In hour inland from the pretty coastal city of San Sebastián in Spain, and amongst the green rolling hills of Altsasu, Navarre is a factory that has been supplying the UK market with coaches since 2002. Sunsundegui has had a long-standing relationship with Volvo in the UK.
Sideral 2000
Sunsundegui burst onto the UK scene with a coach that would break the mould in terms of styling, the Sideral 2000, which was hugely successful in the years that were to follow. Initially launched on the Volvo B12M chassis with Wallace Arnold taking one of the first examples, the Sideral 2000 found favour with many UK and Ireland independent coach operators, many of which were using the model for European tours.
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In 2006 the model received a redesign, with minor exterior changes, but different length options and a selection of Volvo engines including the B7R and the B9R.
Current range
The current styling of the Sunsundegui SC7 was first introduced at the Euro Bus Expo in 2012.
By 2017, Volvo in the UK had sold over 500 Sunsundegui coaches since 2002. As production levels increased, Sunsundegui announced a €5.5 million investment plan to increase productivity and enhance quality at its headquarters in Spain.
The UK and Ireland range has been developed by Volvo in recent years, with the B8R-engined 72-seat SB3, the 38/41-seat SC5 adding to the 55-seat Volvo B11R SC7, as tested.
Sunsundegui has found favour in Ireland in recent years, with strong deliveries of 30 PSVAR-compliant 63-seat SC5-bodied tri-axle Volvo B11Rs for Translink, and more recently the SB3-bodied Volvo B8RLE interurban coaches for use on Transport for Ireland services operated by Go-Ahead Ireland (24) and Bus Éireann (71).
Exterior styling
The Sunsundegui SC7 is a model that seems to have been elusive throughout my former driving career, but it is certainly one that is a common sight on the road and seems popular with operators.
I would be testing LA68 DWL, which was new to Travelstar, Crawley in February 2019 and had covered 42,355 miles. The coach was kindly provided to CBW for a test drive by Will Blowfield at the Bus & Coach Centre, Oxford, which had this vehicle in stock at the time.
What I like about the SC7 is that the styling has a retro take on a modern design, with plenty of chrome effect used on the front grille and at the rear of the coach, which takes me back to the days of the Plaxton Supremes and Duple Dominants. This is, perhaps, an element that is missing from coaches these days.
The Sideral 2000 is a coach that has stood the test of time, and even the early ones still look modern when well looked after, and the SC7 has achieved the same feat. The styling is nine years old, but it still looks as sharp as a pin, and for that, I congratulate the designers at Sunsundegui.
It may not be to every operator’s liking, but to me, the frontal styling has a purposeful look to it, combined with the fact that Sunsundegui has thought about aerodynamics by reducing the co-efficient of drag. If you look at the front from the side you will notice that the lower panels are swept back – this not only assists the driver when using ferries, but also increases the vehicle efficiency when at speed. Mirrors are also something that Sunsundegui do extremely well. The Sideral 2000 had a nearside mirror that was neatly curved and joined to the A-pillar at the top and the front of the coach at the bottom. This was not carried over to the SC7, but it does have a set of the sturdiest mirrors I have seen on a coach in many years, which are also designed with aerodynamics in mind.
The curved windscreen is only ever so slightly recessed into the bodywork at the front of the vehicle. The roofline then curves back, integrating the top LED marker light, and the airflow – when on the move – feeds into the air-conditioning system, which is well hidden as it has been integrated into the roofline.
Moving to the side of the SC7, five bonded and extra-tinted heatproof double-glazed windows are used on each side of the vehicle with four of these being classed as emergency exits. Two pneumatically-operated locker doors on the nearside, and one on the offside give access to the lockers, which can carry a reasonable 1,015kg of bags.
The radiator on the Volvo B11R is on the nearside, but the radiator grille has been designed with multiple slats with a mesh behind it, that should reduce the number of leaves and dirt that are sucked in at certain times of the year.
Fuel fillers are fitted just behind the front axles, within the wheel arch locker door. The AdBlue filler is located just behind the emergency door controls on the nearside. An offside air-operated continental door is fitted as standard.
The rear styling of the SC7 is a love-it-or-hate-it situation. Personally I quite like it, it is different. The roofline carries on over the recessed dark-tinted rear window, with built-in high level LED combined marker and indicator lights. That recessed line features throughout the rear of the coach, narrowing down towards the rear bumper. A third centre brake light is fitted underneath the rear window, followed by a large concealed air vent for the engine, which is painted black.
Access to the engine bay is superb, thanks to the large engine boot lid, which also assists drivers and engineers in wet weather by keeping them dry. Just before the test drive hail stones had started to fall, whilst I was filming, but the boot lid kept me and the camera dry.
LED lighting for the engine bay is provided for those early morning coolant and oil checks, whilst the centre section of the lower rear panel folds down to allow better access still.
The high-intensity rear light cluster is effective, whilst the chrome-effect Sunsundegui-branded centre panel finishes off the SC7 nicely.
Interior quality
The very first thing is will notice when you board the SC7 is just how solid the build quality looks and feels. This coach has no cheap and flimsy plastics. Every surface and piece of trim looks built to withstand rigorous daily use, thus increasing the durability of the vehicle.
