Mercedes-Benz hosted a press event in Croatia to test the new Tourismo. Guests came from all corners of Europe to get their hands on the new range of touring coaches, and Dominic Ward was amongst them
When Mercedes-Benz launched the new Tourismo RHD range at Brussels Expo back in June, it marked the first all new Mercedes-Benz ‘high-decker’ touring coach in 20 years (CBW, June 27, 2017). The new range of touring coaches boast increased safety features and passenger comforts, all of which are enough to make Mercedes-Benz proud of what has been achieved. I was fortunate to be invited out to the press event in Split, Croatia, to see what can be expected from the new coach.[wlm_nonmember][…]
By subscribing you will benefit from:
- Operator & Supplier Profiles
- Face-to-Face Interviews
- Lastest News
- Test Drives and Reviews
- Legal Updates
- Route Focus
- Industry Insider Opinions
- Passenger Perspective
- Vehicle Launches
- and much more!
Arriving in Croatia
The event officially began on Monday, September 25. Guests from around Europe arrived in Split to be greeted by the sight of the vehicles, lined up outside the airport terminal, giving a first impression that screamed “wow.”
We were introduced five examples of the new Tourismo range:
- 12.295m two-axle;
- Two 13.115m two-axle vehicles;
- 13.115m three-axle, and;
- 13.935m three-axle.
Although the weather was overcast and rainy on the first morning, the two-axle coaches still looked striking with their viper green paint scheme, whilst the platinum silver tri-axle vehicles had an aura of prestige and an executive feel that is reflected when you board the coach.
After a light lunch, we were then shown a short video of the Tourismo range driving on the roads around Split – roads we would later be negotiating ourselves, but in much better weather conditions than on day one! We then were split into separate groups to begin the driving experience, and I travelled with Marcus Watts, Director Mercedes-Benz Sales, and another UK journalist who would be driving the vehicles. Our first vehicle was a 12.3m two-axle Tourismo.
Opening round
Before boarding the touring coach, I took the opportunity to examine the exterior of the vehicle, noting its magnificent viper green livery, making it stand out from the other coaches parked up at the airport. All variants of the Tourismo will be available in right-hand drive, but this particular one will have 51 seats for the UK market, and will make its show debut in the British Isles at the Coach & Bus UK show this week.
The other journalist from the UK was the first to drive the coach, so whilst he prepared in the driver’s seat I boarded through the wide entrance, and began to examine the interior.
The 12.3m two-axle vehicle we had on test had a colourful interior, featuring orange curtains, striped seats with orange E-Leather headrests, as well as a table and a footrest for each seat. The seats we had on this coach were Mercedes-Benz’s standard Travel Star Eco model which, although the standard style, were plenty comfortable enough.
We departed the airport in a convoy, before getting onto the testing route Mercedes-Benz had selected for us.
Whilst sat on board, I noted the vast amount of natural light let in through the windows. This created a welcoming and comfortable environment for passengers on board. The large windows also meant I had a fantastic view of the surrounding area, along the coast towards the town of Primošten. The roads along the Adriatic coast feature quite wide curves, which gave those driving a good sense of the vehicle’s handling characteristics.
We enjoyed a smooth ride for this leg of the route – aided by the vehicle’s enhanced suspension. This version featured the Mercedes-Benz six-speed PowerShift manual gearbox. Passengers, when travelling on the vehicle, will not get jerked about on board, ensuring comfort. In fact, the ride was that smooth it was hard to tell whether or not we were actually moving.
While the automated GO 250-8 PowerShift will be the UK standard, the inclusion of the ZF EcoLife as an option underlines how keen Daimler is to meet the requirements of the British Isles.
Another prominent feature on the vehicle was the extremely low noise level – a characteristic of all the coaches sampled. The overall noise level has been reduced on board by 5db, which creates a relaxing atmosphere with no loud irritating sounds from the road or engine. I was also able to clearly hear what was being said at the front of the coach from the rear.
We made our way into the town of Primošten, where the coach was able to handle the narrow roads in town with ease. From here, we pulled up at Marina Agana, where we disembarked for light refreshments in a quaint café, before swapping to the M/2 13.1m two-axle touring variants.
A metre more
We then departed from Marina Agana, heading back to our hotel in Podstrana – a journey of around 44km (27 miles) on more coastal roads, as well as dual carriageways.
The M/2 13.1m two-axle was as quiet as the 12.3m two-axle, but that extra metre was noticeable in the legroom we had available as this vehicle had seats for only 48 plus a toilet. EvoBus (UK) has already said it plans to make the 13m two-axle variant available with 57 seats and a toilet.
