Extra legroom in Optare’s Soroco NT 16-seat luxury minicoach was a key feature that led to Brookline Corporate Travel of Kenilworth adding one to their 15-vehicle fleet.

When the company bought its first Optare product in 2003 - a Bonito 16-seater - it was the longest vehicle that its premises could accommodate. A move earlier this year to new premises provided room for longer vehicles and this allowed the firm to move up to the Soroco NT, which at 7.0 metres overall is a third of a metre longer than the Bonito.

“Passengers have always liked the comfort of the Bonito but they really appreciate those extra few inches that the Soroco offers because it’s based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis,” says Simon Brook, who runs the company started by his grandmother in the 1960s. “Overall the Soroco has a very spacious feel to it, with room to move around easily. Having the Soroco and Bonito with similar styling, makes an attractive pair when they go out on jobs together”.

Brookline Corporate Travel’s Soroco has been specified to a high standard to meet the expectations of the company’s many corporate customers. High back Fainsa Gaudi reclining coach seats with leather inserts, arm rests and piping to the seats combined with tinted windows with full-draw curtains, reading lights and a carpeted gangway create a sense of luxury when you enter the saloon. Diavia air-conditioning and Webasto heating along with the low interior noise level all contribute to a pleasant ambience. And a 15-inch LCD drop down screen with DVD player allows passengers to be entertained during their journey.

The company is using the Soroco for a range of corporate and private hire work, including golfing trips and airport transfers, and it recently took a local theatre production company on a nine-day UK tour. Although the Soroco has an ample three cubic metres of luggage capacity, Brookline has had a towbar fitted so that it can pull a two-axle luggage trailer. “Sixteen sets of golf clubs take up an awful lot of space!” explains Simon Brook.

Externally the minicoach cuts quite a dash. It’s finished in Brookline’s striking metallic silver livery set off by extra marker lights along the roofline. “It’s a very stylish looking vehicle,” says Simon, “and it certainly creates a great impression with our customers”

“My drivers are very impressed too with its on-the-road performance. It’s a nice smooth ride and quiet through the gears and when cruising. There’s also plenty of power to enable them to maintain good journey times without compromising on fuel economy. Overall I’m very impressed with the Soroco and pleased that because it’s based on a proven Mercedes-Benz chassis we can easily get it serviced at our local main dealer in Coventry.”

With its move to new premises Brookline Corporate Travel is now poised to go up in the size of vehicle it operates. “The new Soroco is a first move in this direction and I hope to add larger vehicles to the fleet before too long,” says Simon. “Our new premises, which include a dedicated washbay, now mean that we can keep all of our vehicles under cover in our 5000 square feet building and further improve the standard of service we offer to our growing customer base.”

For further information please contact:
Martin Hayes, Communications Advisor, +44 (0) 207 494 8050