The Volvo B9R is a rear-engined coach chassis built by Volvo with a 9.0-litre six-cylinder diesel mounted under the floor. It takes bodies up to 13 metres long and gross weights up to 19,000 kg.
Volvo B9R at a glance
| Type | rear-engined coach chassis |
|---|---|
| Engine | 9.0-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel |
| Power | 380 bhp (283 kW) |
| Torque | 1,700 Nm |
| Engine position | under the floor at the rear |
| Body length | up to 13 m |
| Gross weight | 19,000 kg |
| Bodies | Plaxton Panther and Elite, Sunsundegui, Irizar, Jonckheere |
| Seats | 53 with the Plaxton Panther, 55 with Sunsundegui |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the B9R.
History of the Volvo B9R
The B9R is the coach member of Volvo’s 9-litre chassis family, a rear-engined design with the engine mounted horizontally under the floor behind the rear axle. That layout keeps the luggage bays free and gives coachbuilders a low, flat floor to work with, which is why it has been a popular base for touring and intercity coaches in Britain, Ireland, France and Spain.
The chassis can be bodied up to 13 metres long with a maximum gross weight of 19,000 kg. Its 9.0-litre six produces 380 bhp and 1,700 Nm, enough for long-distance work with a full load. Plaxton’s Panther body on the B9R seats 53 passengers, while the Spanish Sunsundegui bodywork offers 55 seats. Other builders, among them Irizar and Jonckheere, have also used the chassis.
In service
British and Irish operators adopted the chassis widely for touring coaches, and in Australia it appears under Irizar and other bodies with operators such as Adams Coachlines. Its combination of a compact 9-litre engine and a full-size body made it a practical alternative to 12-litre coaches for operators whose routes did not need the largest engine.
The B9R was part of the generation of Volvo coach chassis that also included the B12B and B13R at the top of the range. Volvo later moved its coach range to the B11R, which replaced the remaining B12B chassis from 2011 and the B13R from 2013, leaving the B9R as the smaller-engine option for markets that did not need more power.
Design and features
- 9-litre engine: 380 bhp and 1,700 Nm from a compact six.
- Under-floor engine: a flat floor and full luggage capacity.
- Long bodies: up to 13 metres and 19,000 kg gross weight.
- Popular bodies: Plaxton Panther and Elite, Sunsundegui, Irizar.
- Fleet choice: used by British, Irish and Australian coach operators.
Volvo B9R versions
- B9R with Plaxton Panther: 53-seat British touring coach.
- B9R with Plaxton Elite: high-floor executive coach.
- B9R with Sunsundegui: 55-seat body.
- B9R with Irizar: Australian and continental bodies.
- B9R with Jonckheere: continental touring coach.
The B9R sits below the larger Volvo B11R and shares its engine family with the B9S articulated bus. More buses are in the Volvo collection.
Sources
- Volvo B9R, English Wikipedia: engine, dimensions, bodies
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