BUSTOCOACH EUROPEAN ON-LINE MAGAZINE - June 2014

EUROPEAN ON-LINE MAGAZINE - June 2014

BusToCoach

LIGHTWEIGHT SCANIA - MERCEDES CHASSIS - ALEXANDER DENNIS - BUSWORLD TURKYE - OPTARE - SPRINTER EURO VI - FLASH NEWS - HIGH TECH STORE

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ON-LINE MAGAZINE linked www.bustocoach.com - JUNE 2014

BusToCoachEuropean on-line magazine

Editor in chiefMarino Ginanneschi

[email protected]

Managing editor and International relations

Elena [email protected]

Photos and videos Marco Degano

[email protected]

AdministrationTransport Web di Marco Degano & C Snc

I 20149 MilanoVia Silva 33

E-mail: [email protected]: www.bustocoach.com

Registration: Tribunale di Milano n. 140 del 16/03/2012

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ALEXANDER DENNISTotal renewal for the Enviro400 Euro VI.

HIGH TECH STORE On display at

Busworld Turkey.

FLASH NEWSHeuliez, Iveco, Volvo, Van Hool, Setra, Man.

DIRECT LINK

OPTAREBack on the double-decker

market with the new MetroDecker.

MERCEDESEntire Sprinter minibus

range now Euro VI.

IN THE FOREGROUND

BUSWORLD TURKEYNew products presented at

the fair in Istanbul.

SCANIAScores in Mexico City

and Cairo.

MERCEDESEuro VI engines also for

three-axle chassis.COLUMNS

USED BUS ON LINEOn www.bustocoach.com

websiteis on line the directory

dedicated to Used.

If you want to sell or buy a bus, here’s the right way.

You can make your insertion or search vehicles for sale.

***You can access through

the site, selecting the USED directory or going directly to

the linkwww.bustocoach.com/en/content/announcements

VAN HOOL FROM MACEDONIA

C ut the ribbon of Van Hool´s new bus plant in Sko-pje, Macedonia. The Belgian manufacturer invested

25 million euros in this factory. At the official inaugura-tion, attended by Prime Minister of Macedonia Nikola Gruevski, and numerous other members of the Macedo-nian government, Filip Van Hool, CEO of Van Hool NV, declared «that starting in 2015, a new type of coach will be built in Macedonia for the European and other new markets. We plan to present the vehicle, to the international public for the first time, at the IAA 2014 international trade fair in Hanover, Ger-many». Van Hool decided to open a new plant in Macedonia following a major order for 500 buses received in 2012 from the North-American market. This order consisted of 2 orders: a first one for 300 standard coaches, and a second one for 200 coaches with high added value. •

HEULIEZ HYBRIDS FOR PARIS

I veco Bus, a brand of CNH Industrial, signed an order for natural gas buses for the city of Baku,

the capital of Azerbaijan. The supply consists of 151 compressed natural gas (CNG) Crealis buses, inten-ded for urban transport, in advance of the Pan-Eu-ropean Games to be held in June 2015. The order is valued at approximately 50 million Euros. The vehi-cles will be manufactured at the Iveco Bus factory in Annonay, France. This contract confirms Iveco Bus’s commitment to alternative drives clean bus technology and, in particular, the gas technology developed for the Iveco Cursor 8 engine. The CNG Cursor 8 engine is fully compliant with the Euro VI emissions standard, also, its sound emissions have been halved and vibrations lowered at all speeds. •

IVECO IN AZERBAIJAN

H euliez Bus, a French company of the CNH In-dustrial Group, has won a major tender from

the Paris public transport operator RATP, for 250 hybrid buses. The tender is part of a major Eu-ropean multi-year tender (2014-2017) recently launched by RATP for a contract for some 1,000 standard 12-metre hybrid and gas city buses. The

model is the Heuliez GX 337 HYB, equipped with the ‘Arrive & Go’ function, which allows for arrivals and departures to be made in 100% electric mode from bus stops, offering a 5% reduction in fuel consumption. The vehicles will be delivered in four years and the supply is part of the RATP replacement program of diesel buses with hybrid vehicles (diesel-electric). In this regard, the president of the RATP, Pierre Mongin, points out that the company has already put on service 46 hybrid buses and RATP will acquire approximately 600 more hybrids by the middle of 2016. •

MAN FOR MINERS IN SIBERIA

R ussian transport company Neotrans took delivery of 20 Man Lion’s Regio intercity buses. The vehicles will

transport employees to coal mines in the city of Kemerovo, Siberia, and the surrounding area on behalf of the biggest coal producer “Siberian Coal Energy Company” (SUEK). The two- and three-axle Man Lion’s Regio buses can seat up to 63 passengers and are powered by 310 hp Man D20 common-rail diesel engines. «Quality, safety and reliability are the values our company is founded upon», said Sergey Verzhbitsky, managing director of Neotrans. «The Man buses set the benchmark in all these respects. And the awarding of this contract from an industrial company as well known as SUEK confirms that our decision to use Man vehicles was the right one». •

