Hi Saviem…Should that be a MAN V10 perhaps…The 16 litre one which they shared with Mercedes?..and yes the sound when under load was musical!
It´s really interesting to read about your American experiences Saviem, the closest I ever will come to that is films at discovery channel… and brochures 
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Here´s one about Volvo F613 in USA, printed 1978
/Stellan
Hello all, riverstick, no it was the V8,TYPE2854,335CV (128x150mm) which gives a capacity of15450litres, (but all Saviem men refer to her as "the 16litre), probably because we all wanted to compete with our great rivals Unic, and their big Vs, down the road at Trappes!! No we never fitted the V 10, and really the close, (and very profitable), liason with MAN was doomed as soon as Berliet was absorbed by the Regie Renault in 1975, lest Frances premier lorry manufacturer be absorbed by those "cash rich" Swedes at Volvo, or even worse by the Agnelli Familys Fiat, who already owned through Simca, Unic. The collaboration between Saviem and MAN had started in 1963, and had been good for both parties, with the interchange of components and engineering expertise. Unlike the inaccurate description of Saviem" as a Paris centric assembler", recently printed in an increasingly less accurate and focused UK Classic lorry magazine, Saviem was a vehicle manufacturing company. Producing amongst other things, Engines, Cabs, Gearboxes, and axle sets. To be utilised in its commercial vehicle and passenger carrying vehicle ranges. 1975 saw the formation of the "Club of Four", Saviem, Magirus Deutz, DAF, and Volvo. 1977 saw the (sad) end of the deal with MAN, 1978 saw the formation of Renault Vehicules Industriels, and the end of Saviem and Berliet as individual ranges came in 1981. Although interestingly, the brand Saviem, was re- registered in 2006! Inbetween 1975, and 1981, what happened within the new RVI organisation really makes the upset with the absorbtion and takeovers that became Leyland look like" childrens hour",it was bloody, and very nasty, and a lot of really good people, on both sides really suffered, and there I was the little Englishman, right in the middle of it all. My statement , the last "true" Saviem, the PS30, was partially true, in the "badge engineering" that followed the merger in 78, a hybrid Saviem, the PX40series was created. Essentially a TR356 Berliet, 08.35.30. V8, (true) 16litre, turbo@356cv,38/180tonnes, depending on specification,Fuller 9, or 12.513, but fitted with Saviems double reduction 1332 13tonne axle. Built at Berliets Venissieux plant it was really a pretend Saviem, and lasted only a short period. The Blainville plant producing the Mack Midliner, for both the US, and Australia, (heavier spec for the colonials, recognised by headlights in the bumper), Series J, and the same vehicle as series B, for Berliet dealers, plus the SGs, and some of the Saviem powered HM Series, (15/19tonnes, 26 as tractor) the heavier Berliet powered units coming from Venisseux, all with the Club of Four cab, (makes Leylands Red, Blue, and Green lines look really simple! Stellan, your post explains why I only ever saw Volvos on the East Coast of the US,that F86 tractor looks really long on that photograph, bet it was not easy to reverse!! Well, Im away for a large glass of Bollinger, big day tommorow, hope I have not bored you with my rambling recollections, Cheerio for now.
Guess this is the aforementioned V8.
Hello all, gb1, congratulations on your brochure collection, the “public works” collection of 2156 nominal 200cv powered MAN “clones” is quite rare! They sold well, a very rugged and adaptable 19/38tonne 4x2 & 6x4 chassis, designed primarily as on/off road tipper, mixer and tractor units, driving through ZF 680 6speed, and AK 680 12speed splitter boxes, to HD MAN hub reduction axles. The Meiller mixer at the back of your photograph is an interesting one , 8cu metre capacity, and 10x8 drive, the trailer having a double hydraulic drive by Soma. I was involved in a fleet deal with Soc Betton, Paris, for a number of 4x2 tractors to a similar spec, but coupled to single axle, hydraulic drive 6cu metre Meiller units, at 35tonnes gtw. Where you could get these vehicles to go was limited only by the drivers nerve! (but in reverse was a real test of skill, bonneted tractor, and a short single axle… well I leave it to your imagination)! When the runway for Nice airport was extended out into the sea, the earth, and rock moving, (a portion of mountain was simply “removed”, and dropped into the unsuspecting ocean, to form the new runway), was carried out by a mixture of these bonneted Saviem/MANs, and forward control SM340 6x6, tractors coupled to side tipping Soma tandem hydraulic drive rock bodied semi trailers, which owed more than a little to their Austrian OAF heritage. Boy, where they some lorries!! A major selling point of this hybrid, Franco/German range was its very low operating cost, as they were just so reliable. They were obviously replaced by the strong TBO Berliet range, but even today you will see some of these old girls still working, a real testement to their quality.
