Neoplan N4016

The Neoplan N4016 was a low-floor single-decker bus built by Neoplan between 1988 and 1999, initially at Stuttgart in Germany and later also in Poland.^[1] It is the larger version of the Neoplan N4009 midibus.

Neoplan N4016
Arriva North West & Wales Neoplan N4016 in Liverpool
Overview
Manufacturer	Neoplan MAZ
Also called	MAZ-101
Production	1988-99
Assembly	Pilsting, Bavaria Bolechowo, Poland Minsk, Belarus
Body and chassis
Doors	1 (UK) 1-3 (Europe)
Floor type	Low entry
Chassis	Integral
Related	Neoplan N4009
Powertrain
Engine	MAN or DAF
Capacity	31–39 (seated)
Transmission	Voith or ZF Friedrichshafen
Dimensions
Length	12 m (39 ft)
Width	2.5 m (8.2 ft)
Chronology
Successor	Neoplan Centroliner (for Neoplan) MAZ-103 (for MAZ)

In Belarus, Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) took contacts with Neoplan in order to produce the MAZ-101 [ru], a low-floor bus closely related to the Neoplan N4016. While the MAZ-101 sold poorly, subsequent variants (MAZ-103 [ru], MAZ-105 [ru] and the three-axle MAZ-107 [ru]) have been sold to a vast amount of Belarusian, Russian and foreign operators and are still in production today.

Specifications

The N4016 is a 12-meter long and 2.5-meter wide bus, commonly powered by either a MAN or DAF engine, and equipped with a Voith or ZF Friedrichshafen transmission. This model of bus is known for its spacious seating, typically accommodating 31 to 39 passengers, along with a large standing capacity. Notable features of the N4016 include a double-curvature windscreen, a separately mounted destination sign, and a uniquely rounded roof dome. The design of the roof dome distinguishes it from the existing Centroliner model, featuring a more pronounced curvature.

Service

United Kingdom

The N4016 is remembered for being the first low-entry single-decker bus sold in the United Kingdom. Twelve were sold in the United Kingdom, all delivered to Merseybus for use on Merseytravel's SMART bus network in Liverpool.^[2]

Europe

Neoplan N4016 in Poznań in September 2006

Athens-based bus operator, OAS, purchased 93 Neoplan N4016s in 1994. All of them were retired in 2009 and have since been abandoned in a vacant lot in Ano Liosia.^[3]

Poznań-based tram and bus operator, Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Poznaniu, purchased 32 Neoplan N4016s between 1996 and 1999. The last Neoplan N4016s were withdrawn in 2014.