The i6 is the first DAF-powered coach for The Kings Ferry in 25 years
Irizar UK has taken its first order for a Euro 6 coach from The Kings Ferry – the Kent company’s first new DAF-powered coach for 25 years.
The i6 Integral is destined for the National Express-owned operator’s VIP fleet, and will be based at The Kings Ferry’s Gillingham depot. It is currently in build at Irizar’s Spanish factory and will be completed this summer by AD Coach Systems of Stoke-on-Trent.
“As these vehicles are at the very top end of our fleet, we select our suppliers very carefully,” said Ian Fraser, Operations Director at The Kings Ferry. “When we test drove the Integral Irizar at our premises and had it over our pits we knew immediately that this was a premium product.
“The smoothness of the drivetrain we feel reflects the high-quality components used. The i6 tri-axle matches our requirements well, and we are confident the all-new DAF Euro 6 engine will give us class-leading fuel economy and a long service life.”
The i6 Integral being supplied to The Kings Ferry is a 13.9-metre tri-axle with 36 leather seats arranged around nine tables. It has a rear kitchen with hot cupboard, microwave and filter coffee machine. Windows are privacy tinted and the coach is carpeted throughout.
Core customers include major football clubs, so the multi-screen Sky TV video system also accepts laptop inputs for training purposes, and for corporate use. An on-board inverter ensures the coach has stable 240-Volt power sockets.
The coach – in The Kings Ferry’s exclusive VIP livery – is powered by DAF-Paccar’s new MX-11-320, 435bhp engine, which can produce 2,100Nm of torque. The power is delivered through a ZF AS-Tronic auto-shift gearbox.
“We were keen to ensure that our new VIP vehicle had excellent aftersales back-up and DAF’s network of service centres plus Irizar UK’s parts stock with Masterpart gives us the confidence to invest in this vehicle,” said Ian Fraser.
“We are pleased to see that customers like The Kings Ferry are now seeing the benefits offered by the premium build of the i6 Integral and the service and back-up offered by Irizar UK,” said Ian Hall, Sales Director at Irizar UK. “We have been knocking The King’s Ferry’s door since we started and, as you can imagine, we were delighted when they opted this year for the DAF powered Integral Irizar.”
