Mercedes-Benz rolls out 50,000th Citaro city bus

Ever since its debut in 1997, the Citaro range of city buses from Mercedes-Benz have revolutionized public transportation in major cities across the world. The German manufacturer recently celebrated the roll-out of 50,000th Citaro, making it one of the largest-selling city buses in the world. The landmark bus is a Citaro-based CapaCity, a 20-metre long four-axle bus finished in red and white, that's headed for service in Vienna. The Austrian capital has been a big market for the Citaro range of buses.

When the first-generation Citaro was launched, it made quite an impression with sleek exteriors and comfortable interiors with cantilever seats and curved grab-rails. Over the years, the Citaro underwent numerous changes to remain relevant to the changing tastes and requirements across cities.

A crucial element that plays to Citaro’s advantage is its wide model range designed to suit multiple needs and requirements. The current-generation, for instance, includes the rigid Citaro, the articulated Citaro G, the compact Citaro K, the low-entry Citaro LE, the rural-service Citaro Ü/GÜ and the Citaro-based CapaCity and CapaCtiy L large-capacity articulated buses. In addition, there have been several customized versions and special purpose vehicles based on the Citaro, highlighting its flexibility. 

Be it the ahead-of-norms emission standards or the large-scale trials with fuel-cell and hybrid technology, the Citaro has always been at the forefront when it comes to power-train tech too. Add to that state-of-the-art safety equipment like all-round disc brakes, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), front-end crash element, Articulation Turntable Controller (ATC), bi-xenon and LED headlamps, it’s not hard to understand why the Citaro has been a favourite, be it in Vienna, Frankfurt, Dubai or Singapore!

Whilst celebrating its past, Mercedes-Benz is already prepping the Citaro up for the future. Last year, the brand previewed a self-driving city bus of the future, dubbed ‘Future Bus’, equipped with City Pilot. An all-electric Citaro is due in 2018, aiming to do a Tesla in city buses. All that means just one thing; there are more milestones in store for the Citaro!