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VDL Futura
The Futura is a range of coaches manufactured by VDL Bus & Coach at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands since 1982. A derivative of the Futura produced from 1999 to 2011 was the Magiq.
The model was manufactured for many years by Bova as the Bova Futura, and after that business was taken over by the VDL Groep as the VDL Bova Futura. In the autumn of 2010 a significantly facelifted version was introduced as the VDL Futura (sometimes referred to as the Futura 2).
The Futura was introduced in September 1982 by Bova, as successor to the previous Europa model. In contrast to the angular lines of the Europa, the Futura featured a very distinctive convex aerodynamic front which inspired the model's name (futura being Spanish and Italian for "future"). The prominent "bulge" below the windscreen remained a feature of the Futura through successive facelifts until the introduction of the Futura 2 model in 2010. By 1986, exports accounted for two thirds of production.
Bus Australia purchased over 40. Some were imported in CKD form and assembled by JW Bolton in Perth. Four were imported as frames with the bodies completed locally by BHB Engineering.
From its introduction the Futura was available with DAF engines as standard, although Mercedes-Benz engines could be specified as an optional alternative. In 1994 Cummins and MAN engines became available as options, however all of the non-DAF engine options were dropped when the Euro 3 emission standards came into effect in 2000. The engine manufacturer is signified by the third letter of the detailed model code - for example a 12m high-floor coach could be coded FHD12 (DAF engine), FHM12 (Mercedes-Benz), FHC12 (Cummins) or FHX12 (MAN).
Production commenced in 1982 with a 12 metre long coach available in two different heights - the 3.55m high FH12 and the 3.26m high FL12. The high floor versions were always the more numerous types. In 1990 the range was expanded with the introduction of a shorter (10.4m long) version of the high floor coach, the FH10. A third length option for the two-axle Futura coach was added in 1996, this being the 12.7m long FH13/FL13.
An interurban bus/semi-coach version of the Futura was introduced in 1990 as the 12m long/3.08m high FV12, of which 169 were built during the 1990s.
Three-axle coach variants of the Futura were built from 1993 onwards, marketed as the Futura Magnum. The 14.8m long FH15/FL15 were launched at Busworld in Kortrijk, whilst the 13.5m long (high floor only) FH14 was added to the range in 1995. The tri-axle variants of the Bova Futura were discontinued from 2007 following the introduction of tri-axle versions of the Bova Magiq.
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VDL Futura AI simulator
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VDL Futura
The Futura is a range of coaches manufactured by VDL Bus & Coach at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands since 1982. A derivative of the Futura produced from 1999 to 2011 was the Magiq.
The model was manufactured for many years by Bova as the Bova Futura, and after that business was taken over by the VDL Groep as the VDL Bova Futura. In the autumn of 2010 a significantly facelifted version was introduced as the VDL Futura (sometimes referred to as the Futura 2).
The Futura was introduced in September 1982 by Bova, as successor to the previous Europa model. In contrast to the angular lines of the Europa, the Futura featured a very distinctive convex aerodynamic front which inspired the model's name (futura being Spanish and Italian for "future"). The prominent "bulge" below the windscreen remained a feature of the Futura through successive facelifts until the introduction of the Futura 2 model in 2010. By 1986, exports accounted for two thirds of production.
Bus Australia purchased over 40. Some were imported in CKD form and assembled by JW Bolton in Perth. Four were imported as frames with the bodies completed locally by BHB Engineering.
From its introduction the Futura was available with DAF engines as standard, although Mercedes-Benz engines could be specified as an optional alternative. In 1994 Cummins and MAN engines became available as options, however all of the non-DAF engine options were dropped when the Euro 3 emission standards came into effect in 2000. The engine manufacturer is signified by the third letter of the detailed model code - for example a 12m high-floor coach could be coded FHD12 (DAF engine), FHM12 (Mercedes-Benz), FHC12 (Cummins) or FHX12 (MAN).
Production commenced in 1982 with a 12 metre long coach available in two different heights - the 3.55m high FH12 and the 3.26m high FL12. The high floor versions were always the more numerous types. In 1990 the range was expanded with the introduction of a shorter (10.4m long) version of the high floor coach, the FH10. A third length option for the two-axle Futura coach was added in 1996, this being the 12.7m long FH13/FL13.
An interurban bus/semi-coach version of the Futura was introduced in 1990 as the 12m long/3.08m high FV12, of which 169 were built during the 1990s.
Three-axle coach variants of the Futura were built from 1993 onwards, marketed as the Futura Magnum. The 14.8m long FH15/FL15 were launched at Busworld in Kortrijk, whilst the 13.5m long (high floor only) FH14 was added to the range in 1995. The tri-axle variants of the Bova Futura were discontinued from 2007 following the introduction of tri-axle versions of the Bova Magiq.