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - June 2014 FLASH NEWS

A nother large order for Volvo hybrid buses in Eu-rope. The customer is Nobina which is part of the

Nobina Group, one of Europe’s largest providers of passenger transport, carrying 280 million passengers a year. The hybrids commissioned to Volvo Buses amount to 47 hybrids for inner-city operations in the

cities of Sundsvall and Örnsköldsvik. It’s the largest order for Volvo hybrid buses in Sweden to date. The batch consists of 36 two-axle Volvo 7900 Hybrid buses and 11 Volvo 7900 Hybrid articulated buses. In addition, there are 11 diesel-powered Volvo 8900 low-entry buses. All of these buses meet the Euro VI emission requirements. The first 30 hybrid buses will start operating in mid-June, with the remainder being delivered in autumn 2014. Volvo Buses has sold more than 1,350 hybrid buses, of which just over 120 in Sweden. •

VOLVO FOR THE NOBINA GROUP

THE FIRST S 517 HDH IN ITALY

Italian coach operator Di Fonzo takes delivery of its first Setra TopClass 500, which is also the first

to be delivered to Italy. It also crowns the celebra-tions for the 80-year anniversary of the Di Fonzo company which was established in 1934, originally as a postal delivery. The vehicle is an S 517 HDH luxury three-axle coach. Among other features, it is fitted with the tinted TopSky panoramic glass roof

with light transmission of one percent, a special item of equipment from Setra and a totally new development in the European bus and coach industry. The Di Fonzo coach company, which bought its first Setra coach (an S 315 HDH of the 300 model series) in 1990 and today owns 85 vehicles from the Ulm-based company, operates an EvoBus service centre itself in the Abruzzo region. •

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - June 2014

More articles about Scania: www.bustocoach.com/en/node/516/articoli-costruttore-europa

From Mexico to Egypt bearing the Scania logo. Two large orders confirm the promi-

nence of the Swedish manufacturer at inter-national level.In Mexico City, Scania will supply 62 buses for service in the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) network. These vehicles will be body built by Brazilian com-pany Neobus. The commis-sion includes 52 articulated Scania K 360 6x2/2 buses with Euro 5 engine and 10 Scania K 310 6x2/4 buses also with Euro 5 engine but with a length of 15 metres.In addition Scania will provide workshop services for the entire fleet, maintenance and driver training.The 62 Scania/Neobus buses will operate on the new 21.3-kilometre Mexibus line 2, one of

the city’s longest bus corridors with 42 stops. It is expected that the new buses will serve some 211 thousand passengers per day.From the land of the Maya to the land of the Pharaohs. At the shadow of the pyramids of

Cairo, Scania will deliver as many as 150 city buses.They are the S c a n i a K 3101B 4x2 equipped with automatic tran-smission and with a layout for a total of 35 seating pas-sengers.The vehicles will be deli-vered over the

next six months in collaboration with the En-gineering Automotive Manufacturing Com-pany (EAMCO).«This is Scania’s first city bus delivery in the country, and marks a strong return to the Egyptian market», said Magnus J Andersson, Scania’s Sales Manager for Egypt. •

Swedish manufacturer receive commission for 62 BRT buses with body built by Neobus for Mexico City and 150 city buses in collaboration with EAMCO for Cairo

WORLDWIDE ORDER FOR SCANIA

INFORMATION IS ON THE NETwww.bustocoach.com/en

The “Vehicles” section in the website provides data sheets for all types of buses available on the market,

inclusive of photographs, as well as historical profiles and manufacturer’s details.

Equally comprehensive information can be found in the “Components” section.

There are also the Directories dedicated to the market of “Used buses”, including sale ads, professional sales agents across the Europe landscape and quotes for all

types of vehicle models.

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - June 2014

The range of chassis by Mercedes-Benz Buses compliant with Euro VI emissions

standard is nearing completion. The three-axle OC 500 RF is the latest to be introduced in bus market segment. Intended for intercity buses and touring coaches, this chassis is produced in the plant in Sàmano, Spain, likewise the OC 500 LE for regular ser-vice buses.The new chassis ge-neration produced by Mercedes-Benz is based on a newly developed powertrain concept for Euro VI emission stan-dard through the use of BlueEfficency Power engines.

