bustocoach european on-line magazine - september 2013

EUROPEAN ON-LINE MAGAZINE - September 2013

BusToCoach

NO FEAR COMPARISONS SOLARIS - MODENA BUS - OPTARE - IVECO FOR JUVENTUS - VAN HOOL - IVECO DAILY WAY TEST - FLASH NEWS - HIGH TECH - CONTINENTAL

MERCEDES CITARO EURO VI

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ON-LINE MAGAZINE linked www.bustocoach.com - September 2013

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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SOLARISElectric and diesel Urbino

for Austria.

MODENA BUS MCI and Tekne’s alliance

generates a new Italian brand.

CONTINENTALThree new tyre models specifically for buses.

IVECO BUS300 km onboard the 7.7-metre

Daily Way intercity bus.

IVECO BUSA Magelys featuring Juventus colours.

IN THE FOREGROUND

COLUMNS

DIRECT LINK

ROAD TESTSFLASH NEWS

Breda, Irizar, Man, VDL, Setra, Volvo.

HIGH TECH STOREZF, Michelin, Yokohama,

Continental, Masats.

VAN HOOLAstromega TDX 29 in the Sleeper Coach version.

MERCEDESThe new Citaro Euro VI on

the streets of Milan.

OPTARE 9 and 12-metre long buses

for the home market.

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

EURO VIIN FINLAND

VDL Bus&Coach will supply the first Citea buses with Euro 6 engines

to Finland. No fewer than 29 vehicles have been sold to Pohjolan Liikenne, one of the largest Finnish bus companies, operating lo-cal, regional and longdistance services with a fleet of 470 buses. Delivery is scheduled in

December 2013 and the Citeas will be used for the city bus lines in Helsinki. The order consists of 9 Citeas LLE-120 with a length of 12 metres, 15 Citeas SLE-129 in the 12.9 m version and 5 Citeas XLE-145, a three-axle bus with a length of 14.5 metres. These are not only the first Euro 6 Citeas for Finland, but also the first Citeas with fully electric sliding plug doors. •

SETRA 500 IN NORWAY

B rustad Busstrafikk takes delivery of the first ComfortClass 500 for Norway. The two-axle

S 516 HD is also the 500th Setra coach being delivered to the Scandinavian country. The coach is fitted with 48 comfortable Setra Voyage-type travel seats, a galley with coffee machine and a modern audio/video system. The S 516 HD is equipped with the most state-of-the-art driver assistance systems. These include the Adaptive Cruise Control as well as the extended advanced emergency braking system BAS PLUS, which is able to brake the coach automatically in the event of a collision, even in front of stationary obstacles. The Norwegian bus operator also opted for the ComfortClass 500 for the Visibility package offered exclusively by Setra, which in addition to bi-xenon headlamps for dipped and main beams also includes a high-pressure headlamp cleaning system as well as ambient lighting for reversing manoeuvres. •

THE RECOVERY OF BREDAMENARINI

M AN Truck & Bus Iberia has been awa-rded the contract by Transports Metro-

politans de Barcelona (TMB) for the purcha-se of ten more hybrid city buses. The new MAN Lion’s City Hybrids will be delivered to the customer by the end of 2013. With 21 MAN hybrid buses, Barcelona will become the city with the largest fleet of this vehicle. The 12 metre-long solo buses are powered by two electric engines of 75 kW each. The ul-tra-capacitors on the roof save the kinetic energy recuperated during braking. •

MAN HYBRIDSIN SPAIN

B redaMenarinibus, a Finmeccanica company, received contracts for 120 buses from Italian

and European clients in the first six months of 2013, whose amount is around 35 million of Eu-ros, including after sales services. These orders state that the trend has changed compared to the previous years, and this is due to a commercial and industrial strategy that the new management had started. BredaMenarinibus will supply se-ries Avancity+ e Vivacity+ Euro 5/EEV buses in their diesel and CNG versions, and the zero emissions electric bus Zeus to clients based in Bologna, Potenza, Padova, Ancona, Pescara, Gorizia, Vicenza, Naples and Cordoba (Spain). About 90% of the orders are for vehicles fueled by natural gas or with electricity; these products are particularly important for BredaMenarinibus, since they keep investing in research and development. •

200 HYBRID BUSES FOR BOGOTA

V olvo Bus Latin America will supply 200 hybrid buses to Bogota, the Capital of Colombia. The

buyers are Consórcio Express, acquiring 156 vehicles and GMovil, acquiring 44 vehicles. The buses will be operating the city’s BRT system TransMilêmio and will enter service in December 2013. The vehicles will be bodied by Busscar and Superpolo in Colombia

while the chassis will be manufactured at Volvo Buses’ plant in Curitiba, Brazil. The deal includes, in addition to the chassis, a 12-year battery protection contract and a five-year service agreement. Volvo’s hybrid bus runs entirely on electricity, quietly and emission-free, from standstill to a speed of 15-20 km/h. At higher speeds the bus receives additional power from a small 4-cylinder diesel engine running on biodiesel. •

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2013 FLASH NEWS

Irizar delivered the 1000th Irizar i6 manu-factured in Spain at the Ormaiztegi plant.

