NEOPLAN 

Well roared, lion!

The 66th IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016 for MAN

The 10,000 square metre exhibition space at the world’s largest commercial vehicles trade show, the 66th IAA in Hanover, was the stage for an impressive presentation from MAN. The topics chosen by the manufacturer consistently attracted the attention of the visitors. The world première of their new van, the MAN TGE, completed MAN’s product portfolio at the smaller end of their vehicle range, making MAN a full service provider for all transport requirements. The TG model series offers engines with new power levels, finely tuned transmissions and a number of new interior and exterior design features. The newly introduced NEOPLAN Tourliner completes MAN’s bus portfolio with a new entry model in the field of premium coaches. As the initiator of the new digital brand RIO, MAN is responsible for the development of the brand within Volkswagen Truck & Bus. RIO is an open platform that bundles digital solutions for the transport & logistics ecosystem, including also competitor’s vehicles.

World debut of the new MAN TGE van

The world première of the new van at IAA 2016, the MAN TGE, completed MAN’s product portfolio at the smaller end of their vehicle range.
The world première of the new van at IAA 2016, the MAN TGE, completed MAN’s product portfolio at the smaller end of their vehicle range.

The new MAN TGE was exceptionally well-received by visitors during its world première in Hanover. In future, the vehicle will be offered in a number of body variants, with a choice of two wheelbases, three vehicle lengths and heights, as well as an engine output between 75 kW/102 HP and 130 kW/177 HP. The three exhibition vehicles, fitted with different body types for possible application in construction, distribution transport and as a mobile workshop, were taken under close scrutiny by the audience and often inspired constructive and practical discussions with the team members at the stand. Positive feedback came first and foremost from the ranks of long-standing customers who can now count on the same level of service for these 3.0 to 5.5 tonne vehicles as they are used to from MAN’s heavy trucks. MAN Service is renowned for their helpful approach to every customer – even walk-ins – and for their fast availability in case of emergencies, even at weekends or at night, as well as for their long opening hours. Their range of workshop services naturally includes flexible repair and maintenance contracts as well as full vehicle services – as shown at the trade show. During the course of the trade show, several hundred intentions to buy were already recorded for the MAN TGE.

MAN heavy trucks with more power and a new design

When it comes to design, MAN put forward numerous innovations for the TGL, TGM, TGS and TGX model ranges at the IAA. Optically, greater emphasis has been placed on the MAN lion as the emotional marker of the brand. Appearing in a bold new design against a high-gloss black background, the lion on the chrome clasp above the grille is now even more prominent. The interior also devotes more attention to the Büssing lion, while the newly developed bright colours and fabrics for all textile surfaces create a completely new sense of space

The new D26 and D38 MAN engines will from now offer more torque and greater performance with lower consumption. The new version of the established D26 engine records an increase of 20 HP and 200 Nm respectively and offers a peak performance of 500 HP. The 640 HP top-of-the-range engine, which was up to now reserved exclusively for heavy-duty versions, is now available in almost all variants of the MAN TGX D38. The other power levels of the new D38 have each been raised by 20 HP to 540 HP and 580 HP.

With altogether more than 5,500 trucks sold, MAN has far exceeded its own expectations. Added to this are numerous concluded financing agreements and rental packages through MAN Financial Services and the successes in the After Sales department with regard to concluded service contracts.

TGX EfficientLine3
Great interest of visitors to the new TGX EfficientLine3 at the MAN booth.
 MAN TGX PerformanceLine
On stage at the IAA 2016 the MAN TGX PerformanceLine with 640 hp.

The NEOPLAN Tourliner – a new member of the MAN Bus family

Another world première was celebrated with the launch of the new NEOPLAN Tourliner, which offers bus companies a new entry model in the field of premium coaches. The flexible applications – from long-distance to tourist travel – the numerous assistance systems and its excellent aerodynamics all make the new NEOPLAN Tourliner a real all-rounder. As with all buses, it also benefits from improved engine and transmission functions, which now offer more torque and more power with lower consumption thanks to an optimised driveline. The newly redesigned headlights with LED daytime driving lights in 'angel eye' optic will in future adorn all NEOPLAN buses.

Sales expectations for the IAA were also exceeded in the bus sector. A total of more than 350 vehicles are on the company’s order list. Reifers Reisen from Warburg, for instance, snapped up the first NEOPLAN Tourliner. Amongst other things, MAN also had the chance to symbolically hand over the 7,500th MAN Lion’s Coach at the IAA. The NEOPLAN Skyliner was also a cause for celebration: it was presented with the IBC Award at the trade show. In a preceding extensive comparison test, it had particularly asserted itself amongst other double-deckers in terms of its chassis and of passenger comfort.

NEOPLAN Tourliner
MAN celebrates with the NEOPLAN Tourliner a world premiere at the IAA 2016.
At its booth at the IAA 2016 MAN presented busses of both brands, MAN und NEOPLAN.
At its booth at the IAA 2016 MAN presented busses of both brands, MAN und NEOPLAN.
MAN Truck & Bus introduced at the IAA 2016 the fully electric MAN Lion’s City articulated bus

Digital solutions and electromobility

MAN presented these two topics with particular professionalism at the IAA 2016 in Hanover, designating a special platform for RIO – the new Volkswagen Truck & Bus brand for digital solutions. RIO is an open, cross-manufacturer business and technology platform that provides individual and uniquely intuitive digital services for the entire transportation and logistics ecosystem. The transport chain is made up of both data providers and data users. As the initiator of RIO, MAN is responsible for its development within the Volkswagen Truck & Bus Group.

With regard to eMobility, MAN Truck & Bus introduced the fully electric MAN Lion’s City articulated bus with different charging infrastructure concepts as well as an MAN TGS semitrailer tractor with electric drive for use in applications relating to inner-city night-time supply.

As part of its eMobility roadmap, MAN will be sending a pre-series bus version of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) for field trials in 2018. Series production of a 100% electrically-driven city bus will commence before 2020.

The technological expertise from the eMobility modular system in the bus sector will in future also be available for electric truck applications. In addition, MAN’s membership in the Volkswagen Group means that it can utilise synergies within the Group and draw value from the dynamics of the passenger car sector.

Successful trade show presence for MAN

Joachim Drees, Chief Executive Officer of MAN Truck & Bus and a member of the board at Volkswagen Truck & Bus summarises: “In the last few months, we worked with great passion across all departments to ensure that we could bring as many innovations as possible to the IAA in Hanover. We ignited a veritable explosion of innovations – and gave an exceptional performance.”

“All in all, the trade show was a huge success, also with regard to the number of vehicles sold,” followed up Heinz-Jürgen Löw, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the IAA 2016. “My particular thanks goes to the entire team, who committed themselves fully to attaining our highly-ambitious goals.”

By the time the traditional chorus of horns had faded away around 6 pm on 29th September, a total of over 200,000 people had visited the MAN stand at the trade show. On individual days, the count exceeded 30,000 people – an increase of up to 60 per cent compared with 2014. MAN gave numerous informative interviews on the stage at the trade show stand each day. 13,000 footballs were handed out to those visiting the stand during the course of the 66th IAA Commercial Vehicles as a memento of their visit to the trade show.