All engines use the high-pressure injection system based on the common rail principle.The complex exhaust gas aftertreatment system employs exhaust gas recirculation, an oxidizing catalytic converter, a particu-late filter and SCR technology (Selective Catalytic Reduction) with AdBlue injec-

tion.Regarding consum-ption, the use of Euro VI technology does not impact energy con-sumption, rather, fuel consumption tends to be lower than that of previous generation engines.The OC 500 RF chassis is equipped with Mer-cedes-Benz six-speed manual transmission as

standard. The automated Mercedes-Benz GO 250-8 PowerShift eight-speed transmission, developed specifically for bus operations, is new.The OC 500 LE chassis is equipped with the ZF EcoLife automatic transmission instead, also available for buses based on the OC 500 RF 1930/36/39. •

Three-axle OC 500 RF chassis with Euro VI engine by Mercedes-Benz, developed for intercity buses and touring coaches, introduced to the market

EURO VI FOR THREE -AXLE CHASSIS

More articles about Alexander Dennis: www.bustocoach.com/en/node/431/articoli-costruttore-europa

B ritish manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) presented the all-new

Enviro400. A model that incorporates 200 improvements and that is lighter, more fuel efficient, quieter, environment-friendly and with increased seating capacity.First of all the vehicle is 400 kg lighter and has increased seating capa-city with up to seven more passenger seats compared to the standard model.It is powered by a robust 6.7 litre Euro VI Cummins en-gine.In addition to access and ease of maintenance, other improve-ments worth noting include the new heating and ventilation system that ensures a constant temperature throughout the bus.Furthermore, the new Enviro400 makes use

of the quick-release glass system patented by Alexander Dennis that dramatically reduces the time to replace the windows from three hours to three minutes.The Enviro400 also features a new stylish look with a modern curved shape flowing

back to front.The interior, both upstairs and down-s t a i r s , has been designed so that shapes, colours and materials blend together, all of which has been achieved without com-promising leg room for pas-sengers or seat sizes.Colin Robert-son, ADL ma-

naging director, told the press that «the Envi-ro400 has more than 400 buses in the pipeline. Of these, 120 will be delivered in the next 12 months in the United Kingdom». •

Lighter, more fuel efficient, quieter, environment-friendlyand increased seating capacity. That’s the all-new Enviro400, a model of the Alexander Dennis range

IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE ENVIRO400

More articles about Mercedes-Benz: www.bustocoach.com/en/node/473/articoli-costruttore-europa

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - June 2014 HIGH TECH STORE

ON DISPLAY AT BUSWORLD TURKEY

A L L I S O N Au tomat ic transmissions and FuelSense to decrease fuel consumption.

SEGE Two new seats for touring coaches (see picture)

and intercity buses.

YILKAR 12 kW to 50 kW roof top air conditioners. Photo of

S models for minibuses.

FOGMAKER Fire suppression system with water mist for

engine compartments.

BUDORA Doors and ramps for all types of buses, compliant to

directive 2001/85/EC.

SAFKAR 7.5 kW to 44 kW roof top air conditioners. Photo of

14 kW ES204 model.

TEQ All instruments replaced by new digital dashboard with

two integrated displays.

VOITH Diwa.6 automatic transmission, Aquatarder SWR

and air compressor.

CUMMINS ISB diesel and ISL gas series Euro VI engines

debut in Turkey.

AUTOADAPT Braun UVL, Vista Split and Millenium lifting

platforms

COMPONENTS ON LINEFor a comprehensive list of Suppliers

of bus components in Italy and in Europe visit:

www.bustocoach.com/en

To search for individual company profi les visit:

http://www.bustocoach.com/en/content/suppliers-italy

http://www.bustocoach.com/en/content/suppliers-europe

Select products by category and read available components details:

http://www.bustocoach.com/en/content/components-italy

http://www.bustocoach.com/en/content/components-europe

AUTOBUS TYPE 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Minibus 21,123 11,829 16,978 22,475 29,335 37,750 Midibus 10,660 2,624 2,658 3,509 4,158 5,197 Bus & Coach 7,526 5,931 5,268 6,907 6,427 8,345 Total production 39,309 20,384 24,904 32,891 39,920 51,292Source: Otomotiv Sanayii Derneği (OSD).

TURKISH BUS PRODUCTION

ISTANBUL inaugurates the 2014 season of

international bus fairs with the fifth edition of Busworld Turkey, a biennial event. It is an important venue to take stock of the he-alth conditions of the local industry and its projections on domestic and foreign markets.All indicators pertaining production are posi-tive. The Minibus sector (dominated by Ford Otosan whose production is largely intended for export) continues to grow reaching almost 38 thousand units. Production of Midibuses is also positive. After a sharp decline in 2009 (negative 75% compared to 10,660 units in 2008) the Midibuses sector is progressively growing, with 5,197 vehicles produced in 2013 (+25% compared to 2012). The sector of regular size Buses & Coaches continue to increase, reaching a record of 8,345 units (+30% compared to 2012).But, where are these buses heading to? Data pertaining to Minibuses is unbalanced in fa-vour of exports by Ford Otosan (almost 35 thousand vehicles) and the fact that figures provided by OSD (the main source for our ta-