The i6 series was launched at the Internatio-nal Bus and Coach fair (FIAA) in 2010. This model was sold all over the world reaching Australia where it was officially presented in July 2012, South Africa, Brazil, South Ameri-ca, Mexico and, of course, Europe. The Irizar

i6 is currently manufactured as an integral coach as well as for all the chassis brands available on the market. •

i6 REACHES THE 1,000 MARK

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2013

Orders and deliveries for Solaris Bus&Coach

More UrbinoBUSES

A ustrian public transport operator ÖBB Postbus renewed its confidence in the

Polish manufacturer Solaris Bus&Coach and placed an order of 43 buses. The mo-del is the 12-metre long Urbino.The 43 vehicles will be delivered between 2013 and 2017. The order is part of ÖBB Postbus’ fleet renewal plan. In the next five years, the Austrian company will order up to 700 city and in-tercity buses. Thanks to this investment project, the percenta-ge of accessible vehi-cles in the fleet will rise to 87 percent by 2017.Another vehicle of

the Solaris range started service in Klagen-furt, also in Austria. It is the Urbino 8.9 LE in the electric version.Purchased by Stadtwerke Klagenfurt as part of the EU project ‘Cemobil’, the vehi-cle will operate on the route running from the city centre, through the main railway

station to the univer-sity campus on the outskirts of the city.The Urbino 8.9 LE is equipped with batte-ries not only for the drive system, but also for air conditioning, heating, power stee-ring and electric door control. In addition, a CO2 refrigerant air conditioning system with buil t - in heat

exchanger has been installed for the first time. Another three Solaris electric buses have recently been sold in Germany: one with inductive charging system has been acqui-red by Braunschweiger Verkehrs-AG in Lower Saxony, and two have been purcha-sed by Rheinbahn AG in Düsseldorf. •

Austrian company ÖBB Postbus commissioned 43 Solaris Urbino of 12 metres. Also in Austria, an Urbino 8.9 LE electric bus started operation in the city of Klagenfurt


The birth of the ModenaBus brand

Desire to GROW

THERE is a new identity for the buses built so far in Italy

by MCI (Mediterranean Industrial Construc-tions). ModenaBus will be the new brand to mark the current models of the Lery, Calliope and Mefili series in the Italian market, but also for the variants and the special vehi-cles intended for export.The new com-pany is the outcome of the integration of MCI of Mode-na with Tekne of Poggiofiorito (Chieti), a com-pany specialised in transforming and supplying h e a v y d u t y off-road vehi-cles and in desi-gning and producing electronic systems and components. The birth of the new company will be formalised by the end of the year. In addition to the locations of Poggiofiori-to (headquarters) and Modena (engineering, prototypes and small series production) the

ModenaBus brand also relies on the ope-rations in Termoli (currently being set up as a production plant), Guastalla (sales and after-sales) and Johannesburg, South Africa, for the export of special vehicles in Southern Africa via its subsidiary Autumn Star Trading.In early August, the first ModenaBus branded

Mefili Open Top 9-280 was seen driving in the streets of Rome as part of a practi-cal demonstration of its properties as an open-top tour bus.Built on a DAF LF55 truck chas-sis, with Euro V EEV engine with 224 horsepower, it measures 8.5 metres in len-

gth and has a capacity of 42 passengers plus wheelchair area (with a dedicated platform). It features a stainless steel structure and alumi-nium exterior paneling. The same vehicle was delivered to the Tourist Service of Catania for service use in the city centre of Messina. •

An 8.5-metre Mefili Open Top is the first vehicle of the ModenaBus brand to make a public appearance. ModenaBus

is the outcome of the integration of Tekne with MCI

Domestic orders for Optare

9 and 12 Metres

12 buses of the Optare Versa range have been commissioned by Perryman’s

Buses, a passenger transport company lo-cated in the UK.The vehicles measure 11.7 metres in length and are equipped with the 201 hp (150 kW) Cummins ISBe engine and a five-speed Al-lison automatic tran-smission with torque converter and Klam electro-magnetic re-tarder that is auto-matically activated through the brake pedal.Eight of these buses have been ordered to mount Esteban Civic V3 seats while the re-

maining will be equipped with Rescroft seats with three-point seatbelts.The equipment includes also a Timespace V400 8 series camera CCTV system and a Mobitec ‘Next Stop’ audio announcement sy-stem linked to an interior LED display.British bus operator Thames Travel took de-

livery of 6 Solo SR midibuses, also by Optare.The buses will be used on five new routes in the Bicester area in Oxfordshire . The vehicles are equipped with a Euro 5 com-pliant Mercedes-Benz OM904LA engine matched to an Allison 2100 Series five-speed

automatic transmission.The midibus Solo measures 9 metres in len-gth and fits 29 passengers, 23 on fixed seats. There are six tip-ups: three in the wheelchair area and three in the buggy space. In this case too, the seats are the Esteban Ci-vic V2 model.The vehicles are equipped with LED route indicators by Hanover Displays. •

Perryman’s Buses ordered the 11.7-metre Optare Versa model with Cummins engine, while Thames Travel opted for

the midibus Solo SR with Mercedes engine

Michelin Solutions, a division of the Mi-

chelin Group that started operations in Europe in May 2013, launched Effi-fuel as one of its services.

It’s an innovative solution aimed at professional fleet ma-nagers to reduce fuel costs. In order to do that, Michelin Solutions offers a package that includes: eco-driving training courses taught by experts, analysis and periodic reports on data about fuel consumption, the installation of telematic display units to monitor vehicle parameters, outsourcing and optimisation of tyres management. The service consists of a four-year contract and the objectives, measured in l/100 km, are defined taking into account several factors such as the type and the condition of the vehicle, itineraries, load weights and the driver habits. «The idea is not to replace fleet managers», explained Franck Estoquié of Michelin So-lutions, «but rather to provide them with resources, visibility and advice to optimise their operations and involve us in the process. If the jointly set goal is met, we share the gains. If it is not, Michelin solutions reimburses a portion of the expenses incurred on a pro rata basis». •

