The Setra TopClass 500 is moving toward the starting line. Series production of this new-generation travel coach has begun at the EvoBus plant in Neu-Ulm with the assembly of the first customer vehicle, an S 517 HDH. This elegant three-axle coach, which offers a unique combination of luxury with maximum functionality, will soon become a mainstay on Europe's roads.

According to Dr Holger Steindorf, Head of Production at Daimler Buses, the new travel coaches are clearly benefiting the state-of-the-art bus manufacturing plant in Neu-Ulm and attractively augmenting the existing product range. "At this plant we produce an extremely varied lineup of vehicles, ranging from functional regular-service city buses to top-of-the-line premium-class travel coaches," says Steindorf. The Setra TopClass 500 replaces its predecessor generation, the TopClass 400, of which more than 7,400 units have been produced in Neu-Ulm since the vehicle was introduced to the market in 2001. The S 431 DT double-decker coach with Euro VI technology will continue to be an integral part of the current product range.

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