Scania UK has introduced a 13.3m tri-axle variant of its Touring coach. The range addition sits between the existing 12.1m two-axle and 13.7m three-axle models and offers a capacity of 53 passengers with a centre sunken toilet.
The newcomer takes to four the number of lengths the Touring comes at, with the shortest being a 10.9m example with up to 45 seats. Addition of a 13.3m variant gives a standard 53-seat option for the model; the 12.1m version carries 51 passengers and the largest tri-axle 59.
Extension of the Touring range was done to satisfy the UK market and the first 13.3m coach was shown by Scania UK at the Confederation of Passenger Transport Ride-and-Drive event at North Weald on 28 July.
UK Retail Sales Manager Lee Wale says that going to 53 seats at a shorter length than the established 13.7m tri-axle was key to the project. He adds that a stock batch of 10 coaches at 13.3m was ordered and all were quickly sold amid ongoing buoyant demand for vehicles, with more due for March 2026.
The next-generation K410NI chassis is used as the basis of the both Touring tri-axles, including the 12.7-litre DC13 engine developing 410bhp coupled to a 12-speed Opticruise automated manual gearbox.
Seats are from Kiel and in half-leather with three-point belts, drop-down tables and magazine nets. Wood-effect flooring, a small servery and USB charging are also part of the standard trim.
PSVAR compliance comes via a passenger lift above the tag axle to maximise luggage space. If underfloor space is critical, the Touring in both tri-axle configurations can be built with a floor-level rear toilet, albeit with the net loss of one seat to reduce capacity to 58 or 52, respectively.
Rear-steer is included on the tri-axle chassis, and a brief drive of the first-in-class 13.3m coach showed that when paired with a short wheelbase it gives excellent manoeuvrability.
