Iveco Massif - Specification

Specification

The Massif was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and the Iveco Style Centre. The Massif bears a clear family resemblance to its sister product the Santana PS-10 which itself was heavily based on the Land Rover Series. Beyond the modernized front clip, the family resemblance to the Land Rover Defender is strong.

The Massif was available with two versions of Iveco’s 3.0 litre diesel engine taken from the Iveco Daily van. A 150 PS (110 kW; 148 bhp) HPI version with 350 N·m (258 lb·ft) of torque and a 176 PS (129 kW; 174 bhp) HPT version with 400 N·m (295 lb·ft) of torque were available. The extra horsepower of the HPT version comes from a variable geometry turbocharger. Both engines met Euro IV emissions standards.

The Massif is fitted with a 6-speed ZF 6S400 overdrive manual gearbox with high and low range ratios. No automatic was available. The Massif also has selectable four-wheel drive, like its forebear the Land Rover Series (but unlike the Land Rover Defender which has permanent four-wheel drive). This was intended to reduce fuel consumption, claimed as “up to 10%” by Iveco. The decision to have selectable four-wheel drive is believed to be because Iveco suggested permanent four-wheel drive is unnecessary for the majority of driving conditions. The Massif is usually in four-by-two, rear-wheel drive unless four-wheel drive is engaged.

The Massif is also fitted with manual-locking free-wheeling hubs on the front axles which prevent the rotation of front axle components, supposedly to reduce wear. An optional limited slip rear differential was also available to improve off-road ability by reducing the chance of getting cross-axled.

The Massif has all round disc brakes with ventilated discs on the front axle and simple discs on the rear axle. The hand brake is also a disc brake, operating on the transmission.

The Massif is fitted with parabolic suspension all round, as opposed to the coil springs of its contemporary the Land Rover Defender. The parabolic suspension system is arranged with double bladed springs on the front axle and four bladed springs on the rear axle. The Massif is fitted with hydraulic dampers on the front axle, gas dampers on the rear axle and anti-roll bars at both front and rear to give a compromise of on-road handling and off-road ability. The parabolic suspension system is also regarded by some within the automotive industry as a good compromise between the simplicity and load carrying ability of leaf springs and the better comfort and axle articulation (and thus off-road ability) of coil springs.

The Massif is built as a body-on-frame construction with a ladder chassis, rather than a monocoque construction which is now common with most modern 4x4s. The chassis is based on the chassis used for the Iveco Daily van range. This layout is another similarity with Land Rover’s Defender.

The rear door of the Massif was designed to have a full metre-wide opening to allow a standard Euro pallet to be comfortably carried in the rear of the vehicle – intended as a unique selling point of the vehicle because of its anticipated market of the utility/commercial sector.

The Massif can also be specified with a variety of transmission or transfer box power take-off units and electrical connections on the body work to increase its attraction to commercial users further.

The interior of the Massif had been overhauled from the Santana PS-10 version to make it more competitive with the recently updated Land Rover Defender.