The Temsa Opalin is a midibus produced by the Turkish manufacturer for the European market. It is built in lengths of 8 and 9 metres, with a mid-mounted MAN engine, a self-supporting chassis and a Gran Turismo interior; it found few buyers in Italy but did reasonably well in Eastern Europe.
Temsa Opalin at a glance
| Maker | Temsa, Adana, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Type | midibus |
| Market | Europe |
| Lengths | 8 and 9 metres |
| Interior | Gran Turismo layout |
| Engine | MAN, mounted centrally |
| Chassis | self-supporting |
| Main sales | Eastern Europe |
| Italy | a few examples with private operators |
| Domestic name in 2016 | Opalin HD or Oradea |
| Bus Driver edition | included in the 2007 special edition |
The Opalin has a single, short source, the Italian Wikipedia; the article is based on it together with the model list in the English article on TEMSA.
History of the Temsa Opalin
A European midibus
The Opalin was designed for the European market rather than for Turkey alone. Temsa built it in two lengths, 8 and 9 metres, and gave it a Gran Turismo layout rather than the standing-room interior of a city bus, which made it a small coach for tourist and intercity work. Its MAN engine sits in the middle of the vehicle, and the body is self-supporting rather than mounted on a separate chassis.
Sales across Europe
The model never became common in Italy, where only a few examples were registered by private companies, but it sold reasonably well in Eastern Europe. In the Turkish range of 2016 it appears as the Opalin in either HD or Oradea form, and the name survived into the later line-up alongside the Safari, Diamond and Tourmalin.
In the game
Like several other Temsa models, the Opalin was included in a special edition of the Bus Driver game released by SCS Software in 2007, which brought the Turkish midibus to a wider audience.
Design and features
- Mid-mounted MAN engine: the engine sits centrally rather than at the rear.
- Self-supporting body: no separate ladder chassis.
- Two lengths: 8 and 9 metres, small enough for narrow streets.
- Gran Turismo layout: a coach interior in a midibus body.
Temsa Opalin versions
- Opalin 8 m: the shorter version.
- Opalin 9 m: the longer version.
- Opalin HD and Oradea: the forms listed in the Turkish range of 2016.
The Opalin was the smallest vehicle in a range that also held the Prestij midibus and the Safir coach. More models are in the Temsa collection.
Sources
- Temsa Opalin, Italian Wikipedia: lengths, engine position, chassis, markets
- TEMSA, English Wikipedia: company history, model line, Bus Driver edition
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