Seventy-five years have passed since the Daimler Buses premium brand Setra presented its first self-supporting touring coach, the S 8. The debut of the vehicle in 1951 marked the beginning of a success story that continues to this day. Undoubtedly Setra has over the past 75 years set benchmarks in European bus manufacturing.
Setra’s success started with S 8, a touring coach with a self‑supporting design ready for series production and can rightly be described as a revolution in bus manufacturing. The premiere took place in 1951 on the sidelines of the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main, on the premises of a Kässbohrer general representative. This design principle developed by the Ulm‑based vehicle manufacturer Kässbohrer, later acquired by Daimler, combined with the streamlined exterior design, large luggage compartments, and the installation of a rear engine with direct drive to the rear axle, set new benchmarks in European bus manufacturing. The Setra S 8 was followed by the first Setra Series 10, which comprised a total of eight variants. The transition to Series 100 in 1967 represented another step toward the industrialization of bus manufacturing at Kässbohrer. All new models were now produced according to a modular design principle using numerous identical parts. To mark Setra’s 25th anniversary, Series 200 was
introduced with six models. Among other features, it stood out for the standard installation of disc brakes on the front axle. The year 1991 marked the launch of Series 300. With the introduction of the TopClass 400 in 2001, comprising more than 20 variants, including two versions for the U.S. market. The latest generation is Series 500, whose ComfortClass and TopClass touring coaches redefine standards in quality, safety, and efficiency. In 2022, Setra presented the next generation of Series 500. The exclusive HDH models of the TopClass elevate coach travel to a new level. Shortly after the premiere of the new generations of the Setra ComfortClass 500 and TopClass 500 touring coaches, Setra opened a new chapter in the intercity segment with the completely newly developed MultiClass 500 LE Low Entry buses offering a broad range with four models. As a Low Entry (LE) concept, it combines two worlds: low‑floor accessibility and touring comfort.