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Old 19th April 2017, 16:52   #1
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Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

BharatBenz launches its all new intercity bus in India, branded as BharatBenz 16T - a 12M front engined coach.
Spec:- 230 BHp @ 2200 rpm
850 Nm @ 1200-1600 Rpm.
Source :- Twitter Handle
More details of the coach and photos below.
Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-specs.jpg

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-bus-entrances.jpg

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-bus-interior.png

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-bus-seats.jpg

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-bus1.jpg

Photo of a sleeper coach built on the chassis by JCBL.
Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-jcbl-sleeper.png

Photo courtesyTata Motors Fans FB page

@Mods, couldn't find any related thread, please merge if one exists.
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Old 19th April 2017, 23:57   #2
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re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Their fortunes with the Rear engine coach has not been great. Wrightbus seems to be the wrong partner to build an intercity coach. Wrightbus has zero experience in building intercity coaches - all their products are city buses.

A fully built front-engine bus, traditionally, never sold well in our country. I wish them success in a segment that the traditional players could never succeed.

A naive question here: Do you guys think the ventilation would be sufficient for the engine, given our country's temperatures ?
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Old 23rd April 2017, 00:26   #3
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Quote:
Originally Posted by binaiks View Post
Their fortunes with the Rear engine coach has not been great. Wrightbus seems to be the wrong partner to build an intercity coach. Wrightbus has zero experience in building intercity coaches - all their products are city buses.

A fully built front-engine bus, traditionally, never sold well in our country. I wish them success in a segment that the traditional players could never succeed.

A naive question here: Do you guys think the ventilation would be sufficient for the engine, given our country's temperatures ?
I think the rear engined buses that you are referring to are the ones from Mercedes Benz. AFAIK this is the only interstate bus chassis launched by Bharat Benz. Yes I appreciate that technically they are all owned by Daimler India.
But I completely agree with you the quality of the body on the Merc is no match to the quality or comfort to the ones on a Volvo or Scannia.

In my opinion Bharat Benz has a huge opportunity to make it big in Indian long distance bus market. As of now the options are limited to the extremes on the scale. At one end you have the not so powerful chassis offered by Tata/ AL/ Eicher. They are cheap, reliable and supported by vast network of service centres. At the other end, there are the extremely powerful, rear engined, expensive, luxurious buses offered by Volvo, Mercedes and Scannia. There isn't an option for those who want to buy something in the middle.

As you can see from the photos below BB is also offering just the chassis so the operator can choose the body configuration.
Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-chassis1.jpg

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-chassis2.jpg

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-chassis-3.jpg

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-chasis-4.jpg

Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-chassis-5.jpg

Photo courtesy :cv news FB
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Old 23rd April 2017, 01:06   #4
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Quote:
Originally Posted by rejoycjohn View Post
In my opinion Bharat Benz has a huge opportunity to make it big in Indian long distance bus market. As of now the options are limited to the extremes on the scale. At one end you have the not so powerful chassis offered by Tata/ AL/ Eicher. They are cheap, reliable and supported by vast network of service centres. At the other end, there are the extremely powerful, rear engined, expensive, luxurious buses offered by Volvo, Mercedes and Scannia. There isn't an option for those who want to buy something in the middle.
Ashok Leyland has been selling chassis with 225hp engines, full air suspension, retarder brakes, ABS, etc for like 5 years now. Tata jumped in the bandwagon a couple of years back with the 1623 Chassis. So, BharatBenz isn't really opening a market in the "middle" but only jumping into an already existing market.
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Old 23rd April 2017, 02:56   #5
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Quote:
Originally Posted by rejoycjohn View Post
In my opinion Bharat Benz has a huge opportunity to make it big in Indian long distance bus market. As of now the options are limited to the extremes on the scale. At one end you have the not so powerful chassis offered by Tata/ AL/ Eicher. They are cheap, reliable and supported by vast network of service centres. At the other end, there are the extremely powerful, rear engined, expensive, luxurious buses offered by Volvo, Mercedes and Scannia. There isn't an option for those who want to buy something in the middle.

As you can see from the photos below BB is also offering just the chassis so the operator can choose the body configuration.
Bharat-Benz is trying everything they can, to woo customers. This OF1623 coach and the drive-away chassis proves it. The options are not limited to extremes on the scale. There are chassis available at various prices, for what the customer wants. The premium segment that is now ruled by Volvo and Scania sees way too small numbers, compared to the sub-premium segment. Volvo went the JV path with Eicher Motors to cater to the sub-premium segment, while DICV decided to use their sub-brand for the same purpose.

As @binaiks rightly pointed out, AL has been selling their 12M chassis with a 225hp engine, retarder and ABS for quite some time. TML tried in vain with a premium-looking Divo coach based on LPO1624c-RE chassis, but it ended up in no-man's land. SML-Isuzu was able to sell their LT134 coaches like hot cakes but I think reliability issues resulted in most of them getting replaced with either a premium coach like Volvo BxR, or a sub-premium range coach built by a 3rd party builder on chassis.

What I like about our home-grown giants is that they have been ridiculed and mocked by the new entrants (Volvo, DICV) but they have risen up to the competition and showed it in sales & profit numbers, without resorting to PR activities.

