The jury, consisting of 63 design experts, did not have it easy at this year’s iF Design Award. They chose the winner from 6,402 entries from 54 countries. The MAN bus won the “Automobiles/Vehicle/Bikes” category thanks to its successful design: The new MAN Lion’s Coach can now be decorated with an iF Design Award 2018. The winners will be honoured in Munich on 9th March. “With so many outstanding entries, we are naturally thrilled that the MAN Lion’s Coach won the award,” said Stephan Schönherr, Vice President of Design Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. “The verdict clearly shows that the new design of the travel and long-distance bus has come.”
This is characterised above all by a timelessly modern design language. The new MAN design on the bow, the striking rear end and the side give the MAN Lion’s Coach its distinctive look. The designers focused on clearly separating the functional areas of the driver’s cockpit and passenger compartment, the luggage compartment and the drive unit. The new headlights, which can be completely fitted with LEDs, are particularly striking. An especially distinctive feature of the new headlight is the daytime running light, which also functions as an indicator. But the interior of the MAN Lion’s Coach is also inspiring: A continuous LED light strip on the ceiling area in “warm white” guarantees a pleasant lighting mood. The new Colour & Trim concept focuses on bright and fresh colours and ensures an elegant yet friendly atmosphere. By extending the luggage racks far forward in the direction of the bow window and increasing the clear height and the interior space below the bow dome, passengers and drivers alike gain a generous feeling of space.
However, the new MAN Lion’s Coach, which will be presented to the public in 2017 at Busworld in Kortrijk, scores highly not just thanks to its unmistakable design. Thanks to numerous assistance systems, the coach offers maximum safety and comfort for drivers and passengers. In addition it is extremely economical, among other things, due to the aerodynamics which are 20 percent better than in its predecessor. “This proves that well thought-out design, which we called ‘smart edge’, also benefits efficiency,” emphasised Schönherr.
The iF Design Award has been awarded since 1953. The winners are selected on the basis of established criteria. These include the appearance and shape of the product as well as the degree of innovation, ergonomics, functionality and environmental aspects. “The award is a globally recognised design quality seal that only a few products receive each year. The fact that we have been awarded the award for the third time in a row shows how innovative and high-quality our buses are,” said Schönherr. In 2016, the iF Design Award went to the MAN Lion’s Intercity, in 2017 to the NEOPLAN Tourliner. The MAN Lion’s Coach is now the third bus to win the prize.
