The Setra TopClass 500 is moving toward the starting line. Series production of this new-generation travel coach has begun at the EvoBus plant in Neu-Ulm with the assembly of the first customer vehicle, an S 517 HDH. This elegant three-axle coach, which offers a unique combination of luxury with maximum functionality, will soon become a mainstay on Europe's roads.
According to Dr. Holger Steindorf, Head of Production at Daimler Buses, the new travel coaches are clearly benefiting the state-of-the-art bus manufacturing plant in Neu-Ulm and attractively augmenting the existing product range. "The Setra TopClass 500 is another guarantee for the location's secure future. At this plant we produce an extremely varied lineup of vehicles, ranging from functional regular-service city buses to top-of-the-line premium-class travel coaches," says Steindorf. "All of the employees at the plant have worked extremely hard to make this day happen and prepared themselves for the new production processes. This shows that we have a very motivated and highly qualified team whose members are extremely committed to their work."
The Setra TopClass 500 replaces its predecessor generation, the TopClass 400, of which more than 7,400 units have been produced in Neu-Ulm since the vehicle was introduced to the market in 2001. The S 431 DT double-decker coach with Euro VI technology will continue to be an integral part of the current product range.

Neu-Ulm facility is an important part of the European production network
Jochen Duppui, Head of the Neu-Ulm assembly plant, is delighted that the series production of the Setra TopClass 500 will continue the facility's long tradition as the origin of top-class products. "The decades-long history of Setra buses, the very experienced and dedicated production team, and the direct proximity to the bus development center and the brand sales unit provide us with ideal conditions for further enhancing the success of high-quality Setra travel coaches," he says.
The Neu-Ulm plant currently has around 3,600 wage earners and salaried employees working in the paint shop, the seat production unit, the preassembly area, the final assembly unit, and the finish department. Last year more than 2,350 Mercedes-Benz and Setra brand buses and coaches rolled off the plant's assembly lines. Together with the plant in Mannheim, the facility in Neu-Ulm serves as the backbone of Daimler Buses' European production network, which encompasses a total of six plants in Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Turkey.

The unique features of the Setra TopClass 500 offer a new level of quality for travelers
The TopClass 500, which was first presented by the Setra brand in the fall of 2013, is a generation of travel coaches that highlights design, value, and safety and combines top-class appointments with outstanding economy. Thanks to their aerodynamic shape, the new travel coaches guarantee a substantially lower noise level and achieve a Cd value of 0.33 (comparable to that of a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sports car). They are the most economical vehicles in the European coach sector.