At the Busworld Turkey the local industry confirms its monopoly in the domestic market. Turkish manufacturers deliver new models and contend important export sharesbles) do not take into account the many vehi-cles fitted on Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco Daily, Volkswagen and Renault. Regarding the Mi-

dibus segment, the domestic market is catchi-ng up with an additional 4,000 units (7,000 in 2007) and a thousand for export (they were more than twice the amount up to 2008). In the domestic market there is a continuo-us shift in demand towards higher-capacity vehicles, in 2013 they exceeded 4,000 (+67% compared to 2012), of which two thirds were in the Citybus version. Exports also increased by 10% with 4,500 vehicles, lead by Merce-des Benz Türk (2,861 vehicles).In addition to many component specialists, almost all Turkish builders could be seen in the two exhibit areas of the Istanbul Expo

Center. Besides BMC, which cea-sed operations at the end of 2012, the only ones missing were Man Türk (as was the case in previous years) and Temsa (recove-ring domestically but in decline in export markets). As always, European brands were also absent due to the fact that the Turkish bus market is not open to imports. Foreign com-panies included Samauto (Uzbekistan) and Oghab from Iran. Overall, Busworld Turkey has attracted 248 exhibitors (76 from abroad) and 12,425 visitors from 84 countries.

Otokar in pole positionActing as host at a home event, Otokar, a company of the Koc Group (which also in-cludes Ford Otosan) once again presented excellent results, with 40% growth in turno-ver. 2013 ended with an increase by 57.3% in bus sales compared to 2012, with a total of 4,043 vehicles. On the domestic market, the increase amounted to 62.5%, confirming, once again, the company’s leadership in the Midibus segment (2,508 vehicles) and the progressive growth in the segment of regular size buses, that in the past five years increa-sed from less than 200 to 1,084 units. Good results were also reported for exports with

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FOR TURKEY AND BEYOND

OTOKAR - Navigo C (Sultan City) OTOKAR - Navigo U (Sultan Maxi)

429 vehicles, marking an increase by 23.6%.On display in an exhibition area organised in two sections, “Bus Terminal” for touring coaches and “City Square” for city buses, Otokar showcased nine vehicles at Buswor-ld. Alongside the 10-metre tourism coach Vectio T (Doruk T in Turkey) that fits 43 seats, the Navigo T 7.1-metre long with 27 seats capacity (Sultan S) or 8.4-metre long 35 seater (Sultan Mega) and the 12-metre Intercity Territo U (U Kent) with 51 seats, the 7.2-metre Tempo fitting 27 passengers made its first appearance at a bus fair. The Tempo has a raised floor and three winding steps on the front entrance. 350 units have already been sold in just 5 months since it was introduced in the marketplace.

First appearance for the 7.7-metre Navigo U, sold in the Turkish market with the name Maxi Sultan. It can transport up to seven di-sabled passengers and their wheelchairs. The centre door is equipped with a lift platform mounted under the luggage compartment.And finally, in the Otokar’s exhibit area dedicated to urban vehicles, there were a 12-metre low floor Kent C, a 9.2-metre low entry Vectio C (Doruk LE) and a 7.2-metre C Navigo (Sultan City) with low floor at the third door, a corridor raised by two steps and front entrance next to the raised driver’s seat.

Karsan’s home debutAfter its debut in the international bus scene at Busworld Kortrijk last year, Karsan plays

its cards in the Turkish market offering the same models but in their final versions.Such as the 5.85-metre long 2-metre wide Jest minibus with lowered middle floor, 15 seats capacity (Class B) plus 6 standing (Class A) and Euro V FPT front engine with 126 horsepower.What used to be prototypes measuring 8.15-metre in length and 2.4-metre in width are now produced in series respectively with the names Atak and Star. The first one has a lowered floor up to the rear axle and can carry up to 50 passengers, 23 seated plus wheelchair. The second, for shuttle and tou-ring services, has the interior floor at about a meter from ground, fits 31 seated passenger and has 4.25 square metres of luggage space.

Both are powered by the Euro V-EEV 150 hp FPT rear engine with ZF manual or automa-tic transmission.Also on display there were two low floor CNG city buses Avancity+ measuring 12 and 18 me-tres, born from the collaboration with Italian company BredaMenarinibus. The first one mounts the 276 hp Mercedes engine and the second is powered by the 310 hp Man engine.

