Mercedes-Benz O 404

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The Mercedes-Benz O 404 was a touring coach from Daimler-Benz AG , which was built as the successor to the Mercedes O 303 touring coach in September 1992 and was replaced in 1999 by the successor model O 580 "Travego" .

Coach O 404, revised version with so-called "sensor mirrors"
Mercedes-Benz O 404 RH-K from Globetrotter Reisen in Hamburg

The range of this model began with the combi bus O 404 RH-K, which was also intended for use in scheduled and excursion traffic, but mainly comprised various pure travel versions from the normal (high-floor) model to the high-decker to the "super high-decker" that differed in the height of the passenger floor above ground and thus also in the overall height of the structure. As with the predecessor, these models were combined with interiors of various designs from simple to luxurious, which, however, do not differ from the exterior of the vehicle.

With the launch of the model, a double-decker touring car was also presented, which was to be manufactured under the designation O 404 DD by order of the Heilbronn-based bus body manufacturer Drögmöller (now part of Volvo ). However, the model vehicle built remained a one-off.

Compared to its predecessor, the construction of the O 404 was smoother, the side window pillars no longer protruded so clearly. At the front of the car, the pane was pulled down further. From a technical point of view, the standard disc brakes and the independent front suspension were now to be mentioned . There were only three body lengths to choose from, these corresponded to the versions with 10, 13 and 15 rows of seats. The engine range ranged from approx. 150 to 280 kW, for the normal-length travel versions with 15 rows of seats, the engine started at 195 kW. As with the predecessor, the electropneumatic shift (EPS) was also offered as a shift aid. As a rule, however, manual six-speed transmissions were installed.

The O 404 could not match the success of its predecessor O 303, which is partly due to the fact that the production period of the predecessor was 18 years (compared to 7 years for the O 404), and the bus travel market is declining by reluctance to travel or by switching to low-cost airlines . This increasingly prompted bus operators to purchase cheaper buses from foreign manufacturers or to extend their procurement cycles. In 1992, Mercedes also added a further and cheaper touring coach manufactured in Turkey , the O 340 , to its range, which was de facto and visually a further development of the previous O 303. Another new feature was that a Mercedes bus was given a name (Tourismo) in addition to the alphanumeric type designation for the first time. In 1996 the O 404 underwent a thorough model upgrade, visually recognizable by the changed (corrugated) front cover and new, larger exterior mirrors, so-called "integral" or "sensor mirrors". The shortest version with 10 rows of seats was omitted, only the 280 kW motor remained in the offer.

The bus is still being built under license by Iran Khodro Diesel .

See also

Web links

Commons : Mercedes-Benz O 404  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Omnibus archive: Mercedes-Benz O 404 DD , accessed on 23 August 2014.
  2. Daimler AG: Radical upheaval in buses: in 1991 the ultra-modern O 404 replaced the world bestseller O 303 ( memento of the original from March 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed on August 23, 2014. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / media.daimler.com
  3. as C457 at IKCO