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From chequered flags to manual tags! When truck racing champ Luke Garrett specced these two new Daf XFs, he knew exactly what he wanted

- Dougie Rankine

At a glance

• Make & model: Daf XF 530 FTR 6x2 tag-axle

• Engine: Paccar MX-13 13-litre six-cylinder, Euro 6c

• Power: 530hp @ 1675rpm

• Torque: 2600Nm @ 1000-1460rpm

• Gearbox: ZF 16-speed manual

• Operator: Ross Garrett Transport, Holcombe, Somerset

A few eyebrows were raised online when Ross Garrett Transport first showed this new pair of Daf XFs to the world. Why? Because they’re both manual transmission.

The Somerset-based, family-run company already operates Mercedes-Benz Actros and Renault Range T models, which of course are auto only.

Why manuals?

So what was the reason for speccing these new range-topping Dafs with 16-speed manuals? Well, if you didn’t know already, boss Luke Garrett is a truck racer; he has in fact just been crowned Division 2 champion of the MV Commercial BTRA Championship for the second year running. Luke likes to drive trucks.

Being hands-on with the business and often out driving himself, Luke had five years of service from a pair of 95XFs, one of which is still used to pull his race truck transporter around the UK, so having a bang-up-to-date version of that truck was appealing. In addition, the two prospective drivers of the new XFs both asked if they could have manual transmissions. Daf offers manual ’boxes across the range, so no problem!

Ross Garrett, Luke’s late father, founded his business as an owner-driver in the mid1980s, starting off with a Volvo F10 bought from the operator with whom he began subcontracting, D J Light. Ross became a big fan of Fodens and raced one for many years.