Challenger Bus & Coach had to change its idea of what to bring to October's Bus & Coach Expo, but it's now found the ideal models
Originally Challenger Bus & Coach had the perfect idea of what to display at the upcoming Expo. Then, the product was sold.
It’s a wonderful challenge to face for the local Australian manufacturer, as it has instead turned to two of its newer models to showcase in Sydney.
“We did have one bus pencilled in, but then we sold it,” Challenger Bus & Coach sales manager Dan Campbell told ABC. “It was pretty great.”
Now, Challenger Bus & Coach is bringing both its V10 and V12 models to the Expo. The V10 is a 10.5 metre coach that is suited to both school bus and touring coach services and can be altered from its original 45 seats to suit different requirements.
“We recently sold a V10 but turned it into a luxury coach that had a kitchen, toilet and reclining seats,” Campbell says. “It came out as a 32-seat vehicle, so we’re flexible with our models.”
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The V12, which will be shown alongside the V10 model, comes standard with 57 seats, but can also be altered much like its V10 counterpart. Campbell says Challenger Bus & Coach excel in putting wheelchair lifts or any other necessary additions onto its models to suit customer needs.
Both models are diesel, with a Cummins Euro 5 engine onboard. Yet Campbell says Challenger is looking at the Expo as an opportunity to determine which zero-emissions route it wants to pursue.
“I’m predicting there’ll be a bit about zero-emission buses at the Expo,” Campbell says. “We’re waiting to see which way we go, whether it be electric or hydrogen.
“We’re hoping to find out more at the Expo while showing our brand to more people, because once people look at our product, we get a great reception. We believe our products sell themselves.”