Mercedes-Benz O 305
11,110 ( 1974 ) 11,300 (up to 1972 suburban )
The Mercedes- Benz O 305 was one of the standard buses developed by the VÖV guidelines of the first generation of Daimler -Benz. The prototype was presented in 1967, the series production began in 1969 at the Daimler - Benz plant in Mannheim. Cars similar were also offered by Bussing, Magirus -Deutz, MAN and Icarus.
The O 305 solobus
In addition to the standard model, a 11.3 m long overland version with higher number of seats was produced from 1969, the 1972 replaced by the O - Stülb the following specification 307. Also in 1972 was the first facelift of the O 305 (including front and rear roof edges, smooth side planking ). From model year 1974, a diesel engine with higher power was installed, which was delivered soundproofed with so-called " noise encapsulation ". This necessitated a slightly longer length of the bus ( 11.110 mm). Also, now developed together with MAN drive axle was used with hub reduction rear axle as that resulted in higher speeds to a distinctive singing sound that could be heard in a quiet area from afar.
The French company Heuliez Bus sold for the local market eigenkarosserierte buses on the MB O 305 chassis as O.305 Heuliez with the 6- cylinder engine type OM 407 h of Daimler -Benz. The buses were built by VÖV guidelines, even with the VÖV dashboard, but with a different rear and private interiors. This bus was also available with three doors, with the additional door was located directly behind the front axle. Later Heuliez karossierte also articulated pusher trolleys of Daimler -Benz.
Some older O 305 were used after 1989 in the GDR or come in the new federal states, partially paid. So, for example, came Car from Heilbronn in 1991 to Frankfurt ( Oder). Meanwhile, the O 305 are largely disappeared from German roads and were replaced by low-floor buses. At last, some O 305 were still in private companies such as used for school transport. Many of these buses last in effect be robust and reliable could be sold to Eastern Europe and go there sometimes today. In some transport operators such as the VGF vehicles are preserved as historic buses.
The articulated version of the O 305 G ( from 1978)
Articulated buses based on the MB O 305 were initially manufactured only from other manufacturers, particularly of Walter Vetter body and vehicle. After development of a steering angle dependent kink angle control of the joint by the Hamburg vehicle Falkenried (FFG ) in the mid 1970s it was possible to build an articulated pusher rear engine and drive axle in the rear part of the vehicle. After extensive tests with a prototype was made in 1977 at FFG from two standard O -305 buses the first pure Mercedes -Benz O 305 G articulated bus. Here, a shortened for the last part O 305 was connected as the front part to the rear part of a nearly standard O 305 as the second part of the wagon. This O -305- G prototype was first unveiled in January 1977 at the Hamburg elevated railway. Following the acquisition of patents for the bending angle control it Daimler-Benz was the first time possible to offer complete articulated buses. These were previously only offered by body corporate by superstructures on chassis with front engine and underfloor between the axles. 1978 began series production of the O 305 G.
Trolleybuses based on the O 305 (1978 bis 1983)
First, the O 305 was offered by the manufacturer only as a conventional diesel bus. For the Oberleitungsbusbetrieb Kaiserslautern therefore in 1978 based on an O 305 O bus was in its own workshops Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern. This was given the number 135 and the new model designation O 305 T ( T is for Trolleybus ). Donor vehicle was in 1970 procured conventional bus with number 65
The following year, Daimler -Benz finally got in, even in the O- bus production, and built from 1979 and O buses from the factory, including some duo - buses or track-guided vehicles. However, it never came to mass production, it emerged only prototypes and small series. They included a total of five solo vehicle, ten articulated cars and a double articulated cars:
- O 305 B / E (2)
- O 305 D / E (2)
- O 305 G D / E (1)
- O 305 GG ( 1)
- O 305 GT ( 5)
- O 305 GTD ( 4)
O 305 with hybrid drive
Parallel to the 17 trolleybus based on the O 305 / O 305 G was also built in the years 1979 to 1981, the variant O OE 305 hybrid.
O 305 for left-hand traffic
O 305 type buses came in many European and non-European countries to use, partly made as under license. Therefore also a need for a version for left-hand traffic was present. The O 305 went to Hong Kong, South Africa, Singapore and especially in different cities in Australia, where even as a guided bus in Adelaide. Sydney procured more than 1300 copies of the O 305 for use in countries with hot climate and air conditioners were installed, which at that time was the great exception in Germany.