New Marcopolo Paradisio 1350 bus has been launched into the Nigerian automotive market, courtesy of to the Nigerian market, courtesy of Weststar Associates Limited, authorized general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria and Auto Alternative Nigeria Limited, the nation’s authorized representative of Marcopolo.
At a colourful ceremony held in Lagos on Wednesday, the new Marcopolo Paradiso 1350 revealed external and internal changes that raise the level of sophistication, comfort, safety and efficiency in comparison to its predecessors.
Exterior
Flaunting a renewed exterior, the Paradiso 1350 now comes with newly designed mirrors that offer better driver visibility, newly designed bumpers and side windows and a new visual identity in the front; while the rear comes with a larger back cover that improves access to mechanical components and rear windows with a new design.
Another major feature of the exterior is the headlights with new internal design and integrated DRL (Daytime Running Lights), also included in the headlights are LED fog lights and an elongated side wall design giving a modern feel and flow to the light assembly.
Interior
The interior of the new Marcopolo Paradiso 1350 is totally transformed from the driver’s cabin with new lighting to the dashboard with soft touch finish and more thermo-acoustic comfort.
There is also an electric window next to the driver that comes as an optional extra, while the larger access steps come with injected profiles and indirect lighting for ease of entrance, other features include new floor coverings and a new roof design with superior lighting and LED details.
The safety and well-being of passengers and the driver is highly prioritized as the space between the driver’s cab and the passengers’ section is partitioned with bulletproof glass and the drivers cab is also partitioned with a protective glass door.
Power&Safety
The O 500 RSD 2436 6×2 chassis is equipped with an OM 457 LA engine that comes with 6 in-line cylinders. The power output is265 kW (355 hp) at 1,750 rpm and is operated via a 6 speed manual gear transmission.
The Mercedes-Benz O 500 chassis is also very economical for bus operators as the electronic motors included in its engine ensure that the bus consumes lower fuel and has a longer life.
With regards to safety the O 500 RSD chassis is equipped with safety features like the Top Brake auxiliary engine brake coupled with the conventional engine brake system. This brake system provides many advantages, such as increased braking power, higher speed on slopes, greater safety, less gear shifting, lower maintenance costs, longer life of brake and tire components and fuel economy.
Also there is an anti-lock brake system (ABS) which offers greater safety, because the vehicle remains stable in adverse driving conditions and critical situations. In cases of sudden braking, even on smooth surfaces or rough roads, the ABS system prevents the vehicle from skidding.
In his address to motoring journalists and other stakeholders, at the launch, Mr. Mirko Plath, Managing Director, Weststar Associates Limited, described the introduction of the Marcopolo Paradiso 1350 bus model as a move in the right direction for bus operators in Nigeria.
Mr. Plath, who expressed optimism that the bus operators are ready to take their businesses to the next level, expressed appreciation for their sustained trust in the Mercedes-Benz brand, adding that his company’s collaboration with Marcopolo in Nigeria has certainly borne fruit over the years.
In his presentation at the launch, Weststar’s Key Accounts Manager, Mr Ifeanyi Igbokwe, said that Nigerian bus operators “already had a long-standing relationship with Mercedes-Benz dating far back to the 1950’s.”
According to him, the brand has been a benchmark for their success over the years hence, their trust in the brand and Weststar Associates Limited.
Speaking about the Mercedes-Benz O 500 RSD 2436/30 chassis upon which the G7 bus body is mounted, Mr. Igbokwe, said the O 500 RSD bus chassis had been carefully developed for medium and long-distance applications.
“The chassis has all of Mercedes-Benz ‘s technological advantages,” he explained. “It is a robust and highly durable chassis that is adequate for the most severe working conditions. It also provides high comfort to the passengers due to the integral pneumatic suspension and a Mercedes-Benz gearbox (with 6 synchronized gears).
“This chassis is built to offer top quality and low operational costs, it is also designed to withstand 24 tons, it offers better ergonomics to the driver’s top auxiliary brake which provides an additional braking power of 30% and a high ground clearance level for bad road conditions.
According to him, transportation business is highly challenging in Nigeria and as such, a rational motive rather than an emotional one should be considered when purchasing a bus.
He, therefore, advised bus operators to rather focus on, Ruggedness and an absolute work horse Versatility in terms of load capacity, Easy maintenance, Continuous service with little downtime as possible, Wider service network, Lowest cost of operations for better returns in business, Parts availability as well as one-stop solutions.
Igbokwe recalled: “Mercedes-Benz as a brand are innovation leaders’ way back from1895. Narrowing this down to our bus division, in 2016, we launched the driverless city bus which was practicalized in real life traffic situation.
“In 2017, we launched the “active brake assist 4”. This is the first active emergency braking assistance for coaches which features pedestrian recognition. The ABA 4 warns the driver and triggers braking. Also, in 2017 we sold the highest number of buses worldwide. 28,676 buses”
The Marcopolo Paradiso1350 bus with the Mercedes-Benz O 500 RSD chassis is now available for purchase courtesy Weststar Associates Limited.
