Fully automatic Allison T 3270 xFE™ offers new solution for urban passenger transportation in Brazil
Mercedes-Benz Brazil’s new OF 1721 L front engine bus, equipped with an Allison fully automatic transmission, was shown at Lat.Bus & Transpublico 2018, the Latin American Transport Fair (July 31st to August 2nd) at the Transamérica Expo Center, in Sāo Paulo.
The partnership between Allison Transmission and Mercedes-Benz has created a new category of bus for public transportation in Brazil. The bus was on display at Allison’s booth.
“The automatic transmission brings great advantages for transportation companies, optimization of maintenance and greater durability of the powertrain,” said Walter Barbosa, director of bus sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz Brazil. “The driver gains in greater driving comfort in addition to more attention in the traffic conditions, and the passengers enjoy more well-being on board due to the smoother shifting.”
Designed to accommodate bodies of up to 13.2 metres, the Mercedes-Benz chassis features the OM 924 LA engine with 208 hp and maximum torque of 780 Nm maximum torque, air suspension and the Allison T 3270 xFE, six-speed fully automatic transmission.
The OF 1721 front engine configuration with air suspension and automatic transmission has wider applications including as a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system feeder, for employee transport contracts and for occasional tourist charters and short-distance transportation.
“The availability of the Allison automatic transmission for the OF 1721 L chassis allows Mercedes-Benz to offer customers more options to equip their buses according to their demands and operation features,” said Barbosa.
xFE delivers extra savings
The T 3270 transmission is equipped with Allison’s xFE technology that can improve fuel economy by up to seven percent. Allison’s xFE models have been designed to deliver significantly more torque converter lock up operation and spend more time in higher ranges at lower engine speeds producing exceptional fuel savings. Allison xFE models are also compatible with engines powered by alternative fuels, and incorporate features provided by the FuelSense® 2.0 software package with DynActive™ Shifting. FuelSense 2.0 uses a real-time learning algorithm to continuously find the ideal balance of fuel economy and performance.
Sales of the Mercedes-Benz Brazil OF 1721 bus with an Allison fully automatic transmission are set to begin in 2019. There will be pre-series production of up to 20 units this year.
About Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is the world’s largest manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and is a leader in electric hybrid-propulsion systems for city buses. Allison transmissions are used in a variety of applications including refuse, construction, fire, distribution, bus, motorhomes, defense and energy. Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA and employs approximately 2,700 people worldwide. With a market presence in more than 80 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Hungary and India. Allison also has approximately 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.