I ncreased durability and enhanced even wear. These are the strengths

of the latest tyre introduced by Japa-nese company Yokohama: the 104ZR Spec-2 for use with the front axle of trucks and buses.This new model is the outcome of the evolution from the previous 104ZR model. It makes use of tread com-pounds that are more resistant, dura-ble and technologically advanced. It also belongs to the proven Zenviron-ment range characterised by products that are less polluting due to the use of raw materials and compounds spe-cifically designed to reduce the environmental impact. Fur-thermore rolling resistance of the Truck Zenvironment version is minimised, thus reducing consumption and allowing for more efficient driving.The tread design is similar to its predecessor and provides directionality and traction via the 5-rib tread design with gro-oves that maximise water drainage. •

LESS SPENDING

FOR THE FRONT AXLE

MASATS FOR MINIBUS

continental, a leading multinational com-

pany in the automotive industry, developed Pro-Viu, a new 360-degrees camera system. Intended for application in the sec-tor of construction vehi-cles, it is also available for buses. ProViu provi-des three-dimensional images of the surroundings where a vehicle operates thanks to the numerous externally-moun-ted high-resolution digital microcameras. The cameras have wide-angle lenses with angles greater than 180 degrees that facilitate real-time monitoring of the four sides of the vehicle. An electronic control unit merges the four digital images, automatically optimized for contrast and brightness, and feeds them to a display in the cockpit. At the push of a button the system switches between the 2D and 3D modes. In the two dimensional mode the driver’s view is enhanced to detect objects in the immediate vicinity, whereas in the 3D mode the driver benefits from an overview of the entire surrounding area. This way maneuvering is easier and less risky. Thanks to the real-time detection of obstacles blind spots are no lon-ger a problem.•

S panish company Ma-sats has suppplied 29

sliding doors 028B series for the Aptineo, a 21-seat minibus built by Indcar on Iveco 70C17EEV chassis. The vehicle is destined to North Europe and incorpo-rates a wide 1-leaf sliding electric door with double glass to make it easier and quicker the access to the

vehicle. The quick door’s opening and an extra width of 1,100 mm helps to reduce the standstill time at each stop. This kind of sliding door needs less exterior room available during its sideways movement. The 028B sliding door in-cludes the sensitive edge and additional sensitivity through an electronic control unit. •

360° VISIBILITYG iven the upcoming implementation of Euro 6

exhaust emission standard legislation, ZF introdu-ced the new AV 133 axle generation for low-floor buses. After the already quite important modifications realized in late 2011, in 2014 the AV 133 will be further enhan-ced in close cooperation with ZF’s customers.

The functional integration of consoles and screw connections make the new AV 133 much lighter, thus compensating for the addi-tional weight of the Euro 6 driveline.

In addition, the use of alternative materials means that ‘heavy duty’ applications (on double-articulated buses for example) will be easier because the new axle has been designed for higher torques.The AV 133 can also be used on electric or hybrid dri-ve vehicles. Furthermore, it can be easily integrated into existing vehicles because it has the same axle connection points as the previous AV 132 model.In terms of alternative mo-bility, at the latest UITP event in Geneva ZF pre-sented the volume produc-tion version of the AVE 130, the electric drive axle for low floor buses with improved gear geometry. Since 2010 more than 200 units have already been used in field tests in several European cities, including Stuttgart and Hamburg. With a maximum load of 13 tons, the AVE 130 can also be used for big city buses. The wheels are driven individually via water-cooled asynchronous mo-tors. Compared with a conventional diesel drive vehicle

the AVE 130 contributes to up to 30 percent in fuel savings.The ZF RL 55 EC inde-pendent wheel suspension is intended for the midibus segment. It offers multiple benefits: smaller turning

radius, less side tilt, increased comfort and manoeuvra-bility. The design allows for use not only in buses with high floor but also in those with a front-end section in full low-floor design. Another advantage is the improved lightweight compared to a solid axle which translates into savings in terms of fuel consumption. •

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2013 HIGH TECH STORE

ZF FOR EURO VI BUSES

AV 133

AVE 130

RL 55 EC

Continental’s Generation 3 tyres

Specifically made for BUSES

No longer usage adaptation from trucks to buses. The new Continental third generation of tyres is specifically designed for passenger transport.

Three ranges for all types of applications

B uses deserve a specific approach, also from tyre manufacturers. Continental is

more than persuaded about it, and it alrea-dy put such a notion it into practice.The products coming out of the plants of

the most important international bus ma-nufacturers nowadays are an aggregation of technologies. From the mechanical parts to the electrical infrastructure as well as the variety of safety systems used,

all parts of a bus are the outcome of a continuo-us process of research in the engineering field, such that it has beco-me a simple a matter of fact that the bus sector is now completely inde-pendent from the trucks sector from which it ori-ginated. Although they retain some similarities, the components put into use always feature so-mething distinct and spe-cific. And it could not be otherwise, since they are deployed in the transport people, not objects. Pas-sengers’ needs are diffe-rent (comfort and safety at the forefront), and also travel conditions are qui-te different and depend

specifically on the type of deployment to which a bus is used for.This is the premise at the core of Conti-nental’s development of bus specific tyre models, as part of the new generation of tyres for commercial vehicles (the third), first presented at the IAA in Hannover last year.


