M5 Pacer makes its debut

Seddon Atkinson unveiled its M5 Pacer municipal chassis at the Institute of Waste Management exhibition in Torquay earlier this week and displayed the first production R5 Strato.
The M5 Pacer features a lowered version of the Iveco group cab and comes as a 4x2 (18t), 6x2 mid lift (23t) or 6x4 double drive or 6x2 mid-steer (26t).
All units come with either a rest cab or a six-man (driver plus five) crew cab. Both Cummins and Iveco engines are available and all are mated to an Allison five-speed automated transmission.
The first R5, an 18t 4x2, off the Seddon Atkinson production line in Madrid has been fitted with an Econ Unibody three-way tipper with snowplough attachments. Its 8t front axle allows for mounting heavy front-end gear.
The 4x2 model is available in 2.2m-wide versions rather than the standard 2.5m. Also available is a lightweight 26t 6x4 version.
National sales manager Kevin Crowder said this can offer up to an additional 500kg payload over the competition.
The vehicles offer a low centre of gravity with chassis heights of 1.05m on the 4x2 models and 1.1m on the 6x4 versions.