23.95 EUR
(RRP*)
12.99 EUR*
Art.-no. Lemke_LC4425
Lemke
The Mercedes-Benz O 303 was a touring coach from Daimler-Benz AG from the 1970s and 1980s. In 1974 Mercedes-Benz presented the new O 303 bus series at the Paris Motor Show, the design of which was much smoother than that of its predecessor, the O 302, in keeping with contemporary tastes, but was visually based heavily on this very successful model and also represented its technical advancement . However, the skeleton construction was carried out here for the first time with the help of computer calculations, so that the construction of the O 303 represents an independent development instead of a model update.
Even more clearly than its predecessor, the O 303 was primarily designed as a touring coach, but among the many different versions within the new modular system there were still regular-service buses, combi buses for regular and occasional services, as well as various touring coaches ranging from simpler equipment to high-decker long-distance coaches, which, however, only appeared on offer in 1979. However, the O 303 did not have an urban traffic variant like the O 302, with a double-width front door and low side windows instead of the raised panoramic windows, since the Mercedes standard service bus models O 305 and O 307 had been offered for this purpose since the early 1970s. The O 307 was also optionally available with excursion seating and luggage compartments, so that the O 303 ÜHP/ÜHE was two station wagon models.
Technically and to a certain extent also visually, the O 303 was clearly the further development of the O 302. During the entire construction period, it had rigid axles and drum brakes. On the other hand, the O 303 got newly developed V6 and V8-cylinder diesel engines, as well as a V10 with 235kW / 320hp until the introduction of the high-decker model and the parallel truck model update "NG 80". Right from the start, the O 303 was fitted with air suspension, which compensated for the lack of comfort due to the rigid axles. (Source: Wikipedia)