The Bova Magiq was a touring coach that Bova introduced in 1999 as its flagship model. It shared its mechanical basis with the Futura but wore different bodywork, with a flatter front and a more rounded rear, and it remained in production until the VDL Futura 2 replaced it after 2010.
Bova Magiq at a glance
| Maker | Bova, Valkenswaard (VDL Bova from 2003) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1999–2011 |
| Type | touring coach, flagship of the Bova range |
| Front | flatter profile than the Futura |
| Rear | more curvaceous than the Futura |
| First two-axle models | XHD120 and XHD122 |
| Two-axle lengths | 12.2 and 12.9 m |
| From 2006 | model code changed to MHD |
| Tri-axle models | MHD131, MHD139 and MHD148 |
| Facelift | 2007 model year, new headlamp design |
| Successor | VDL Futura 2, launched 2010 |
The Magiq has no Wikipedia article of its own; it is described in a section of the English and Dutch articles on the VDL Futura.
History of the Bova Magiq
A flagship above the Futura
Bova introduced the Magiq in 1999 as a completely new coach with a modern front, positioned above the long-running Futura. It was deliberately styled differently from the Futura: the Magiq had a flatter front profile and a more curvaceous rear, while the Futura kept the convex nose that had defined it since 1982. The new model sold in more modest quantities than the Futura, which remained Bova’s best-selling coach.
Initially the Magiq was a two-axle coach offered as the XHD120 and XHD122, in lengths of 12.2 and 12.9 metres. From 2006 the model code changed to MHD, and three-axle versions were added: the MHD131, MHD139 and MHD148. These tri-axle Magiq coaches replaced the Futura Magnum, and the tri-axle Bova Futura was discontinued in 2007 as a result.
Facelift and the end of the name
For the 2007 model year the Magiq was facelifted. The changes to the headlamps mirrored those of the contemporary Futura, although the Magiq’s headlamp clusters sat significantly higher on the body. In the same period Bova presented a revised Futura range intended to take over from the Magiq, but the Magiq stayed on sale until the VDL Futura 2 arrived.
An extensively restyled Futura was launched by VDL Bus & Coach on 7 September 2010. It was marketed only as a VDL, the Bova name was dropped, and the new model replaced both the Bova Futura and the Bova Magiq. The upright front of the Futura 2 owed more to the styling of the Magiq than to the old Futura, so the flagship’s shape outlived its name.
Design and features
- Flagship position: a more expensive coach above the Futura in the Bova range.
- Different bodywork: a flatter front and a more rounded rear than the Futura.
- Two-axle start: launched as the XHD120 and XHD122 in 1999.
- Tri-axle range: from 2006 the MHD131, MHD139 and MHD148 replaced the Futura Magnum.
- 2007 facelift: new headlamps, set higher than those of the Futura.
Bova Magiq versions
- XHD120 (1999): two-axle coach, 12.2 m.
- XHD122 (1999): two-axle coach, 12.9 m.
- MHD two-axle (from 2006): the same coaches under the revised model code.
- MHD131 (from 2006): three-axle coach, 13.1 m.
- MHD139 (from 2006): three-axle coach, 13.9 m.
- MHD148 (from 2006): three-axle coach, 14.8 m.
The Magiq was the flagship above the Bova Futura and replaced the tri-axle Futura Magnum; both followed the earlier Bova Europa. More coaches are in the Bova collection.
Sources
- VDL Futura, English Wikipedia: Magiq history, models, facelift
- VDL Futura, Dutch Wikipedia: two-axle lengths, tri-axle names
- VDL Bus Valkenswaard, Dutch Wikipedia: 1999 introduction
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