Plaxton Elite
The Plaxton Elite is a premium coach body available in the United Kingdom. Plaxton had previously used the Elite name for a line of coaches built in the 1960s and 1970s. The current Elite, which is a new design, was launched in November 2008 at the Euro Bus Expo held at the National Exhibition Centre, in Birmingham, England.[1] The coach was designed in cooperation with Furnace and Capoco.[2]
The Plaxton Elite has a very distinctive appearance with a sloped front end and roofline that gently slopes up toward the front. Round headlights were set against a black background with dynamic lines. In 2016, the Elite was restyled. The front fascia now matches other coaches from Plaxton with new headlights and lines. The underside of the vehicle was redesigned to streamline air flow, and new deflectors on the rear reduce the coach's wake.[3]
The Elite uses a jig built, welded stainless steel structure. It is available in lengths of 12.6, 14, and 15 metres. The body was first available in a 14 metre length on the Volvo Buses B12B chassis. In 2009, the 12.6 metre version, built on the Volvo Buses B9R chassis, was launched. The new Volvo Buses B13R soon replaced the B12B. The new Euro 6 Volvo Buses B11R replaced both the B9R and B12B by 2014. The Elite is also available on the Scania K-Series chassis.
Elite i
In 2012, Plaxton introduced a new "interdeck" version of the Elite. Called the Elite i, the passenger cabin extends above the driver's cab and spans the full length of the vehicle. The coach is built on the Volvo Buses B11R chassis and has a length of 15 metres and a height of 3.96 metres. Stagecoach Group was the first to take delivery of the Elite i, taking 11 coaches for their Megabus service.[4]
Operators
United Kingdom 
References
- ↑ Furnace Design project page.
- ↑ NEW PLAXTON GETS A TRADITIONAL NAME: ELITE. 07 November 2008. Busworld International.
- ↑ ADL Plaxton Elite. 02 November 2016. Coach & Bus Week.
- ↑ Plaxton unveils new Interdeck Elite coach. 28 February 2012. Coach & Bus Week.