Colombiabus newsroom – Mercedes-Benz Do Brasil
A CHASSIS THAT WAS BORN AS A WINNER AND CONTINUES WITH ORDERS
Mercedes-Benz do Brasil, has been able to celebrate the sale of the 100,000 unit in its local market, the OF1721 chassis, in a year of great challenges and where it is struggling hard for the economic recovery of the bus industry, due to the pandemic. More than 120,000 platforms have been produced at the São Bernardo do Campo plant (São Paulo State), which also serves the foreign market.
The OF 1721 had its first version between 1998 and 2004, being the best-selling on the market during those years. Between 2005 and 2011, with the entry into force of the Euro 3 standard in Brazil, it was replaced by the OF 1722. As of 2012, when the Euro 5 emissions standard was adopted and Mercedes-Benz incorporated Bluetec 5 technology, it returned to be called OF 1721, continuing its leadership in sales in the country since then.
Achieving enormous acceptance in urban public transport, both in metropolitan regions, as in other cities and throughout the country, the 100,000 OF 1721 chassis registered in Brazil mean an average of approximately 4,350 units per year. The sales success of the OF 1721 is an important contribution to the success of the OF line of Mercedes-Benz front-engined buses, which reached its 50th anniversary last March. During these five decades, more than 256,000 OF models have been registered in the Brazilian market, with a total production of around 310,000 units that have also gone to the markets of Latin America and Africa, mainly.
Not only is it the best-selling bus by Mercedes-Benz in Brazil, it is also witness to the milestones of many companies, which were born, grew and consolidated in urban and road transport, using this family of vehicles in their fleets.
Developed to receive bodies of up to 13.2 meters, the OF-1721 is equipped with the OM 924 LA 4-cylinder electronic engine, which offers a power of 208 hp at 2,200 rpm and a torque of 780 Nm between 1,200 and 1,600 rpm. This engine is a reference for its fuel economy and high thrust at low revs, which make it ideal for urban traffic.
In addition to the traditional mechanical leaf spring suspension setup, the OF 1721 is also offered with inner tubes, increasing passenger and driver satisfaction in terms of vehicle comfort. The chassis includes exclusive Top Brake engine brake, ABS braking system, G 85 6-speed gearboxes with oil cooler, additional pulley for air conditioning and connection for telemetry data extraction (FMS). The list of options includes items such as digital tachograph and retarder.
Its fuel economy features include the EIS automatic engine shutdown system. If the bus is stationary, but with the engine running, the gear in neutral and the parking brake applied, in a situation that lasts a long time, for example 4 minutes, without the driver accelerating the vehicle or activating the brake service, the system automatically activates and switches off the engine, preventing it from idling for excessive times, increasing consumption, emissions and wear.