12-metre Isuzu introducedNot only minibuses and midibuses by Ana-dolu Isuzu. The new 12-metre low-floor ci-ty-bus Citiport was introduced at Busworld Turkey in Istanbul. It is equipped with 24 se-ats (including three seats in the rear end next to the engine cabinet) plus wheelchair area

KARSAN - Avancity+ CNG KARSAN - Atak

KARSAN - Star KARSAN - JEST

AUTOBUS TYPE 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013MINIBUS BMC 758 197 292 3 - - Ford Otosan 3,617 3,796 4,611 6,591 n.a. n.a. Karsan 1,211 2,268 2,317 2,963 n.a. n.a. Otokar 540 276 274 145 31 22 Total Minibus 6,126 6,537 7,494 9,702 n.a. n.a.MIDIBUS A. Isuzu 1,515 520 762 1,031 932* 859* Karsan 1,816 0 0 0 n.a. n.a. Otokar 1,321 734 894 1,269 1,671 2,508 Temsa 1,360 501 404 740 481 592 Total Midibus 6,012 1,755 2,060 3,040 3,084 3,959BUS & COACH BMC 501 567 401 270 130* 0 Karsan 0 0 0 1 61* 580* MAN 237 375 332 366 331 407 Mercedes Benz Türk 775 489 725 1,099 1,107 1,174 Otokar 249 197 274 517 521 1,084 Temsa 183 159 258 304 260 661 Total Bus & Coach 1,945 1,787 1,990 2,557 2,410 4,027

DOMESTIC SALES BY MANUFACTURER

Source: Otomotiv Sanayii Derneği (OSD).*) Estimated values by BusToCoach.

EXPORT BY MANUFACTURER

with three folding seats and manual platform in the middle entrance. It is powered by a 289 hp Cummins engine compliant to Euro VI standards (not required in Turkey), that goes to show the strong exports strategy of the Turkish manufacturer as proved by the 744 midibuses sold to foreign markets in 2013. All 12-metre models were showcased in Istanbul.Also on exhibit there were the latest addition 9-metre Visigo with rear engine for tourism ser-vices and the 9.5-metre Citibus lowered to the second door, and also the Novo series measu-ring 7.5 metres with front engine, on display in the Lux and Ultra versions (touring coach) and City. Alongside the classic Turkuaz model with capacity of 19 and 33 seats depending on the version (VIP, with wheelchair area or standard).

Guleryuz and TCVRepresenting the 11 models of the Cobra range by Guleryuz there were three vehi-cles intended for city transport. The 11-me-tres double decker could not be missing, featuring a manual ramp on the second door and 360 hp Daf engine combined with ZF automatic transmission. Already on display two years ago, there was also the 12-metre low floor GD 272 LF city bus with 290 hor-sepower Man engine, automatic transmission and room for 28 seated passengers and 70 standing plus wheelchair. Alongside there was the 9.3-metre shortened version GM 220 LF with 220 horsepower Man engine.Also already seen at Busworld two years ago

there was the 10.7-metre city bus by TCV (Turkish Commercial Vehicles), a design company from Kocaeli. It’s now called Karat (former Centravel) but the rest is the same: completely lowered floor, 194 kW FPT Tec-tor engine combined with six-speed Allison T280R automatic gearbox and fitting 27 se-ated (plus wheelchair) and 65 standing pas-sengers. As promised they produced a gas version. As such, the Karat comes in the 12-metre version with 206 kW Man CNG engine.

Mercedes/Setra at the Top The participation of Mercedes-Benz Türk at the Busworld edition in Istanbul is very important as is its 46 years presence in the

Turkish market. In fact it is possible to say that half the vehicles in the Bus & Coach segment produced in Turkey come out of the factory in Hosdere (4,001 buses in 2013). 1,174 for the internal market (+6% compa-red to 2012) while 2,864 (+28.4%) for export to Europe.Since production started in 1968, the assem-bly lines of Mercedes-Benz Türk produced 70 thousand buses, an achievement cele-brated at Busworld with a Travego 15 SHD marked with a 70 and decorated on the sides with tickets of all 297 transport companies that over the years opted for Mercedes buses.Other Mercedes models were on display, such as the familiar Tourismo and Conecto (a variant of the Citaro), the latter both in

Source: Otomotiv Sanayii Derneği (OSD).

ISUZU - VisigoISUZU - Citiport

GULERYUZ - Cobra GM 220 LF TCV - Karat CNG

AUTOBUS TYPE 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013MINIBUS BMC 31 0 22 2 81 0 Ford Otosan 14,239 9,603 12,385 20,142 16,315 34,629 Karsan 0 71 9 12 n.d. 8 Otokar 0 0 9 7 25 27 Total Minibus 14,270 9,674 12,416 20,163 16,590 34,664MIDIBUS A. Isuzu 1,032 565 494 429 943 744 Karsan 476 0 0 0 n.a. n.a. Otokar 345 244 142 114 206 235 Temsa 318 256 171 104 24 6 Total Midibus 2,171 1,065 807 647 1,189 985BUS & COACH BMC 579 220 325 267 71 1 Karsan 0 0 0 75 n.a. 15 MAN 1,538 1,180 834 1,216 885 898

Mercedes Benz Türk 2,670 2,335 1,792 1,919 2,230 2,864

Otokar 61 76 131 90 116 167 Temsa 662 659 468 637 745 530 Total Bus & Coach 5,510 4,470 3,550 4,204 4,059 4,501

the 12-metre and the 18-metre articulated versions.This Busworld event was also the occasion to introduce in Turkey the new 500 Series of the Setra TopClass, by means of the three-axle S 517 HDH model. A combination of style and technology alongside the new ComfortClass S 515 HD and S 516 HD/2, equipped with Euro VI engines as standard, even if not required by law in Turkey.

