Toro is tops for touring

Eight-day, privately-arranged tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands that take place throughout the year will be part of the regular work of an Optare Toro executive midicoach that’s just entered service with Shropshire operator Sargeants of Hodnet.

Mick Sargeant who runs the firm started by his father 65 years ago, says that the 32-seat Toro was a natural choice for this type of work because of its size and following several years of trouble-free service from Optare’s Nouvelle model.

“I replaced our first Nouvelle with another last year after seven years in which it proved very reliable and showed no signs of corrosion compared with other comparable vehicles,” he said.

“So when it came to buying another new midicoach I looked no further than Optare and their Toro model as I was confident that it would give the same reliable service over the six or seven years that I’ll be running it. Customers are already remarking on the high level of comfort that the new coach offers, especially on touring work involving longer journeys up to Scotland or down to the South Coast.

“Being based on the Mercedes-Benz Vario chassis means that the Toro is using proven and dependable running units with which we are familiar and for which parts are readily available. And I’ve been impressed by the speed of response from the Optare service team and the commitment they’ve shown to providing good back-up.”
The Toro is built using an all-welded steel box section overlaid with grp side paneling and a one-piece roof. A comprehensive anti-rust treatment is applied at all stages of construction to ensure a long, corrosion-free life and the strength of the structure enables the model to fully meet the R66 rollover standard.

Sargeant’s new Toro is fitted with 32 Esteban Irati recliners with seat belts, grab handles and gangway armrests that incorporate a wood-effect trim. A deep parcel rack runs the full-length of the saloon and incorporates reading lamps and forced air nozzles. The stereo radio/CD system is a standard feature of Toro with an integrated public address system being an option.

With the four-cylinder Mercedes engine delivering 150 bhp the Toro has plenty of power for a coach with a gross weight of only 8.2 tonnes. This is matched to a ZF five-speed synchromesh transmission offering a smooth change. Safety features include all-round disc brakes with ABS, an exhaust brake and a Telma retarder.