Always one more star: tailor-made urban buses from Mercedes-Benz, from minibuses to the Citaro and the spacious CapaCity

• The numerous Citaro variants: one for all in urban and inter-city transport
• The Citaro Ü, GÜ and the Citaro LE Ü and LE MÜ connect town and country
• CapaCity: the high-capacity bus for heavily frequented routes
• The fully-electrically powered eCitaro – a new route in e-mobility
• The unique safety and assistance systems of the Citaro
• Like no other: the new Sprinter City 75 and its exclusive technology

The best-selling Mercedes‑Benz Citaro urban bus in all its versions, the fully-electric eCitaro, the spacious CapaCity, minibuses and the most varied of chassis for all manner of urban bus body builds, not to mention holistic solutions on the basis of their chassis – Mercedes‑Benz is a full-line provider and is present on all of the world's continents with a regional and locally adapted offering.

The numerous Citaro variants: One for all in urban and inter-city transport

For more than two decades, it has been the benchmark for low-floor urban regular-service buses: over the course of its two generations and more than 50,000 units sold, the Mercedes‑Benz Citaro has established itself as a true best-seller. It unites economy and high-quality technology, environmental friendliness, comfort and safety.

A true classic is the 12.14 metre long Citaro solo bus, available with either two or three doors as well as with an upright or a horizontally-installed engine. From these alone results an impressive scope of variants, which are further underlined by a range of different cabs and passenger seating versions, not to mention an almost unthinkable number of optional extras for the individual requirements and desires of the transport companies.

Then there is the Citaro LE which combines the low-entry advantages of various vehicle classes with one another. From the front area up to and including the central door area, it is a wholly easy-access low-floor bus. However, after the second door but ahead of the driven axle, the floor rises up to the high-floor level. An advantage in this model is the particularly economic and comfortable touring bus hypoid driven axle with centrally positioned upright engine. This model can be identified by the distinctively raised roof at the rear. The Citaro LE is available as a solo bus measuring 12.17 m in length and featuring either two or three doors.

If extreme manoeuvrability is required, Mercedes Benz offers the 10.63 metre long Citaro K solobus with shortened wheelbase and either two or three doors. Although the Citaro is already impressively manageable, the Citaro K with its small 17.28 m turning circle delivers astonishingly good manoeuvrability. When dealing with high passenger numbers, the Citaro G articulated bus really comes into its own. It measures 18.13 m and comes with the option of either three or four doors as well as either a horizontally installed or an upright engine.

Despite their solid construction, all versions of the Citaro are very light-weight. This in turn results in a very high passenger capacity of up to 103 passengers in the solobus and a maximum of 163 passengers in the articulated variants.

The Citaro Ü, GÜ and the Citaro LE Ü and LE MÜ connect town and country

Passengers of inter-city routes also benefit from the advantages of the Mercedes‑Benz Citaro, with the Citaro Ü connecting the town and the country. The first thing you'll notice is its single-piece windscreen. It flows, like on a touring coach, with an elegant curvature right up onto the roof. Another characteristic of the vehicle is the single door instead of the double-width door found on the urban bus variants. The central door remains a double-width entrance. The Citaro Ü is available from Mercedes‑ � � � Benz as a two-door solobus, as a low-entry Citaro Ü/MÜ in two lengths, or as the Citaro GÜ articulated bus with three doors.

CapaCity: the high-capacity bus for heavily frequented routes

The high-capacity Mercedes‑Benz CapaCity is superb in every way. The four‑axle articulated bus is both technically and visually derived from the Citaro. It proves its worth on heavily-frequented inner-city bus routes as well as within BRT systems (Bus Rapid Transit) with specific lanes. Two versions are available: the 19.73 metre long four-door CapaCity and the 21.0 metre long CapaCity L. This titan of space can transport up to 191 passengers. Despite their incredible lengths, the two high-capacity buses remain surprisingly manoeuvrable thanks to their steered fourth axle.

The fully-electrically powered eCitaro – a new route in e-mobility

The Citaro is also the platform used for the fully-electric eCitaro solobus. In fact, the load-bearing skeleton is almost identical. The same also applies to the layout: Battery packets take up the spaces otherwise occupied by the engine and transmission. Yet, despite construction similarities, the eCitaro differentiates itself vastly from the regular vehicle by means of an exclusive design concept. It allows the basic shape of the Citaro to merge with elements of the Mercedes-Benz Future Bus to form a distinctive and unique appearance. The two‑door and three-door versions of the two-axle solobus are driven by an electrical axle featuring motors at the wheel hubs. Currently in the development phase, the articulated Mercedes‑Benz eCitaro G will celebrate its premiere in the coming year.

