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Award-winning coach firm Lucketts Group has turned to the Far East to import two brand new coaches from Chinese automotive giant Yutong.
It’s the first time Lucketts Group, based in Fareham, Hampshire, has dipped into the Chinese market to add to its fleet, buying two TC9 35-seaters from the world’s biggest coach manufacturer for around £280,000.
The Chinese coaches are the first wave of a £1.6m investment in seven new coaches for Lucketts and its Southampton-based subsidiary Coliseum Coaches to kick off 2016.
The new touring coaches will be added to Lucketts’ fleet of private hire vehicles, which lead the industry in terms of safety standards, comfort and energy-efficiency.
Lucketts Group Marketing and Sales Director Paul Barringer said: “We are always looking for new vehicles in which to invest to ensure our customers’ needs are met and their expectations of industry-leading comfort and safety are exceeded.
“With 35 leather seats, these two Yutong midi coaches will fill a gap between our minibus vehicles and our full-sized luxury coaches and will serve us on our corporate routes as well as private hire trips throughout the region.
The two coaches took six weeks to arrive from China after being purchased through the UK franchise for Yutong, Pelican Bus and Coach in Castleford, West Yorkshire.
Ken Grindrod, Sales Director at Pelican, said: “We are extremely pleased and proud to have had the order from Lucketts for the two Yutong coaches, which are proving very popular with those innovative coach operators that have begun to show interest in the Chinese market. “Hopefully Lucketts’ customers will agree, and we’ll be able to continue to supply vehicles that are a great fit for their fleet and the company’s commitment to standards.”