Its design con-figuration en-sures superior driving proper-ties and a high level of grip, without loosing out on comfort or safety. The robust ca-sing, with the four-ply trian-gular belts and the sidewalls (both of whi-ch have been further reinfor-ced by a gre-ater steel cord density) make up for a very strong struc-ture that is resistant to the

frequent cur-bstone con-tacts taking place at bus stops.Even in very wet and slip-p e r y r o a d c o n d i t i o n s , t h e n e w tread com-pound and the special t read desi-gn with deep sipes provi-de excellent tracking, low rolling noise and a high level of ride comfort over

thewhole life of the tyre. •

CONTI URBAN HA3

The tyre de-d i ca ted f o r s e r v i c e o n regional rou-tes has been redesigned in all of its parts. From the deve-lopment of the compound to the tyre design, with pronoun-ced longitudi-nal grooves for optimum han-dling and full-depth 3D si-pes to improve performance in wet conditions and behaviour during braking over the whole life of the tyre.Broad closed shoulder ribs

prov ide the tyre with addi-tional side sta-bility on poor road surfaces or on winding mountain ro-ads. The c losed sidewalls to-gether w i th the new tread compound de-liver a particu-larly comforta-ble and quiet ride. The rein-forced sidewall structure with less flexion of the tyre signi-ficantly contri-

butes to the reduction in fuel consumption. •

CONTI CITY PLUS HA3

The bus tyres of Generation 3 obviously incorporate all the qualities of the previous Generation 2, but they go even further in terms of fuel-efficient mileage, low rolling resistance, casing quality and retreadabi-lity. Thus, translating into economic effi-ciency, but also into safety and comfort.Continental offers three tyre ranges to

cover all public tran-sport usage areas: for city transport service (Conti Urban), for re-gional transport (Conti CityPlus) and for long-distance usage (Conti Coach).In order to give proof of their quality Continental went to Pachfurth Dri-ving Camp, Austria, to test the new tires in ter-ms of braking and road grip in the wet condi-tions. Results showed significant improvement compared to those recor-ded with similar vehicles fitted with second gene-ration tyres.

The new Ge-neration 3 bus tyres will be produced in the Continen-tal’s plant in Puchov, Slo-vakia. Thanks to an invest-ment of ap-p rox ima te l y 100 mil l ion Euros, in the coming years Conti-nental’s biggest plant will expand its cur-rent annual produc-tion capacity of truck and bus tyres from

2.6 million to over 3 million by upgrading the machinery and improving the infra-structure in order to achieve maximum

production ef-ficiency.Despite the currently diffi-cult economic situation in Europe, Con-tinental fore-sees a strong demand for tyres in this sector in the near future,

that is in addition to a further expansion in the growing Eastern European, Middle Eastern and African markets. •

PRODUCTION EXPANSION

Specifically for long distances. The Conti Co-ach HA3 fea-tures a casing with four-ply triangular belt that provides structural sta-bil ity, retains up to 50% lon-ger the infla-tion pressure (compared to traditional tech-nology) and de-creases wear thanks to lowe-red oxidation.It features: spe-cial tread com-pound specifi-cally developed for passenger transport, new tread design with three-di-mensional gripping sipes to provide excellent braking in

wet cond i -t ions throu-ghout the en-tire life of the tyre, closed tread on the shoulders and open tread in the midd le with four lon-gitudinal gro-oves reduces rolling noise and also rol-ling resistan-ce, therefo-re br inging about consi-derable fuel savings.T h e c o m -b inat ion o f c o n t i n u o u s

longitudinal grooves and fine gripping sipes ensures a safe transfer of the braking and steering forces. •

But let’s take a look at the highlights of the new models.The conti Urban HA3 for public transport in urban areas, is available in the sizes 275/70 R 22.5 and 315/60 R 22.5 with M+S marking. Its strength is mileage, up by 20% compared to Generation 2 HDU. And that is without loss in terms of retre-adability. Considerably longer life means less costs. Data on the European Label, introduced last year with Regulation No. 1222 on tyre labelling, report that the stan-dard 275/70 model has a Class D value in terms of fuel consumption (A is the lowest and G is the highest) due to rolling resi-stance; Class B for braking distance in the wet conditions (a very good result since A is the shortest and the G is longest) and rolling noise of 70 decibels, that is more than 3 decibels below the limits which will come into force in 2016 (illustrated by a single sound wave where three waves indi-cate the limit has been exceeded).The model in the size of 275/70 R 22.5 is also offered in the Conti UrbanScandinavia

HD3 version specifically for the drive axle and the Scandinavia HA3 version for use in cities with ra-ther severe winter condi-tions (snow and ice).The conti cityPlus HA3, for the regional transport sector, comes in the size of 295/80 R 22.5 with M+S marking and is characterised by very good mileage, excellent braking per-formance over the whole tyre life and considerably lower rolling resistance. It has a Class C value in fuel consumption (ener-gy efficiency), a Class A wet rolling grip and rolling noise of 69 deci-bels (single sound wave classification).The conti coach HA3 for long-distance tran-sport on routes involving

speed, measures 295/80 and 315/80 R 22.5 and combines maximum safety, optimum ride comfort and further improved rolling resistance. Furthermore, the balanced pres-sure distribution in the contact patch with the road increases mileage and durability translating into the economic advantage of the tyre itself.The EU tyre label reports record values. Class B for fuel consumption, Class A for braking in wet conditions and 70 decibels of rolling noise. This might be one of the reasons why there is no M+S version for winter usage. In case, there is always the HSW 2 Coach, developed in 2010 specifi-cally for buses and coaches.Instead, Continental offers the reinforced version Counts Coach ED (Extra Duty) for use on demanding roads such as those in Turkey, and the Conti Coach AC (Active Cool) version that is resistant to the high road temperatures of the Middle East and North Africa.All new Generation 3 tyres are regroovable and retreadable. •

CONTI COACH HA3

COMPONENTS ON LINEOn www.bustocoach.com website

is on line the directory dedicated to accessories, components and services in Europe

