Both two- and three-axle buses have found buyers; Purfleet dealer says more developments to come
Ensignbus, the Purfleet-based importer of the Ensign Excellence and Enterprise double-deckers, has confirmed that orders have been taken for both the two- and three-axle model respectively.
Built by Australian manufacturer BCI at its Xiamen plant in China, both have been introduced to the UK to give buyers a double-decker that is built “completely to their specifications,” says Ensignbus Chairman Peter Newman.
There are five Enterprises and 12 Excellences already in the UK, and the first examples of the next batch will arrive in early 2018.
More developments coming soon
“We have already taken a number of orders, and there are some very innovative additional developments that will come next year,” adds Mr Newman, who says that more information on buyers’ identities and drivetrain additions will be revealed in due course.
Both models are offered with a Cummins engine. In the Excellence it is a 6.7-litre ISB and in the Enterprise an 8.9-litre ISL.
Each drives through a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox, but Ensignbus has previously announced that a series hybrid package provided by Vantage Power is also available.
“We are not exclusively wedded to Vantage and we will offer other options, although full electric is not among them,” he says.
Custom-built offerings
“We have influenced what BCI has built, but it is a joint effort,” adds Mr Newman, who says that one of the range’s selling points is the ability to customise buses to suit the buyer.
“The reason that we have gone with BCI is that we couldn’t get what we needed from UK builders. We are not looking to fight the established names for market share. Instead, we are targeting the niche areas of the market where operators want particular things.”
Ensignbus can make examples of both the Enterprise and Excellence available for demonstration.
