Mazda power for ultra-low Omnibus
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by Noel %Hier • Shildon, County Durham based Omnicoach has re-powered its ultra-low-floor Omni minibus using a 3.5-litre Mazda diesel coupled to the new ZF TA90 fully automatic gearbox. Omnicoach took over production of the Omni two years ago after the company that first produced it, CVE, failed. The unusual front-wheel drive minibus was first built in Britain in 1988 and is based on a concept pioneered by Steyr in Austria.
Early production Omnis were powered by a 2.5-litre Land Rover diesel coupled to a ZF manual gearbox. This proved unsatisfactory and was dropped in favour of the four-cylinder Perkins Phaser. A manual transmission remains an option. The first Mazda-powered Omni is a four-year-old local bus variant that has been used as a mobile test bed. It has been fitted with a turbocharged version of the four-cylinder Mazda SL35 engine producing 97kW (130hp) at 3,000rpm and a peak torque of 360Nm (2661bft) at 1,950rpin. It was the first front-wheel drive application for the compact ZF TA80 three-speed automatic transmission.
The prototype test bus has also been fitted with independent air suspension on the front as well as rear trailing axle to allow the vehicle to "kneel" at the side. An electrically operated retractable ramp is used with the lowering suspension. The introduction of four-wheel air suspension gives the option to lower the bus fully, reducing the 310mm floor height to 210mm (or 190mm when kneeling).
Omnicoach produces the steel-framed and GRP-panelled Omni as a standard 6.6-metre long four-wheel version or extended six-wheeled 7.7-metre long variant. GVWs are 4.9 or 55 tonnes. Options include side, or side and rear doors.
Initial orders for include 10 scheduled for delivery to Humberside County Council in March. The prototype is starting trial service with London Buses subsidiary Westlink,