Its origin is Italy, but this new Iveco EuroCargo is also the trucking equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife – poised for multi-tasking at short notice. 

In early 2021 Challenge Rockgas distributor David “Wilky” Wilkinson from Cambridge took delivery of the first 320-horsepower Iveco EuroCargo ML 160-320 to reach New Zealand. 

It wasn’t the first to go on the road. It took nearly 10 months to build the truck and a new semi-trailer to the one-off design Wilky had measured up for his latest LPG bottle delivery truck. November completion makes it the second 320 unit on Kiwi roads.

Wilky’s truck showcases the new flagship powertrain for the EuroCargo; a 320hp version of the 6.7-litre Tector 7 six-cylinder engine matched to a 12-speed ZF automated transmission.

It’s a combination built to handle a wide variety of work. And that’s business as usual for Wilky, who happily admits to “being wired a bit differently” and owns trucks that reflect his willingness to have-a-go at anything.

This certainly isn’t the typical new truck we road test in New Zealand Truck & Driver magazine.

It doesn’t have huge horsepower numbers and certainly isn’t a heavyweight. But the new Iveco EuroCargo ML 160-320 with its Euro 6 320hp six-cylinder engine and 12-speed ZF automated transmission deserves some love from us.

And not just because medium duty trucks are an important segment of the market. The super-versatile way that Dave “Wilky” Wilkinson has set up his new truck means we just couldn’t leave it alone.

I think Iveco salesman Keith Tuffery has nailed it by dubbing Wilky’s new truck the “Mini Road Train”. It’s low but it’s the length that catches the eye when you first see it heading down the highway.

The farm gates along the sides of the truck and semi-trailer are just one of the things that grab your attention, make you look twice and think what the…. 

But when you get the chance to walk around and take in the detail of the design it all starts to make sense for the varied work Wilky has designed and specified this truck and new semi-trailer for.