Renault PR100

The Renault PR100 was a French full-size step-entrance single-decker bus chassis built and marketed originally by Berliet from 1971, and sold as a Renault following the merging of Berliet into Renault Véhicules Industriels.

Renault PR100 and PR100.2
A PR100.PB in Toulon
Overview
Manufacturer	Renault Véhicules Industries
Production	1971–1999
Assembly	Saint-Priest, France
Body and chassis
Class	Bus chassis
Doors	1, 2 or 3
Floor type	Step-entrance
Related	Renault PR180.2 Jelcz PR110 Jelcz M11 Jelcz 120M
Powertrain
Capacity	31 to 40 seated
Dimensions
Wheelbase	5.6 metres
Length	11.32 metres
Width	2.5 metres
Height	3.0 metres
Curb weight	14.4–18.0 tonnes
Chronology
Successor	Renault R312

The PR100 was intended to be replaced by the 1987 Renault R312 but sales continued with a revised model called the PR100.2 and in 1993 with a further revised version called the PR112 with the last delivery in 1999. Over 13,500 buses of the PR100 range were produced in France. An articulated version was also produced from 1980, the Renault PR180.2.

PR100 and PR100.2

Transperth Howard Porter bodied Renault PR100.2 in Perth

The original PR100 was developed and manufactured by Berliet using mainly plans of the German "VÖV-Standard-Linienbus" of the late 1960s with an altered front-end and back. It was 11.23m long and had a wheelbase of 5.6m. It had a different interior to the German VÖV, with three variations of seating/standing combinations available with 2 or 3 doors. The engine was mounted underfloor in the rear. At first it was available with a Perkins V8.510 diesel engine producing 178 PS (131 kW; 176 bhp). By 1973 a Berliet diesel engine was available (PR100.PB). 1979 the PR100 featured the Renault badge.

The PR100 received a slightly altered front end in 1984, along with some technical improvements. This new model was called the PR100.2 and can be identified by the revised front bumper arrangement incorporating the lights with an asymmetrical windscreen, arched top and a separately mounted destination display in the new front end.

The PR100 was mainly used in France, with some exported to Algeria, Australia and Morocco. The design was used by Jelcz in Poland under license, and large numbers were delivered to many Polish cities. The PR100.2 chassis was also assembled in Spain, with Hispano Carrocera bodywork but retaining the Renault front for early models.

The PR100.2 was available with a Renault MPS turbo diesel 6-cylinder engine with two power options; 206 PS (152 kW; 203 bhp) and 900 N⋅m (664 lb⋅ft) or 253 PS (186 kW; 250 bhp) and 1,000 N⋅m (738 lb⋅ft). The gearbox was a four-speed ZF automatic unit.[1]

The PR100.2's body was 11.4m long on a wheelbase of 5.6m and 2.5m wide.

One was bodied in 1988 by Northern Counties for use as a demonstrator in the United Kingdom, only leading to four additional orders,[2] and one was in 1989 by Ansair in Australia and exported to Singapore as a demonstrator operated by Singapore Bus Services, however, demonstration was unsuccessful and returned to the manufacturer.[3][4][5]

When Renault became the majority shareholder of Mack Trucks, Renault demonstrated the bus in Australia in 1985.[6] ACTION purchased 258 and Transperth 250 PR100.2s.[7][8][9][10] The ACTION buses were badged as Macks and bodied by Ansair, the Transperth examples as Renaults and bodied in Perth by Howard Porter, JW Bolton and Volgren. All retained the PR100 front-end.

PR112

In 1993 the PR112 was launched as an updated and revised version of the PR100 with a new front end designed by Safra, losing the distinctive windscreen and front quarterlight design.[11] The last PR112 was delivered in 1999.

The articulated buses PR180 and PR118

A PR118

Transperth JW Bolton bodied PR180.2 in Perth

Main article: Renault PR180.2

The PR180 was a tri-axle articulated version of the PR100 and was referred to in marketing literature as the Megabus. Standard configuration was for 62 seats and 144 standing. The front half retained the 5.6m wheelbase of the PR100, with the rear half being 5.15m and an overall length of 24.38m. Its engined produced 302 PS (222 kW; 298 bhp).[12]

ACTION purchased 34 and Transperth 65.[7][13] The ACTION buses were badged as Macks and bodied by Ansair, the Transperth examples as Renaults and bodied by JW Bolton. All retained the PR100 front-end.

It was replaced in 1993 by the PR112 based PR118.

An ER100 trolleybus with three doors in Grenoble

The trolleybus versions ER100 and PER180

A trolleybus version of the PR100 was produced, called the ER100, and an articulated version with two fronts called the PER180. Berliet and Renault built the ER100 and PER180 for several French cities including Grenoble, Lyon, Marseille, Nancy and Saint-Étienne.

References

1. Renault PR100-2 leaflet. Renault Autobus. 1992.
2. "Renault PR100". Bus lists on the web. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
3. RTI enters big bus ring Commercial Motor 22 September 1988
4. Northern Counties and RTI chase Lynx Commercial Motor 27 October 1988
5. East London tries NC-bodied PR100 Commercial Motor 4 January 1990
6. BUS 674 ACT Bus Wiki
7. ACTION Fleet Summary ACT Bus Wiki
8. Renault PR100.2 Perth Bus Info
9. MTT Chooses Renault MTT Quarterly September 1985 page 2
10. Thirty Years of Renault Rigid Buses Rattler issue 456 April 2016 page 10
11. "Renault Buses". World Bus Explorer. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
12. Renault Mégabus. Renault Autobus. 1989.
13. PR180.2 Perth Bus