Scania and Irizar celebrate 20 years in the UK

Euro5

Scania recognise that some operators will want to avoid switching to Euro6 for as long as possible and to date there has not been much interest expressed in coaches with the latest technology. For this reason they have committed to a small number of additional Euro5 chassis which Irizar will be bodying and which will be available between February and April next year. ‘That will be pretty much it for Euro5,’ said Martin West, General Manager Retail Sales.

Similarly on the bus side, there are currently only five new Euro5 Scanias still available to buy. However, with new developments on the market and the new emphasis in the UK on working with partner bodybuilders rather than supplying complete Scania built vehicles, that may well change. I understand that the successor to the OmniCity and OmniLink ranges at Euro6, the Citywide, is not going to be offered in the UK.

i3

Up to now, Irizar has concentrated virtually exclusively on the coach market but last year’s FIAA exhibition in Madrid saw it launch a new line-up of low entry bus models marketed as the i3 range. Recognising that the service bus market is particularly cost conscious and the model’s main European competitors, the Mercedes-Benz Intouro and the Irisbus Iveco Crossway, are built in low wage economy countries, Irizar has taken the decision to build the i3 at its facility in Morocco.

A completely new design constructed using steel, it is built to the latest standards taking account of future legislation such as the R66.01 enhanced rollover regulations which means that it will be able to run at 100kph.

The i3 is going to be offered in the UK and the first chassis will be going on to the production line this week, with the UK the first export market that Irizar is tackling with the new model. The fully built up 12m city bus will be displayed at Busworld in Kortrijk. It is expected in the UK during November and will then be embarking on a demonstration tour. Fleet Sales Manager, Mark Oliver, believes it will complement the existing body options from ADL.

He commented, ‘the big strength is its flexibility. The interior can be tailored for a variety of purposes including airport work.’ Other length variants can also be offered.

With 43 seats and an expected 28 standees, the i3 should offer a total capacity of 71. It is a low entry design with a flat floor forward of the steps ahead of the rear axle and can be supplied with one or two doors, the demonstration bus being equipped with two.

It is mounted on the Scania KUB2504x2 Euro6 chassis with a DC09.111 five-cylinder 250bhp engine matched to a ZF EcoLife fully automatic gearbox.

There is limited commonality between the i3 and the i4 which have the same headlights and rear light clusters but many of the systems employed, such as the electronics and fans, are common across the whole Irizar range. Mark commented, ‘a key advantage we see is that, after 20 years working together, we have good parts arrangements and the necessary training in place.’ Like other Scania Irizar products it will be fully supported through Scania GB.

Availability will be from early next year. Asked about likely volumes Mark said that as it was new to the market ‘it would be nice to do over 20.’ He said that the price would depend on specification but a vehicle similar to the demonstrator with tinted double glazing would be in the region of £165-170,000.

There are no plans to offer the i3 as an integral product in the near future.