Debuting in 2024 was the UNVI L24 midicoach on a front-engined DAF XB chassis, taking UNVI and its importer here Coachtraders back into the heavier end of the midi segment. it also illustrates the work underway by the West Lothian dealership as it grows its reach in the market for smaller coaches.
Coachtraders is the sole UK agent for mini and midi UNVI vehicles following earlier changes to the structure of the Spanish OEM’s network here, although service and support efforts continue to involve Lancashire-based business Coachtec.
The dealer has grown its footprint both figuratively and literally as a result. Staff numbers are up; it has recruited established UNVI man Mark Fenton to handle sales in the south of England, while Dave Simister – who is also well experienced with the brand – works on the mechanical side. Scott MacDonald has joined as Customer Support Manager, bringing a background in vehicle maintenance and preparation.
Their experience sits well with that of Coachtraders Director Gordon Robertson. He was instrumental in developing the L24. Coachtraders adds a dealership function for Irish minicoach supplier Paramount Conversions to its presence at the lighter end of the coach market for what is a well-rounded line-up.
UNVI structure in UK evolving with Coachtraders
The structure of UNVI vehicle supply evolved during 2020 and 2021. “I was keen for Coachtraders to become the sole domestic representative in mini and midi, which we agreed with the factory,” says Gordon. Paramount Conversions became the exclusive UNVI agent in Ireland at the same time.
Beyond investment in staff, Coachtraders has taken extra space at its site in Whitburn. Vehicles and parts are held there, and pre-delivery inspection and other tasks are carried out; operator Harry Ferguson Traveline of Bathgate is used for bodywork and painting needs along with vehicle storage as part of a long-term partnership.
Award of UK exclusivity in UNVI supply and a recovering coach market saw Coachtraders’ volumes grow quickly. In 2023 it supplied 60 vehicles – ahead of the 2019 number – and in 2024 it was set to reach 100. 2025 looks strong and Gordon anticipates matching last year as a minimum.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinters with Paramount and UNVI conversions are part of the wider Coachtraders range; the UNVI coachbuilt option has gone, with a combination of cost and modest demand cited as the reason. Small M1 Sprinters in VIP format are offered from Paramount, along with 19- and 22-seat M2 models.
Gordon notes that on M2 Sprinters, the application in hand defines whether Paramount or UNVI best suits the customer. The Paramount product has a straightforward specification, including up to 22 seats in a configuration that he adds is “second-to-none” at that capacity and with dual-certification as a 16-seater. Paramount’s vehicles also suit private hire. Where a more customised requirement is presented, UNVI is in play.
VIP specification under scrutiny
Iveco Daily-based products in the Coachtraders line-up are represented by the UNVI M20, which replaced the previous Compa. Chassis availability is good and the M20 goes to 29 seats, although Gordon believes that it excels with 25.
Coachtraders has long enjoyed success with some operators that need VIP specification small coaches for high-value incoming groups. But Gordon adds that recent years have moderated previous demand for that level of fit-out; customers have an eye on second-life utilisation, and so they now look more closely when considering bespoke fitments such as wardrobes and serveries.
That is not to say VIP requirements have gone entirely, and such a configuration is possible across the UNVI range. One buyer has ordered an L24 to a 41-seat capacity, but after delivery that will reduce by around 10 with installation of four full-size tables.
Removable cabinets and such may also go in, but the vehicle can regain its original layout later. Gordon does not rule out adding a 2+1 seating option to the L24, as had been done on Daily-based models.
L24 gives strong midi challenger for Coachtraders
The L24 midicoach succeeds the previous Touring GT and Voyager GT models on Mercedes-Benz Atego chassis. With the end of those products, Coachtraders was keen to see a replacement in a similar size class. Base vehicle choice was the opening task around two years ago, Gordon explains.
“We looked at rear-engined chassis first, including from Mercedes-Benz and Scania, but the cost implications were significant. That led us to the DAF XB,” he says. Availability of the ZF PowerLine eight-speed automatic gearbox was key to that selection. A 16,000kg GVW ensures ample luggage capacity.
Lengths of 9.4m and 10.5m are available with a 6.7-litre, six-cylinder Paccar PX-7 engine. Radical Travel is an early buyer. It will use the L24 to replace Atego-based vehicles as part of a fleet that is 100% supplied by Coachtraders. The dealership also handles routine maintenance for the Edinburgh operator as an indication of the strength of that long-term relationship.
Other orders for the L24 are already in place. Gordon sees long-term scope for the model to reach 50 units per year in the UK and Ireland.
“People we have spoken to like it,” he adds. Strong demand for UNVI products from multiple markets in 2025 means that the 50-unit target must wait for now, but DAF front-engined products in the midicoach space have already proved themselves to be refined. The optimism on volumes is thus understandable.
Personal touch is the key for dealership
What of the wider future for Coachtraders? Both the importer and its manufacturer partners have invested heavily in recent years, and growing volumes are payback on that. Gordon notes how there is still work to do before the overall package is where he wants it to be, although that will not come at the expense of what the dealership already does well.
“I believe that we can grow further, but I do not want us to lose the personal touch,” he says. “We have a lot of regular customers, but we will take neither them nor new buyers for granted.”
Gordon adds that a combination the two years at the start of the decade and then a period of restricted availability of base vehicles for small coaches has, when coupled to a boom in tourism-related work, left some operators needing to make up for lost time in fleet renewal.
That bodes well for parties that can supply what is needed. With an enhanced range and a strengthened support function, Coachtraders is among them at the smaller end of the market.
UNVI L24 on the road
routeone was able to drive an early UNVI L24 midicoach at 9.4m in late 2024. Many of the model’s styling cues will be familiar to operators that already have products from the manufacturer, and internally it also has a family appearance.
Much work has been done on the step area to best accommodate the front-engined layout. The entrance is respectable and better than some earlier models with this driveline configuration.
An offside door is for the driver, and they benefit from a ‘wraparound’ dash where passenger-area controls are on the left and chassis-specific items to the right. The former has been the object of significant effort by UNVI, with things such as the reversing camera monitor and entertainment system and temperature controls clustered by the driver’s left forearm.
The Paccar engine is refined and well insulated from the cabin, and the ZF PowerLine gearbox works well. It is smooth and shifts early when the driving style is placid but adopts a more get-up-and-go approach at times of high power demand such as rising motorway on-ramps. The body feels solidly put together and no rattles or squeaks were evident on poor road surfaces.
Luggage storage is at the rear and within side lockers. PSVAR compliance is in hand and drawings for a toilet installation were being worked up by UNVI following a customer request.
