are more viable.

To see CMTV's two-day webcast of the IAA Show (produced in association with Chevron Global Lubricants) log onto www.commercial-motor.com/signup and get yourself registered to receive access to the webcast shows.

And here he is, the man who's name is on everyone's lips - pity the presenter of CMTV can't pronounce it right…More fun from Biglorryblog at the Hanover IAA show.

What’s in a name? Renault Trucks boss Stefano Chmielewski has the kind of moniker that gives me nightmares especially when it comes to trying to remember how to pronounce it right whilst talking into the camera for CMTV webcast at the IAA Show at Hanover.

Meanwhile, Renault’s charming PR supremo Patrice Berger-Perrin took justifiably great delight in watching me *** it up on several practice takes whilst valiantly trying to coach me on the correct version (in vain I'm ashamed to say). Choooma leewski? Chema laffski? In fact it’s pronounced more like Ka-mee-leffski (only a lot quicker and all in one go).

Mindful of the fact that the great man likes to have it said right (and with a name like Weatherley I can heartily sympathise with him) I eventually decide to do my intro to camera before he’s standing next to me (and even then I really don’t think for one minute I nailed it perfectly).

Fortunately the man himself was in good form despite not being able to climb into a truck (bad knee) and he played a very straight bat to my question about how Renault can retain its identity in the future whilst a member of the mighty Volvo/Renault/Mack conglomerate.

You can see him (and me struggling over his name) on Day 2 of the CMTV webcast. And all I can say now to Mr C is I'm honestly very, very sorry.

To see CMTV's two-day webcast of the IAA Show (produced in association with Chevron Global Lubricants) log onto www.commercial-motor.com/signup and get yourself registered to receive free access to the webcast shows.