Girish Mahajan (Editor)

MAN Lion's City

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Manufacturer
  
MAN Truck & Bus

Class
  
Integral bus

Production
  
1996–present

Doors
  
1, 2, 3, 4 or 5

MAN Lion's City

Assembly
  
Germany: Augsburg/Nobitz (Göppel Bus), Plauen/Pilsting (Neoplan/Viseon Bus), Salzgitter Poland: Starachowice/Sady (MAN Bus) Turkey: Ankara (MANAŞ)

Body style
  
Midibus Single-decker bus Articulated bus Double-decker bus

The MAN Lion's City is a range of low-floor and low-entry public buses built by German truck and bus manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus (previously MAN Nutzfahrzeuge) since 1996 primarily for the European market, but is also available in chassis-only variants worldwide. The name Lion's City has been used since 2004, when MAN's public bus models which had been marketed separately were gathered into one range, when also most models received a facelift. The first models to be introduced were the 12-metre low-floor intercity bus NÜ xx3 (A20) in 1996, the 12-metre city bus NL xx3 (A21) in 1997 and the articulated NG xx3 (A23) in 1998. As with former MAN bus models the power-rating made up part of the model name, giving the NÜ-series buses with power-ratings of 260 and 310 hp model names NÜ 263 and NÜ 313 respectively. The main production sites are in Starachowice and Sady in Poland, but the models have also been built in Germany and Turkey. Initially most of the midibus variants were manufactured by Göppel Bus in Augsburg, later Nobitz.

Contents

Models are available with a 6-cylinder turbocharged straight engine which runs on diesel, compressed natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. Versions with hydrogen fuel cell drive and with hydrogen internal combustion engines have been successfully tested, as well as diesel-electric hybrid drive. A production hybrid-electric version, the Lion's City Hybrid, which uses supercapacitors and two 67 kW electric motors is available since 2010. Hybrid electric buses offer increased efficiency in urban traffic and use 30% less fuel than combustion-only buses.

The latest generation of Neoplan Centroliner is based on the Lion's City (Neoplan was also part of the Neoman Bus group).

Integral variants

Codes inside parentheses are internal codes that identify some technical characteristics of the variants, like length/wheelbase, number of axles, floor height, width, engine arrangement and so on. Some codes are unique to one variant, while others are shared between variants. Some variants have changed from one code to another over time. These codes are sometimes mistakenly used as a model designation. One can find the codes in VINs (ie. WMAA21...) and in vehicle production serial numbers (ie. A210012).

Current

City (low-floor)
  • Lion's City, known as NL xx3 1997–2004 - 12 m single-decker
  • horizontal engine - two doors (A21)
  • vertical engine - three doors (A37), since 2002
  • Lion's City Hybrid (A37) - 12 m hybrid single-decker
  • Lion's City C (A26, A36 since 2013) - 13.7 m single-decker
  • Lion's City L (A26), known as NL xx3 - 15 m 1998–2004, Lion's City LL 2004–2009 - 14.7 m single-decker
  • Lion's City G (A23), known as NG xx3 1998–2004 - 18 m articulated
  • Lion's City GL (A23, A40 since 2011) - 18.75 m articulated
  • Lion's City M - 10.5 m midibus
  • 2.38 m wide (A35)
  • 2.5 m wide (A47)
  • City (low-entry)
  • Lion's City LE (A78), known as EL xx3 2003–2004, Lion's City T 2004–2008 - 12m single-decker
  • version based on standard low-floor, horizontal engine platform (A21), including CNG version, available since 2011(?)
  • version for South African market - bodied on 18.280 HOCL-NL/R (A84) chassis by MAN South Africa in Olifantsfontein since 2011
  • Lion's City C LE (A26, A45 since 2013?) - 13.7 m single-decker
  • Lion's City L LE (A26, A44 since 2012?) - 14.7 m single-decker
  • Lion's City G LE (A42) - 18 m articulated
  • Lion's City GL LE (A49) - 18.75 m articulated
  • Intercity (low-floor)
  • Lion's City Ü (A20), known as NÜ xx3 1996–2004 - 12m single-decker
  • Intercity (low-entry)
  • Lion's City LE Ü (A78), known as EL xx3 2003–2004, Lion's City TÜ 2004–2008 - 12m single-decker
  • Discontinued

    City (low-floor)
  • Lion's City DD (A39) - 13.73 m double-decker
  • Lion's City GXL (A43) - 20.45 m articulated
  • Lion's City M, known as NM xx3 and EM xx3 until 2005 - 8.13 m to 11.21 m midibus, bodied on 10/11.xxx HOCL (469), 12.xxx HOCL-NL (A76), 14.xxx HOCL-NL (A66) and NL xx3 F (A22) chassis by Göppel Bus
  • Intercity (low-floor)
  • Lion's City ÜLL (A25), known as NÜ xx3 - 15 m 1998–2004 - 14.7 m single decker
  • Type designation system

    The type designations were used to define all models prior to 2004. With the introduction of the model names in 2004, the system is still in use on all vehicles, but is more for internal use. In most cases it can be found on the plate inside the bus where one find the VIN.

    Floor height
  • N: Low-floor bus (German: Niederflur)
  • E: Low-entry bus (Some low-entry versions have letter N instead when they are built technically similar to the low-floor version.)
  • Adaption
  • D: Double-decker bus (German: Doppeldeckerbus)
  • G: Articulated bus (German: Gelenkbus)
  • L: Rigid bus (no special adaption) (German: Linienbus)
  • M: Midibus
  • Ü: Intercity bus (German: Überlandbus)
  • Power code
  • xx: First two digits of power output in hp (nearest ten)
  • Special remarks
  • F: Denotes that it is built as a chassis for external bodywork (German: Fahrgestell)
  • References

    MAN Lion's City Wikipedia