Last edited by silversteed : 23rd April 2017 at 03:02.
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Old 23rd April 2017, 03:31   #6
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Quote:
Originally Posted by binaiks View Post
Ashok Leyland has been selling chassis with 225hp engines, full air suspension, retarder brakes, ABS, etc for like 5 years now. Tata jumped in the bandwagon a couple of years back with the 1623 Chassis. So, BharatBenz isn't really opening a market in the "middle" but only jumping into an already existing market.
Quote:
Originally Posted by silversteed View Post
As @binaiks rightly pointed out, AL has been selling their 12M chassis with a 225hp engine, retarder and ABS for quite some time. TML tried in vain with a premium-looking Divo coach based on LPO1624c-RE chassis, but it ended up in no-man's land. SML-Isuzu was able to sell their LT134 coaches like hot cakes but I think reliability issues resulted in most of them getting replaced with either a premium coach like Volvo BxR, or a sub-premium range coach built by a 3rd party builder on chassis.
I stand corrected, In my mind the max power output from the Home grown was 140Hp, my information was clearly an outdated one.
Managed to get a spec sheet from both Tata and Ashok Leyland.
http://www.ashokleyland.com/content/12m-bs3-crs

http://www.buses.tatamotors.com/prod...21-59-bs4.aspx
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Old 23rd April 2017, 18:25   #7
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Quote:
Originally Posted by rejoycjohn View Post
I stand corrected, In my mind the max power output from the Home grown was 140Hp, my information was clearly an outdated one.
Managed to get a spec sheet from both Tata and Ashok Leyland.
http://www.ashokleyland.com/content/12m-bs3-crs

http://www.buses.tatamotors.com/prod...21-59-bs4.aspx
That is very outdated information. Ashok Leyland made 160hp their basic offering about 5 years back. When india moved to BS3 from BS2, Ashok leyland upped its basic offering from 114hp to 160hp. The minimum power output for their HCV is 160hp. They offer 120hp in the LCV/ICV segments. TATA upped its minimum offering to 135hp in BS3 as well.

Now with BS4, Leyland upped its ante a little more, and 165hp is the minimum power available for the HCV market. Its 130hp for the LCV/ICV market now.
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Old 1st May 2017, 11:47   #8
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Often our Indian giants are underestimated for their capability and understanding of Indian market conditions. On one side we have foreign players with excellent PR strategy and on the other side we have a (should be changed!!) mindset of accepting whatever is foreign!.

It was common reference to TaMo & AL buses, as one built on truck chassis. Then, even though there were serious attempts to promote integral buses as early as 80's, our market did not respond due to various socioeconomic & infrastructural reasons. And the blame was on these two manufactures.

For example, the 12 meter segment, identified and introduced by TaMo with their LPO1616 decade back as an alternative to the then Volvo B7R. AL followed up and brought their "12M", which later became synonymous with its segment name itself...just like JCB=Backhoeloader, Taurus=Multiaxle trucks etc. Today, AL "225CRS 12M" is market leader and the next option to Multiaxle bus.

Meanwhile, the foreign competition has also contributed to the refinement of home grown giants, but when it come to understanding of Indian market, operators and responding to their needs in a faster way, TaMo & AL is in forefront.

BharatBenz, has been successful in its attempts to establish itself as a leading brand. It had achieved what AMW, MBTL, MAN etc could not. Unlike AMW, MBTL etc who came with cabin & fully built and later stumbled upon COWL chassis from the giants !!..and had to go back to drawing boards for cowl chassis. But BB has been successful in this, that they promote only OE cab and fully built trucks without compromise thus far.
After launch of BB ICV buses that too only as FBV, they have made a niche market for themselves in certain markets. Its believed they are preparing to takeon giants in 12 meter segment next.

BB1623 is at par with competition in terms of specification. The only additional feature it posses when compared with competition is the "Engine brake". How the market responds depends upon the pricing by BB and of-course the performance on road.
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Old 1st May 2017, 20:44   #9
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Also like what is mentioned if passenger started to prefer BharatBenz buses for no matter, other than for the brand, then it will grow as a ticket brand.
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Old 19th August 2017, 06:01   #10
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

In the last 1-2 months, I've seen some very nice looking intra-city front-engined Bharat Benz AC buses plying in Bangalore, I believe as office shuttles for employees, with a Hanover-kind electronic display in front. Will try and take a pic next time. I am guessing they are fully built buses by the mfr.
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Old 19th August 2017, 09:20   #11
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

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Originally Posted by vharihar View Post
In the last 1-2 months, I've seen some very nice looking intra-city front-engined Bharat Benz AC buses plying in Bangalore, I believe as office shuttles for employees, with a Hanover-kind electronic display in front. Will try and take a pic next time. I am guessing they are fully built buses by the mfr.
These ones, rite?
Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T-dsc_5411.jpg

SRS has taken a huge lot of these, and they operate for companies like Siemens. They are fully built buses.
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Old 19th August 2017, 10:03   #12
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

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Originally Posted by binaiks View Post
These ones, rite?
Attachment 1667729

SRS has taken a huge lot of these, and they operate for companies like Siemens. They are fully built buses.
Yes, thats the one. They look very nice. They've raised the bar on build quality, I feel. I wonder how much they cost.

I've seen several non-AC Tata Marcopolo buses also, as company buses in Bangalore. They also look good. Not sure about their cost either.

It would be good to see a review of their power/performance/ride, etc.
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Old 20th August 2017, 12:17   #13
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

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Originally Posted by vharihar View Post
Yes, thats the one. They look very nice. They've raised the bar on build quality, I feel. I wonder how much they cost.

I've seen several non-AC Tata Marcopolo buses also, as company buses in Bangalore. They also look good. Not sure about their cost either.

It would be good to see a review of their power/performance/ride, etc.
From hear-say, they are far more expensive than the Fully built AC buses from, say, Leyland or TATA. SRS is an institutional buyer - and hence would've bagged a sweet deal from BharatBenz.
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Old 7th January 2019, 11:13   #14
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Re: Bharat Benz launches new intercity bus, the 16T

Came across these Bharat Benz test mules yesterday in Ooty. From the looks of it. It looked liked a school bus destined for some Arab country.
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