VDL Bova
Industry | Automotive |
---|---|
Founded | 1931 |
Defunct | 2010 |
Successor | VDL Bus & Coach |
Headquarters | , The Netherlands |
Products | Buses |
Parent | VDL Groep |
Website | www.vdlbova.nl |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Eurolines_Bova._AB_2009-5%2C_Minsk%2C_Belarus._%D0%95%D0%92%D0%A0%D0%9E%D0%9B%D0%90%D0%99%D0%9D%D0%A1%2C_%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%2C_%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%83%D1%81%D1%8C.jpg/220px-Eurolines_Bova._AB_2009-5%2C_Minsk%2C_Belarus._%D0%95%D0%92%D0%A0%D0%9E%D0%9B%D0%90%D0%99%D0%9D%D0%A1%2C_%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%2C_%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%83%D1%81%D1%8C.jpg)
VDL Bova was a luxury coachbuilder based in Eindhoven, in The Netherlands which began building coaches in 1931. In particular, it is well known for the Bova Futura, a streamlined coach usually powered by a DAF engine, which was first introduced in the 1980s and is still in production as of 2018 as the VDL Futura.[1]
In 1878 Jacob D. Bots founded a timber business in Valkenswaard. When he died, he left the business to his eldest son Simon who first introduced the name Bova, which was derived from Bots Valkenswaard.[2]
In 1931 the company began building coaches, and in 1969 introduced the Benelux, a self-supporting integral coach.[3] The company was purchased by VDL Groep in 2003, who also owned the Berkhof, Jonckheere and VDL Bus Chassis brands.[4] From 2010 the individual brands were discontinued and VDL Bova became part of VDL Bus & Coach.
Products
[edit]Integral Buses and Coaches
[edit]- Benelux (coach/interurban, replaced by Europa)
- Europa (coach, replaced by Futura)
- Futura (coach/interurban, replaced by VDL Futura 2)
- Magiq (coach, derivative of Futura, replaced by VDL Futura 2)
- X-press (low-floor bus with rear engine, only 16 built in 1980)
Bus and Coach Chassis
[edit]- Calypso (coach, with Europa underframe and Duple bodywork)
Bus and Coach Bodywork
[edit]Initially Bova built bus bodywork on a variety of chassis, but switched to building integral vehicles in the early 1970s. After becoming part of VDL Groep some chassis/bodywork combinations of DAF/Berkhof heritage were sold as complete vehicles under the VDL Bova name:
- Lexio (interurban bus based on VDL SD400 chassis, replaced by VDL Citea)
- Synergy (double-deck coach based on VDL SBR4000 chassis, rebadged from Berkhof Axial 100. Replaced by VDL Futura FDD2)
References
[edit]- ^ Futura VDL Bus & Coach
- ^ History Bova Futura
- ^ Core activities VDL Bova
- ^ VDL Groep koopt busbouwer Bova NRC Handelsblad 6 May 2003 (in Dutch)
External links
[edit]Media related to Bova vehicles at Wikimedia Commons
- Bova website