Next to the wide variety of bodies on offer – Citaro, Citaro G, Citaro K, Citaro LE and the inter-city variants – the Citaro also offers a very varied palette of drive systems. Mercedes‑Benz can provide the bus with low-emission diesel and gas engines, not to mention as the Citaro hybrid or even as the fully‑electric eCitaro.

The unique safety and assistance systems of the Citaro

As a true Mercedes‑Benz, the Citaro urban bus is all about safety. The Citaro's high demands are emphasised by the introduction of Preventive Brake Assist. Unique in urban buses, this assistance system initiates an automatic application of the brakes if there is a risk of collision with a pedestrian crossing the vehicle's path or if there is a risk of colliding with an obstacle. Preventive Brake Assist makes use of the technology of Active Brake Assist, albeit with a warning cascade and braking manoeuvre which have been adapted specifically for the system's application in urban buses.

Equally new and unique is the Sideguard Assist. It warns the driver of obstacles to the side of the vehicle when turning off to the right. Both assistance systems not only aid the driver but, first and foremost, serve to protect weaker road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

All Citaro articulated buses, including the CapaCity, feature the innovative ATC (Articulated Turntable Controller) anti-jackknifing system as standard. It stabilises the articulated bus in critical driving situations and delivers similar functionality to the electronic stability system ESP.

Like no other: the new Sprinter City 75 and its exclusive technology

The new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter forms the basis for a completely new generation of minibuses with the three-pointed star. The Sprinter City model range stands out. Whether on routes with low passenger numbers, quick connections between new residential areas, or transporting passengers in tight historical old towns, the Sprinter City 45 and Sprinter City 75 have established themselves in regular-service operations. And more specifically, the Sprinter City 75 with its exclusive technology has taken on an especially prominent role. During the recent Minibus Euro Test, it was voted Minibus of the Year 2019 by an international jury of specialists.

The 8.5 m flagship of the model series offers space for up to 38 passengers and is a particularly spacious vehicle. Besides the space it offers, the Sprinter City 75 doesn't just offer a remarkable amount of top-level technology, it also has a very unique design. Like its predecessor, it features an independent skeleton body. The minibus adopts the Sprinter's body width of just 2080 mm and consequently also moves nimbly through narrow alleys in historic city centres or densely built-up suburbs.

Passengers enter the passenger compartment of the Sprinter City 75 through a double-wing electrically operated outward-swinging door behind the front axle. Like the single-wing rear door, it is powered by the 12-volt technology of the Sprinter. Because the step height in driving position is a maximum of 270 mm, the minibus does not need a complex kneeling function. The passenger compartment has a low-entry design. The low-floor zone between the axles has a highly variable design. It has space for up to five folding seats on the driver's side and two more on the door side, alternatively for a wheelchair and/or pushchair. If these are not in use, there is standing room for up to 26 passengers. Fitting a quick-change seating system with up to three double seats on the driver's side is also possible. Two flat steps in front of the rear axle lead to the raised seating area at the rear. There, passengers will find another twelve seats.

Like the design, the technical concept of the Sprinter City 75 is completely new. It is based on the chassis of the Mercedes‑Benz Sprinter, but only up to the B‑pillar. Then follows a self-supporting integral minibus skeleton. The wheelbase of 5100 mm actually makes it 775 mm longer than the longest version of the new Mercedes‑Benz Sprinter. The gross vehicle weight rating of the two-axle vehicle is 6.8 t and offers large reserves.

The basis of the high gross vehicle weight rating is a high-load rear axle with air suspension developed exclusively for Mercedes‑B enz minibuses. The dual-tyre component has an axle-load rating of 5.0 t. A prerequisite for the tremendous load-bearing capacity are 17.5‑inch wheels with 215/75 R 17.5 tyres. Another new development is the optionally available minibus frequent-stop brake, which is located directly ahead of the rear axle. The standard equipment includes a Telma retarder with a braking power of 350 Nm as a wear-free auxiliary brake. It is positioned upstream of the foot pedal.

The new Sprinter City 75 contains a host of impressive assistance systems that further elevate the level of safety. Examples include the standard electronic stability program ESP, Crosswind Assist and Active Brake Assist. Optional systems like Active Distance Assist Distronic and Attention Assist provide further assistance to the driver.