Partnership's push at RAI
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• Predictably United Bus used Autobus RAI in Amsterdam to promote its name and identity in the first major international bus and coach exhibition to be held since it was formed as an umbrella organisation representing Daf Bus, Bova and den Oudsten in the Netherlands; Optare in the UK; and DAB in Denmark.
Its partners exhibited a number of new products and announced further product plans. Daf Bus launched an articulated version of its low-floor SB220 bus underframe. The SBG220LB underframe is a pusher with the standard rear axle and powerpack arrangement behind the fixed trailer section. Like the rigid SB220, the new model is offered with full air suspension and a choice of ZF 5HP590 or Voith automatic gearboxes. It is powered by a low-emission version of Dal's 11.6-litre six-cylinder turbocharged diesel developing 195kW (261hp) at 2,000rpm.
Daf Bus is also introducing a new dashboard design across its bus and coach ranges with a new medium-weight coach underframe, the SB2700HS, powered by its latest lowemission ATi 8.25-litre HS engine mounted at the rear.
Bova has addded a lightweight mid-range commuter coach to its Futura range. Aimed mainly at the Dutch market where commuting by coach is gaining popularity, the coach is powered by a 6.2-litre
158kW (212hp) Daf chargecooled engine. Bova has also added a 10m Futura model to its range, and has introduced a new ergonomically designed range of coach seats.
Dutch coach and bus builder den Oudsten showed its new ultra-low floor integral Alliance city bus. The 12m single
decker has a transverse rearmounted 6.2-litre Daf engne driving through an 80° angle drive to a ZF 4HP500 fully automatic transmission. Den Oudsten also builds urban bus bodies on Volvo BlOM rigid and articulated chassis and an inter-urban version of the Alliance on the Daf SB220.
The only bodied bus on the Daf bus stand came from British United Bus partner Optare with its Aluminium Delta single-deck bus based on the Daf SB220. The three-door show bus was in the livery of Whytes Airport services and will be used on airside transfer duties at Heathrow.
Optare already has a Dutch sales agent and has successfully exported the Volkswagenbased City Pacer and Mercedes-Benz-based Star Rider. It plans to develop its export business helped by its membership of the United Bus group. Its Dutch dealer exhibited a Star Rider for a customer in Luxembourg and an Optare Metro-Rider midibus was available in the demonstration park.
Despite this being the last opportunity for British vehicle suppliers to exhibit product in a Dutch show before 1992, the only other vehicle displayed in right-hand-drive form was a 9.2m version of the FAP Famos S311, which is sold in the UK as the Ensign Charisma. Exhibited in Amsterdam by Ensign, which sells coaches in the Benelux countries via a branch in Belgium, the new midi Charisma is powered by a 209kW (280hp) vee-six Mercedes-Benz 0M421 engine driving through a six-speed manual ZF S6.90 gearbox. Like its full-size stablemates, the 39-seater is based on the Mercedes-Benz 0303 coach design and is built under licence in Skopje, Yugoslavia.
Two years ago Volvo featured Leyland Bus products on its stand at RAL This year Leyland was conspicuous by its absence; in its place on the Volvo stand was a product from Volvo's Austrian bus acquisition, Steyr.
The latest generation Steyr City Bus has evolved from the 1975 Steyr midi which also forms the basis of CVE products in Britain. It is powered by a Volvo petrol engine fitted with a three-way catalytic con verter and lambda sensor. The bus on show was built for Dutch operator NZH.
Mercedes-Benz exhibits included an inter-urban version of its 0405 series bus. The 0908 dual-purpose country bus shares body components with the low-floor 0405, but has increased luggage capacity, a single leaf entrance door and a five-speed manual gearbox. It is powered by a choice of naturally aspirated or turbocharged six-cylinder M-B 0M447 engines.
In a bid to attract new passengers to the possibilities of bus travel, Mercedes engineers have come up with a concept vehicle based on the 0405 bus. As well as a routemap livery, it has a pay phone, coffee machine and video information system to keep passengers occupied during their five-minute ride to work.
The rapidly changing pattern of ownershp of the European coach manufacturing industry was further evidenced by the presence of the Eos integral coach on the Van fool stand. The flagship of the former LAG company now complements the Van Hool T series range which remains almost unchanged, despite a production run of more than 10 years. Van Hool told Commercial Motor that the acquisition of the LAG plant has given the company "useful extra capacity" and a new model. However, all reference to the LAG name has been dropped.