The Mercedes-Benz O 404 was a coach built by Daimler-Benz from September 1992 as the successor to the O 303. It was replaced in 1999 by the O 580 Travego.
Mercedes-Benz O 404 at a glance
| Production | from September 1992 to 1999 |
|---|---|
| Replaced | Mercedes-Benz O 303 |
| Replaced by | O 580 Travego |
| Types | combination bus, high-floor coach, high-decker and super high-decker |
| Body lengths | three, for 10, 13 and 15 seat rows |
| Engines | about 150 to 280 kW (204 to 381 PS) |
| Brakes | disc brakes as standard |
| Front suspension | independent |
| Gearbox | six-speed manual, electro-pneumatic shift optional |
| Facelift | 1996 |
| Licence production | Iran Khodro Diesel |
This article is based on the German Wikipedia article on the O 404. Free photographs of the O 404 were not available, so the record keeps its earlier picture.
History of the Mercedes-Benz O 404
The O 404 range began with the combination bus O 404 RH-K, which could still be used on routes and excursions, and continued through normal high-floor coaches, high-deckers and a super high-decker, differing in the height of the passenger floor and therefore in overall height. As before, these models could be combined with interiors from simple to luxurious that looked the same from outside. At the model launch a double-decker coach was also announced, the O 404 DD, to be built by the Heilbronn coachbuilder Drögmöller, but the example built remained a one-off.
The body was smoother than that of the predecessor, with side window pillars less prominent and the windscreen pulled further down at the front. Technically the new features were disc brakes as standard and independent front suspension. Only three body lengths remained, corresponding to 10, 13 and 15 seat rows, and engines ranged from about 150 to 280 kW (204 to 381 PS), with the normal 15-row coaches starting at 195 kW (265 PS). The electro-pneumatic shift was optional, though most buses had manual six-speed gearboxes.
The O 404 could not repeat the success of the O 303, partly because the predecessor had been built for 18 years against seven for the O 404, and because the coach market was shrinking as travel moved to low-cost airlines. Operators increasingly bought cheaper foreign buses or kept their vehicles longer, and Mercedes-Benz itself offered the Turkish-built O 340 as a cheaper coach from 1992. The O 404 also introduced a name, Tourismo, alongside its type number, for the first time on a Mercedes-Benz bus. A thorough update in 1996 brought a ribbed front panel and larger integral mirrors, and the shortest 10-row version was dropped, leaving the 280 kW engine. The bus is still built under licence by Iran Khodro Diesel.
Design and features
- Disc brakes: standard on every O 404.
- Independent front suspension: a comfort advance over the O 303.
- Height variants: from high-floor to super high-decker.
- Three lengths: for 10, 13 and 15 seat rows.
Mercedes-Benz O 404 versions
- O 404 RH-K: the combination bus.
- High-floor coaches: the standard touring versions.
- High-decker and super high-decker: taller bodies with more luggage space.
- O 404 DD: a single double-decker prototype.
- 1996 update: ribbed front panel and new mirrors.
The O 404 replaced the O 303 and was succeeded by the Travego, while the cheaper Tourismo covered the lower end. More in the Mercedes-Benz collection.
Sources
- Mercedes-Benz O 404, German Wikipedia: range, engineering, market, update
