Ikarus
Ikarus is a bus manufacturer based in Budapest, Hungary. The company was founded in 1895 as by Imre Uhry as Uhri Imre Kovács- és Kocsigyártó Üzeme, a small vehicle repair and production company. The company built their first buses in the 1920s. And in 1935, received an order from the city of Budapest. In 1949, the company was renamed Ikarus after merging with an aircraft manufacturer of the same name.[1]
At the end of the 1970s, Ikarus and Crown Coach Corporation entered into an agreement to sell an articulated bus in the United States. Designated as the model 286, it was a derivative of the Ikarus's existing articulated bus adapted for the American market. A similar agreement was made with Ontario Bus Industries in 1984.[2] The joint venture would end in 1987 with Crown and in 1989 with Ontario Bus amid a number of quality and construction problems.
In the wake of the 286 problems, Ikarus regrouped and entered into a deal with Union City Body Company of Union City, Indiana, to market and assemble a new bus for the American market. In 1989, Ikarus re-entered the US market as Ikarus USA. Amid financial difficulties in the early 1992, Peter Rona, director of the First Hungary Fund purchased 75% of Ikarus USA with Ikarus retaining 25%. The company was renamed American Ikarus and relocated to Anniston, Alabama. In 1996, Ikarus sold their share of American Ikarus to the First Hungary Fund. American Ikarus was subsequently renamed North American Bus Industries.
Ikarus was eventually acquired by Irisbus in 1999, but Ikarus would eventually cease operations in 2005. It was purchased by a Hungarian firm that relaunched the company that specialized in servicing and spare parts. As the company began to establish itself again, it launched a new product range in 2010.
Models (Partial list)
- 256 11 metre suburban and tour bus (rear engine)
- 260 11 metre urban bus (mid-engine)
- 280 16.5 metre urban and suburban articulated bus (mid-engine)
- 280T 16.5 metre articulated trolleybus
- 284 17.9 metre urban articulated bus (rear-engine)
- 405 7 metre urban midibus
- 412 11.9 metre urban low floor bus
- 412T 12 metre low floor trolleybus
- 415 11.435 metre urban partial low floor bus
- 435 17.8 metre articulated urban bus
- 435T 17.8 metre articulated trolleybus