Citybus finally here
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OLVO BUS has at last officially unched its mid-engined )uble-deck bus chassis. The oassis, one of the worst-kept ocrets in the business, conines features of the BlOM oach chassis and the AiIse B55 is underframe, writes NOEL MUER.
The chassis is to be sold as the Isa Citybus and will be built ongside the front-engined Isa at the Volvo plant at Irvine Ayrshire if final Government ■ proval is granted.
It is to be available in a wide nge of lengths and wheelsee and the fully welded penoral frame includes provision
r a centre exit and could even I adapted for a rear platform if quired.
For normal double-deck City
s application, the vehicle will powered by the Volvo THD 10 EA six-cylinder turboarged horizontal engine rated produce 121kW (162bhp) at 300rpm and 620Nm (457Ibft) rque at 1,400rpm. Citybus is to available with engine powers to 180kW (245bhp).
Transmissions available inude SCG five-speed close nge pneumocyclic gearbox ith CAV 511 fully automatic )ntrol, Voith D851, ZF HP 500, Maxwell four-speed autootic.
A prototype 9.6m Citybus has ?.en in service with Strathclyde
since May, and has been Dug ht by the opetator. It is tted with Marshall single-door I-seat bodywork.
It has the standard engine rupled to an SCG gearbox, hich gives it a particularly rely performance in traffic.
The prototype uses some airraft type honeycomb lighteight materials in its construeon, although Volvo says that odybuilders — Alexander and ast Lanes are prepared to build n Citybus — have agreed to fit anventional body structures. The chassis is considerably lighter and simpler than most of its competition and with its flat lower saloon floor is able to offer maximum possible passenger capacity. The 9.6m model holds 20 standing passengers without any axle overload.
For export, Citybus will be available in left-hand-drive form with the additional option of Allison transmission. A 12m jumbo model with a self-steered trailing axle is also planned.
Volvo Bus reports that operators have shown considerable interest in Citybus and it has received a number of firm orders from operators, including Derby City Transport. Despite its mid-engined layout, the floor height of the Citybus, although higher than its rear-engined competition and front-engined stablemate, is considerably lower than almost all underfloor horizontal-engined single-deckers.