Norev 1:43 IRISBUS Lilade RTX Suzanne, Metallic Blue

The Iliade is a coach from the manufacturer Renault VI taken over under the Irisbus era . The FR 2 will not be the name chosen, the RVI engineers decide to survey Greek history: Iliad is Homer's story on the capture of Troy. This name has its small effect for such a coach, even if Odyssey (the continuation of the Iliad) could have been the name of this vehicle or Ulysses evoking the key character of the Odyssey. Magellan was also approached for its name, but it will be the main inspiration for the future Iveco Bus Magelys 1 . Only the new Renault coach will be baptized Iliade.

It takes the form of the FR 1 with a more modern grille which takes up the “Renault 19” style reminiscent of the entire Renault range, such as the headlight blocks from the automobile mounted on a swivel block, making it easier to replace bulbs. The bays are connected to the door panes by a "trompe l'oeil" dixit by black paint: the surrounds of the bays are refined with a shade of gray-blue glazing. The ventilation stripes, less numerous than on the FR 1 , above the doors (separated by a glass on the RTX-GTX-TEX versions) have a more rounded shape; they had been drawn on one of the FR 1 prototypes more than fifteen years earlier. The rear remains similar to the FR 1 , just the lights are rounded.

Its mirrors give it big ears, a fashion of the time. On the Iliad, the right-hand mirror is equipped with three windows (Wide Angle - Safety - Semi). The one on the left receives two large mirrors. This gives the Iliad a certain presence, with all the vision grouped together on two elements. These large mirrors increase the field of vision and reduce vibrations.

The driver sits behind a brand new driving position, and comes from the car. No need to bend over to access the thermal and sound comfort controls, no more tachograph away from your hand. The dashboard is more ergonomic, as is the guide station, which has undergone numerous improvements. New to driving, the steering wheel is pneumatically adjustable and can tilt forward when the vehicle is stationary.

The interior is composed of new colors on a "lavender blue" base expressing an atmosphere of well-being, of escape. The equipment is taken from FR 1 : we can see a small novelty, double glazing is standard in the middle and high range and option for the entry level. Depending on the case, the equipment and finish levels are followed by a "C" for a 10.61 m and an "X" for a raised. Comfort is at the rendezvous with a wide range of seats according to the needs of carriers, and high-end equipment. Soundproofing is improved, proving a considerable effort from Renault, which allows a smooth journey.

The Iliad is a coach providing all types of transport: Regular, regional, occasional, grand tourism. The range includes 6 different versions: TE, GT, RT / TEX, RTX, GTX. The TEX version will be removed from the catalog because sales were insufficient, leaving the monopoly to RTX.

The Iliad retains the robustness, reliability and comfort of the FR1. Some carriers will not hesitate to replace the calenders of their FR1 with that of Iliad.

This French coach is on the right track for the future. In fact, during 1996, nearly 350 copies of FR 1 were sold, bringing a total to over 5,000 FR 1 produced between 1983 and 1996. Then, betweenOctober 1996 and October 1997are ordered 600 Iliad: the GTX version representing a third of sales but with a minority of purchasers to the GTX of 380 horses… It should be known that after 18 months, only twelve Iliad GTX (MIDR 062045 - 380 ch) are sold out of 980 vehicles delivered including 300 GTX. The ILIADE production will run in the following years at 300 Iliads per year. The Iliad crosses borders to be sold in Switzerland, Italy, Germany and even in the Middle East: the export reaches 50% in sales. theOctober 22, 1997 The sale of 330 Iliad RTX for Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia by the company Taseco was signed, the first of which were delivered on July 20, 1998and the last twenty months later