During an online press event, Mercedes-Benz introduced its new Tourrider motorcoach, built specifically for the North American market.

The three-axle high-deck coach is 45-feet long, including energy-absorbing bumper: 45-feet, 8-inches, and offered in two model variants — Tourrider Business and Tourrider Premium.

The Tourrider is instantly recognizable as a member of the Mercedes-Benz brand with its chrome-framed grille with centrally-placed star and the typical horizontal arrangement with headlamps on one level.  Although the housings are identical, the motorcoach has different “eyes”: while the Tourrider Business uses individual dome headlamps, the Tourrider Premium, on the other hand, makes use of exclusively developed LED integral headlamps. The rear of the Tourrider Premium features a trapezoidal rear window with integrated Mercedes star typical of the brand. The Tourrider Business sports a V-shaped black cover panel with louvers that pay homage to the shape of early American muscle cars. The new Tourrider also combines form and function: from the front to the rear, the vehicle has been aerodynamically optimized to reduce fuel consumption.

In the interior, passengers benefit from generous space, especially aboard the Premium with its passenger compartment raised by 2.36 inches, compared with the Business model. Additionally, the Tourrider can be optioned with two wheelchair spaces. The corresponding automatic lift is easy to operate and is stowed in a space-saving way above the drive axle.

The Premium offers the option of installing the fascinating Top Sky Panorama glass roof to turn the passenger compartment into a true dream. During evening or night-time journeys, optional ambient LED lighting strips below the luggage racks and under the windowsills further enhance the ambiance and rider experience.

The seats used in the Tourrider are produced in-house. As standard equipment, the Tourrider Business is equipped with the comfortable Mercedes Benz Travel Star Eco seats. Meanwhile, the Tourrider Premium enjoys first class seating in the form of Travel Star Xtra seats with Luxline upholstery — the most luxurious motorcoach seating available from Mercedes-Benz. Motorcoach companies can individually enhance the Tourrider's extraordinary character with an extremely diverse range of fabrics and colors, decors, topstitching, piping or the variants of the fine, yet easy-care composition leather fiber material. Buyers can also choose the design for the decorative elements on-board. And, passengers enjoy options such as a twin USB socket installed centrally underneath each of the double seats and/or 110-volt sockets for charging their electronic devices.

Both cockpits for the vehicles feature exemplary ergonomic designs and offer numerous practical and innovative functions. However, the two cockpits do differ in design and structure as well as in their equipment. A host of functions support drivers in their tasks. On the left the driver will find the knob of the standard electronic parking brake. It combines simple handling with high safety. Other practical helpers: The luggage compartment doors can be locked separately on the left and right by means of a switch. In line with this, the dashboard display shows the open status of the doors.

All-around visibility when maneuvering and in tight places is provided by a 360-degree camera system. Also aiding visibility, both the low beam and main beam benefit from the extraordinary light yield of the two LED headlamp systems. With the standard Docking Lights, the Tourrider also supports its drivers when reversing in the dark.

Safety features of the Tourrider also include the optional radar-based Sideguard Assist cornering assistant with pedestrian detection. If a moving object — such as a pedestrian or a cyclist — or a stationary obstacle is in the monitoring zone on the side of the door, the system issues a warning to the driver. It thereby assists the driver when turning off in busy areas and effectively protects both fellow motororists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

The Tourrider is also the first motorcoach available with the unique Active Brake Assist 5 emergency braking system — or ABA 5 for short — featuring pedestrian detection. Within the system limits, this assistance system (standard in both Business and Premium) is the first emergency braking system for buses which can initiate an automated emergency stop in reaction not only to stationary and moving obstacles, but also for pedestrians. An add-on component of ABA 5 is the radar-based autonomous intelligent cruise control (standard in Premium). It relieves the strain on the driver on long-distance stretches and interstate highways. If the assistance system detects a slower vehicle ahead, it automatically slows the coach down until a speed-dependent distance pre-selected by the driver is reached, which the system then maintains constantly.

The service offerings for the Tourrider will be available through Daimler Coaches North America, thus enabling coach companies to enjoy an efficient, modern, and comprehensive network of service stations, which deliver the highest levels of quality as well as a rapid and reliable supply of spare parts.

The vehicle was built upon feedback from North American operators and will make its North American debut at both the ABA Marketplace and UMA Expo in early 2022.