Volvo B12

Volvo B12

Drögmöller-bodied Volvo B12-600 in Hungary.
Overview
Manufacturer Volvo
Production 1991-2001 (-2011)
Assembly Sweden
Brazil
Body and chassis
Class Coach chassis
Floor type Step entrance
Powertrain
Engine 12.0/12.1-litre rear-mounted I-6
Volvo TD122, TD123, D12A[1]
Brazil: TD122, D10A, D12D[2]
Chronology
Successor Volvo B12B
Volvo B11R (Brazil)

The Volvo B12 was a rear-engined heavy-duty coach chassis manufactured by Volvo in Sweden between 1991 and 2001, and in Brazil between 1997 and 2011.

History

The B12 was Volvo's first large coach chassis with a vertically mounted engine, which limited the available body models that would fit. It was first fitted with the 12.0-litre TD122/TD123, which in 1995 was replaced by the 12.1-litre D12A. Because of the engine height it was probably less popular than its predecessor, the B10B, but it was Volvo's only rear-engined coach chassis that was offered as a tri-axle. The only other option for a tri-axle coach was the mid-engined B10M, and not all customers wanted to have the engine "where the luggage was supposed to be". It succeeded in 2001, by B12B which had the same engine but in a horizontally mounted version.

Like with the B6 (B6R) and the B6LE (B6RLE), the B12 was marketed as the Volvo B12R in Australia. They were of the standard version built in Sweden, and not related to the far more known B12R built in Brazil between 2003 and 2011.

After Volvo had acquired Drögmöller in 1994, they changed production there from building complete chassis-less coaches to building on Volvo chassis, and the obvious choice was the B12. Out of all the different models Drögmöller had, only two went on to become Volvo models from 1995. The E320 EuroPullman became Volvo B12-500 and the E330H EuroComet became Volvo B12-600. They were only available in standard 12-metre length. Later the B12-600 became the basis for the 9900.

Volvo B12B, B10R and B12R (Brazil)

Itapemirim Busscar Vissta Buss Elegance 360-bodied B12R 6x2 in Brazil

The production of the B12 in Sweden ended in 2001 in favour of the B12B, but at Volvo's plant in Curitiba, Brazil, the chassis was available for many years to come. After first being imported from Sweden, the Brazilian-made B12 was launched in 1997 as the B12B,[3] not to be confused with the European B12B launched four years later, and was built until 2001. It seems that it then became available as the B10R,[2] also as a tri-axle, between 2000 and 2003. This should again not be confused with the original B10R, with a horizontally mounted engine. This Brazilian B10R is the only known occurrence of the 9.6-litre engine vertically mounted in a coach chassis. In 2003 it was relaunched as the Volvo B12R with a newer version of the 12.1-litre engine.[4] When being introduced this late, it probably has more in common with the European B12B, except for one thing; how the engine is mounted. In 2010 it was launched in a quad-axle[5] version for the largest double-deckers. The production ended in 2011, with the B11R taking over in 2012 under the names of B380R, B420R and B450R, depending on the power output.

Engines

Sweden

TD122, 11 978 cc, in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (1991-?)

TD123, 11 978 cc, in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (1992-1995)

D12A, 12 130 cc, in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (1995-2001)

Brazil

TD122, 11 978 cc, in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (1996-2001)[2]

D10A, 9 603 cc, in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (2000-2003)

D12D, 12 130 cc, in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (2003-2011)

References

  1. ↑ Commercial catalogue - Applications Letrika
  2. 1 2 3 Valores de emissão de fumaça e ruído em ônibus Volvo Buses Brasil
  3. ↑ História - Anos 90 Grupo Volvo no Brasil
  4. ↑ Volvo B12R 6x2 technical specs Volvo Buses Brasil
  5. ↑ Volvo B12R 6x2/8x2 - Ficha Técnica Volvo Buses Brasil
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