Comfort zone

New Delhi, Jan. 15: Swedish commercial vehicle major Volvo today launched a luxury bus, which comes with a price tag of Rs 52 lakh. Volvo, which showcased the upgraded version of its B7R, at the ongoing Auto Expo 2004, invited the press inside the bus to hold a demo-cum press conference.

Volvo B7R was launched in October 2001 and last year we sold 200 buses. The earlier version was about 15 per cent cheaper. The new upgraded version comes with enhanced features like a chemical toilet, a chiller refrigerator, a coffee machine and two television panels.

Meant for 45 passengers, the seating offers ample leg room and the interiors can make you feel, for a few fleeting seconds that it is an Airbus about to take off. The other features of the upgraded Volvo B7R includes a 260 horse-power engine, short turning radius, and a body design that has come from the parent company. The bus is assembled in Volvo’s production unit in India.

Volvo India managing director Ulf Nordqvist, “35 per cent of the components are made in India.” “The unique feature of the bus is the options it provides for customisation. The seats, interiors and exteriors can all be customised according to client specification,” said Nordqvist.

Speaking about the operation of its existing fleet, Akash Passey, general manager of the bus division, said, “This bus is meant to delight not only passengers but also operators.”