View source for Volvo B6

{{Infobox UK Bus
|background       = 
|name             = Volvo B6/B6LE
|image            = Torquay_Torbay_Road_Stagecoach_701_P701BTA.jpg
|imagesize        = 
|caption          = Preserved [[Alexander ALX200]] bodied B6LE in [[Torquay]] in September 2011
|manufacturer     = [[Volvo Buses|Volvo]]
|assembly         = [[Austria]] (1991–1992)<br>[[Scotland]] (1993–1999)
|production       = 1991–1999
|class            =  [[Midibus]] [[chassis]] 
|operator         = 
|length           = {{cvt|8.5|m|ftin}} to {{cvt|10.6|m|ftin}}
|width            = {{cvt|2.5|m|ftin}}
|height           = {{cvt|3.0|m|ftin}}
|floortype        = [[High-floor|Step deck]] ({{cvt|555|mm|in}})<br>[[Low-floor bus|Low floor]] ({{cvt|350|mm|in}})
|doors            = 1 or 2 doors
|weight           = 
|chassis          = 
|engine           = Volvo TD63, D6A
|capacity         = {{cvt|5.5|l|in3}}
|powerout         = 
|transmission     = [[Allison Transmission|Allison]]/[[ZF Friedrichshafen|ZF]] 4HP500
|predecessor      = [[Leyland Swift]]
|successor        = [[Volvo B6BLE]]}}
[[File:Plymouth Hoe - Citybus 53 (M53HOD).jpg|thumb|Preserved [[Plymouth Citybus]] [[Plaxton Pointer]] bodied B6 in [[Plymouth]] in April 2013]]
[[File:Timeline bus (N210 WBA), Manchester.jpg|thumb|Timeline Travel [[Alexander Dash]] bodied B6 in [[Manchester]]]]
[[File:Arriva The Shires 3128 M728 OMJ.JPG|thumb|[[Arriva Shires & Essex]] [[Northern Counties Paladin]] bodied B6 in [[High Wycombe]] in July 2009]]
The '''Volvo B6''' was a {{convert|adj=on|5.5|litre|impgal|abbr=off}} engined [[midibus]] [[chassis]] manufactured by [[Volvo Buses|Volvo]] between 1991 and 1999. It was also available as the [[Low-entry bus|low-entry]] '''Volvo B6LE'''.

==History==
In the United Kingdom, the B6 competed in the midibus market with the [[Dennis Dart]], and with the [[MAN Truck & Bus|MAN]] [[MAN 10.xxx HOCL|10.xxx HOCL]] and [[MAN 12.xxx HOCL|12.xxx HOCL]]/[[MAN 12.xxx HOCL-NL|12.xxx HOCL-NL]] throughout Europe. When launched in 1991,<ref name="cm1991">[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/17th-october-1991/22/volvo-unveils-b6r-midi Volvo unveils B6R midi] ''[[Commercial Motor]]'' 17 October 1991</ref> it was presented as being available in several different lengths; {{convert|abbr=off|8.5|metres|feet}} (''B6-36''), 9.0 metres (''B6-41''), 9.9 metres (''B6-50'') and a 9.1-metre coach version (''B6-45''). For [[left-hand-drive|LHD]] markets it was available with a {{convert|350|mm|inch|abbr=on|adj=on}} low-entry floor, while the [[right-hand-drive|RHD]] markets had to wait until 1995 before this option became available.

Most B6s were built for the [[UK]] market, but 61 were exported to Hong Kong<ref>[http://www.gakei.com/cb6/cb6.htm HKBEC - Citybus Volvo B6R/B6LE] Gakei</ref> and some to [[Australia]]. They were also sold in mainland Europe, both in bus and in coach versions. When launched in the UK, it was marketed as the B6R, but this name would later only be used in the [[Asia-Pacific]] region.

==Volvo B6==
The initial pre-production series of around 30 (or more) [[chassis]] were manufactured by Volvo subsidiary [[Steyr-Daimler-Puch|Steyr Bus GmbH]] in [[Vienna]], Austria. This would however not be the case with the production series, as Volvo moved it to Scotland.<ref name="cm1992">[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/15th-october-1992/16/goodnight-to-vienna-for-b6 Goodnight to Vienna for B6] ''Commercial Motor'' 15 October 1992</ref> Most of the pre-production units were built as coaches. Only nine of these units were delivered in the United Kingdom.<ref name=BLOWB6>[http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/index.htm?http://www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk/list.asp?ListName=816&Type=&Page=1&WW=0 Volvo B6 / B6LE (UK vehicles only)] Bus Lists on the Web</ref>

In March 1993, serial production of the B6 started up at Volvo's brand new bus chassis plant in [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]], Scotland.<ref name="cm1993">[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/1st-april-1993/10/volvo-opens-bus-lines-in-irvine Volvo opens bus lines in Irvine] ''Commercial Motor'' 1 April 1993</ref><ref>"New models: Volvo B6" ''Fleetline'' issue 229 August 1994 page 152</ref> The ''B6-50'' length was instantly popular. The short-wheelbase ''B6-36'' sold a few from the start, but customers soon chose the ''B6-41'' instead.

