Here to stay

Hofner Transporte now has an even more stylish way of bringing potatoes, grain and corn from the field to the customer. This is all down to driver Lothar and his MAN TGX 18.510, which, as one of the last trucks from the model year 2019, is something quite special.

“I’m not the office type,” says company owner Markus Hofner, explaining why he is always at the wheel of a truck or harvester. For the most part, his company, Hofner Transporte, transports agricultural goods such as potatoes, grain and corn. “We transport foodstuffs, so we attach a lot of importance to our image,” says Markus. The silver MAN TGX 18.510 certainly fits the bill. To make sure it makes the required impression, it has been given a proper makeover for its role at Hofner. For example, it has eye-catching, racing-style decals, a customised sunblind with the inscription “Mia san mia” – the motto of FC Bayern Munich – stylish roof rails and a luxurious leather interior. “The vehicle is here to stay. So we spruced it up a bit,” says Markus.

Truck driver Lothar Munninger, who went with his boss to pick up the truck, became acquainted with the truck in its original form – and was totally bowled over by it. Mainly because he knew he would be the main driver of the new MAN truck. “She’s going to get even better,” revealed Markus Hofner. Lothar decided he wanted the end product to be a surprise when he picked up his new truck. “I was buzzing with excitement,” says Lothar, describing how he felt a week later as he drove to the workshop where the finishing touches were being put on the truck. The MAN truck was ready and waiting in the car park of the workshop. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. That’s amazing!” Markus Hofner had not promised him much.

Making a good impression

It went without saying that Markus Hofner would entrust the new MAN to Lothar: Lothar has been working for his company for eight years and is very reliable. So he knows that the MAN truck is in a safe pair of hands.

And Lothar is already thinking about ways to protect the MAN’s elaborate decals from dirt and scratches – no easy task given the fact he spends a lot of time driving on dirt roads and gravel paths when he collects the agricultural products from the field to take them to the temporary storage facility and, from there, to shops and discount supermarket chains. He felt a certain amount of nervous tension during the first few trips in his new vehicle, particularly as he had to get used to the MAN again having driven a truck from another brand the years before. It was an MAN demonstrator that the company had in the yard that convinced Markus and Lothar that it was time to get a new MAN. Lothar now feels right at home in his MAN TGX. “It’s all good now,” he says. And he is really pleased with the levels of comfort and fine furnishings that the brand with the lion on its crest has to offer. Tidiness is a top priority for Lothar in his efforts to keep it that way. The cab must be clean. “I spent twelve years on the road as a long-distance truck driver. At that time, my truck was a living room, a workroom and a bedroom. That simply doesn’t work if you don’t keep things tidy,” says Lothar, explaining his disciplined approach to cleanliness. As long as he is behind the wheel, that MAN truck will be squeaky clean and ready to make a good impression whenever it leaves the yard.

Given how much these guys appreciate beautiful trucks, it is no surprise that the latest generation of MAN vehicles has long since been on Markus and Lothar’s radar – more specifically, in the form of a brand new MAN TGX, which the company had the pleasure of testing for a few days. This time, it was the boss’ turn to get behind the wheel, and the vehicle did not disappoint: “In every little detail, the new version is instantly recognisable as an MAN. It’s an image of beauty and modernity.” And Lothar confesses that he secretly hoped he would be given a brand new MAN. “That’s a completely different ball game,” he says, laughing. “Maybe one day I’ll get to drive one.” Given the disciplined and ambitious impression that Lothar made on us, we would say: it won’t be long.