Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Dart
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The Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Dart is a midibus manufactured by Alexander Dennis for the British market as the successor of the Dart SLF chassis and Pointer body.
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[edit] Design
The Enviro 200 Dart was announced by Alexander Dennis on 20 March 2006, with the vehicle being launched at a media event at the Alexander Dennis factory in Guildford in August of that year. The bus is available in five lengths, ranging from 8.9m to 11.4m.
Unlike the innovative but unsuccessful Enviro 200, the chassis of Enviro 200 Dart (also known as the Dart 4[1]) retains the conventional rear-engined layout of the Dart, and is offered with a choice of four or six-cylinder Cummins ISBe Euro IV engines with a range of transmission options, and features new front and rear axles.
It offers the same seating capacity of the Pointer, but with more 'fixed' seats rather than 'tip up' for each length. The vehicle features integrated chassis and body multiplexing, and cantilevered seats.
Externally, the bus features the same front panel as the double-deck Enviro 400, projecting a 'family look' onto the two models. The Enviro 200 Dart chassis is also available with East Lancs Esteem and MCV Evolution bodywork. 60 confirmed vehicles were ordered at the vehicle's launch, with options for up to 50 more being declared. The first Enviro 200 Dart entered service in August 2006 with Leigh-based Jim Stones Coaches, and is a single 10.7m version of the model. The first in the London area were six 10.2m Enviro 200 Darts for route 152 in December 2006. Another early customer for the Enviro200 Dart was East Yorkshire Motor Services, taking 4 10.7m examples in December 2006 and 8 10.7m examples in 2007.
In January 2007 Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation of Hong Kong ordered 11 Enviro 200 Dart for delivery in 2008. [2]
As of February 2007 the Enviro 200 Dart body will also be available on MAN 14.240 chassis, this is to give the option of EGR emissions reduction as some operators prefer this technology to the Cummins' SCR. Stagecoach has ordered 50 Enviro 200-bodied MAN 14.240. These have rounded instead of squared gasket glazing.
In August 2007 due to very large orders for the Enviro 400, Alexander Dennis announced that the production of Enviro 200 bodywork would be moved from the Alexander Dennis's plant at Falkirk to the recently acquired Plaxton factory at Scarborough. This means that the Scarborough factory will once again be bodying the Dart chassis, but interestingly will body the MAN 14.240 both with the Plaxton Centro and Enviro 200 bodies simultaneously.
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[edit] See also
Competitors (chassis/complete bus):
- MAN 12.240/14.240
- Optare Solo
- Optare Versa
- VDL SB180
Competitors (bodywork):
Other Alexander Dennis bus products:
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