The ''B6-45'' midicoach suffered from disappointingly low sales in the UK - by 1995, when the RHD version was withdrawn from sale, only fourteen had been built. The last one being delivered to the [[Embassy of Russia, London|Russian embassy]] in 1998, being unsold since 1995. No further RHD B6-45s were ever built. For the RHD markets also the entire [[high-floor|step-entrance]] B6 lineup was discontinued in 1997, while the LHD version was available until the introduction of the B6BLE in 1999. The step-entrance B6 never received a proper successor. Between 1993 and 1997 a total of 627 B6s were delivered in the UK.<ref name=BLOWB6/>

The B6 were labelled as the '''Volvo B6R''' in the [[Asia-Pacific]] region.<ref>[http://www.omnibus.org.nz/buslocation/volvo/b6.html Volvo B6 Buses and Coaches] Omnibus Society of New Zealand</ref> In [[Australia]], [[Hunter Valley Buses|Blue Ribbon]] purchased five, [[Transdev NSW|Southtrans]] four and [[Whyalla]] City Transport two.<ref>[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?search=BRC Blue Ribbon Coaches] Australian Bus Fleet Lists</ref><ref>[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?search=SOU Southtrans] Australian Bus Fleet Lists</ref><ref>[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/sa.php?search=WHY Whyalla City Transport] Australian Bus Fleet Lists</ref> [[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus]] of Hong Kong took delivery of one [[Walter Alexander Coachbuilders|Alexander]] bodied B6R.<ref name=Fleetline248>"Hong Kong Buses: Citybus Limited" ''Fleetline'' issue 248 May 1997</ref>

==Volvo B6LE==
[[File:VolvoB6LE-VestLiner310Midi-Nettbuss.jpg|thumb|[[Vest Karosseri|Vest]] bodied B6LE delivered in October 1993, possibly being the first ever B6LE. Here in [[Porsgrunn]] in August 2007.]]
[[File:Avon Buses Volvo B6 10.JPG|thumb|[[Avon Buses]] [[Wright Crusader]] bodied B6LE in [[Birkenhead]] in June 2009]]
The B6LE was initially only available as left-hand drive, but in 1995 it also became available as right-hand drive, to compete with the [[Dennis Dart SLF]]. However, after sales proved promising, the B6LE completely replaced the B6 in some markets in 1997 before it was itself replaced by the [[Volvo B6BLE|B6BLE]] in 1999.

A total of 394 B6LEs were produced for the UK between 1995 and 1999; this includes two modified vehicles used as the testbed for the then-upcoming B6BLE.<ref name=BLOWB6/>

The B6LE were labelled as the '''Volvo B6RLE''' in the [[Asia-Pacific]] region. In [[Australia]], [[Brisbane Transport]] purchased two B6RLE.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141109041422/http://www.btbuses.info/?GoTo=searchfleet&find=Volvo%20B6RLE%20midi%20%5BVolgren%5D&searching=yes Volvo B6RLE] Brisbane Transport Buses</ref> Three were purchased by [[National Bus Company (Australia)|National Bus Company]] in [[Brisbane]].<ref>[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/cdc.php?search=CDC&depotreq=NB CDC Group NSW - Hunter Valley Buses] Australian Bus Fleet Lists</ref> Citybus (Hong Kong) took delivery of 20 [[Plaxton Pointer]] bodied B6LEs, with 10 being single door and 10 being double doors. There’s also 10 bodied with ALX200 that had overhead luggage racks and 30 B6LE bodied with the local Jit Luen bodywork.<ref name=Fleetline248/>

==Engines==
'''TD63''', 5478 [[Cubic centimetre|cc]], in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (1991-1995)
* TD63E - 132&nbsp;kW (180&nbsp;bhp), 520 Nm, [[Euro I]]
* TD63ES - 154&nbsp;kW (210&nbsp;bhp), Euro I

'''D6A''', 5478 [[Cubic centimetre|cc]], in-line 6 cyl. turbodiesel (1995-1999)
* D6A180 - 132&nbsp;kW (180&nbsp;bhp), 550 Nm, Euro II
* D6A210 - 154&nbsp;kW (210&nbsp;bhp), 700 Nm, Euro II

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Volvo B6}}
*{{commons category-inline|Volvo B6LE}}

{{Volvo Buses|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 1991]]
[[Category:Volvo buses|B06]]
[[Category:Low-entry buses]]
[[Category:Step-entrance buses]]
[[Category:Midibuses]]
[[Category:Bus chassis]]