Team-BHP - The Indian Bus Scene (Discuss new launches and market info here)

Mercedes-Benz today launched its multi-axle coach at the Auto Expo 2010. The coach is built on the O 500 RSD 2436 chassis from Mercedes-Benz, with the body being built by Sutlej Motors Ltd.Volvo multi-axle bus coaches are already available in India and now Mercedes-Benz is the next to follow. The multi-axle coach has a height adjustable suspension system to change the ride height according to road conditions and driving without affecting ride quality. the current multi-coach bus is being powered by a 6 inline-cylinder engine which fulfills the Euro III norms.The price is Rs 85 Lakh in the Indian market.The chasis of the three-axles vehicle will be made by Mercedes Benz while the body will be assembled by its Indian partner Sutlej Motors.The bus will be powered by a Euro III engine.Without disclosing the sales target for the vehicle, Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director Wilfried Aulbur said, "The momentum for 2010 semms to be good".
The company launched its 2-axle buses in India in 2008 and has sold 25 units so far.
The total market for two and three axle buses in the country is estimated at 800-1,000 units per annum.
When asked about whether the company would introduce its buses with alternative fuels like CNG, he said, "We will take the decision based on the market demands.
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Finally Eicher has come out with the RESLF bus.....its a 48seater when compared with competition which are 42seaters. I guss this one will also have a Cummins 180Hp engine as in Tera25 which was also launched at the autoexpo2010.
And Volvo has now introduced the CNG version of its popular 8400LE bus.

Anybody got pictures of AL Hybus (Plug in Hybrid bus).

Another example of AL coming up with models ahead of its time. Mercedes Benz is making Hybrid buses for the last 40 years and supplied over 3000 hybrid buses in 2009. But none of them are plug in hybrids. But AL wants to start with a Plugin bybrid. Toyota yet to start selling its Plug in version of Prius hybrid outside of Japan. That is where, off late, TM scores over AL. TMs bybrid bus is more practical, where as ALs will ends in auto expo (like the ibus in 2008 autoshow).

Looks like all Volvo buses sold in India maintain the same design (look wise). How is that done?

I mean unless there is only one body builder for Volvo or else can Volvo dictate how the customer builds the body around their Chassis? I doubt. May be Volvo does sell whole buses, and not chassis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinnerr (Post 1669925)

Look it as some kind of "oursourcing". Volvo outsources body building to somebody. If another bus goes to the same place of body building, that too will get the same looks.

That is what I feel from the two pics you posted. But remember that you are not the first person to post AL buses against some other brand and ask "why do they look identical". 2-3 pages back, we have an AL school bus built by Veera, Bangalore, which was an identical copy of of Tata Marco Polo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinnerr (Post 1669925)

You are getting confused by various posts here.

Volvo currently builds their own bus bodies. Nobody else had access to their chassis (a few exceptions exist which might be five to six units a year)

Earlier they had licensed their bodies to a player in Bangalore. Even then it was heavily scrutinized by Volvo officials to ensure quality. They also helped this body builder with technology etc.

From sales perspective Volvo always (and still sells) sold its own fully built buses. All the above is Volvo's internal arrangements.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR (Post 1669980)

The theory being the resemblance of windscreen between those models. Its not necessary for a company to copy a design abruptly to launch a product.
so now all three designs are copied from each other with original being the first launched prod. Is it so?

Remember when SMK launched their P6000 range of bodies under Prakash brand and many of the body builders from Karur in Tamilnadu like DVN coaches, Indian and even Sakthi were able to produce same kind of bodies and the reason being the resemblance in windscreen and its aperture.

Quote:

Originally Posted by teamveevee (Post 1671442)

Yuck..I think they just put the Navistar sticker on an existing bus. Are they going to rebadge their existing products as Navistar and try to cheat customers?

Ugly. very ugly. MM got a thick skin to display this field at Delhi autoshow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR (Post 1672822)

That seems to be a cheetah with a shorter wheelbase. I really cannot say without another vehicle in the frame for comparing. (you mean the Kodungalloor bus from Mala depot, right?

I tried counting the number of pillars, but I find that RAC 478, (again, Mala depot - the white bus with Aluva board) has lesser number of pillars. That one seems to be on a Viking chassis, Even if we allow for non-uniform pillar spacing, this is very confusing.

The bus in the first pic (here) has 9 passenger windows, compared to 10 passenger windows in this bus. Both are 'TN' series buses - built during similar periods.

The newer Cheetahs (The one bus seen in this image) has 9 passenger windows. It is very possible that the bus in the first pic is also a Cheetah - but is definitely a shorter chassis. IIRC, this bus had a seating capacity of some 34 or 38.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR (Post 1672822)

Edit:- what make is that "alina" you have posted on your picassa album? It is very difficult to make out the hubcaps. The rear overhangs does appear to be drastically sawed off.

Alina (Seen here) appeared to be a Cheetah to me. Its surely a Leyland - could also be a shorter Viking chassis. However going by the trend seen here, its gotta be a Cheetah.