MAN Truck & Bus delivers 11 Lion’s City 18 articulated buses with low-floor step unit to Morocco.
MAN Truck & Bus has received a very special order from Morocco: It comprises the delivery of 89 city bus chassis and 11 articulated buses of type MAN Lion’s City 18 – a premiere for the North African country! What’s more, the order proves beyond doubt that the new generation of city buses is also perfectly suitable for markets outside Europe.
Morocco, the land of One Thousand and One Nights, wows visitors with its impressive mosques, green oases and exotic aromas – in future, the country will be able to add modern city buses from MAN Truck & Bus to that list. As of next year, a total of 100 vehicles will be taking locals and visitors to Kenitra and the surrounding region from A to B in a safe, reliable and luxurious manner. “Our team on the ground has spent the past few weeks working closely alongside the experts from our partner company Sefamar to secure this order. We are delighted with this success story and the faith that the operator Foughal Bus has placed in us,” says Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. The order includes 89 low-floor RC3 bus chassis and 11 Lion’s City articulated buses with a low-floor step unit and a length of 18 metres. The chassis and complete buses will be delivered over the course of 2021.
The 18-metre-long city buses in the new MAN Lion’s City generation are fitted with an automatic gearbox and a state-of-the-art 330 hp (243 kW) D15 engine. They also feature a series of innovative safety assistants. Abundant space, comfortable seats and efficient air-conditioning systems make for a luxurious experience, no matter the time of year. The buses are manufactured at the Starachowice production site in Poland, the MAN competence centre for the production of low-floor city buses and bus chassis.
“This order means a lot to us for two reasons: Firstly, it is a wonderful opportunity to prove that our new MAN city bus generation, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, is perfectly suitable for all markets – even outside Europe,” reveals Kuchta, before going on to add: “Secondly, these 11 Lion’s City buses will be the first complete articulated and low-floor vehicles from the MAN brand to be deployed in Morocco.”
The 89 low-floor RC3 bus chassis are 12 metres long and are also earmarked for Kenitra. They are powered by 290 hp (213 kW) D08 engines. They are also fitted with state-of-the-art automatic gearboxes that promise a smooth ride. Local manufacturer Irizar Maroc will be responsible for the superstructure.
In addition to the progressive technology and quality that set MAN buses apart, Sefamar’s outstanding performance in terms of service and After Sales was also a decisive factor in the awarding of the contract. A five-year maintenance contract has been agreed for the entire fleet. “The aim is to support Foughal Bus in its ongoing operations in the best possible manner,” says Kuchta.
Kenitra is located some 50 km north of Rabat and, with a population of over 400,000, is one of the most important cities in Morocco. It is best known as the agricultural capital of Morocco.
SOURCE: MAN Truck and Bus
