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High single-deckers the attraction
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competitive makes together provided clear evidence of the divergence of European design concepts from those in the UK. Only a handful of coaches were of separate chassis and body construction. Thus, many designs similar in outward appearance could be fitted with varying types of running gear. Engines were almost universally fitted at the rear.
To operators used to traditional British coachbuilding the most striking external differences in Continental vehicles are the flat sides. A product of the integral construction methods most commonly favoured, this allows more interior space. However, in many cases side panels are of single-piece metal sheets. Though this undoubtedly gives cleaner appearance, accident repairs must be rather costly.
Another trend which is becoming increasingly evident in the design of super luxury vehicles is the use of high floors. This idea — basically stemming from long-distance American bus experience — brings two advantages: enhanced luggage accommodation and better passenger visibility. It also produces some very impressive-looking bodies.
At Nice we were particularly impressed by the newly-released Kassbohrer-Setra S200 model. This three-axle design provides full luxury seating for 48 passengers within the 12m length. Setra is taken from the German word Sellstragend — literally frameless — and this is how it is built. Like most vehicles in this class it is fitted with air-conditioning, tinted windows, reclining seats, toilet and galley. These last two
features are mounted under the floor and reached from the stairway leading to the centre doors. As a result both galley and toilet tend to be a little claustrophobic. Nevertheless they are large enough to be worthwhile items and not just gimmicks.
There is nothing claustrophobic about the passenger accommodation, however. As well as huge side windows the front screen is one of the largest fitted to any vehicle. The driver sits below the passenger view line. The high floor provides a luggage space of 15eu m. Gross vehicle weight is 22 tons.
The S200 is in direct competition with the famous Neoplan double-deckers. These vehicles — though equally impressive in exterior appearance and offering far higher passenger capacity — do not seem anything like such a practical vehicle. One at Nice had seats for an incredible 105 passengers and was as cramped as any vehicle we can remember. In order to get two decks within the relatively low Continental height regulations the floor is made very low. Though this provides low step heights, little attention seems to have been paid to solving the resulting problems caused by the intrusive axles — of which there are three. For instance, to reach the rear portion in the lower deck thire is a step of about 15in up to a steeply-ramped gangway. This seems most undesirable. Despite the low floor, interior headroom is very restricted too. Downstairs it is no more than 5ft 9in and upstairs it is down to an intolerable 5ft.
Apparently the battle between the highfloor single-deckers and the low-floor double-deckers is now well and truly joined on the Continent. To the British operator the choice would seem easy. The single decker is easily the most practical vehicle.
While the honours for imposing "high rise" luxury vehicles must go to the German manufacturers, there are other worthwhile projects from other nationalities too. Apart from the prototype Fiat described later we were impressed by a Fiat-engined device from the Italian manufacturer Sicca. Unusually, this has a chassis built by the "bodybuilder". The Ilm coach has 44 seats and weighs 10.5 tons. With 6cu m of luggage space the vehicle at Nice was fitted with a Fiat engine developing 194bhp. There is no reason why engines of other makes and types should not be fitted. The coach has an unusual — but by no means unpleasing — angular styling.
Natvrally the French manufacturers were well represented in Nice. We liked the neat appearance of the Berliet Cruisair range. This has been in production for a year now and features a 170 bhp V8 engine together with a new six-speed synchromesh gearbox. A V6 engine with four-speed gearbox and a two-speed axle are options on some models. The Currus bodywork was well finished, though many British operators might not be too happy with the seating layout and cheap plastic trim on some models.
Two vehicles at Nice showed that the Europeans are still attracted by the American idea of a drop-down front end roof line. Though this has been superseded on the latest Van Hool 300 and 400 models it reappeared at Nice on both the Belgian Bus and Car Company's Eagle M12 model and on the French Heuliez company's Navajo design.
Bus and Car builds coaches for the American Continental Trailways concern and is now attempting to break into Europe with a modified version of its standard model The M12, shown at this year's Brussels show, has two axles and a General Motors V6 engine but its inherent American design is still clearly evident.
The Heuliez Navajo model at Nice was mounted on a Magirus-Deutz frame with a rear-mounted air-cooled V8 engine of 11.3 litres. The 11.5m coach has 53 seats. Much comment was made by French visitors to Nice both because the event was the first at which the Heuliez concern had been linked with Magirus running units and also because the vehicles on show were in the colours of Citer, a transport concern owned by Citroen. For a German chassis to be chosen seemed particularly unlikely.
Probably the single most important new model at Nice was the the Fiat Rally 73. Though dubbed a "styling exercise" it would be a surprise if a vehicle bearing a marked similarity to this did not eventually reach production. The Nice vehicle is being supplied to Sicily's leading operator for evaluation. It is built on the mechanical units of Fiat's well-established 343 coach design. This features a 190 bhp rearmounted engine and self-levelling hydraulic suspension.
Outward appearance of the coach is a remarkable combination of angular lines and curves. Though this may sound unlikely on paper the pictures show that it is by no means unsuccessful. Only the narrow windows at cantrail level seem a little dubious.
If the Rally is unconventional outside then it is even more so inside. First point is that the 21 individual seats are in three separate rows. A central console carries the unusual air vents and lights for centre-seat passengers. The vehicle has all the trimmings of an executive coach including television, bar, toilet, refrigerator and airconditioning. Air from this system —powered by a diesel generator — is fed to outlet points at the bottom of each window. This is designed to prevent misting.
Several clear trends emerged from the Nice rally, which British operators and coachbuilders would do well to examine. Though it would be rash to expect the overnight acceptance of coaches costing £20,000 to £25,000 British operators will have to be prepared to pay more if passenger comfort standards are going to rise. In Europe more expensive coaches are feasible because coach passengers pay higher prices and £80 a day charter fees are commonplace. So perhaps the avenue to better-equipped coaches begins at the passenger's door.
But there is no reason why some of the smaller items which European coaches invariably feature should not find a placc here. For instance, several coaches had sim pie pull-down flaps on the back of seats to serve as tables. These often had a cut-out to hold a glass steady. We were very impressed by the seating on many coaches particularly those from Germany. Not only were reclinable seats almost universal but they were easy to operate and exceptionally well finished in most instances. However, many coach seats from France were less satisfactory and were often finished in cheap plastic material.
Though on most coaches seat spacing was more generous than we are normally accustomed to, there was, a tendency for designers to ignore the problem of intruding wheel arches. Either rear-facing seats were used or, more often, no account was taken of the arches, resulting in up to four pairs of seats having inadequate leg room.
One area where British operators definitely have a lot to learn from their Continental counterparts is in coach colour schemes. Real thought had clearly gone into the total vehicle colour scheme in many cases, in direct contrast to the general situation evidenced at the recent Brighton coach rally. Operators at Nice had clearly realized the need to blend outside colours with those inside. As an example, the Citer vehicle already mentioned had a tasteful orange and white livery outside. The interior picked up the orange in the carpets and in a roof strip. Seat trims, too, matched the overall pattern.
To the casual visitor to the Nice event it would be all too easy to say that continental design is leading. But a closer look soon reveals that all that glitters is not necessarily gold: British designs are equal in many aspects. However, there are certain European features which could well be adopted in the UK. At the same time there is almost certain to be a drift towards the chassisless vehicle. This will mean some major design rethinking, some of which may produce European-type vehicles. All of which makes the lack of direct British interest in the event more disappointing. As the only British operator in Nice that we met, Mr E. Hunter, chief engineer of Wallace Arnold, said, it would do our coachbuilders good to be there.