Two offers from Iran The first came from Akia Hess Otomotiv that, bringing together the expertise of Akia (Iran) and Hess (Switzerland), started the production of buses in Turkey in the city of Bursa, also in light of projects for the new Metrobus in Istanbul.Akia displayed three full low floor city buses from the Ultra series. One is the 9.3-metre long vehicle that fits 25 seating plus 50 standing passengers and wheelchair area, double door at the centre and single doors on the front and rear overhangs, and powered by a 207 hp Euro V Cummins en-gine. Then there is the 12-metre version fitting 27 seats and 72 standing passengers plus wheelchair, also powered by a Cum-mins Engine but with 300 hp instead. The same vehicle was also on display in the CNG version featuring a stylish fairing to cover the gas cylinders on the roof.Coming straight from Iran instead was the Dorsa tourist bus by Oghab Afshan, the result of a close collaboration with Scania

since 2001. It’s a 12.6 metres long and 3.8 m tall vehicle offered in the Vip version with 25 leather seats with leg rests, in the configu-ration 2 + 1. The driver’s area is positioned three steps lower than the interior floor and the engine is, obviously, by Scania (410 hp), however emission of pollutants are still at Euro III level.

From Uzbekistan SamAuto, a company from Uzbekistan that since 2006 works in collaboration with Isuzu Motors and Itochu Corporation, participated to Busworld with two vehicles intended pri-marily to markets in the Middle East and Africa.It was possible to take a look at the 6.9-me-tre HD41 model transporting up to 45 pas-sengers (180seats), with narrow double

MERCEDES - Conecto SETRA - TopClass 500

OGHAB - Dorsa Vip

MERCEDES - Travego SETRA - ComfortClass 500

SAMAUTO - LE60 AKIA - Ultra 12 CNG

doors behind the first axle and on the rear overhang. The interior floor is raised by three steps and the front engine is the 121 horsepower Euro II Isuzu.The second vehicle was the 8-metre LE60, with low-floor up to the centre door, 25 seats and a total of 56 passengers, powered by a 185 hp Euro IV Cummins rear engine.

Minibus with special effects As usual there were many local companies specialising on interior equipment for mini-buses, mostly offering high luxury solutions by means of fittings made of precious ma-terials, special lighting systems, powerful audio-video systems and living room types configurations. All very similar.Based on Sprinter 416 or Volkswagen Crafter, those presented by Minibus Center featured leather and oakwood fi-nishings, touch-screen controls for adjusting the seats, such as ta-ble opening and whatnot. At the stand there was also a Multi taxi with 12 seats, built on Citro-en Jumper with

special effects interior lightings.Similar luxury excesses were found in fit-tings by Ertex, Erduman and VIPDesign (from Belgium) whose interior accessories are managed via tablet, or by Kartex with its Renault Master and Mercedes. The 20 seater Sprinter 516 by Erener was more sober. All based on Iveco, Bur-Can’s fittings included alongside the 19 seater Daily with double central for public transport, also a shuttle with 20 leather seats, simple but well done. The 16 seater Sprinter City Bus by Esref featured a central lowered floor and manual ramp. And finally, Dutch company Omni-bus Trading focused the attention on the Sunrise Convertible on Daily with 32 seats, with passengers compartment with sliding openings on the roof and on the sides. •

DOCTOR VIP

BUR-CAN

ESREF OMNIBUS TRADING

VIP DESIGN VIP DESIGN

KARTEX KARTEX MINIBUS CENTER

More articles about Internaztional Events www.bustocoach.com/en/node/2440/articoli_nref_eventi

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - June 2014

Lenght mm 10,500 Width mm 2,500 Heigh mm 4,310 Wheelbase mm 5,350 Front overhang mm 2,760 Rear overhang mm 2,390 Turning circle mm 20,142 Empty Weight kg 9,980 Perm. GWV kg 18,000

DIMENSIONS 10.5 2D

THE new double decker bus MetroDecker by Optare (British company and sub-

sidiary of Ashok Leyland, the world’s fourth lar-gest bus manufacturer) was unveiled at the Lon-don’s Transport Museum following an Indian style ceremony with the participation of G.P. Hinduja, Co-Chairman of parent company Hinduja Group.After production of the double decker Olympus ceased in 2008, the British bus manufacturer thus returns to this segment that in the UK amounts to 40% of the total market.

