Volvo Buses has opened the order books for a new full-size coach to be built exclusively for the UK and Irish markets by Spanish bodybuilding partner Unvi
Volvo Buses has unveiled a new coach, developed in cooperation with Spanish bodybuilder Unvi, which will be built on the B13R platform exclusively for the UK and Irish market. The new model was announced jointly by Managing Director of Volvo Bus UK & Ireland Domenico Bondi and Eloy Pérez, CEO of Unvi, at the UK Coach Operators Association (UKCOA) conference, hosted at Volvo Group UK’s head office in Warwick.
Deliveries of the new Unvi XL are anticipated to commence from summer 2026. The new model will initially be offered as a 12.8m two-axle single-deck coach with a choice of either 53 seats, or 49 seats plus wheelchair space. Domenico said: “This marks one of the most important new product announcements since I joined Volvo Bus UK & Ireland three years ago. A massive amount of work has gone into developing this new coach, from both Volvo and Unvi – it’s a hugely exciting moment.
“An exceptional coach requires first class build quality, excellent chassis geometry, a smooth-riding suspension and a driveline offering industry-leading performance and efficiency. That’s precisely what we bring with the B13R chassis – and when paired with this new Unvi body, we’re confident we’ve got a fantastic product which will set the benchmark for coach travel.”
Eloy Pérez added: “The scale of this opportunity with Volvo Buses is huge. From the first exploratory conversations with Domenico and his team last year, we knew we wanted to be a part of this project. It comes at an incredibly exciting time for Unvi. Whilst this year we celebrate 30 years in bus and coach bodybuilding, our eyes are always on the future. We have developed a hard-earned reputation for product quality, style and comfort – match it with the Volvo B13R chassis, and we have a truly winning formula.”
Comfort and safety
The XL will feature Brusa Create 120 ‘top flair’ seating as standard. The reclinable seats each come with three-point seat belts, armrests for aisle seats, two-position footrests, a magazine net, a seat-back table, seat flaps and enhanced upholstery in contrasting faux leather. Seat-back USB-A and USB-C charging sockets will be standard, and Volvo describes the overhead luggage stowage space as generous.
A ThermoKing climate control system is specified, along with a Bosch AV system, which includes twin AEC TFT 22” screens. A courier’s microphone is located by the crew seat, and a driver’s microphone integrated into the driver’s seat. A diesel pre-heater is also included as standard.
A Shades Technics centre sunken freshwater toilet will be fitted, and there will be an estimated 9.5m˜ of capacity in the main luggage compartment. The XL will be powered by the latest generation 13-litre Euro-VI diesel engine, and a 12-speed Volvo I-Shift transmission, which includes overdrive in top gear, fast shifting, and software optimised to help coach operators save fuel. Delivering up to 500hp, the engine offers the option to run on either hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) or biofuel, whilst Volvo promises fuel savings of up to 9% from the new Volvo B13R compared with the driveline in the previous B11R chassis.
Safety features of the GSR2-compliant coach will include Lane Keeping Support, Collision Warning & Emergency Brake, and adaptive cruise control, which helps to save fuel by optimising coach speed, gear changes and coasting to the topography, whilst maintaining a safe distance with vehicles ahead, as well as Driver Alert Support, Intelligent Speed Assist, Side Collision Avoidance Support, Front Short Range Assist, Lane Change Support, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
Volvo Buses will assemble the B13R chassis at its factory in Boras, Sweden. It will be bodied at Unvi’s 28,000 square metre production site in Ourense, Spain, before delivery to the UK for pre-delivery inspection. Unvi body parts will be held in stock and available for next day delivery via the Volvo Coach Parts Sales Centre in Loughborough.