Two grab rails assist customers with boarding the four steps up to the first platform, with one further step into the sunken gangway. What greets the passenger when boarding the saloon of the SC7 is a smart, modern, well-equipped touring coach.
The coach tested had 53 reclining Kiel Avance 1000 seats with three-point seat belts, two-position footrests, magazine nets and cup holders and leather headrest inserts, but an additional seat, with the floor panel, was stored in the locker so that if the demountable washroom was not required, the seating capacity could be increased to 55.
The Shades Techniques demountable washroom unit does feature a hot water boiler and a large bin.
Trying out the seats, they are comfortable, and both sides of the coach have plenty of legroom – even for tall customers.
The saloon luggage racks are sturdy and have plenty of room to easily place bags, whilst the passenger service units have been kept separate for each passenger, with a round air vent and LED reading lights. Nothing particularly fancy, but functional.
You do get an overwhelming feeling of space in the SC7, in part thanks to the curved roof panels above the gangway, which have LED lighting running the length of the saloon on both sides of the vehicle, and two break glass emergency exits.
TV monitors are fitted above the continental exit and at the front of the vehicle.
Passenger comfort is provided by convection radiators the length of both sides of the vehicle and Eberspacher AC353 Gen 4 Type 1 air-conditioning with 24kW cooling capacity and 38kW heating capacity.
Driver comfort
Sitting in the driver’s seat of the SC7, the first thing you notice is how comfortable the fully adjustable Isringhausen 6860/875 NTS seat is, with air suspension, a three-point seat belt and armrests. The driver also benefits from a large cab area allowing the seat plenty of adjustment for tall or short drivers.
The dashboard layout on the SC7 is practical, with all the switchgear being positioned in terms of the most used switches being the closest to the driver, such as the entry door and chassis and engine functions. The only thing I would change is the position of the CCTV monitor, by swapping it with the Eberspächer climate control and Pedro Sanz demister unit, so that it is closer to the driver.
Switches to the right of the driver, under the electric single glazed cab window, are limited to the electric mirror adjustment, window and heated window function and the Shades Techniques information unit. The driver does benefit from one USB port in the same area. The handbrake and broms brake are situated lower down.
There is no in-dash fridge on the SC7, instead, it is smartly situated under the driver’s seat, allowing multiple water bottles – and the driver’s lunch – to be placed securely in the sliding drawer.
Out on the road
The weather on the day of the test was not the best, cold and dry but with the occasional hail or snow shower. Having completed the test drive walk around video, which can be viewed on our YouTube channel now, with the engine running the interior of the SC7 had quickly warmed up. As Euro VI engines generally run much hotter than previous specifications, heat from the Pedro Sanz demister unit and the convector radiators circulates the interior very quickly.
As I prepared to depart the Bus & Coach Centre I adjust the electrically-operated driver sun blinds and mirrors. One thing you cannot help but notice the first time you sit in the SC7 is the blind spot mirror mounted into the A-pillar. This is an excellent feature, but it does take some getting used to! All-around vision is very good, as is the view from both of the gullwing mirrors.
I always manage to find my perfect driving position with Volvo’s standard steering wheel adjustment, even going back to the Olympian and B10M, it was easy to find just the right position.
Unladen, the SC7 weighs in at 13,400kg but is well built with the underframe front and rear modules in 3CR12 stainless steel and the remainder in ST44.2 carbon steel. Side and rear hatches are in aluminium.
The 12.6m-long SC7 is powered by Volvo’s range-topping B11R six-cylinder 10.8-litre engine, so there is 430hp under your right foot. The gearbox fitted to this example is the Volvo AT2412F I-Shift fully automated 12-speed gearbox with an integral retarder, but if you opt for the 380hp engine you get the ZF Ecolife 6AP2000C 6-speed automatic hydraulic transmission.
I departed the yard and joined the busy A40 dual carriageway. The B11R has the power, but you still have to be mindful that the I-Shift gearbox has 12 gears to get through and some of those deliver quite short bursts of power due to being low ratio. However, that said, this also delivers increased fuel economy.
Once the B11R is rolling it is a joy to drive. As I proceeded up the M40, the upper end of the gearbox has much higher ratios, making overtaking HGVs an easy task. On the limiter, the rev counter was registering 1,500rpm, so well within the green band for economy.
As I settled into this 10-mile section of the motorway I found that there was zero noise from the saloon fittings and fixtures, demonstrating that the SC7 is indeed well put together. The cab area was the same, with the Masats plug door fitting firming in the door frame.
Leaving the M40 it was time to head for Bicester and roundabouts. Driving around the town I found that the I-Shift performed well and was smooth in operation. Bicester has many roundabouts due to new developments in the area, so a few trips around them at a reasonable speed proved that despite the 3.58m height of the SC7, it remained stable and composed. It is also noteworthy that the steering lock is substantial.
I made the return trip to the yard via some rural A and B roads. Handling remained superb even when pushed and the I-Shift gearbox became more of a joy to drive the longer I was behind the wheel.
In conclusion, the Sunsundegui SC7 is certainly worth considering if you are looking for a Volvo-based touring coach that has good durability and impressive build quality.
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