You can search for suppliers by product category (air conditioning, ticketing, on board electronic, spare parts,

seats, etc.) and access to the product sheets

You can access through the site, selecting the COMPONENTS directory or going directly to the linkwww.bustocoach.com/en/content/components-europe

An Iveco Bus will also transport the players of Eintracht Frankfurt football c lub dur ing the 2013/2014 Bunde-sliga season, Ger-

many’s most impor-tant football league championship. The vehicle belongs to the top range of the touring coach seg-ment by Iveco Bus:

the Magelys Pro. It’s a 12.8 metre version with a Cur-sor 10 EEV engine, 450 hp and fully-au-tomatic 12-speed transmission. Cu-s t o m i s e d w i t h Frankfurt’s football club colours, the vehicle is equipped with some tables with four seats each located at the cen-tre of the passenger cabin, a 19-inch mo-nitor and Wi-Fi con-nection. •

Iveco Magelys for Juventus F.C. players

Champions’ COACH

After five years of traveling onboard the two-axle version, Juventus F.C. players now can enjoy the spaciousness of the

very special 13.8-metre Magelys HDH model

S tarting with the 2013-2014 season, Juven-tus F.C. will travel on a Magelys HDH co-

ach by Iveco Bus to away games in Italy and across Europe. This vehicle will replace the two-axle Magelys HD in service for Juventus since 2008 and that will be passed on to tran-sport the Youth Sector.The vehicle is black and has been custo-mised with a sticker featuring the club’s

logo and the team name on the side. The Magelys HDH by Iveco Bus is powered by an FPT Industrial Cursor 10 engine of 450 hp and is equipped with ZF ASTronic transmission.Furthermore, the vehicle is equipped with the latest safety systems, including Adapti-ve Cruise Control (ACC) that maintains a constant cruising speed to the level selec-

ted by the driver and is capable of detecting the decreasing distan-ce of the vehicle ahe-ad, and Lane Depar-ture Warning System (LDWS) that produces a sound warning that the vehicle strays from the current lane when direction indicators have not been put into use.Measuring 13.8 metres in length, the Magelys HDH fits 44 black lea-ther seats with white stitchings (the club’s colours) and a special lower backrest pad. On

the second last raw of seats there are also leg rests that fold under the front seat.Among other onboard equipment, besides the dark tinted side windows, there are USB


ALSO FOR GERMAN PLAYER

connectors and personal headphones plugs (on the back of the seats), 220 volts sockets on the sides, a refrigerator, a 4G Wi-Fi sy-stem and a video system with three 19-inch LCD screens with satellite and digital terre-strial television signal reception.This Magelys HDH for Juventus F.C. is yet another example of the strong ties between Iveco Bus and the most prestigious teams in Italian sport, as recently proved by delive-ries to the Italian national football team and the Italian Basketball Federation. •


Van Hool Astromega TDX29 ‘Sleeper Coach’

... Sleep WELL

A special version of the Astromega TDX29, the outstanding extra long

double-decker coach of the Van Hool ran-ge, has been custom-made for Stagecoach Group in the UK. It’s a ‘sleeper coach’ equipped with beds for night travels. But this is not just a ‘sleeper coach’. The uni-queness of this vehicle is the double con-figuration, in fact it turns into a coach for luxury service during daytime and a sleeper coach for the night. That is thanks to the

very special seats that, when needed, can be converted into comfortable beds. The passengers’ seats have been developed and manufactured in the Belgian Van Hool’s workshop especially to meet the specific requirements by the customer. Stagecoach took delivery of ten such units for a cost of 500 thousand pounds each (about 755 thousand euro). The first one was delivered in April 2013 and the tenth one last July.The vehicle is built on three axles and has a maximum capacity of 55 passengers in addition to driver and guide. The passenger area has been divided into a number of com-partments with either two or four seats. The equipment features comfortable seats uphol-stered entirely in leather, each with its own table and plug socket. There is also free Wi-Fi and a toilet. Furthermore the vehicle is equip-ped to serve drinks to customers during their journey. The night configuration is obtained by converting the passengers’ seats into 42 beds. Night customers are provided with a sleeper kit containing a pillow, an eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste. Passenger are also given the choice of a blanket or even a “one-sie”, a all-in-one sleep suit.The length of 14.96 metres makes the TDX29 the longest double-decker touring coach

Luxury coach during the day and sleeper coach at night. Ten unique double-decker Astromega TDX29 units especially

made for Stagecoach Group

Lenght mm 14,960 Width mm 2,550 Height mm 4,000 Wheelbase mm 7,250+1,300 Front Overhang mm 2,740 Rear Overhang mm 3,670 Engine Daf MX 340 Power cv (kW)/rpm 462 (340)/1,900 Torque max Nm/rpm 2,300/1,000 Gearbox ZF As-tronic Seats n. 55+1+1 Converting beds n. 42 Perm. GWV kg 24,000

DIMENSIONS

of the Astromega range, that also includes the 13.1-metre TDX25 and the 14.1-metre TDX27. It is powered by a Paccar Daf MX 340 engine of 462 horsepower combined with an automatic ZF AS-Tronic 12-speed gearbox with integrated retarder. The wheels are Alcoa Durabright Aluminum.The fleet of ‘sleeper coaches’ is managed by operator Megabus.com (part of the Stage-coach Group) and is deployed for exclusive passenger transport service, while at night it is diverted on the routes that connect 11 Scot-tish locations to London. Travelling times are comparable to those of sleeper trains, connec-ting Edinburgh and Glasgow with the British

capital in less than eight hours for a price of only 15 pounds (just over 17 euro) each way. The first service was launched on July 8th, while the remaining routes gradually begun service throughout the rest of the summer.«These vehicles are the first of their kind in the world and we know there are a lot of passengers who are already looking forward to using them», said Elizabeth Esnouf, Ma-naging Director of Stagecoach’s UK Coach division. «The feedback from the passenger trials we have carried out has been very po-sitive with the majority of people saying they would use the service again and recommend it to friends». •

