The Renault PR100 was a French
full-size
Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars, it is the largest size class for cars. In Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment.
Af ...
step-entrance single-decker bus
A single-decker bus or single-decker is a bus that has a single deck for passengers. Normally the use of the term ''single-decker'' refers to a standard two- axled rigid bus, in direct contrast to the use of the term double-decker bus, which ...
chassis built and marketed originally by
Berliet from 1971, and sold as a
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
following the merging of Berliet into
Renault Véhicules Industriels.
The PR100 was intended to be replaced by the 1987
Renault R312
The Renault R312 is a bus manufactured by Renault Trucks from 1987 to 1996. A prototype was completed in 1984. It succeeded the SC 10, which was originally a Saviem design from the 1960s.
The 12m long bus is rear-engined, powered by a 6-cylinder ...
but sales continued with a revised model called the PR100.2 and in 1993 with a further revised version called the PR112 with the last delivery in 1999. Over 13,500 buses of the PR100 range were produced in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. An
articulated version was also produced from 1980, the
Renault PR180
The Renault PR180 and PR180.2 was a step-entrance articulated bus chassis produced by Renault Véhicules Industriels in Lyon, France. The PR180 was based on Renault's popular PR100 rigid bus, and shares many common components. Once a common sig ...
.
PR100 and PR100.2
![Renault PR 118 Reims n°738](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Renault_PR_118_Reims_n%C2%B0738.JPG)
The original PR100 was developed and manufactured by Berliet using mainly plans of the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
"VÖV-Standard-Linienbus" of the late 1960s with an altered front-end and back. It was 11.23m long and had a wheelbase of 5.6m. It had a different interior to the German VÖV, with three variations of seating/standing combinations available with 2 or 3 doors. The engine was mounted underfloor in the rear. At first it was available with a
Perkins
Perkins is a surname derived from the Anglo-Saxon corruption of the kin of Pierre (from Pierre kin to Pierrekin to Perkins), introduced into England by the Norman Conquest. It is found throughout mid- and southern England.
Another derivation com ...
V8.510
diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...
producing . By 1973 a Berliet diesel engine was available (PR100.PB). 1979 the PR100 featured the Renault badge.
The PR100 received a slightly altered front end in 1984, along with some technical improvements. This new model was called the PR100.2 and can be identified by the revised front bumper arrangement incorporating the lights with an asymmetrical windscreen, arched top and a separately mounted
destination display
A destination sign (North American English) or destination indicator/destination blind (British English) is a sign mounted on the front, side or rear of a public transport vehicle, such as a bus, tram/streetcar or light rail vehicle, that dis ...
in the new front end.
The PR100 was mainly used in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, with some exported to
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
. The design was used by
Jelcz in Poland under license, and large numbers were delivered to many Polish cities. The PR100.2 chassis was also assembled in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, with
Hispano Carrocera
Tata Hispano Motors Carrocera, S.A. (formerly Hispano Carrocera, S.A.), based in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, was one of the largest manufacturers of bus and coach cabins in Europe. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of the India-based Tata Motors. Tat ...
bodywork but retaining the
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
front for early models.
The PR100.2 was available with a Renault MPS turbo diesel 6-cylinder engine with two power options; and or and . The gearbox was a four-speed ZF automatic unit.
The PR100.2's body was 11.4m long on a wheelbase of 5.6m and 2.5m wide.
One was bodied in 1988 by
Northern Counties for use as a demonstrator in the United Kingdom, only leading to four additional orders, and one was in 1989 by
Ansair in Australia and exported to Singapore as a demonstrator operated by
Singapore Bus Services
SBS Transit Limited (SBST or just SBS) () is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerate ComfortDelGro Corporation ...
, however, demonstration was unsuccessful and returned to the manufacturer.
When Renault became the majority shareholder of
Mack Trucks, Renault demonstrated the bus in Australia in 1985.
ACTION purchased 258 and
Transperth
Transperth is the brand name of the public transport system serving the city and suburban areas of Perth, the state capital of Western Australia. It is managed by the Public Transport Authority (PTA), a state government organisation. Train op ...
250 PR100.2s.
[ACTION Fleet Summary]
ACT Bus Wiki The ACTION buses were badged as Macks and bodied by
Ansair, the Transperth examples as Renaults and bodied in
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
by
Howard Porter,
JW Bolton
JW Bolton was an Australian bus bodybuilder in Perth.
History
In 1972, John Bolton, the son of Boltons (bus manufacturer), Boltons owner Keith, formed JW Bolton. It initially manufactured fire engines, before moving into bus bodying completing ...
and
Volgren. All retained the PR100 front-end.
PR112
In 1993 the PR112 was launched as an updated and revised version of the PR100 with a new front end designed by Safra, losing the distinctive windscreen and front quarterlight design. The last PR112 was delivered in 1999.
The articulated buses PR180 and PR118
The PR180 was a tri-axle
articulated version of the PR100 and was referred to in marketing literature as the ''Megabus''. Standard configuration was for 62 seats and 144 standing. The front half retained the 5.6m wheelbase of the PR100, with the rear half being 5.15m and an overall length of 24.38m. Its engined produced .
ACTION purchased 34 and
Transperth
Transperth is the brand name of the public transport system serving the city and suburban areas of Perth, the state capital of Western Australia. It is managed by the Public Transport Authority (PTA), a state government organisation. Train op ...
65.
[PR180.2]
Perth Bus The
ACTION buses were badged as Macks and bodied by
Ansair, the Transperth examples as Renaults and bodied by
JW Bolton
JW Bolton was an Australian bus bodybuilder in Perth.
History
In 1972, John Bolton, the son of Boltons (bus manufacturer), Boltons owner Keith, formed JW Bolton. It initially manufactured fire engines, before moving into bus bodying completing ...
. All retained the PR100 front-end.
It was replaced in 1993 by the PR112 based PR118.
The trolleybus versions ER100 and PER180
A
trolleybus
A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...
version of the PR100 was produced, called the ER100, and an articulated version with two fronts called the PER180. Berliet and Renault built the ER100 and PER180 for several French cities including
Grenoble,
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
,
Marseille
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
,
Nancy and
Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne (; frp, Sant-Etiève; oc, Sant Estève, ) is a city and the prefecture of the Loire department in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Saint-Étienne is the t ...
.
References
{{Renault Trucks, state=collapsed
Berliet
Renault buses
Bus chassis
Full-size buses
Step-entrance buses
Trolleybuses
Buses of France
Vehicles introduced in 1971