Headquartered in Nor-th Yorkshire (UK), bus manufacturer Opta-re is a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland, who owns 75% of the com-pany shares since Ja-nuary 2012, and which in turn is part of the Automotive division (USD 2.5 billion tur-nover) of Indian giant conglomerate Hinduja Group.I n 2 0 1 3 O p t a r e sold about 380 buses largely in the dome-stic market (95%), all of them for urban tran-sport, inclu-ding some hybrid and electric dri-ve vehicles amount ing to 11% share in this segment in the UK. The range does not include intercity buses nor touring coaches.Last year Enrico Vas-sallo has been appo-inted as the new Chief Execut ive Off icer (CEO) of Optare. Prior to this appointment he was General Manager of Irisbus Italy (2007-2011) and Chairman of FPT Industrial Latin America (2011-2012).This is how Vassallo depicts the guidelines for Optare’s expan-sion in international markets: «We are currently operating in the Australian market where this year we already sold about 50 units (total market is 600 units) through our importer Patico, also associated to

Ashok Leyland. Today South Africa is the se-cond most important market and we are about to open a local office in Johannesburg together with Ashok Leyland. But to date Europe represents the biggest challenge and we plan to face it with targeted operations in the three main re-gions (South, Centre

and North E u r o p e ) and the de-ve lopment of a dealers network to provide as-sistance for the vehicles locally and w i t h t h e support of the Group’s network of banks».New Sales,

Marketing and Service Director David Siviero (former Irisbus Iveco) will play an important role in implementing this strategy. He ad-ded: «We want to establish a network that provides out-standing support, not just sales, in strategic countries, in order to deliver whole-rounded support locally. Given the type of product is delivers, Optare has good opportunities to “get out” of the UK market. In Southern Europe, and espe-cially in Italy, fuel is becoming increasin-gly important on total costs. Electric and hybrid variants and the lightweight struc-ture of our buses can have a positive impact in this regard». •

OPTARE STRATEGY OPTARE - METRODECKER

ULTRA LIGHT è

E legant but at the same time very easy to clean, the interior featu-

res ABS profiles for wall coverings and for the roof, curved handrails and lighting running continuously from front to rear on each side with LED lights with two brightness le-vels and separate switching. Lighting on the stairwell leading to the upper floor is indirect in order to provide consistent lighting over entire stair.The 63 padded seats, with upper handle, are arranged so that 22 are located on the lower deck and 41 on the upper deck. There is also room for 36 standing passengers and a very spacious wheelchair area (2,030

mm) in front of the double-door with external sliding opening at the cen-tre. The entrance door mounts an electric (or manual) floor ramp.The 4.3-metre total height of the MetroDecker allows passengers to move about 1,830 mm of free ver-tical space on the lower deck and

2.034 mm on the upper deck.The driver cabin is fully enclosed and is accessed via a side glass door. The driver’s area is fully compliant to ISO 16121 ergonomic require-ments and therefore all controls are within lines of sight and easily ac-cessible, both in the dashboard and

the ceiling. The intelligent dashbo-ard receives information via FMS-Gateway.The Eberspächer fully automatic system regulates interior climate via ventilation, heating and cooling functions with separate adjustment controls for the driver. •

Seats/standing n. 63/36 Lower deck height mm 1,830 Upper deck height mm 2,034 Floor Height mm 350/2,220 Comfort Seats Esteban A.C. Eberspacher Glazing single (double opt.)

Engine OM 934 LA Displacement c.c. 5,100 Pow. hp(kW)/rpm 231(170)/2,200 Torque Nm/rpm 900/1,200-1,600 Pollution/system Euro VI/Egr + Scr Gearbox Automatic ZF Disc brakes with Abs, Retarder Suspension Indipendent

It should be noted that Optare has a range of models exclusively intended for urban tran-sport with vehicles that measure from 7.2 to 12.2 metres, including hybrid and electric dri-ve versions, and whose market share in the UK urban segment is 11%.The MetroDecker opens up new growth op-portunities in the domestic market but also in foreign markets, also given the fact that exports are currently at the centre of the company’s business development plans.Built in the new Optare plant in Leeds, York-shire, the MetroDecker is a double decker with

