(first posted 3/18/2017) In the mid to late 1970s, intercity motor coach operators in North America had several options to choose from as they looked to recapitalize their fleets. As we saw a few months ago, GM was still producing its “Buffalo” – the P8M 4108/4905, though production was slowing, making it ever more clear the company would not be in the intercity bus market much longer. MCI was heading in the opposite direction, with its manufacturing facilities going full bore, building coaches for Greyhound as its sole source provider, and offering its popular line of buses to other operators.
Then there was Eagle, supplier to Continental Trailways, and to those in the entertainment industry that preferred its “Torsilastic” rubber encased torque tube suspension. But there was one other model who’s manufacturer outlasted two of the previous three, and went on to serve as the vanguard of the company’s successful entry into the lucrative US market – the Prevost Le Mirage…
As we discussed in our post on the HS-60, Prevost, now a subsidiary of Volvo Bus, is a Quebec-based motor coach manufacturer with a history of innovation. Popular in Canada, it first marketed its Champion model in the US in the late 1960’s – a 96 in wide coach that came in both 35 and 40 ft lengths. Unfortunately, it made little headway against the dominant and entrenched GM, MCI and Eagle brands.
GM PD 4104
Mack 97G
Looking to differentiate itself from the competition, Prevost took a page from European buses and opted for a unique, much larger side window design. You may remember from our recent GM PD 4104 post that an iconic design element of this ground-breaking bus was its forward canted windows. Every bus thereafter mirrored this design – MCI, Eagle, Flixble, Fitzjohn, Beck…even Mack used it, though the 97G had them somewhat surprisingly canted rearward. To quote Madeline Khan in Blazing Saddles, it’s hard to tell if this bus is coming or going…
This updated Champion had vertical, cathedral-like side windows, 42 inches tall, that extended up into the roof. Prevost called this new model the Prestige. While selling better than the Champion, it still wasn’t the breakout hit the company had hoped for – likely due to limited marketing and promotion.
With the exception of GM, by the mid-70’s manufacturers were moving away from their “notched” or “stepped” front ends by increasing the windshield’s height and having a smooth, unbroken roof line from front to rear. Prevost followed this trend, and with a much larger budget and more focused marketing strategy, introduced the Le Mirage model in the US in 1976.
As they say, “the third time’s the charm”…transport operators and the tour industry quickly took to the new model which offered passengers improved visibility and a much more open and brighter interior compared to its contemporaries. Orders poured in forcing Prevost to expand its manufacturing facilities in 1980.
Initially offered in only a 96 in by 40 ft version, Prevost widened the model in 1984 to 102 in, naming it the Le Mirage XL.
Appearance remained largely the same – halogen headlights were added in 1987 which resulted in a new lower front fascia.
In 1995, a 45 ft model, the XL-45 was introduced to compete with MCI’s popular 102DL3
Finally, in 2000, the Le Mirage XLII was launched with a fully paintable exterior (no stainless steel fluting).
DD 60 Series DDEC diesel
Powertrains were typical for North American motor coaches – early models used the GM/DD 8V-71 with a Spicer or Dana manual transmission. This was supplanted by the DD 6/8V-92 with the option of the Allison HT-740 automatic. The later XL-45 used the DD 60 series engine with the Allison B500 6 spd auto. Cummins or Caterpillar engines could also be ordered, but it appears DD’s went in most models.
Prevost X3-45
Prevost dropped the Le Mirage name in 2004, with the coach carrying on with the XLII moniker. It remained in production until superseded by the X3-45 model in 2006.
I couldn’t find overall production numbers but its clear that quite a few rolled out of Prevost’s factories over thirty years – and many still remain on the road today, hard at work ferrying passengers or carrying families as mobile home conversions.
It’s a landmark model – the genesis of the company’s rise to the top tier of motor coach manufacturers in North America it occupies today.
As I’ve said before, my time in Entertainment touring was spent in Eagles. After that, MCI coaches became the next big thing.
But the moment someone tried the first Prevost “rock-n-roll” touring coach, every other manufacturer could have just quit the business. Prevost coaches were all anyone wanted to live in.
Over the last decade or so, VanHool coaches have taken a tiny slice of the pie, but still 99% of the coaches used in the entertainment industry are Prevost.
Not sure how much this adds to the topic at hand, but I’ve always found it ironic that Prevost is a Volvo subsidiary: When I was growing up, the Volvo dealer in my hometown was also named Prevost. I doubt there was any relation, because the owner pronounced it “PREE-voh” (versus “PRAY-voh,” as with the motor coach), and he lost his dealership empire to bankruptcy in the early ’90s.
But when I first saw this name on a coach – a few years after the bankruptcy – I first wondered if ol’ Johnny Prevost had landed back on his feet, and was in the business of selling customized coaches.
We simply pronounce prévost ( pray vau ) here in Qc
My favorite is the 2000 Mirage XLII “Canada” because of its color combination and smooth sides.
I wonder which bus manufacturer used the “extended into the roof”-side windows first. Not sure, but it might be Neoplan, circa 1960.
