Optare Versa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Optare Versa is a midibus built by Optare in its Leeds factory. It was officially launched in Britain at the Euro Bus Expo 2006 at the NEC, Birmingham, on 7 November 2006, with the first order of 25 buses being placed by Stagecoach on the same day [1]
Contents |
[edit] Description
Optare has designed the midibus to bridge a gap in its bus product range. That range includes the full size single deck Tempo and the smaller Solo minibus. Some operators of the longest of Optare's minibus-derived Solo models commented that the 7.0m wheelbase was too long, reducing manoeuvrability, which was resulted from the Solo's front axle ahead of the passenger entrance.
The Versa, with its entrance ahead of the front axle, considerably reduces the wheelbase, to either 5.13m or 5.82m (depending upon the overall length of Versa, respectively at 10.3m or 11m) Versa is designed to seat between 36 and 40 passengers.
Versa is typical of an Optare design, with its swooping roof line, large glazed area and swept-back front takes many of its styling cues from the Solo but is of an otherwise more modern appearance.
The Optare Versa finally became available from late 2007, with the first buses being delivered in October 2007 to Arriva Shires & Essex, Arriva Midlands and Stagecoach Western. Transdev Blazefield also have 25 Versas in service in East Lancashire with 6 of them with Lancashire United & 19 with Burnley & Pendle.
[edit] Gallery
 Front view of a Burnley & Pendle Versa. |
 Rear view of the same Versa. |
[edit] See also
|
|||||||||||||||||
