Manufacturer DAF Bus/VDL Bus Width 2.5 metres | Engine Cummins B-series/ISBe | |
 | ||
Doors 1 door (UK)
1 or 2 doors (mainland Europe) Floor type Low floor (UK)
Low entry (mainland Europe) Length 9.5 metres to 10.8 metres | ||
The VDL SB120 (previously known as the DAF SB120) is a low floor light-weight midibus produced from 1999 by VDL Bus International (formerly DAF Bus International) of the Netherlands primarily for the UK market.
The SB120 is similar to its major competitor Dennis Dart SLF. Powered by a Cummins B Series 6-cylinder Euro II engine (later Cummins ISBe 4-cylinder Euro III engine), the SB120 is available in lengths from 8.5m to 10.8m, similar to the Dart SLF. It was initially only available with the Wright Cadet body, built by Wrightbus in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, but since the end of 2005, the Plaxton Centro body is also offered.
Unlike the larger VDL SB200, the SB120 has found a sizeable market, especially with Arriva (VDL importer in the UK) in both the UK and the Netherlands. Other sizeable customers include Go North East, Birmingham Coach Company and East Thames Buses. The SB120 sells very well in VDL's home market, the Netherlands mainly using VDL Berkhof type Ambassador bodywork.
The SB120 was also sold in the United Kingdom by Volvo on the Wright Cadet body. This version, however, was sold as the Merit and does not carry either Wrightbus, VDL or Volvo branding. This version has been sold to several operators including Yellow Buses, Bournemouth. However, with the change to Euro IV emissions from October 2006, Volvo and VDL ended this arrangement.
The SB120 was also sold for use in the Netherlands. In 2002, eight SB120 with Wright Cadet dual door bodywork were delivered to Arriva in the Netherlands for citybus service in Leeuwarden.
The SB120 chassis was also adopted by Wrightbus for the development of its hybrid-powered midibus, Wright Electrocity.
The successor to the SB120 is the VDL SB180.