The leading bus maker MG Bus & Coach has won its way into the premium multi-axle sleeper coach segment in India, with the launch of ‘Dreamz’ last year and the all-new ‘Starz’ this year. We investigate the guiding principle behind this new sleeper coach built on the Volvo B11R chassis and how it is measuring up to the likes of fleets and passengers.
The sleeper buses we see in the Indian market these days are truly a local innovation. Of course, they are found elsewhere across the globe and have come a long way since the old days. They are called as ‘entertainer coaches’ or ‘nightliners’ in North America and Europe and are predominantly seen as exclusive rides, more on the lines of an RV, exceptionally equipped with passenger comfort and entertainment features for a limited number of passengers.
However, in India, things are different. Sleeper buses here are everyday workhorses (overnight workhorses, perhaps!) catering to long-distance inter-city travel for the masses. The segment has a wide range and variety to boast for since decades, with products to strike every fare or class of passengers, while also making a right balance in terms of comfort and frugality at all classes for passengers. Lately, the sleeper buses are fast catching up with the market evolution, becoming more premium and safer these days.
In particular, a new sub-segment of multi-axle sleeper coaches is gaining enormous traction across the country, since passengers are ready to throw an extra buck if some value in terms of in-cabin comfort beyond air-conditioning and entertainment is assured. Moreover, the much-needed standardisation of design and constituent of sleeper coaches through governmental regulation is in place with the enforcement of the AIS 119 code. Hence, the segment is off to a whole new start!
A new entrant to the burgeoning segment is MG’s Starz, unveiled early this year. At the outset, it is clear that the all-new luxury coach is guided by the principle of a fresh approach to premium sleeper coach travel, something very similar to that of MG’s Dreamz. Although MG already has several other sleeper coaches in its ‘premium’ portfolio, the degree of freedom that multi-axle rear-engined chassis offers in begetting the idea of the coach maker to enhance the customer experience is quite apparent.
Sophistication in place
To start with, MG has kept the design of the Starz coach crisp and colourful yet elegant. The exterior styling is very dynamic, a bait that operators prefer these days to woo passengers, with crisp lines and smooth and glossy sides. The frontal treatment with ‘eyebrow’ styled headlamp cluster with LED embellishment and swanky windshield integration grabs our attention. Over the rear, the styling is more brute and sporty, thanks to drawn out roof-tail section with live character lines and domineering badges of Volvo and MG.
Moving inside through the pneumatically-opened passenger door, the driver partition is clean and uncluttered. The dashboard is ergonomically crafted, with the driver control panels oriented towards the driver seat on either side of the telescopically adjustable steering wheel. The driver seat is pneumatically operated for adjustments, secured by a three-point retractable seat belt. The driver is assured with a commanding front view, complemented by reverse gear camera and other in-cabin CCTV camera views displayed in the dashboard screen.
Open the saloon door, the elegant ambient lighting over the roof and floorboard welcomes you. The designers at MG have put considerable importance into both visual and tactile quality. The tasteful combination of colours for vinyl flooring, rexine berth cushions, berth curtains and other interior vacuum-formed trim parts add up to the soothing interior ambience, while spacious aisle and gangways give a roomy impression. The plastic trims and other bits, including the PU moulded ladder and side supports, are made to last long and offer better and more premium experience to the passengers.
There are a total of 40 berths in 2×1 (with upper and lower deck) configuration. All of them get individual overhead utility boards with two air-con vents, LED reading lamps, a USB charging socket and an audio output jack for headphones. Individual LCD entertainment screens for all berths with optional VOD features can be added to the list based on buyer preferences. The window panes offer a panoramic exterior view both in upper and lower berths. Glass-breaking hammers are standard in all berths in the saloon to break open in case of an emergency. An emergency door is also available on the right-hand side between the front and rear wheels.
Starz-struck ride
Other standard features in MG Starz include projector-type headlamps, electronically-controlled RVMs, first-aid box, fire-extinguisher, and a call bell. The Volvo B11R chassis powered by the ‘D11A’ 410 hp turbo-diesel engine mated to Volvo ‘I-Shift’ 12-speed gearbox needs no introduction. In fact, the Volvo B11R is the chassis that raises the bar in terms of technology, premium performance and reliability in the luxury bus segment in India.
We have to say that an hour-long ride in the new luxury sleeper was relaxed and comforting. There was hardly any engine or road noise creeping into the saloon. Even the air-con blower hissing was surprisingly low. The chassis comes equipped with electronically-controlled all air suspension system (ECS) complemented by eight air bellows – two in the front axle, four in the rear and two in the tag axle. The presence of anti-roll bars in all the axles enhances the stability of the vehicle, while disc brakes in all wheels assisted by ABS, EBD and ESP provide adequate braking safety.
The sleeper coach is really fascinating, as it brings the best of every key parameter that both the operators and the passengers look for in a premium sleeper coach. The scope of technological sophistication and premium performance that the Volvo B11R chassis offers is humongous, which is rightly leveraged by MG designers to offer a class-defining coach product. It’s indeed the star of the show!