Didn’t Kassbohrer also have them around the same time?
Possibly. Smit Joure (the Netherlands) also introduced them on the Eldorado coach in the same era. Neoplan sued them for copying their design. Neoplan lost the case.
I remember riding on these when they were first brought out. A couple of the pictures show the bus line red arrow that as a teenager I would take from Calgary to Red Deer with my brother to visit my grandmother. It felt like being on an airplane they had reclining seats, headphones to listen to music and best of all free pop in the fridge at the back. Unfortunately this ruined Grey Hound for me when I had to take it later in life.
Thanks for the memories.
Great write-up, Jim! As you mentioned, this really is the coach that put Prevost on the map. From this model forward, Prevost coaches have been regarded as premium, with a price to reflect their status.
These coaches in particular (designed before Volvo got involved) always had a special charm about them. Regardless of market, interior signage was also in French, something that continues (albeit to a lesser degree) on modern-day Prevosts. That, combined with the Mirage’s unique windows and pleasant appointments, always made them feel special somehow.
I only wish they hadn’t given into the modern trend of alpha-numeric “names”. I’d love them to bring back the French-flavored names like Citadin, Champion, and of course, Mirage. Regardless of naming method, I still love seeing Prevost coaches on the road. They’ve definitely retained their stately sense of presence, especially the current H-Series. When one goes by, you get the feeling a member of royalty has just passed. You just don’t get that from an MCI.
”interior signage was also in French” : Because it was a company from Québec .
We have an ultra-high end custom coach/RV conversion company, Marathon, in Eugene. The have used Prevost chassis exclusively since the beginning, and the Le Mirage was a favorite until the end of its production.
These finished Marathon coaches all go for over $2 million.
I am looking into buying a Prevost bus similar to the last image posted on this article. The manufacture tag is stamped October 1987.
I am looking to purchase the bus for around 8-$9,000. Motor has been rebuilt, has a Detroit diesel, manual transmission. The previous driver that isn’t a pro bus driver.. He claims the shift synchronizer is bad because according to him it will not down shift and has a hard time going into 5th gear. Would it be worth the purchase still? Looking to do a DIY Motor Home conversion.
Matt, IMHO, if you’re going to put up with a 2-cycle Jimmy and a manual transmission, then you may as well just go with old reliable, a GM Coach. If the coach you’re looking at has 4-cycle engine, that changes things a bit.
Right now you may think that you’re going to keep your new coach forever, but if things change then the manual trans will hurt resale, badly.
As far as fading stars go, I’d say that the GMs are going to survive their retirement years best of all of the coach makes. In fact they already have. That’s referring to aging well without often suffering major inoperable pains and considering things like popularity, support, bottomed out depreciation, etc. Even though a GM might have a generation of age on this Prevost, as to sustainability of an old coach, I think that a GM would still have an edge. Again, opinion.
When shopping I’d suggest to consider power steering a big plus.
As to the Prevost’s transmission issue… it may be operator error.
Could be a smoked transmission too.
Draining a sample of transmission oil and a finger wipe for metal lurking at the case bottom may give some indication of condition.
Not knowing any specifics other than what was posted, consider this comment just general and opinion.
Best luck with your plans
still hustling in nyc
Possibly as significant as tour operators for the LeMirage and its successors were the high-end motorhome and band bus converters. It’s almost certain that even today most Prevost-based motorhomes and entertainer coaches aren’t conversions of former passenger buses at all; rather the shell was ordered brand-new from the factory. In the 1980s Prevost pioneered an unprecedented level of customization targeted specifically at these markets. You could send them your floorplan and they’d put the type of windows you wanted, just where you needed them: curved picture windows in the living room, a small galley window, no windows in the bathroom and closet areas, and then a large conventional sliding window for the bedroom, for instance. Today Prevost offers the biggest innovation for RVers—“slide-outs,” meaning motorized walls that slide out a foot or two when the coach is parked, to increase interior space—right from the factory.
An Eagle handled better and had vastly more cargo space, an MCI was easier to service, but a Prevost was the one everybody in those markets wanted. I think that’s probably still the case.
Voyageur Colonial, the largest intercity bus service in Central Canada’s most populous cities, had a number of these in their fleet. Usually reserved for the busiest, highest profile express and super express routes, between Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. Very comfortable buses. And the panoramic windows, gave them an edge over riding MCIs.
I pronounce it “preh-vost” – are the last two letters silent then?
I worked for Greyhound as a mechanic, ’74-’77. A locally based line had Prevost coaches. We serviced their coaches and did minor maintenance on them. Those coaches were so much more airy than the MCI and GM coaches. Those windows really made the interiors less of a cave when you walked into that coach. Always wondered if those side windows were the same pattern as some trucks windshield. Then I realized each Prevost was using at least as much glass in their coaches as 12 trucks.
Anyone besides me use Prevost compressed-air couplers? Having tried them, it’s very unlikely I’ll ever buy another Milton or other “traditional” brand.
I have assumed they were from the same company as made the buses. Probably wrong about that.