Club of Four
| Company type | Partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive (Truck manufacturing) |
| Founded | 1970s |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | Europe, United States (through Mack) |
| Products | Light trucks, truck cab design |
The Club of Four represented a coalition of four European truck producers: Saviem, Volvo, DAF, and Magirus-Deutz.
Formally known as the Société Européenne de Travaux et de Développement (ETD) and headquartered in Paris, this partnership concentrated on creating a unified range of light trucks, with its most notable accomplishment being a standardized cab design. Given the high costs involved in cab development and manufacturing, sharing a single cab design among the four companies allowed the Club to realize substantial economies of scale. In 1978, Saviem merged with Berliet to establish Renault Véhicules Industriels (RVI), which continued its participation in the alliance. Later, Magirus-Deutz was integrated into Iveco.
This cab design was extensively utilized across various truck models, including certain Mack vehicles in the United States, and remained in production for close to 25 years. Although originally intended for medium-duty trucks, the cab was also implemented on lighter models such as the 6-tonne Magirus 90M6FK.
Development
The cab design was spearheaded by the Renault Centre de Style, which aimed to produce a modern, tiltable cab. Initial proposals to manufacture all four brands’ trucks within a single facility were eventually abandoned. Scale models were employed to refine the design, resulting in two distinct versions tailored for different payload capacities. Modifications during final production included adding an extra window behind the doors, reinforcing structural beams on the front and sides, relocating direction indicators to the corners of the cab, and rounding off the front mudguards.
Volvo
Volvo was the primary adopter of the Club of Four cab, integrating it into its F4 (F406/F407/F408) and F6 (F609-F614) series. In the UK market, it debuted on the F7 lineup, succeeding the F86 model. These cabs remained in service until 1985–86 when Volvo launched the FL series featuring new cabs inspired by the Club’s design.
To comply with stringent Swedish safety regulations, Volvo reinforced their versions of the Club cab, which increased weight and impacted market competitiveness. The cab was also utilized on Volvo’s CH230—a narrow-body truck designed to meet Swiss size and weight restrictions—introduced in 1977. Initially, this model combined the Club cab with components from the F89 chassis; by 1980 it transitioned to using the F7 cab mounted on F10/F12 chassis, continuing production until replaced by the FS10 in 1986.
Participation in the Club influenced Volvo’s strategic move to relocate truck manufacturing to Gent, Belgium, thereby avoiding heavy import tariffs imposed on vehicles produced in Gothenburg for EEC markets.
Saviem and Berliet (later Renault)
The Club of Four cab initially equipped H/HB-series trucks (up to 26 tonnes) and J-series light trucks (9–13 tonnes). Subsequently, it was applied to heavier G series models, lighter JK65/75/85 trucks, as well as Renault’s C and S series. In the UK market, these vehicles were briefly marketed under the "Saviem" name before switching to Renault branding in September 1979 to enhance Renault’s commercial vehicle presence.
RVI trucks sold under the Berliet brand also featured the Club of Four cab during 1978–1979.
The design was further adapted for use on Renault Midliner, Maxter, and Manager trucks.
Renault C-series variants—including CLM, CBB, CBH, and GBC 180—along with construction and military vehicles incorporated this cab design. The Renault Sherpa Medium series, derived from the CB line, remained in production as recently as 2019.
Magirus-Deutz (subsequently Iveco)
Magirus initially intended to incorporate the Club of Four cab design into their light truck lineup; this plan was transferred to Iveco following its acquisition of Magirus prior to the commencement of German manufacturing. Iveco introduced the model in Germany and select markets as the Magirus-Deutz MK series, which was subsequently renamed Magirus-Iveco during the early 1980s.
Following Iveco's 1975 acquisition of Magirus, the vehicle was marketed under the Magirus or Iveco-Magirus badges until the Magirus brand was eventually phased out. Iveco continued to offer the Club of Four cab model, retaining the "MK" designation but branding it solely as Iveco. Production ceased in 1992 when it was succeeded by the Iveco Eurocargo, although a limited run of crew cab variants for specialized applications persisted briefly thereafter.
DAF
In 1975, DAF adopted the Club of Four cab for its F700 and F900 truck ranges; this cab design was subsequently applied to additional models including the F500, F1100, F1300, and F1500. After DAF merged with Leyland in 1987, these cabs were replaced with new designs originating from Leyland.
Mack
The American manufacturer Mack incorporated the Club of Four cab through its collaboration with Renault, which acquired a 10% ownership interest in Mack in 1979. These trucks were aimed at the medium-duty Class 6 and Class 7 markets. Produced by Renault Trucks (RVI) in France, they were sold under the Mack Mid-Liner or Manager names. Early variants featured the MS200 and MS300 models, powered by Renault-built turbocharged inline-six diesel engines with displacements of 5.5 and 8.8 liters, delivering outputs of 175 hp and 210 hp respectively. The MS300 was also available as a tractor unit. During the mid-1980s, a heavier-duty MS250 model with a lower-powered engine was introduced. The Mid-Liner series was discontinued in 2001, replaced by the Renault-manufactured Mack Freedom.
For the North American market, Mack developed a bonneted version named CS ("Conventional Styling") which debuted in 1985, followed shortly by a tractor variant designated CS300T.