Marcopolo is a Brazilian bus concern. Its program includes 25 basic models - general-purpose minibuses, tourist buses of medium and large capacity, multi-seat intercity cars and trolleybuses, but the basis of the entire range is 10 types of urban single and articulated 2- and 3-section buses of different capacities.
The Marcopolo company was founded in 1949 and specializes exclusively in the production of buses. However, the production of buses started only in 1953. In the first years of its existence, the brand produced components for the assembly of buses from other manufacturers, such as Daimler and MAN, which, after World War II, were in dire need of suppliers in foreign markets. This was the beginning of a successful cooperation, which was marked by the rapid development of the technological equipment of the Markopolo brand.
Light buses are assembled on the chassis of distribution trucks, but the majority of Marcopolo products are complete buses of its own production with locally assembled units. The Portuguese plant Marcopolo Industria de Carrocarias SA in Coimbra, commissioned in 1991 and capable of assembling 250 cars annually, operates on the European market. The most promising for the Western European market are 3 models of Marcopolo buses.
The first is the 7.7m Senior midrange car with a distinctive front end design. The bus is offered in tourist and school versions with a capacity of 25-27 passengers, with a front 146-horsepower Iveco diesel engine, a manual transmission and an ABS braking system. For tourism and intercity traffic, the company also offers its new 12-meter Andare intercity bus, based on the Volvo B12TX chassis. It is made in a modern style and fully meets all the requirements of Western Europe, including Euro-3 standards. It is equipped with a modern ergonomic driver's workplace, a luxury cabin, luggage compartments with a capacity of 7.5-9.5 cubic meters.
In the tourist class, the company offers a high-class, 49-seat Viaggio II bus, specially designed for the Western European market. So far, it is produced in three 2-axle versions with a length of 12 meters and a capacity of 49 passengers, equipped with Iveco diesel engines with a capacity of 330, 350 and 370 liters. from. In the future, it is planned to replenish the Viaggio range with several new versions, including those with a 6x2 wheel arrangement. It will include buses 9.8-13.8 meters long with an elevated interior for 37-59 passengers.