The model 990 – 991 Class Renault chassis came to Australia in CKD form and were assembled by MACK Trucks in Brisbane, and then freighted to Austral Denning where the bodies were fitted.
The chassis were of low floor design and used low profile tyres, these two chassis were fitted with CNG powered engines. The engines were Renault diesel engines converted to run on CNG by Transcom Engine Corporation. At this stage they were only prototype engines and were later modified using CNG cylinder heads supplied by Renault.
The CNG conversion to the body was carried out by Brisbane City Council and was the first bus in Australia to have roof mounted CNG cylinders.
These buses were the first of six prototype PR100.3s built by Austral Denning, they featured some very radical changes in body construction and materials used to build the bus. They were the first to comply with the new ADR 59 rollover regulation; the body featured the front and rear cowl from the Renault R312 Paris Bus.
The body panels used new materials such as Kevlar, Polycarbonate and Carbon Fibre. These panels and all the windows were bonded to the frames using a Polyurethane adhesive.
The saloon of the bus featured flat floors with the seats canter-levered from the sidewalls and heating exiting through the seat frames. The bus also featured electronic destination equipment, PLC computer controlled door systems and electronic accelerator systems driver controlled roof hatches and electrically operated external rear vision mirrors.
Bus 991 was transported to Canada and featured in the World NGV Conference held there in 1993.
In 2008 they were converted to run on diesel and are technically now PR100.3. You can find further info on both vehicles at our Wiki.
Fleet Numbers: 990-991.
Total Buses 2
Delivery Date 2 July 1993 – 27 February 1993
Exhaust Underbody Near Side Rear Corner
Engine Model 06.20 – 45B MIPR
Capacity 9.8 litre – Turbo charged
Power 186kw (240 Hp) @ 2100 RPM DIN 70020
Torque 940 NM @ 1400 RPM
Transmission ZF 5HP500
Steering ZF Power Assisted
Brakes 4 x Drum ABS (WABCO)
Tyres 275/70 x 22.5
Fuel Tank Capacity 720 litres (nominal)
Fuel Tank Type 6 x Fibre wrapped steel. Roof mounted.
Electrical System 24V – 80 Amp alternator
Suspension Front – Airbag over coil with kneeling option on front
Suspension Back – Airbag over leaf
Seats 49 hinged Saydair Metro 92 with Holdsworth Material
Doors 1 Front, 1 Rear Gilbert’s Glide-away twin leaf type. Rear door fitted with safety edges and interlocks. FESTO PLC Control
Flooring Pirelli
Luggage Rack 2 small over both front wheel arches
Windows Tinted bonded glass with top mounted hoppers
Roof Hatch Beclawat 1 front 1 rear – air operated
Handrails Two overhead full length on either side of the aisle with vertical stanchions
Bus Stop Alert System Passenger push buttons
Destination Equipment Front: STC Cannon electronic operated route and three numbers
Destination Equipment Side; STC Cannon electronic operated three numbers
Heating: Saloon – 2 units fully ducted through seat cantilever
Drivers Demister Integrated with air conditioning
Air Conditioning COACHAIR Integrated system – drivers cabin only
Radio AM / FM Clarion – drivers cabin
Bus length 11.97 metres
Rear overhang 3.2 metres
Front overhang 2.66 metres
Wheelbase 6.1 metres
Width 2.5 metres
Height 3.02 metres
Front Step Height 350 mm
Rear Step Height 350 mm
Floor Height 635 mm
Arrival angle 8.1 degrees
Departure angle 7 degrees
Tare 11,290 kg
GVM 16,000 kg
Top Speed 82 kph (electronically controlled)
This page was last updated on 1 September 2024
