Attendees at the 2022 UMA Motorcoach EXPO had a chance to get a closer look at the Mercedes-Benz Tourrider, a motorcoach designed for the North American market.
Daimler Coaches North America is presenting two versions of the highly anticipated vehicle at the UMA EXPO at the annual gathering hosted in Long Beach, California, from Feb. 23-26: The upmarket Tourrider Business and the Tourrider Premium.
The vehicles with the coveted Mercedes Benz emblems drew crowds at the sneak preview of the UMA Exhibit Hall on Feb. 24 at the Long Beach Convention Center.
First order
Orders for the Tourrider, introduced in the fall, already are starting to roll in. A Yankee Line is the first customer to commit to a major multi-year order, according to Daimler Coaches.
The opportunity to customize the luxury vehicle sealed the deal for the Boston-based operator.
“The ability and opportunity to customize this completely new Mercedes-Benz product to our exacting standards as a premium motorcoach operator allows us to continue our legacy of impressing every single passenger that boards one of our coaches,” the operator said in a statement released by Daimler Coaches.
The 45-foot, three-axle vehicles feature an optimized aerodynamic shape and low fuel consumption. The air-conditioning system from Eberspächer/Sütrak has an output of 35 kW and separate 9 kW air conditioning for the driver’s cockpit.
The Tourrider Business is outfitted with a functional Basic Plus cockpit, while the Tourrider Premium features the Comfort Plus cockpit. Both cockpits are ergonomically designed and offer a wide range of practical and innovative functions.
The Tourrider Premium is available with a panoramic TopSky glass roof and ambient lighting for night trips. LED strips run along the luggage racks and underneath the window sills.
The interior is 2.36 inches (6 centimeters) higher in the Premium version than in the Tourrider Business. Two wheelchair spaces are optionally available on both versions. The lift is installed above the drive axle for easier operation.
Pedestrian detection
Daimler Coaches is highlighting the Mercedes-Benz Tourrider as the first motorcoach to be equipped with the standard Active Brake Assist 5 system with pedestrian detection. The world’s first such system for buses and coaches, it will brake automatically to a full stop if stationary or moving obstacles, including people, are detected. A radar-assisted adaptive cruise control system also maintains a safe distance at cruise speed.
The new safety features of the Tourrider also include the optional Sideguard Assist with pedestrian detection. This system warns the driver if, for example, pedestrians or cyclists appear in the surveillance zone on the curbside of the coach.
The optional Attention Assist provides a visual and audible warning if it detects signs of fatigue or inattentiveness. The Tourrider features a departure warning system, a camera system behind the windshield that alerts the driver if the vehicle unintentionally strays from the marked lane.
Another feature is Front Collision Guard, which offers unique protection for drivers and tour escorts. The system consists of a cross-profile that serves as an underride guard in the event of an accident.
The structure behind it consists of crash elements that will absorb energy in a targeted way in the event of an impact. The Tourrider is also equipped with integrated energy-absorbing bumpers in the front and the rear of the vehicle.
From the Daimler Truck global engine family, the Mercedes-Benz OM 471 in-line six-cylinder engine provides dynamic drive power. The engine delivers 336 kW (450 horsepower) from a displacement of 12.8 liters and achieves a maximum torque of 1,550 ft lb (2,102 Nm).
The engine includes common-rail direct injection with flexible X-Pulse high-pressure injection, charge air cooling, exhaust gas recirculation and SCR technology. The Allison WTB 500R torque converter automatic transmission, which has proven itself in North America over many years, is responsible for power transmission.
Daimler Coaches North America has an efficient and comprehensive service network across all of the U.S. and Canada. In alignment with Daimler Truck North America’s service and parts distribution networks, operators can rely on more than 700 Detroit Diesel service locations and 18 full coach service centers.
