Romanian convertor Cento added a cost-effective mini to the coach market around a year ago based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter base vehicle. For one operator, the product has been very well received
It’s now almost a year since the first Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with Cento conversion arrived in the UK.
Cento, based in Romania, appointed mid-Wales-based Vamplew Delta Services as its UK importer, promising a cost-effective conversion with up to 22 seats that presented an attractive travelling environment.
Sales have been modest, but there are now four such minicoaches in the UK and Vamplew Delta Services MD Jonathan Vamplew is hopeful that this number will continue to grow slowly but surely.
“The rate of enquiries has increased of late. I believe that some operators will see Cento products as an alternative to established models, and the market segment where it is pitched is slightly different; it is a budget minicoach.”
Four of a kind
The first Cento to arrive ran in Jonathan’s own fleet before being sold to a Nottinghamshire operator. Its replacement is similar, but with the 191bhp V6 engine and some minor differences internally, including USB sockets.
Wheelers Travel of Southampton also has a Cento Sprinter, while the fourth is with 7 Plus Travel. It is the first new vehicle for the Luton operator, which was founded by brothers Aqueel and Khaleel Ahmed in 2011.
“With Cento we found that the quality of finish is no different to that from established convertors,” says Aqueel. “We gave Cento a list of what we wanted and it was accommodating.”
7 Plus Travel’s conversion has a two-piece windscreen that extends into the roof line, and it also has a body kit.
It has the maximum 22 seats on extended conversions; if required, the penultimate row can be removed and the back four ‘shuffled’ forwards to create a boot, but a trailer is preferred when luggage capacity is needed. The V6 engine is fitted.
“The V6 is a luxury, but as this is our first new vehicle I pushed the boat out,” Aqueel adds. “It is a highly-specified minicoach, including from the driver’s perspective; we selected a sprung seat and also took the 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox, for example.”
More to come?
Aqueel does not rule out taking another Cento later. “We got what we wanted and passengers like it. Specifying the vehicle required a hands-on approach, but the trade-off is price; we got a lot of minicoach for the money.”
Cento continues to offer four Sprinter options in the UK: The extended conversion and three standard-length examples, seating from 16 to 22, the latter suitable principally for children.
Retail price for the 22-seat example in Jonathan’s fleet is around £59,000, including V6 engine but lacking the 7G=Tronic gearbox; a six-speed manual is fitted.
