Family - Setra

2011
Celebrating all year long
I
n
34 | The anniversary year 2011 The anniversary year 2011 | 35
2011, you simply can’t
avoid all the celebrating
taking place at Setra. Not
one, not two, but three anniversaries
will be commemorated in
Neu-Ulm. Along with the 125 th
birthday of the automobile, at
Setra, the focus will be on celebrating
100 years of coach and
bus expertise and 60 years of the
Setra brand. And of course, it’s
a given that the great big Setra
family comes together to celebrate.
Young in spirit and young at heart
On the evening of 13 May 2011, at
the CustomerCenter in Neu-Ulm,
where new vehicles are passed
on to bus operators from all over
Europe every day, the tables are
finely decorated for a celebration.
700 invited guests have come to
commemorate the 60 th anniversary
of the coach brand from Ulm. At
19.00, all eyes are on the vintage
Setra, chauffeuring Lothar Holder,
Andreas Renschler and Hartmut
Schick to the CustomerCenter.
Lothar Holder, Executive Managing
Director Sales Setra Buses and Coaches,
opens the ceremony with a
few moving words: “Setra’s milestone
birthday is a welcome occasion
to take a look back together at the
many highlights we have experienced
over the past, and of course
to celebrate. Setra is 60 years old
– and this is something we can all
be very proud of. Setra is a very
special brand. With its spirit and
philosophy, it has succeeded in
remaining unique and young at
heart over the last six decades.”
A very special anniversary gift
Daimler board member Andreas
Renschler couldn’t agree more:
“While at 60, some may be thinking
about retirement, for Setra, things
are just beginning!” He isn’t only
referring to the many new products
to come in the future, but also to
the anniversary surprise which has
yet to be revealed near the stage.
Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler
Buses, and Lothar Holder, finally
uncover a truly special coach, the
100,000th Setra ever produced.
The anniversary coach is a Special
Edition S 416 HDH, which Setra
has introduced to the market to
commemorate its anniversary. This
TopClass coach will from now on be
the proud property of the Ulm bus
operator Baumeister-Knese. With its
high-quality upholstery, staggered
seating, Front Collision Guard (FCG),
and Brake Assist (ABA), it is the
epitome of elegance, comfort
and safety – once again bringing
together Setra’s key areas of
expertise.
“No distance is too great for
Setra”
But first, curtains up for the popular
“Pomp Duck and Circumstance”
performers, who accompany the
evening’s guests on their journey
through Setra’s history. The performances
bring to life historic
highlights, opening up a fascinating
review of the past. Lothar Holder
promises many more surprises:
“For us, no distance is too great.
This also applies to our employees.
When it comes to making Setra
coaches and buses even safer and
more advanced, there are no limits
to their inventiveness.” Setra guests
leave the ceremony with a birthday
cake and a compass in their bag.
Engraved on the compass: “Setra –
pioneer and partner. Together, we
set the direction. Together, we reach
our goal.” “Yes we will”, adds a
smiling guest as he leaves the party
and heads home.
Pure fascination:
The Setra Special Edition
Setra is commemorating the 2011 anniversaries
with an exclusive “60 years of Setra” TopClass
Special Edition. The limited, special-edition
coach features a design and equipment
package that embodies everything the
TopClass stands for: outstanding comfort,
customised luxury, exemplary safety and
innovative technology. The vehicles, ranging
from the compact S 411 HD through to the
S 431 DT double-decker, are available with
attentive details such as a lit Setra logo at the
front entrance and a numbered limited-series
plaque in the cockpit area.
At the 2011 Grand Prix, 25 Setra coaches and 320
people came together to create a 3D Setra logo for
the anniversary shot – taken from a helicopter at a
height of 40 metres.