The winners of the Slovenian Commercial Vehicle Awards were announced by the Transport & Logistik and Mehanik in Voznik magazines at the Transport Show 2018 in Lubljana. The prestigious Bus of the Year category was won by the new MAN Lion’s Coach. The awards, which are the most respected on the Slovenian market, were being presented for the 13th time.
Voting took place in two phases, with the readers of both magazines casting their votes first for the nominees. In the second phase, the jury for both magazines judged the candidates on the basis of various criteria. The new MAN Lion’s Coach won over both readers and editors by offering the best safety and efficiency in its class, as well as impressing with its timeless modern design.
This award makes MAN Truck & Bus a winner for the second time in a row in this competition. In 2017, the NEOPLAN Tourliner won the title of Bus of the Year.
“We’re very proud that our new MAN Lion’s Coach won the votes of both readers and the expert jury to sweep to the title of Bus of the Year 2018. It’s clear that the coach impresses with its confident exterior even before driving off. And it has so much more to offer. If you take a closer look, you’ll see that the new Lion’s Coach is the ideal combination of proven and new vehicle concept that caters perfectly for the tastes of both customers and passengers,” explained Claus Wallenstein, managing director of MAN Truck & Bus Slovenia.
The new MAN Lion’s Coach
The new MAN Lion’s Coach had its public launch at Busworld 2017 in Kortrijk. The coach is available in four lengths: 12,101 mm and 13,091 mm on two axles and 13,361 mm and 13,901 mm on three axles. Its six additional seats compared to the 12 m version make this vehicle a particularly attractive option from an economical point of view, especially the 13 m two-axle coach. Its maximum overall permitted weight of up to 19.5 tonnes also contributes to its flexibility in terms of possible uses. The optional wheelchair lift plays an important role in achieving ideal axle load distribution as, in this version, it sits over the front axle, thus relieving the rear axle while also not restricting the luggage compartment. Excluding the toilet, the new MAN Lion’s Coach models, which have been awarded 3 stars on the German coach seating system, have space for a maximum of 53, 57, 59 or 63 passengers. The luggage compartments have a volume of between 11.7 and 14.3 m3 depending on the model.
A glance under the bonnet indicates that the new MAN Lion’s Coach is as economical as ever. With its optimised Euro 6 driveline, it also enjoys benefits including an extended axle ratio i=2.73 and an increased power output (increased by 20 hp and 200 Nm). The MAN TipMatic gearbox, installed as standard in models of 460 hp (337 kW) and higher, employs a new moving-off and gear-shift strategy, optimally matched to the D26 engines. In addition, a wide range of assistance systems is available, such as the topography-based MAN EfficientCruise cruise control with the EfficientRoll coasting function, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Guard System (LGS) and MAN Attention Guard. The new PCV (Premium Comfort Valve) shock absorber technology and an optimised vehicle configuration deliver enhanced driving comfort, improved handling and higher safety reserves.