Room for everyone

INTERIORS TECHNIQUE

an overall length of 10.5 metres and 4.3 me-tres height. One of its major strengths is low weight (less than 10 tonnes unladen weight) reducing fuel consumption and making it ex-tremely fuel-efficient. That’s in addition to the undeniable quality of the technical equipment and an aesthetically pleasing as well as attention to manufacturing details of the bodywork. The integral structure is made of semi-stainless steel welded heavy-duty box sections, expo-sed structural components and underseal are treated with an anti-rust protection system. In order to ease service and maintenance all te-

chnical devices are externally accessible, such as, electrical items, CCTV (video surveillan-ce system) and iBus (for localisation) that are housed in a dedicated rear compartment.The engine and transmission are mounted as a removable power-pack. The vehicle is powered by the 5.1-litre four-cylinder Mercedes OM 934 LA engine (already in use on the new Atego truck), with common-rail injection at 2,400 bar, partial recirculation of exhaust gases (EGR), Ad-Blue injection at the exhaust (SCR) plus particu-late filter (DPF) to keep emissions within Euro VI standard limits. The engine, mounted on the

left corner with inline transmission, develops a maximum power of 170 kW (231 horsepower) and torque of 900 Nm at 1,200 and 1,600 rpm. Power is transferred by the ZF Ecolife fully au-tomatic transmission with integral hydrodynamic retarder and TopoDyn management program. Axles, with independent suspensions in the front, and steering box are also by ZF. The air disc brake system, with ABS, is by Knorr-Bremse.The MetroDecker will be also available with open-top and single door design by the end of 2014, while hybrid and electric drive options will be ready to order from 2015. • More articles about Optare: www.bustocoach.com/en/node/1455/articoli-costruttore-europa

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - June 2014

The range of Sprinter minibuses produced in the Mercedes-Benz Minibus GmbH factory in Dortmund is now fully Euro VI emission standard compliant. More features introduced

EURO VI SPRINTER MINIBUS

S printer Minibus range compliance to Euro VI emission standard has been gradually

underway since mid-2013 with the models Transfer (multipurpose intercity bus), Travel (touring coach) and Mobility (for passengers with restricted mobility) and ended at the be-ginning of 2014 with the transition of City models.The diesel engine range includes, as is always the case for all models, the OM 651 four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 2.2 litres and an output ranging from 70 kW (95 hp) to 120 kW (163 hp). Alongside there is the only six-cylinder engine mounted on a European commercial vehicle, and that is the 642 MW V6 with a displacement of 3.0 litres and an output of 140 kW (190 hp) intended for the Travel series.The engines, therefore, are unchanged in ter-ms of basic architecture, as well as parame-

ters regarding output and torque performan-ce. Transition to Euro VI is achieved through well-proven BlueTec engine technology, alre-ady in use for almost ten years on heavy-duty commercial vehicles bearing the Mercedes star, and with AdBlue injection and SCR ca-talytic converter.In this context, development engineers im-proved the injection process and combustion, as well as charge pressure, resulting in lower fuel consumption and lower combustion noi-se. In addition, modification to the pre-injec-tion process led to further improved running stability and engine service intervals increa-sed to up to 60 thousand kilometres.Other measures deployed to reduce fuel con-sumption for the new Sprinter include, for example, intelligent alternator management, the use of an electric fuel pump and the “free-wheel” function of the (optional) air conditio-

SPRINTER TRAVEL

è

ning system. As well as the use of low-friction oil to reduce friction losses in the six-speed manual transmission.The rear axle is also subject to less friction thus helping reduce fuel consumption, as does the efficiency package BlueEfficiency.Another new feature for Sprinters with au-tomatic transmission is the change from the five-speed MB G40 W5A to the seven-speed 7G-Tronic transmission with torque conver-ter, the world’s only seven-speed automatic transmission to be installed in a van, that has newly configured shift points and is available in conjunction with an ECO start/stop func-tion. When tested in the vicinity of Dortmund, where the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz Minibus GmbH are located, it proved to pro-vide exceptional driving comfort, with im-perceptible gear changes for those travelling onboard.To increase the safety of Sprinter minibuses, there are new driver assistance systems that help prevent accidents: Crosswind Assist for side winds, Proximity Warning Assist, Blind

Spot Assist, Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist.Innovations introduced for the driver include the new high-grip steering wheel and a seat with new upholstery. The same applies to the new radio generation with many different input ports, a telephone keypad and direc-tory, as well as the new Becker MAP PILOT navigation system installed in the glove com-partment and with a removable navigation module.In the interiors of the Transfer and Travel mo-dels roof finishings have been improved and redesigned lighting strips now feature LED technology. Other new features include new luggage shelves, and, for the Sprinter Travel, also new service sets with reading lamps and air vents.Two models have been added to the Sprinter Mobility range, the Mobility 35 and 45, re-spectively with gross vehicle weights of 5.0 and 5.3 tons and twin tyres at the rear axle.Overall, the Sprinter minibus range is com-prised of 16 models with left-hand drive and 8 with right-hand drive. • More articles about Mercedes-Benz: www.bustocoach.com/en/node/473/articoli-costruttore-europa

SPRINTER MOBILITY SPRINTER CITY

SPRINTER TRANSFER