Mercedes-Benz Vario

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The Mercedes-Benz Vario is a heavy van manufactured by Mercedes-Benz, originally launched as the T2 (Transporter 2) in 1986, the Vario gained its current name when facelifted in 1996. The T2 van, itself succeeded the Mercedes-Benz L van series.

The bodyshell remains relatively unchanged in this time. The Vario has proved a popular base chassis for minibuses and minicoaches, although the demand for minibuses has declined with new regulations requiring disabled access, although a bus with a wheelchair lift is now available. Plaxton was originally not going to do this and were planning to replace the bus with their Primo, but they gave in to increaseing pressure from rural operators like Weston Greyhound, who claimed bigger low floor buses (which are the main method of making a bus wheelchair accessible, with a low floor at the front) couldn't fit down the narrow roads, because they have to be wider. The bus is usually fitted with a Plaxton Beaver (or Beaver 2), the coach the Plaxton Cheetah. The Vario is fitted with a type OM904 engine (shared with the Atego).

The model designation is W670.