23.4. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 108/9 
Proposal for a Council Directive adapting to technical progress Directive 70/156/EEC on the 
approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles 
and their trailers 
COM(87) 109 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 3 April 1987) 
(87/C 108/10) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular, Article 100 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par­
liament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas it is now necessary to define off-road vehicles 
at Community level with a view in particular to the 
application of Council Directive 84/424/EEC (*),'Article 
1 of which lays down exceptions for these vehicles and 
more generally for the application of any other Directive 
in the motor vehicle sector that might need such 
definition; Whereas off-road vehicles are defined differently in each 
Member State and whereas, in order not to hinder intra-
Community trade, a common definition, within the 
international categories set out in the Notes to Annex I 
to Council Directive 70/156/EEC (2) as last amended by 
the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal, is necessary, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
Annex I to Directive 70/156/EEC is hereby amended as 
set out in the Annex hereto. 
Article 2 
Member States shall take the measures necessary to 
comply with this Directive before 1 October 1987 and 
shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. 
Article 3 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
O OJ No L 238, 6. 9. 1984, p. 31. (2) OJ No L 42, 23. 2. 1970, p. 1. 
ANNEX 
In the notes, the following is added at the end of (b): 
'4. Vehicles in categories M and N above considered to be off-road vehicles under the load and checking 
conditions set out in point 4.4 and pursuant to the definitions and sketches of point 4.5. 
4.1. Motor vehicles in category Mt and vehicles in category Nt with a maximum mass not exceeding 
two tonnes are considered to be off-road vehicles if they have: 
at least one front axle and at least one rear axle designed to be driven simultaneously (for example 
when the drive to one axle can be disengaged), 
at least one system for locking the differential or at least one mechanism having a similar effect 
and 
if they can climb a 30 % gradient calculated for a solo vehicle. 
In addition, they must satisfy at least five of the following six requirements: 
— the front incidence angle must be at least 25°, 
— the rear incidence angle must be at least 20°, 
No C 108/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 23. 4. 87 
— the ramp angle must be at least 20°, 
— the ground clearance under the front axle must be at least 180 mm, 
— the ground clearance under the rear axle must be at least 180 mm, 
— the ground clearance between the axles must be at least 200 mm. 
4.2. Motor vehicles in category N} with a maximum mass exceeding two tonnes or in category N2, M2 
or M3 with a maximum mass not exceeding 12 tonnes are considered to be off-road vehicles if all 
their wheels are designed to be driven, if the drive to one axle can be disengaged, or if the 
following three requirements are satisfied: 
— at least one front axle and at least one rear axle is designed to be driven simultaneously, and 
the drive to one axle can be disengaged, 
— there is at least one system for locking the differential or at least one mechanism having a 
similar effect, 
— they can climb a 25 % gradient calculated for a solo vehicle. 
4.3. Motor vehicles in category M3 with a maximum mass exceeding 12 tonnes or in category N3 are 
considered to be off-road vehicles if all the wheels are designed to be driven, if the drive to one 
axle can be disengaged, or if the following requirements are satisfied: 
— at least half the wheels are driven, 
— there is at least one system for locking the differential or at least one mechanism having a 
similar effect, 
— they can climb a 25 % gradient calculated for a solo vehicle, 
— at least four of the following six requirements are satisfied: 
— the front incidence angle must be at least 25°; 
— the rear incidence angle must be at least 25°; 
— the ramp angle must be at least 25°; 
— the ground clearance under the front axle must be at least 250 mm; 
— the ground clearance between the axles must be at least 300 mm; 
— the ground clearance under the rear axle must be at least 250 mm. 
4.4. Load and checking conditions 
4.4.1. Motor vehicles in categories Mj and Nj with a maximum mass not exceeding 2 tonnes must 
be in running order, namely with coolant fluid, lubricants, fuel, tools, spare-wheel and a 
driver considered to weigh a standard 75 kg. 
4.4.2. Motor vehicles not in categories Mj or Nj with a maximum mass not exceeding two tonnes 
must be loaded to the technically permissible maximum mass stated by the manufacturer. 
4.4.3. The ability to climb the required gradients (25 % and 30 %) is verified by simple calcu­
lation. In exceptional cases, however, the technical department may ask for a vehicle of the 
type concerned to be submitted to it for an actual test. 
4.4.4. When measuring front and rear incidence angles and ramp angles, no account is taken of 
underrun protective devices. 
4.5. Definitions and sketches of front and rear incidence angles, ramp angle and ground clearance 
4.5.1. "Front incidence angle" means the maximum angle between the ground plane and planes 
tangential to the tyres of the front wheels, under a static load, such that no point of the 
vehicle ahead of the front axle is situated below these planes and no rigid part of the vehicle, 
with the exception of any steps, is situated below these planes. 
23.4.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 108/11 
4.5.2. "Rear incidence angle" means the maximum angle between the ground plane and planes 
tangential to the tyres of the rear wheels, under a static load, such that no point of the 
vehicle behind the rearmost axle is situated below these planes and no rigid part of the 
vehicle is situated below these planes. 
) q^^i 
4.5.3. "Ramp angle" means the minimum acute angle between two planes, perpendicular to the 
median longitudinal plane of the vehicle, tangential to the tyres of the front wheels and to 
the tyres of the rear wheels respectively, under a static load, the intersection of which 
touches the underside of the vehicle apart from the wheels. This angle defines the steepest 
ramp over which the vehicle can pass. 
4.5.4. "Ground clearance between the axles" means the shortest distance between the ground 
plane and the lowest fixed point of the vehicle. 
Multi-axle bodies are considered to be a single axle. 
"Ground clearance beneath one axle" means the distance beneath the highest point of 
the arc of a circle passing through the centre of the tyre footprint of the wheels on one 
axle (the inner wheels in the case of twin tyres) and touching the lowest point of the 
vehicle between the wheels. No part of the vehicle may project into the shaded area of 
the diagram. Where appropriate, the ground clearance of several axles is indicated in 
accordance with their arrangement, for example 280/250/250.'