35 years of history, eight generations of models and once again the Iveco Daily

is getting ready for new challenges. Such as the upcoming mandatory transition to Euro VI standard engines. Something that will be most certainly talked about in the coming months. In the meantime, the Daily stays in the game with all of its baggage of reliability.We assessed it by testing a Daily Way with extended-wheelbase fitting 22 seats plus dri-ver. That is the model version intended for short-range scheduled services and more ge-nerally for transfer services that require cost management first of all. Actual touring tran-sport applications are better off served by the

MINIMAL Consumption

Lenght mm 7,748 Width mm 1,996 Height mm 2,745 Wheelbase mm 4,750 Front Overhang mm 998 Rear Overhang mm 2,000 Turning Circle mm 17,700 Fuel Tank liters 90 Empty Weight kg 4,020 Test Weight kg 5,190 Perm. GWV kg 5,600

DIMENSIONS

Performance Index0 9.2 10

€ 80,500List price in Italy

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2013 IVECO BUS - DAILY WAY 50C17 TEST

Routers km km/h km/litreMain road 121 65.4 9.71Highway 160 92.3 8.8Uphill road 14 33.6 3.53Downhill road 13 41.1 28TOTAL 308 71.4 8.8

THE Daily Way 50C17 fits 22+1 seats with

fixed backrest and integrated he-adrest, arranged in 2+1 rows. The last four seats in the rear-end are self-supporting, with security connections that allow for easy

removal through the 180 degrees opening double-leaf rear door.The interior equipment is simple, with open overhead compartme-nts on both sides of the ceiling (without personal sets) and single glazed side windows with sliding opening upper part.Onboard temperatures are con-trolled by a roof mounted air conditioning system with free rear outlet (optional for 4,700 euro) combined with automatic air conditioning in the driver’s area.

Heating is provided instead by con-vectors on the left side of the vehi-cle, powered by an auxiliary heater (optional for 1,090 euro).The driver’s area is equipped with an instrument panel made of soft-touch material with ellipsoidal da-

shboard in front of the driver, in-clusive of multi-functional display. The central plinth houses the radio, the climate controller and the digi-tal tachograph. The vehicle we used for the test drive also included the breathalyzer tester (optional). •

Daily Tourys models, as reflected also by the range name.We carried out a test drive with a 7.7-metre long Daily Way 50C17 (the other versions measure 5.9, 6.9 and 7.3 metres) powered by a three-litre Iveco engine developing 170 hp (125 kW), combined with a six-speed FPT manual gearbox (the AGile gearbox, that can be utilised both in automatic and sequential mode, is available upon request).Ballasted at 5,190 ki-lograms (gross vehicle weight is 5,600 kilos) the vehicle traveled 308 kilometres from Milan to Passo del Penice and back via Piacenza (160 kilometres highway), consuming an average of one litre of fuel every 8.8 kilometres. Trave-ling at an average speed of 71.4 km/h.Results were quite good: performance index of 9.2 (the product of speed and consumption) on a scale of one to ten. Bet-ter than the already excellent results achieved on the exact same route by the VDL MidEuro (on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis with 190 hp engine): with a basically equal load it scored 8.5 points, with an average of 7.89 km/litre.

Work Wear

THE TEST ROUTE Seats n. 22+1 Internal Height mm 1,830 Floor Height mm 705 Aisle Width mm 360 Entrances Width mm 600 Raks Volume m3 0.71 Cockpit Width mm 900 Cockpit Depth mm 1,200 Cockpit Height mm 1,700 Adjustment Seat mm 200

Seats fixed Driver seat sprung seat A.C. yes Heater convectors Roof hatcher emergency Glazing singol Audio/video radio CD

PASSENGER AREA

COMFORT

DRIVER AREA

W hile we wait to see what the transition to the Euro

VI will bring about, the Daily Way entrusts its performan-ce to the four-cylinder in-line F1 engine developed by FPT Industrial, with three-litre di-splacement, double-stage va-cuum turbine, EGR and com-mon rail injection.Mounted under the front hood, the engine delivers a maximum power of 170 horsepower (125 kW) at 3,500 rpm and a torque of 400 Nm available between 1,250 and 3,000 rpm. At its end there is a six-speed manual gearbox, also by FPT, with drive shaft to the rear axle with 4,18:1 differential ratio and 16-inch twin wheels.Pollutant emissions are reduced to the EEV class through the exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR) and a particulate filter at the exhaust.Suspension are mechanical (inde-pendent wheels at the front), with leaf springs, hydraulic shock ab-

sorbers and front torsion bar.The braking system is made of selfventilated discs and makes use of latest generation ESP9,

including HRB (Hydraulic Rear Wheel Boost) to increase the braking force on the rear axle in the event of emergency braking,

HFC (Hydraulic Brake Fade Control) and RMI & ROM (Roll Movement Intervention & Roll Over Mitigation). •

