One of the most distinctive coaches is Irizar’s i8. The manufacturer recently reached the 25 mark for integral examples for the UK. We look at that vehicle – a top-power 530bhp example for Ellisons Travel
The combination of top power and a high specification represents a niche market for coaches, and it appeals to just a few operators. Among them is Ellisons Travel. It recently took delivery of the 25th Irizar i8 integral for a UK operator.
It’s also the 11th such coach for Ellisons. The St Helens operator runs i8 integrals in both team coach and fully-seated layout. What doesn’t differ between applications is Ellisons’ insistence on the highest power option. That means DAF’s new-generation MX-13 engine in its 530bhp incarnation.
With that output, the only gearbox option is an automated manual transmission (AMT). To coincide with its adoption of DAF’s latest Euro 6 power units in integral coaches, Irizar moved to ZF’s Traxon transmission.
As already seen in a lower-power i6S integral [routeone/Test Drive/30 January], Traxon represents a significant improvement over its AS-Tronic predecessor.
Traxon includes scope for predictive cruise control, where topographical knowledge influences gear selection and power delivery to derive the best fuel economy, although that function is not fitted to AMT-equipped Irizar integrals as standard.
The MX-13/Traxon driveline is a compelling prospect. At the DAF’s maximum rating as fitted to the coach in question, it delivers no less than 2,600Nm of torque, meaning that any hill to be found on the UK’s major roads will be dispatched without hesitation.
“Some other buyers have taken i8 integrals with more than 500bhp, although we can also fit the slightly smaller MX-11,” says Irizar UK Business Development Director Julie Hartley. All of the i8 integrals delivered in right-hand drive form so far have been tri-axles, but Irizar UK has quoted on a two-axle variant.
Inside the coach
As seen by routeone, the Ellisons coach comes with 55 i8 Comfort Plus seats. They are finished in real leather and have a large amount of extra padding. “This is the highest-specification seat that can be provided in a 2+2 layout. The concept uses a 2+1 model as a basis. Irizar developed it specifically for Ellisons, although it is available to all customers,” says Julie.
Aircraft-style doors are fitted to the overhead lockers and side glazing is heavily tinted. The driver benefits from Irizar’s latest cab layout, which includes a virtual dash. It creates all dials virtually on an LCD screen, and they are exceptionally clear.
Also fitted to the coach are folding mirror arms. That retains one of the Irizar range’s trademark aspects while protecting it from possible damage when the coach is parked.
On the road
routeone was able to drive the 25th i8 integral from Irizar UK’s premises at Worksop on a route via the A57 and the M1.
While it has the most powerful engine available in a coach on the UK market, that grunt does not mean too much at lower road speeds. There, the turbo does not have the opportunity to spool up and deliver full boost pressure before the next gear is required.
Where it does come into its own is in higher gears. The i8 integral has very tall ratios, as would be expected, and it does not take 12th until nearly 60mph.
When at 62mph, the digital tachometer shows little more than 1,000rpm. Even then, the MX-13 is within its wide torque band, which runs from 1,000-1,400rpm. It does not take long to reach the limited speed when joining a motorway, although acceleration comes in a manner that could deceive a driver who does not have one eye on the speedometer. It is relentless.
Although the i8 integral is undoubtedly a huge coach – it’s nearly 4m tall when the air-conditioning unit is factored in – it’s not difficult to drive. The positively-steered rear axle greatly benefits manoeuvrability and the steering wheel is comparatively small, giving a good ‘feel’. Extensive soundproofing and a high floor assist with keeping engine noise out of the saloon, and the latter provides for enormous underfloor luggage capacity.
A niche coach
Irizar targets the i8 at the very top of the market. In many ways it has filled the large gap left by the Neoplan Starliner when that coach was discontinued; it has a comparable ‘wow factor’, road presence and scope for customisation.
Buyers who want a standard touring and/or private hire coach are well-served by Irizar’s i6 and i6S range. But for those who want a fleet flagship, or who are in a market where cost is not the primary concern, the i8 is something special.
