The CityClass was an urban, suburban and peri-urban bus launched by Iveco’s bus division in 1997 and renamed Irisbus in 2000. It was the equivalent of the Renault Agora in France, replaced the Iveco 490 TurboCity and was itself replaced by the Irisbus Citelis; about 10,000 were built before production ended in 2008, more than 7,000 of them in Italy.
Irisbus CityClass at a glance
| Maker | Iveco (1997–1999), Irisbus (2000–2008) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1997–2008 |
| Class | urban, suburban and peri-urban bus |
| Versions | 491 urban, 591 suburban |
| Lengths | 10.80 m, 12 m, 18 m articulated |
| First shown | Paris Motor Show, 1995 |
| Design | Giorgetto Giugiaro |
| Engine (to 2001) | Fiat 8360.46V, 220, 250 or 270 hp |
| Engine (from 2001) | Iveco Cursor, 290 hp; 350 hp articulated |
| Built | about 10,000, over 7,000 in Italy |
| Predecessor | Iveco 490 TurboCity UR Green |
| Successor | Irisbus Citelis |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Irisbus CityClass
An Iveco project of the 1990s
The CityClass was shown to professionals and the public in 1995 at the Paris Motor Show and went on sale with the 1997 model year. The project was created in the 1990s by the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and presented to the public in 1996 to replace the Iveco TurboCity. At the end of 1999 the Iveco logo on the CityClass grille was replaced by the Irisbus dolphin, when the bus divisions of Iveco and Renault Véhicules Industriels merged, and it stayed there in Europe until 2008.
Versions and engines
As usual at Iveco, the CityClass came in two families: the series 491 urban bus and the series 591 suburban bus, each in lengths of 10.80 metres, 12 metres and 18 metres articulated. In 2001 the model received the new Iveco Cursor engine of 290 hp for the 10 and 12-metre versions, replacing the Fiat V.I. 8360.46V that had offered 220, 250 or 270 hp. The articulated CityClass also received a new 350 hp Cursor in place of the previous 310 hp Fiat engine, and from 2005 the Cursor in a suitable version powered the CNG buses at 270 hp.
The most widespread urban bus in Europe
With more than 7,000 units produced in Italy, the CityClass became one of the most widely distributed urban buses in Europe. Besides the big Italian cities such as Milan, Rome, Genoa and Turin, where its distribution was almost monopolistic, it served public and private transport operators throughout Italy. It also sold widely abroad, in Switzerland, France, Germany, Romania, South Korea and above all Spain and Greece, and in most Spanish cities the CityClass, bodied by Castrosua, Hispano Carrocera and Noge, was the most widespread bus in the urban fleet.
The first Italian hydrogen bus
In 2001 ALTRA, with Ansaldo Ricerche, Sapio, International Fuel Cells, Exide, T_V and the Centro Ricerche Fiat, and with the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Environment and the Piedmont region, developed a CityClass with electric traction powered by hydrogen. It entered service in Turin for GTT and was also used during the 2006 Winter Olympics; it was the first Italian hydrogen bus. A fuel cell prototype was tested in 2002, and three 12-metre CityClass Fuel Cell buses were delivered on 1 November 2004 to operators in Turin, Barcelona and Munich.
Design and features
- Two families: the urban 491 and the suburban 591 with more seats.
- Three lengths: 10.80 m midibus, 12 m standard and 18 m articulated.
- Giugiaro design: the body was drawn by the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro.
- Cursor engines from 2001: 290 hp for 10 and 12 m, 350 hp for the articulated bus.
- Hydrogen pioneer: a fuel cell CityClass was the first Italian hydrogen bus.
Irisbus CityClass versions
- CityClass 491: the urban bus in midibus, standard and articulated form.
- CityClass 591: the suburban version with more seating.
- CNG CityClass: natural gas versions, 270 hp from 2005.
- CityClass Fuel Cell: three hydrogen buses delivered in 2004 to Turin, Barcelona and Munich.
- Spanish CityClass: buses bodied by Castrosua, Noge and Hispano.
The CityClass was replaced by the Irisbus Citelis, and its French equivalent was the Irisbus Agora. More buses are in the Irisbus collection.
Video: Irisbus Cityclass 784 – SAF Udine
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Iveco CityClass, English Wikipedia: history, versions, engines, hydrogen project