Like the 12.3m two-axle, the suspension provided for a smooth ride, however this vehicle featured the Mercedes-Benz eight-speed automated PowerShift transmission, making the ride even smoother than the 12.3m two-axle manual variant.
The 48 seats on board were the revamped Softline option in green, which feature comfortable upholstery with an additional fleece lining, as well as a shaped backrest with quilting. This made for an all-round comfortable experience.
This option also had the light ceiling trim package, creating a more spacious feel whilst retaining the elegance of the dark ceiling package we had on the 12.3m two-axle.
Driving along dual carriageways between smaller towns, Marcus took the opportunity to demonstrate the on board WiFi and media streaming package we had available to us. The on board WiFi will be available at LTE (Long-Term Evolution) speed, whilst the media streaming came from a Bosch-manufactured router. The router allows for a media storage device to be plugged into it pre-loaded with movies and television shows, from which passengers will be able to connect their own devices. Marcus explained that if two routers are connected together, the system can handle 60 devices streaming at once. He also explained that, if your battery gets low on your device, you can simply plug it in to charge using either the USB port or socket, located on the sidewall.
We arrived back at the hotel, which featured a tight right-hand turn to get through the entry barrier. This put to test the turning capabilities of the 13.1m M/2 and the skills of the driver.
That evening, we gathered for a press conference in the hotel, where Ulrich Bastert, Head of Marketing, Sales and After Sales Mercedes-Benz Buses, spoke passionately about the Tourismo. During his presentation, he displayed a list of passenger requirements Mercedes-Benz had when developing the new vehicle:
- Large luggage compartment;
- Comfortable entry with a friendly interior;
- Comfortable and well accessible seats with service sets;
- Heating and climatisation;
- Modern entertainment and power supply for own devices;
- Catering en route;
- Comfortable suspension with low noise; and
- Maximum safety.
Over dinner, I spoke with one of the many friendly Daimler representatives who explained some of the engineering behind the vehicle to ensure maximum passenger comfort. He said that, in order to reduce travel sickness symptoms on board, Daimler has reduced the vibration levels. With the human body made up of 70% water, a lot of nausea on board is created by the harsh vibrations affecting the balance of water in the body. By reducing the vibrations, taking it below the water resonance levels, it had not only increased the comfort levels to ensure a smoother ride, but also reduced the level of nausea experienced on board.
Last day drive
The last day was an early start, and was another vehicle swap. This time, I ended up on the M/3 13.1m tri-axle. Parked up outside the hotel with its platinum silver paintwork, I thought the coach wouldn’t look out of place serving as a VIP executive vehicle.
We made our way from the hotel and up into the mountains, beginning an approximately two-hour long drive that would truly test the tri-axle vehicle in a variety of surroundings. The tight coastal roads we started the day on involved a series of switchbacks. However, this was no problem for the actively steering trailing axle, and the ride was smooth throughout.
The seats on board were another set of Mercedes-Benz revamped Softline seats, though on this vehicle were finished in blue. Like the other two coaches, the vehicles featured USB charging ports and sockets in the sidewall, ensuring passengers are able to keep their devices fully charged.
The coastal roads provided for some more achingly beautiful views, and everybody on-board kept moving across the aisle taking photos of the scenery.
The ride on board the 13.1m M/3 is so soft, and with the touring coach being so quiet, it was a real struggle to stop myself from nodding off. Looking at the beautiful scenery helped me to keep awake and it was not long before we found ourselves testing the coach along the motorway.
We then pulled up in one of Croatia’s motorway service stations, and the coaches were lined up side-by-side for a photo shoot. The lighting and the mountains as a backdrop provided a perfect opportunity to see the striking paint schemes in all their glory.
I had an epiphany; as a newcomer to the industry, it suddenly dawned on me how beautiful the Tourismo range is. The vehicles have a redesigned body, which has the most beautiful, clean lines.
Lasting impressions
We pulled into the Marina Baotić, Trogir, and had lunch at the Yachtclub Restaurant. From here, we had a small window of opportunity to photograph the coaches in all their glory in the delightful surroundings of the Marina, before both them and the team from Daimler departed back the airport to welcome the next wave of invited guests.
Marking the end of the trip, the departure of the magnificent coaches left me thinking – “those going to the Coach & Bus UK at the NEC are in for a real treat.” EvoBus UK is displaying the right-hand drive Tourismo RHD on stand G10.
[/wlm_ismember]
