Optare goes for Citybus
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• Leeds-based Optare will be adding a new lOrn single-deck Citybus to its range early next year, following the 45-seater's launch at Expo Coach 90 at Donnington this week.
The new bus is the culmination of a collaborative project between Optare and MAN, with the German manufacturer supplying the 11.180 chassis for the vehicle.
The bodywork uses the Alusuise system, which is already featured on the 11.3m Optare Delta bus body.
The launch should fill an important gap in the UK market. Apart from stretched minibus chassis and the 33-seat Metrorider, only Dennis has made significant sales in the sector with its 9m Dart.
Optare is the first manufacturer to offer a new product in the short-wheelbase range, although Dennis has promised to launch a 10m Dart and other manufacturers are expected to follow suit.
The new Optare midibus has a low floor and meets DPTACspecifications. It will be available with either one or two doors.
It is powered by the 134kW (180hp) rear-mounted HOCL engine with the fully automatic ZF 4HP500 gearbox, which has an integral retarder.
The MAN 11.180 chassis has been available for more than three years, with over 800 built for the European and overseas markets. Buses with local bodies are already in service in Australia.
The project is the first major assault on the UK bus market for MAN. A limited number of its integral coaches are currently in service, but apart from a handful of articulated buses, no substantial bus sales have yet been achieved.