Continuing growth of their luxury minicoach private hire business has led Southampton company Panache Travel to add an Optare Soroco 19-seater to run alongside the Bonito 16-seater they bought two years ago.

In just four years the company, run by Mon and Helena Kiblawa, has carved out quite a niche at the quality end of the local minicoach market and now runs five vehicles. From day one the new Soroco has been fully booked on a range of prestige jobs including private and corporate entertainment hires to venues like Ascot, Goodwood and Wimbledon.

“Our Bonito set the standard locally in terms of a luxury minicoach,” says Helena. “The Soroco builds on that with an even more modern appearance, the prestige that attaches to it being on a Mercedes-Benz chassis, and the bonus of three more seats. This is the only luxury 19-seater available locally and it’s proving very popular with full bookings for weeks ahead.

“We’ve recently moved our operating base to a more visible main road location and this has brought bookings simply because passers-by have seen what a stunning looking coach the Soroco is. The attractive metallic silver finish, which is the same as the Bonito, along with tinted windows and neat blue spotlights makes it a real head-turner and a vehicle in which people are pleased to be seen travelling.

“Internally it has the same elegant colour scheme enhanced by the very stylish dashboard, which is in a lovely pearlescent tortoiseshell finish. There’s a general feeling of spaciousness because the Mercedes chassis is longer than the Ford on which the Bonito is based. This allows not only for the additional three seats but also for slightly increased seat spacing, which gives passengers more legroom.

“It’s also got air conditioning and convector heating to create a pleasant travelling environment in all weather conditions”, she added.

“Customers and drivers have also commented on how quiet and smooth the Soroco is. This is particularly appreciated on longer runs, such as trips we regularly make to London. When we’re in town the compact size really suits the more congested traffic conditions and the narrow streets around the West End. And, of course, being Euro 4 compliant it already satisfies the requirements of the LEZ.”

The Soroco is fully coachbuilt onto the well-proven Mercedes-Benz 515 CDI chassis/cowl. The Panache Travel vehicle is fitted with luxury high-back Esteban Irati coach seats of which 15 are recliners, the back four being fixed. All have three-point inertia reel seatbelts with anchorages that meet the standard for M2 vehicles. The seats are trimmed in luxury moquette, which is repeated on the centre roof panel.

Power is provided by a 2148 cc four-cylinder turbocharged unit. This uses common rail technology to achieve good fuel efficiency and delivers a very ample 150 brake horsepower. It’s matched to six-speed manual gearbox. The 515 CDI bristles with safety features including ABS, ESP, ASR, BAS and EBD (see Notes for Editors).

Note for Editors:
ABS = Anti-lock Braking System
ESP = Electronic Stability Control
ASR = Anti Slip Regulation
BAS = Brake Assist System
EBD = Electronic Brake Distribution

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