Over 3.2 million kilometres on the clock – and still going strong: the MAN truck with the highest mileage in Europe has been found. As part of the “MAN Truck Max Mileage Master 2025” competition, MAN searched for the lion truck with the most kilometres driven – and found it: The winner, with 3,266,208 kilometres, is a 2008 MAN TGX 18.360 – a distance roughly equivalent to eight times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. The vehicle has been owned by Helmut Heckmann’s Osthavelland Transport GmbH since the first kilometre.
“Congratulations to the winner – and a big thank you to everyone who shared their enthusiasm and experiences with their MAN truck with us. They impressively demonstrate that MAN vehicles are reliable and robust partners in everyday life – often covering more than a million kilometres. This DNA is also found in our latest lions: the particularly economical PowerLion diesel vehicles and our electric trucks for all transport tasks from 12 to 50 tonnes. Our customers can count on their MAN,” says Friedrich Baumann, Executive Board Member for Sales & Customer Solutions at MAN Truck & Bus.
The competition, which was advertised on social media and online, was open to all MAN customers in Europe with vehicles built in 2007 or later. A total of over 70 entries were received – many of them with more than a million kilometres on the clock, spread across the model years 2007 to 2019. The total mileage of all vehicles: over 75 million kilometres. That is equivalent to around 100 return trips to the moon – or, in other words, more than 1,800 trips around the Earth. An impressive figure that impressively underlines the endurance and performance of the MAN truck fleet in Europe, which comprises around 880,000 vehicles.
The winning truck is still in use today in classic long-distance transport – in two-man operation, with two drivers taking turns. This intensive use made the enormous mileage possible. “I was curious to know whether there are other companies that keep their trucks in service for so long. Thanks to good quality, good maintenance and good staff, damage can be avoided. The trucks are reliable on the road,” explains Helmut Heckmann, who, as the winner of the competition, can now look forward to an exclusive experience with the new MAN eTGX: a personal cross-country tour to the Alps, ProfiDrive eTruck training, a factory tour in Munich and a high-quality merchandising package await the mileage champion.
SOURCE: MAN Truck & Bus