| The model
- news of this model was announced on 16th July 2011 soon after the
actual bus appeared in this striking livery. The model was released in
Hong Kong on 27th August.
The bus -
the Volvo B9TL prototype was delivered to Kowloon Motor Bus in July
2003
as a demonstrator for the Eco-Driveline concept (a large differential
ratio,
an engine with high low-end torque, and a 6-speed automatic gearbox
with
double overdrive ratios). The chassis carried a Volgren CR223LD body.
After
months of testing, the bus was licensed as LJ7006 and numbered AVD1 in
March 2004. It was put into service in April 2004.
As a result of
these tests, Volvo Buses and
ZF adopted the Eco-Driveline system as the primary driveline option on
the B9TL.
AVD1 left Hong
Kong after its evaluation,
and a farewell tour was held by Bus Fan World on 12 December 2004. The
bus was delicensed on 15 December 2004 and left Hong Kong at noon on 21
December 2004.
In August 2005,
AVD1 was shipped back to
Hong Kong after its D9A engine was replaced by a D9B unit. Pre-October
2005, the bus was kept by Volvo in the Hong Kong United Dockyard. Later
in 2005, the bus was transferred to KMB for installation of service
equipment.
The bus was re-licensed as MF5119 in February 2006, and re-entered
service
on 24 May 2006. The bus is one of the first two to meet the Euro IV
emissions
standards in Hong Kong (the other is an Alexander Dennis Enviro 500
with
fleet number ATEU1, originally ATE257). Further details and photographs
of this bus can be found in the 
section of the site.
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