Intermediate results also confirm that the Daily Way offers an optimum balance between per-formance and consumption. In fact, on the 121 km long ride on state roads it achieved record results in terms of consumption (almost 10 miles per litre) and it tackled the climb up the Passo del Penice (1,149 meters above sea level ) at an average speed of 33.6 km/h.The wheelbase measures 4,750 mm and softens any hint of pitching during the passage over the road joints of viaducts without affecting the overall manoeuvrability of the vehicle, given the minimum turning radius of 17.7 metre.Suspensions are mechanical (with front axle independent wheels), however it is possible to choose pneumatic suspensions for the rear. The ESP9, integrating the braking system with all its security de-vices, comes as stan-dard equipment.The latest restyling in-clude: comprehensive redesign of the driver station, improvement in noise insulation, ad-dition axial adjustment of the steering wheel and increase of the lon-gitudinal adjustment of the driver’s seat, now amounting to 200 mm.External elements comprise: the distinctive design of the stylish front with the radiator grille incorporating the ventilation grille and the headlights with integrated daytime run-ning lights and fog lights with fog cornering function (optional for 250 euro).Side windows are single glazed laminated glass, with a sliding top opening and the side glass door for passenger access is a back-sli-ding door with electric control and anti-cru-shing device.Access to the driver’s area is via the left leaf door as found on all Daily models, while on the rear end there is a double leaf door with thermal windows. •

EEV Standard

MOTORE ENGINE: FTP Industrial F1CE3481Displacement cc 2,998Bore/Stroke mm 95,8/104Geometry 4 in linePosition FrontPower 170 cv (125 kW)/3,500 rpm Torque Nm 400 to 1,250-3,000 rpmInjection Common railCompression Ratio 19:1Oil Tank liters 7Pollution Class EEVExhaust Gas Treatment Egr+FapLife test vehicle km 15,800

TYRESBridgestone Duravis 195/75 R 16 110/108R, Twin rear tires.

SUSPENSIONSMechanical suspensions with inde- pendent tyres on the front axle with cross parabolic crossbows springs (longitudinal on the back), hydraulic shock absorbers with double effect and stabilizer bar.

BRAKESFull disc brakes. Electronically controlled hydraulic system with ABS, ASR, Hill Horder, HBA (Hydraulic Brake Asistant), LAC (Load Adaptive Control), HRB e HFC.

SAFETYESP9, Powder fire extinguisher.

TRANSMISSIONThe tested vehicle has the manual FPT 2840.6 with six ratios + reverse.

Transmission Ratio 4.18Acceleration 0-100 km/h sec. 34,1

Km/h

kW

125120

90

60

30

Nm

450 400

300

150

1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500

Rpm/min

ENGINE 20 35 54 81 110 140

1st

2nd 3th 4th 5th

0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150

GEARBOX3,5003,000

2,000

1,000

6th

MINIBUS COMPAREDModel km/h km/litre IndexIveco Daily Way 50C17, 7,7 m 71.4 8.8 9.2VDL MidEuro Vip, 8 m 73 7.89 8.5

rpm

/min

IT'S the first regular service bus on the market to feature Euro VI engines,

in compliance with the regulation on emission standards that will enter into force in 2014, thus earning the immediate approval (as well as orders) from European transport companies, in particular from those more attentive to the advantages and the value of innovation.One year after the introduction of the new BlueEfficiency Power engines, the second step in the transition to the next-generation Citaro launched in 2011 after a 13 years long respec-table “career” and over 30 thousand units sold, today the new Citaro Euro VI is a fully deve-loped product. In the meantime most of its com-petitors are approaching the 2014 deadline with prototypes seen only at trade fairs.The new Citaro does not fear to be proven wrong and lives up to its reputation of being a whole-rounded product with nothing to hide, as demonstrated by its availability to be tested by BusToCoach in a simulated drive on the streets of Milan. It is the first Euro VI city bus to put itself on the line.

In front of EVERYONE

Performance Index0 7.25 10

€ 285,000Price (net) in

Germany

km/li

tre

1st Route 2nd Route TOTAL AVERAGE

BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2013 MERCEDES - Citaro 12.1 Euro VIRoutes km km/h km/litre1st route in Milan 26 15.4 2.0352nd route in Milan 26 16.6 2.045TOTAL 52 16 2.04 T

EST

FUEL COMSUMPTION

2.035 2.045 2.04

Lenght mm 12,135 Width mm 2,550 Height with AC mm 3,120 Wheelbase mm 5,900 Front Overhang mm 2,805 Rear Overhang mm 3,430 Turning Circle mm 22,200 Fuel Tank litres 260 AdBlue Tank litres 32 Test Weight kg 15,600 Perm. GWV kg 18,000

DIMENSIONS

IF the exterior aesthetics of the new Citaro projects moder-

nity and elegance, the interior equi-pment fully confirms these qualities adding functionality and comfort for passengers and the driver.It is impossible not to be impres-sed by the feeling of spaciousness and brightness in the main cabin area featuring taller windows and a continuity with its light-coloured surfaces interrupted only by the horizontal handrails in the form of extruded aluminium sections, who-se differently shaped mounts are painted with another colour (red in our case).The 31 seats (two are ‘jumbo’) are upholstered in light coloured fabric and have cantilever mountings in the central section. Next to the cen-tral entrance there is the wheelchair area. Wheelchairs board the vehi-

cle though an electrically operated cassette ramp (manual as standard equipment). There is room for another 65 standing passengers .The two rows of ceiling neon lights come in two colours.There are also lights fittings on the side sections

of the roof with direct and LED spots lights.The three double doors have pneu-matic-electric external opening that is parallel to the side, except on the first door that opens at an angle to avoid the interference with the

wheel and rear mirrors.The driver’s pedestal and seat have been raised. The area is accessed by a forward opening hinged door with glass. The driver’s worksta-tion has an ergonomic instrument panel. •

