The 16-tonne bus segment is niche yet competitive and Bharat Benz is the latest commercial manufacturer to make its presence felt with the new 16T Intercity Coach. The front-engined buses have been designed for the Indian market, albeit in-line with parent company Daimler's global standards and were tested for a whopping 8 billion km on Indian roads before being introduced. Targeted at the growing segment of inter-city travel, the 16-tonne, front-engine coach complements Bharat Benz' successful portfolio of school, staff and tourist buses in the 9-tonne category, which were introduced at the end of 2015.
The 12-metre Bharat Benz 16T Intercity Coach has been designed for the Indian market and is manufactured at the company's facility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The bus gets 90 per cent of local content going in via Bharat Benz' 200 vendors. The chassis has been built for a intercity bus application while the Bharat Benz has opted for an all-aluminium bodywork to keep the overall weight low. The aluminium construction also allows for improved structural rigidity and meets stringent safety standards as per the AIS-031 CMUR Bus Body Code. The bus has been fabricated without any welded parts, and the lightweight structure not only gives extra strength to the vehicle but also lowers its centre of gravity, providing extra stability.
(Bharat Benz 16T intercity coach)The Bharat Benz 16-tonne Intercity coach offers 790 mm of legroom for passengers, extra wide windows, and air suspension at the front and rear that has been calibrated with the chassis for an enhanced ride quality. Bharat Benz says that it considers the air conditioning system on its coaches as a safety feature since it not only keeps the cabin pleasant but also allows the driver to stay alert. Speaking of safety, the bus comes with wider brakes on all four tyres, while four-channel ABS is standard.
Bharat Benz is using a BS-IV compliant 6373 cc six-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine tuned to produce 235 bhp at 2200 rpm and 850 Nm of peak torque between 1200-1600 rpm. The motor comes paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox with overdrive function. The automaker also confirmed that it has no plans to bring out an AMT equipped variant, unlike the competition.
(Bharat Benz 16T intercity coach)Daimler Buses India - Managing Director, Markus Villinger said: "We designed the all-new BharatBenz intercity coach to take inter-city travel to the next level: a safer and more comfortable experience for passengers and drivers, and more value for operators at the same time. Building on our acceptance in the market and this strong product with proven BS-IV technology, we are very confident to capture opportunities in this growing segment."
Bharat Benz also promises higher fuel efficiency thanks to the lighter weight and aerodynamic structure, while also reducing the lower cost of ownership in the long run. In terms of rivals, the German auto giant's newest offering will be taking on the buses from Volvo, Scania and the likes in the segment.
