The MCI D4505 was the facelifted version of the D4500, offered from 2005 to 2022. Mechanically it was similar to the coach it replaced, but it carried the front end that MCI had developed for the G-Series, and it was the intercity model of the second-generation D-Series.
MCI D4505 at a glance
| Production | 2005–2022 |
|---|---|
| Based on | D4500 |
| Body change | facelift with the front end developed for the G-Series |
| Length | 45 ft |
| Width | 102 in |
| Update | overhaul in 2014 |
| Stainless steel | optional front and side panels |
| Successor | D4520, introduced in 2020 |
| Sister model | D4005, the 40-foot facelift |
History of the MCI D4505
The 2005 facelift
In 2005 MCI began offering facelifted versions of the D-Series to private-sector operators: the 40-foot D4005 and the 45-foot D4505. Both were mechanically similar to the coaches they replaced, but the styling was new, with the front end that had been developed for the G-Series coach built for Greyhound. The rear end cap was redesigned in 2007 to take the new engines that met stricter EPA emissions rules, and the coach was overhauled again in 2014.
Second generation
In 2017 MCI introduced the D45 CRT LE, a commuter coach with a low-floor area and a second door for faster wheelchair boarding. Developing that coach led to a second generation of the D-Series with new styling and updated systems, and the high-floor models began receiving those updates in 2020. The D4520 was the new intercity coach, and it replaced the D4505; the last legacy D-Series coaches were built in 2022 and then discontinued. From 2022 the D-Series was also assembled at the NFI Group factory in Crookston, Minnesota, after the planned closure of the Pembina plant was cancelled.
Design and features
- G-Series front: the facelift brought the front end designed for Greyhound’s coach.
- Same mechanics: beneath the new skin the coach was close to the D4500.
- 2007 rear cap: reshaped for the engines that met the new emissions rules.
- Long run: built for 17 years, from 2005 to 2022.
MCI D4505 versions
- D4505 (2005–2022): the 45-foot intercity coach.
- D4005: the 40-foot facelifted coach.
- D4500CL / D4500CT: the classic and contemporary commuter versions of the same generation.
- D4520 (2020): the second-generation coach that replaced the D4505.
The coach the D4505 was based on is described in MCI D4500, its 40-foot sister in MCI 102, and the tour coach sold beside it in MCI J4500. More coaches are in the MCI collection.
Video: 2007 MCI D4505 coach
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- MCI D-Series, English Wikipedia: facelift, dates, models
- Motor Coach Industries, English Wikipedia: production years, model table
