Demanding requirements in terms of design, comfort, safety and efficiency have a long tradition at Setra. Whether it’s a functional intercity, an agile club bus or a spectacular super-high-decker – all of them can find outstanding inspiration in the 70-year history of the Setra brand.
SetraWorld Magazine
The 2021 anniversary year
Progress by traditon.
Progress by traditon.
The anniversary edition 1951 to 2021.
70 years of Setra, 45 years of the 200 series, 40 years of the double-decker bus, 30 years of the 300 series - the list could be continued. As part of our anniversary, we invite you to a very special trip. Get on board and ride with us. Through seven decades of Setra and the world events around it. What else would you do besides come on a trip with Setra?
The product palette and its roots.
In 2021, Setra’s age is a nice round number. The Setra brand is celebrating its 70th birthday: it was in 1951 that the Setra S 8 marked the start of modern bus and coach construction. The key features at the time were a self-supporting body and rear motor, set off with refined details such as individual heating flues for each row of seats. Today, Setra shines with its full range of vehicles, from intercity buses to luxury coaches. Every series has a legendary predecessor.
“Today, Setra shines with its full range of vehicles, from intercity buses to luxury coaches.”
ComfortClass 500: coach equals Setra.
This equation is both simple and logical. 45 years ago, from 1976, it applied to the revolutionary 200 series. This was packed full of innovations, from technology to safety and comfort. This is no less the case for the current ComfortClass 500, a modern high-decker full of refinement. From automatic lowering at motorway speed to perfect climate control. What in its day was the innovative cross-flow ventilation system is now separate heating and cooling circuits, sensors and fan controls. A passion for perfection can be seen in every Setra. This also includes the attractive, ergonomically perfected cockpit. Because Setra was always also a driver’s vehicle. With six variants, from the 10.5-metre club bus to the near-15-metre giant, the high-deckers are just as versatile as their legendary predecessors. Despite the focus on efficiency, the ComfortClass 500 is also easy to convert into an absolutely top-flight luxury vehicle. Just as it has always been.
TopClass 500: travel without compromises.
HDH means Setra super-high-decker. They have nearly a half-century of tradition at the premium brand. One predecessor of the TopClass 500 is the S 315 HDH from 1991. The flagship of the new 300 series at the time, it impressed with its new integrated mirrors and striking curved design on the side. In its day, the S 315 HDH was the long-distance bus of choice. Just like the later triple-axle S 317 HDH/3 – though it had more seats and an enormous luggage compartment.
The current TopClass 500, with all its luxury features, matches modern tastes. Its three triple-axle models, from 12.5 to 14.2 metres long, would have been impossible three decades ago because of the laws governing length. Five stars? Gladly! Earlier HDH models offered outstanding comfort for their day: but with its TopSky Panorama glass roof, lighting concept involving around 4000 LEDs, a multi-function key and optional 2+1 seating arrangement, the TopClass 500 is in a whole new dimension. Today, as yesterday, HDH means outstanding travel. By Setra – who else?
“Setra TopClass 500: these breathtaking super-high-deckers and double-deckers set benchmarks for excellence in travel.”
Double-decker buses – travelling giants.
The first Setra double-decker, the S 228 DT, debuted in 1981. Elegant, fascinating, in a word: outstanding. This still applies today, three generations later, to its successor, the Setra S 531 DT. Double-deckers tend to be designed to fit as many passengers as possible into a small space. This works even better in the current S 531 DT, at 14 metres, instead of 12. In addition, there is space today for two sets of stairs rather than one. And the seating arrangements and furnishings are more flexible than ever. This allows it to be put to all sorts of uses from a bistro bus to a long-distance traveller.
MultiClass LE business – an efficient low-entry vehicle.
It is a Setra tradition to go the extra mile for passenger comfort. This is also the case with the storied brand’s intercity buses, such as the S 215 NR of 30 years ago. The first low-entry intercity bus in Europe made climbing aboard easy for riders. From 1996 its successors, the S 315 NF and S 415 NF also came in full low-level models. With the MultiClass LE business series, Setra is continuing the low-entry model’s unparalleled efficiency. With three models, its range spans from 12.33 to 14.64 metres in length and covers a clearly defined spectrum of applications. “The LE business lowers costs and raises comfort” is the motto. The step-free access is inviting, while the seats – most of them located in the raised rear – are comfortable. Thanks to the functional furnishings and accessible power unit, the costs are low – another key Setra characteristic.