With a total weight of 15,600 kilograms (and a ballast corresponding to about half the paylo-ad), air conditioning system constantly running (external temperature were over 30 degrees Cel-sius), 299 hp engine (220 kW) and ZF automa-tic transmission, the 12.1-metre Citaro covered twice the 26 kilometres city route with simula-ted stops every 500 metres, consuming on ave-rage one litre of fuel per 2.04 km, traveling at an average speed of 16 km/h .In these terms, just by looking at the cold objec-tivity of numbers, consumption results seems good, but not great. However, some clarifica-tions are necessary.First of all, the traffic. Milan is a difficult city: narrow streets with myriads of traffic lights and plenty of cars. It was reflected by the average speed measured at 16 km/h, that is in spite of the fact that the route of this city test-drive takes place for over 40% on bus lanes (which are also used by plenty of taxis and authorised vehicles).A second aspect to take into consideration is that we haven’t yet been able to test any other compe-ting vehicles (including Euro V) on this city rou-te, and therefore we lack the basis for any com-parison. We’ll have to wait for future test drives.It’s well known that the Citaro Euro V always stood out for its low fuel consumption and the-

Attention to Details

THE TEST ROUTE Seats + standing n. 31+1H+65 Internal Height mm 2,313 Aisle Height mm 370 Aisle Width mm 665/460/550 Entrances Width mm 1,210

Platform Height mm 600 Cockpit Width mm 930 Cockpit Depth mm 1,630 Cockpit Height mm 2,080 Adjustment Seat mm 235

Passenger seats City Star Eco driver seat Isri A.C. separate Heater convectors Roof Hatches 2 electric Ceiling lights neon (Led) Ramp electric (manual)

PASSENGER AREA

COMFORT

DRIVER AREA

THE Citaro 12.1 Euro VI features a

tower-style engine arrange-ment, located in the rear left corner of the passenger com-partment. This arrangements also provides considerable ac-cess space via the engine flap.The protagonist is the new Mer-cedes Om 936 vertically moun-ted engine of the BlueEfficienty Power series, with 7.7-litre di-splacement delivering 220 kW of power (299 hp) and a maxi-mum torque of 1,200 Nm con-stant between 1,200 and 1,600 rpm. For more demanding ap-plications one can choose the enhanced version of 260 kW ( 354 horsepower).The innovative elements of this engine pertain to the use of a cross-flow cylinder head with four valves per cylinder opera-ted by two crankshafts (injection pressure up to 2,400 bar), the use of VCP (variable camshaft pha-

ser), an asymmetrical exhaust turbocharger with two-pipe turbi-ne. The Euro VI classification is achieved thanks to the combined effects of the exhaust gas recircu-lation system (EGR), Mercedes’ SCR system with AdBlue injec-

tion in the downstream catalytic converter and a particulate filter at the exhaust.Among many other innovations featured by the new Citaro there is the energy recuperation modu-le during braking. •

re are no reasons to doubt the resultsprovided by Daimler on the basis of tests carried out last October in Wiesbaden (Germany) under the supervision of Dekra. Accordingly, the Citaro Euro VI (with the same kinematic chain as the bus we tested) earned a certified consumption that is 8,5% lower than the one of the Citaro Euro V. Similar results for the test of the Setra S 515 HD were largely confirmed by a test drive conducted by BusToCo-ach last July.More in general, the new Citaro proves to be a step ahead of everyone else in terms of: road perfor-mance, interior noise re-duction, manoeuvrability, safety and comfort. No doubt this is the outco-me of countless techni-cal adjustments that took place during the design phase and that regarded every part of the vehicle. By way of example, the weight-bearing frame (protected by cataphore-tic electrodipping paint finish) is made with fa-steners that separate the weldings from critical articulation joints. The extended front end of the new Citaro is a crash proof element that provi-des additional collision protection. Thanks to these and other interventions the new Citaro meets both ECE R 29 regulation on impact strength (Charpy pendulum impact test) and ECE R 66/01 regulation about overturns taking effect in 2017.Also pertaining to safety, the vehicle is fitted with a braking system inclusive of ESP (Electronic Stability Program) and, as was the case for the vehicle that we tested, also with an automatic fire extinguisher system with six point sprinklers in the engine compartment. Water is supplied from the auxiliary tank located on the roof.All energy devices have been improved in ter-ms of performance, from batteries to alternators (parallel), to the two-stages compressor to limit consumption. •

Egr + Scr and Filter

ENGINE: Mercedes OM 936Displacement cc 7,694Bore/Stroke 110/135Geometry vertical 6 in linePosition rear Power 299 cv (120 kW)/2,200 rpmTorque Nm 1,200 to 1,200-1,600 rpmInjection Common rail 2,400 barCompression Ratio 17:1Oil Tank litres 30Pollution Class Euro VIGas Treatment EGR+SCR+filterLife test vehicle km 31,365

TYRESMichelin XZA2 275/70 R 22.5 148/154M

SUSPENSIONSFull pneumatic with level’s electronic control and kneeling (50 mm). Front axle with indipendent wheels and stabilizer. Rear axle ZF AV132/83.

BRAKESElectronically controlled EBS pneu-matic system with ASR and hydrau-lic Retarder. Disk brakes Knorr SN 7.

SAFETYESP, ECE R 29 e R 66/01, fire ex-tinguisher system in engine com-partment and video surveillance of interior.

TRANSMISSIONThe tested vehicle has the automatic ZF Ecolife 6AP 1200 B with six ratios + reverse and the hy-draulic integrated retarder.Transmission Ratio 5.771Acceleration 0-50 km/h sec. 13.9rpm/min

Nm

1,200

850

kW265

235

220

205

175

145

1151,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200

ENGINE 20 35 48 68 94 110

1st

2nd 3th 4th 5th

0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 Km/h

2,2001,750

875rpm

/min

GEARBOX

6th

bustocoach european on-line magazine - september 2013

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