The MCI G-Series was designed for Greyhound and introduced in 1998 as the 102-G3 and 102-GL3. The longer G4500 followed in 2000, and the front end developed for the series was later used on the D-Series facelift, but poor reliability kept sales low.
MCI G4500 at a glance
| Series | G, 102 in wide |
|---|---|
| Introduced as | 102-G3 and 102-GL3, 1998 |
| G4100 | 41 ft 7 in, 1998–2001, only 25 built |
| G4500 | 45 ft 7 in, 2000–2005 |
| Built for | Greyhound Lines |
| Also released in | late 1999/2000, with the G4100 and F3500 |
| Assembly | moved to Winnipeg after the G4100 was discontinued |
| Legacy | G-Series headlights were fitted to later D-Series models |
History of the MCI G4500
A coach for Greyhound
The G-Series was designed for Greyhound Lines. It was introduced in 1998 as the 102-G3 and 102-GL3, and in the late 1990s and around 2000 MCI released the G4100, G4500 and F3500 models to the United States and Canadian markets. The G4100 was 41 ft 7 in long and was built from 1998 to 2001; only 25 examples were made.
The G4500
The G4500 was the 45 ft 7 in version, built from 2000 to 2005. Production moved to Winnipeg after the G4100 was discontinued, but poor reliability meant very low sales: Greyhound Lines filed a lawsuit against MCI over the various problems with the bus, took delivery of very few Winnipeg-built G4500s, and those were later retired and sold.
What outlived it
The G-Series did not last, but its design did. The redesigned headlights developed for the G-Series were incorporated into later D-Series models, and the front end of the G-Series was used again on the facelifted D4505 of 2005.
Design and features
- Built for one customer: the G-Series was designed around Greyhound’s requirements.
- Two lengths: a 41 ft 7 in G4100 and a 45 ft 7 in G4500.
- Rare G4100: only 25 were built.
- Design legacy: its headlights and front end were reused on later D-Series coaches.
MCI G4500 versions
- 102-G3 / 102-GL3 (1998): the original designations of the G-Series.
- G4100 (1998–2001): the 41 ft 7 in coach, 25 built.
- G4500 (2000–2005): the 45 ft 7 in coach, built at Winnipeg late in its life.
- D4505 (2005): the later D-Series facelift that used the G-Series front end.
The coach that inherited the G-Series front end is described in MCI D4505, and the rest of the D-Series in MCI D4500. More coaches are in the MCI collection.
Video: 2004 MCI G4500 of Greyhound Lines
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Motor Coach Industries, English Wikipedia: G-Series table, production history, lawsuit
- MCI D-Series, English Wikipedia: reuse of the G-Series front end
