MG Alma - a MG Group Company, is one of the premium bus body builders of India. The Company delivered 5 of its premium coaches to Dipjol Enterprise, Bangladesh recently in May 2017. Its worth mentioning that keeping an eye on the overseas market, MG Alma have already  delivered MAN Mammoth coaches to the Republic of Maldives and Ethopia from its manufacturing unit at Belagavi, Karnataka. The 5 buses delivered to Bangladesh consists of three 2+1 Semi Sleepers and two 2+1 Sleeper coaches with BS-III emission norms. 

MG Group made a foray into bus building in 1996, with MG Automotives Pvt Ltd in Zaheerabad, Telengana, India, spread over 21,000 sq meters with an annual installed capacity of 12,000 buses. The company employs over 1100 people and its esteemed clients are Mahindra & Mahindra (Truck and Bus Division) Ltd, Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, APSRTC, TSRTC and other institutional clients and today are one of the leading privately owned bus building group of companies in India. 

To further the vision and mission of MG Group, Alma Motors Pvt Ltd was established in 2004, at Belagavi, Karnataka. It is spread over 18,000 sq meters having an annual capacity of 4500 buses. The company employs 800 people and its esteemed clients and partners are Ashok Leyland Ltd (Domestic and Export), Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Ltd, Tata Motors and MAN apart from various leading fleet operators, schools and institutional clients. The group has produced 100,000 buses since inception. 

With an aerodynamic exterior design and a beast of a body that is fully and completely engineered for serviceability and maintenance, the MAN Mammoth promises to take bus travel to the next level. The 'MAN-Mammoth'  is powered with a six-cylinder in-line diesel engine with direct injection, that is both turbo-charged and inter-cooled. It is an efficient vehicle which comes equipped with two oil fuel filters and water separators. Quiet, reliable and time-tested, it has an electronically controlled engine with optimized power and flat torque curve over a wide engine rpm. The MAN CLA Chassis is truly German engineered for Bus Application. The optimized driveline allows to cruise at high speeds at lower engine revs for higher efficiency and quiet running with significantly low noise. The 'Mammoth' has a fully air-suspended, rugged and torsionally rigid chassis design, for highly stable driving and excellent ride comfort. It also has one of the safest and most effective braking systems consisting of service brakes with ABS. 

The Coach is best in class fuel efficiency, has excellent driveability, outstanding durability and good serviceability. The driveline is certified to BS IV emission norms for long term durability and reliability. The MAN full air suspension with 2 front bellows and 4 rear bellows provides a superb ride quality. The fuel tanks are increased safety mounted within the chassis members for greater safety. The chassis is torsionally rigid, and is made of high strength steel for meeting demanding Indian road conditions. The Meritor rear axle used in the coach is highly durable and the strong hypoid axle ensures trouble-free running for years. The coach is powered by MAN D-0836 280 hp engine, which is turbocharged, inter-cooled, electronically controlled, BS IV compliant and has the highest fuel efficiency in its class. The Eaton 6S gearbox in the coach provides very smooth gear shifting, and optimized gear ratios for all driving conditions. The Voith retarder gives excellent braking coupled with MAN-Exhaust valve brake for high service brake life. The MAN-patented Engine Exhaust Valves, Brakes and Hydrodynamic Retarder ensures smoother and safer braking, increased tyre life, fuel saving, long brake liner life and low heat generation. 

Built to sustain the toughest of road conditions, this robust beast sets new benchmarks when it comes to quality, safety, comfort and design. With opulent push back seats and cushiony padding alongside the window rail providing a comfortable armrest, passengers can get a feel like floating on a cloud. Every lavish seats on the coach comes attached with personalized reading lamps, as well as mobile and usb charging ports. A central hattack console provides an equal and well-distributed flow of cool air for all passengers, while a pillarless hatrack allows easy access to the spacious over head luggage compartment. 

MAN Mammoth is also available in its sleeper variant. The plush 2+1 sleeper berths in the coach provides an ambient view inside the coach. The side railing bar provided at the side of the berths help the passengers for safety while sleeping in the berths and for holding purposes while getting up and down from the upper berths. The sleeper berths also have mobile and usb charging ports. The executive version of the sleeper coach have individual leds on each berth for on-board entertainment. The 'Mammoth' is fully Bus code compliant. The coach generally has a total of 9 emergency exits including the rear EM-Secure exit which makes evacuation safe and panic free in case of an emergency situation. The coaches delivered to Dipjol Enterprise although does not feature the EM-Secure rear emergency exit as it is optional for the fleet operator. 

Expressing his views on the product, Mr Girish Prabhu, DGM, MG-Alma and Designer of MAN Mammoth said, "Mammoth is built on the principles of Safety, Strength and Style (SSS). It is an ensured good product for the bus industry and its strength is approved by MAN Germany. The coach describes comfort, ambience and luxury for the passenger. The bus have been built within the stringent norms according to the Indian Bus Codes". With MAN Mammoth's launch in the overseas market in countries like Republic of Maldives and Ethopia, Mr Girish anticipated a good response from neighboring Bangladesh and hoped that there will be more orders for MAN Mammoth from Bangladesh. Rating the 'Mammoth' on NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) levels the DGM told, "The coach has positive report on NVH, but i believe since Mammoth is a front engine coach, the insulated driver cabin partition option if opted by a fleet operator, will prove to be efficiently better on NVH parameters". Concluding on the emission standards, Mr Girish said, "Although we have provided Mammoth Coaches with BS-III emission norms to Bangladesh on discussion with the operator, we are working promptly on our BS-IV drivelines for future deliveries in India and for overseas market".

The MAN Mammoth coaches delivered to Dipjol Enterprise have reached Bangladesh and are expected to roll on the roads soon. The initial reactions of the public for this Indian coach is positive and its is expected to run successfully on the roads of Bangladesh in coming days.

Acknowledgements : MG Alma Belagavi (Belgaum) and MG Group

The Eicher Pro 5000 Series trcuks launched in Mumbai by VECV (Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles) employs EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) technology in combination with Volvo's EMS 3.0 electronic governing architecture.

The Pro 5000 Series trucks range from 16 tonne to 49 tonnes. Found in 4x2 tipper and rigid haulage guise, 8x4 haulage guise and in 4x2 tractor guise amongst others, the Pro 5000 series, is powered by a common rail 5.7 litre sex-cylinder (E694) engine that produces between 170 hp and 192 hp depending on the application type.

SRS Travels have started Mercedes Benz Super High Deck (SHD) Multiaxle on Bengaluru - Mumbai route from 7th May 2017. Its for the first time Mercedes Benz SHD buses are running on a 1000 km route from Bengaluru to Mumbai. 

Here are pics clicked of the SRS Mercedes Benz SHD Coach doing Bengaluru - Mumbai at Belagavi, at around 00:30 hrs, 8th May 2017. 

PBC (Prakash Body Constructions) - the premium bus body building company from Nagaon, Assam have delivered buses to Mizoram State Transport recently. The company have delivered the buses in its latest facelift version of Victor Series on Tata LP 52 Chassis powered by Tata 120 HP Front Engine. 

Pics of interiors of the coach :