The V8 that you have posted is one of the earlier SM300s, basically the same lorry, and one which created the “image” of the big V. The 6x4 is for 65tonne operation, but when you look at the head on shot, you can see the earlier mirror arrangement,(and the expensive, but visually far more impresive V8 grille badge, a much prized item). That cab combined great interior space within a moderate physical size, and low frontal area, still looks modern, just remember it was a contemporary of our ERF LV, & Atkinson Silver Knight!
Why were all Saviem lorries painted in Saviem Blue, a finish coat from the factory? When Saviem was formed in 1955, by the amalgamation of Renault, Latil, Floirat ,and Somua, the ensuing vehicle range was to say the least , confusing. (a trend that seems to have plagued the French industry for over half a century)! As in the UK each marque had its own fiercely loyal customers, Saviem flirted with Germanys Henschel in the 60s, selling Saviem /Henschels, whose takeover by MAN led to the Saviem MAN co-operation of 63. (It is interesting to note that at the same time some Saviem models were powered by Perkins products). So from this confusing amalgamation of products and ranges, how do you create a unified image, simple, paint them all a distinctive, and unusual colour, and that is how Saviem Blue came into being. No other vehicle on the road looked the same, and every Saviem product, whether fitted with a cab by Cottard, or our later steel cab,was easily identified as a Saviem. The colour was featured heavily in advertising, “allez les bleus”, the blues are coming, etc, etc. Like all great marketing, its simple! I`m away for a Bollinger, and bed, our grass is rich, (and almost blue), and best of all, its nearly all in the clamps! Cheerio for now.
and blue has traditionally been the colour for the French F1 cars - interesting!
Saviem, the mirror arrangement you refer to was the same on the early MAN cabs if memory serves me correctly.
Did the Saviem also share the column change with the MAN, I assume there was no hole in the floor on the earlier cabs 
LB76:
and blue has traditionally been the colour for the French F1 cars - interesting!
The same applied to FIAT lorries too, Italian F1 colour was red, most FIATs, whatever colour specified, ended up a reddish brown colour, especially after it had been raining 
Morning all, nmm, yes, the column change was originated with the early horizontal engined Renault, (named Tancarville by Saviem for obvious reasons), gave the advantage of extra living room in the cab, and as you will know gave a very crisp and fast change!! Cheerio for now.
bma.finland:
hello ,i,ll drive aN12 whit a 2axle drawbar (42tn),and owned and drive a LS141 whit a4 axle drawbar(60tn),can say scania was amotor volvo a flintstone jeep
Hi bma!
I’m a Volvoman and your writing of Volvo is very exaggeratedly and you insinuate very coarsely. Writing in a forum shall be objective. You know very well Volvo can handle the same load as Scania as is a good truck. I have never written any negative about Scania because I know the difference be objective and not silly. This thread is for chowing brochures not for tell other unnecessary things.
Have a good day.
FH13 
FH13:
bma.finland:
hello ,i,ll drive aN12 whit a 2axle drawbar (42tn),and owned and drive a LS141 whit a4 axle drawbar(60tn),can say scania was amotor volvo a flintstone jeepHi bma!
I’m a Volvoman and your writing of Volvo is very exaggeratedly and you insinuate very coarsely. Writing in a forum shall be objective. You know very well Volvo can handle the same load as Scania as is a good truck. I have never written any negative about Scania because I know the difference be objective and not silly. This thread is for chowing brochures not for tell other unnecessary things.
Have a good day.
FH13
on our r420 benkku
hallo FH13, same engine as in volvo, but what a motor,stong frame fuller god axles a tag that lift whit full load , much moore motor in that work then any scania or volvo,and as a very considerd scaniaman have to agree whit some who drives them ,they are really god in the work they are made for,thougt they have nicknames too,cheers benkku
Hi benkku!
Great lorry! SISU and Vanaja were good lorries in the past and SISU on your picture didn’t it have an engine from Mercedes? I know SISU made rear axles as were so heavy so the last axle could be hissed even with a fully load of timber. And today many makes worldwide use SISU axle especially were lorries would pull heavy loads.
Cheers
FH13
FH13:
Hi benkku!Great lorry! SISU and Vanaja were good lorries in the past and SISU on your picture didn’t it have an engine from Mercedes? I know SISU made rear axles as were so heavy so the last axle could be hissed even with a fully load of timber. And today many makes worldwide use SISU axle especially were lorries would pull heavy loads.
Cheers
FH13
[/quote
no,that cab whit dxi 13 renault(volvo)or 15 /18litre caterpillar, sisu polar whit actros cab and v6/v8 merc
Saviem, your wealth of product knowledge is remarkable. Thankyou for your imput.
I found this page, showing the Saviem range of 1974. Hope it’s of interest.
Another product from Sisu, a hydraulic motor. Brochure from 1981
/Stellan
Heres a nice old one from UNIC.
Sorry mine are a bit modern
Magnum
Left me his business card "like a ■■■■■■ does "
Another one
DAF CF85
