Euro 6 model is slightly lighter than its Euro 5 counterpart
The new Plaxton Leopard has achieved zero increase in weight for Euro 6 models, the manufacturer claims.
With the first Euro 6 now fully certified, the weight compares favourably with the Euro 5 versions already in service, the actual weight on a like for like specification being slightly less than that of the equivalent Euro 5 models.
“This is a massive achievement for us and possibly the first for any manufacturer,” said Plaxton Business Development Director, Kevin Wood. “To offer a Euro 6 vehicle with no weight increase over the Euro 5 equivalent is something which nobody had expected could be done but thanks to close collaboration with Volvo and our experience of building lightweight structures, that’s exactly what we’ve achieved.”
The Leopard Euro 6 is based on the Volvo B8R platform which is a direct replacement for the previous B9R. Of almost 40 orders received, more than half call for the Euro 6 version, including 10 which are destined for the rental fleet of Dawson Bus and Coach and six for Babcock which form part of the requirements for the Ministry of Defence in 2014.
Volvo Coach Sales and Product Director, Ian Downie, added: “At Volvo we’ve always been conscious of our responsibilities to the environment and the B8R represents the new generation of Volvo coach platforms which can boast emissions levels we could only dream of, even just a few years ago. To have done all this with no weight penalty is a massive achievement which will offer our customers huge benefits.”
