Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) has taken delivery of the revamped version of the Coaster commercial passenger bus. This was presented to the motoring journalists at the company’s headquarters in Lekki, Lagos recently. The new Coaster bus retains all the DNA and trapping of its predecessors with improved head and leg room, safety and comfort features.
This is coming at a time when the global leader in automotive business is opening another chapter in its history after the launch of the completely redesigned Toyota Coaster at Toyota dealers (Osaka Toyopet dealers in the Osaka region) nationwide across Japan in 2016.
It would be recalled that the Toyota Coaster was first launched as the “Light Bus” in 1963, in response to increased demand for a minibus that could approximately seat 25 passengers comfortably.
Six years after, the vehicle underwent a partial redesign and was later renamed Coaster; a name which it has continued to use for over the past 50 years.
It supports the movement of people around the world. At present, it is for sale in over 110 countries and regions, and total sales have now exceeded 550,000 vehicles.
Since its world-wide introduction, Coaster has become a household name not only in Nigeria where Toyota Nigeria Limited is the principal manufacturers’ representatives, but it is also regularly seen in almost every market and continents across the globe.
It is used in a variety of situations including the transportation of passengers and workers as staff buses, and other commuters from one location to another including going and coming back from restaurants, hotels, and tourists including beach goers and kindergartens among other utility functions.
The current, third-generation Coaster was launched in 1993. While this model has received praise for its outstanding reliability, there have been growing calls for a new design that incorporates the full safety features package.
In addition, since revitalization of the tourism industry in Nigeria is expected to lead to increased demand for minibuses, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is aiming to develop a vehicle that will be cherished and ridden for many years to come.
This complete redesign marks a significant evolution from the current model, and features a full range of safety functions, improved comfort, outstanding reliability, and a design appropriate for a new generation of minibuses.
The Coaster is the first vehicle to undergo a complete redesign under the supervision of the (Commercial Vehicle) CV Company, which was established last year April to carry out the development of commercial vehicles from the planning to production stages.
The CV Company is an in-house company that oversees the development of vehicles that continue to support the lifestyles of people from various regions around the world. Company sources states that going forward, the company will continue to engage in the creation of ever-better commercial vehicles.
Flaunting outstanding body rigidity and full range of safety equipment, the bus utilizes a ringed body frame which unifies the roof, sides, and floor frame sections. The use of high-tensile steel plates further contributes to a rigid body that complies with the ECE2 Regulation 663 (Rollover) global safety-performance standard.
The vehicle also provides passenger safety and a peace of mind for our customers in the event of an emergency through the use of pre-tensioners, which instantly takes up seatbelt slack and secure passengers, as well as the use of force limiters, which reduces the force applied to passengers’ chest regions.
The cabin space has been heightened by 60 mm, and the windows have been moved outwards by approximately 40 mm, thus providing enough space for passengers to rest their elbows. In addition, the side windows have increased in height by 50 mm, which creates a comfortable and open passenger space.
Apart from its quiet interior, a stable and comfortable ride, it has improved body rigidity due to the ringed body frame, adjustments to engine cover structures, enhanced body-seal structures. The optimal distribution of soundproofing materials all contribute to improved cabin quietness.
