The Temsa Prestij is a midibus that the Turkish manufacturer has built since 1992. It began as a design based on the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter and was exported to Europe from 1997 under the name Europrestij; four generations later it is still sold as the Prestij SX, in city and intercity forms.
Temsa Prestij at a glance
| Maker | Temsa, Adana, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Production | since 1992 |
| Type | midibus, intercity and city |
| Base | Mitsubishi Fuso Canter |
| Export name from 1997 | Europrestij |
| 1997 engine | 3.9-litre Mitsubishi 4D34 turbodiesel, 110 hp, 370 Nm |
| 1997 gearbox | ZF 6S850 five-speed manual |
| Seats, 1997 | 25, 27 or 29 |
| Suspension | parabolic leaf springs at the front, air at the rear |
| Top speed, 1997 | 130 km/h |
| 2007 Prestij SD | 3.0-litre Mitsubishi 4P10-T4, 136 hp, 27–29 seats |
| 2016 facelift | Prestij SX with 150 hp |
The model has no English Wikipedia page; the history is taken from the Turkish article, with company background from the English article on TEMSA.
History of the Temsa Prestij
1992: a Canter-based midibus
Production of the Prestij began in 1992 on the mechanical basis of the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter, at a time when Temsa was still building under licence from Mitsubishi. In 1997 the model was renewed: the front grille changed, and the bus received a 3.9-litre Mitsubishi 4D34 four-cylinder turbodiesel of 110 hp and 370 Nm, a five-speed ZF 6S850 manual gearbox, parabolic leaf springs at the front and air suspension at the rear, power steering and an electromagnetic retarder. It seated 25, 27 or 29 passengers and reached 130 km/h. In the same year exports to Europe began under the name Europrestij.
Sport, Deluxe and City
The standard model was known as the Prestij Sport. A more luxurious Prestij Deluxe followed, and a city version, the Prestij City, was offered with 40, 48 or 50 seats. In 2004 the front end was modernised. For export markets Temsa also built the related Samba, with a 4.6-litre MAN D0834 LFL03 turbodiesel of 180 hp and 650 Nm and 26 to 28 seats.
2007: the Prestij SD
In 2007 Temsa introduced an entirely new model, the Prestij SD (Super Deluxe), based on the seventh-generation Mitsubishi Fuso Canter. It used a 3.0-litre Mitsubishi 4P10-T4 turbodiesel of 136 hp and 370 Nm with a five-speed Mitsubishi MO35S5 manual gearbox and leaf-spring suspension at both ends, seating 27 to 29. A city version, the Prestij SD City, arrived in 2008, while the previous model continued as the Prestij Classic until 2012.
2016: the Prestij SX
In March 2016 the Prestij received a light facelift and became the Prestij SX. The exterior was revised and engine output rose to 150 hp; the city version was sold as the Prestij SX City. The Prestij is used for public transport in many Turkish cities and in a number of European countries, and it also serves with the special riot police units of the Turkish General Directorate of Security.
Design and features
- Canter underpinnings: mechanicals taken from the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter light truck.
- Long production: in service since 1992 through several generations.
- Air rear suspension: parabolic springs at the front and air springs at the rear from 1997.
- Many seating layouts: from 25 seats in the intercity version to 50 in the Prestij City.
- Export model: sold in Europe from 1997 as the Europrestij.
Temsa Prestij versions
- Prestij Sport: the standard intercity model of the 1997 generation.
- Prestij Deluxe: a more luxurious version of the same generation.
- Prestij City: city version with 40, 48 or 50 seats.
- Samba: export model with a 4.6-litre MAN engine and 26–28 seats.
- Prestij SD and SD City: the 2007 generation on seventh-generation Canter mechanicals.
- Prestij Classic: the previous model, built until 2012.
- Prestij SX and SX City: the 2016 facelift with 150 hp.
The Prestij joined the larger Safari and Diamond coaches in the Temsa range. More models are in the Temsa collection.
Sources
- Temsa Prestij, Turkish Wikipedia: history, engines, seating, versions
- TEMSA, English Wikipedia: company history, Mitsubishi licence
