BSG544W .....THE TIGER STRIKES BACK
The Leyland Tiger was released in 1981. Initially only one engine was offered, the turbocharged Leyland TL11, which could be rated up to 260 hp.
ALTHOUGH revealed at the Motor Show in October, Leyland kept many of the details of its long-awaited B43 coach chassis secret until its dramatic launch to over 200 operators in Gibraltar — where Tiger Strikes Back was the theme.
And no wonder the B43's was dubbed the Tiger, and initially complemented the long established leaf-sprung Leopard chassis. Offered with a choice of semi-automatic or manual gearbox in 11m or 12m versions, the Tiger featured full air suspension as standard.
At its Gibraltar launch, the Tiger was let out of the cage at the Royal Air Force base where operators had a second close look at the actual chassis originally shown at the International Show.
Three Tigers, complete with bodywork, were waiting in Tangiers.
These included a Plaxton Supreme GT-bodied example with ZF6-80 six-speed manual gearbox, a Van Hool Alizee bodied semi-automatic vehicle, and, looking somewhat incongruous against a backdrop of camels and palm trees, the first of the new generation of Scottish Bus Group motorway "supercoaches" — a Duple Dominant III-bodied semi-automatic.
The TL 11H engine was a direct injection turbocharged unit mounted amidships. It not only sounds different from the classic 680 unit used in the Leopard, it produces a lot more power and torque.
The engine was rated to produce 218 bhp at 2,100 rpm. Leyland said that, depending on the axle selected, the engine could give a cruising speed of up to 75 mph with the high torque output giving wide working speed range.
BSG544W .....THE TIGER STRIKES BACK
The Leyland Tiger was released in 1981. Initially only one engine was offered, the turbocharged Leyland TL11, which could be rated up to 260 hp.
ALTHOUGH revealed at the Motor Show in October, Leyland kept many of the details of its long-awaited B43 coach chassis secret until its dramatic launch to over 200 operators in Gibraltar — where Tiger Strikes Back was the theme.
And no wonder the B43's was dubbed the Tiger, and initially complemented the long established leaf-sprung Leopard chassis. Offered with a choice of semi-automatic or manual gearbox in 11m or 12m versions, the Tiger featured full air suspension as standard.
At its Gibraltar launch, the Tiger was let out of the cage at the Royal Air Force base where operators had a second close look at the actual chassis originally shown at the International Show.
Three Tigers, complete with bodywork, were waiting in Tangiers.
These included a Plaxton Supreme GT-bodied example with ZF6-80 six-speed manual gearbox, a Van Hool Alizee bodied semi-automatic vehicle, and, looking somewhat incongruous against a backdrop of camels and palm trees, the first of the new generation of Scottish Bus Group motorway "supercoaches" — a Duple Dominant III-bodied semi-automatic.
The TL 11H engine was a direct injection turbocharged unit mounted amidships. It not only sounds different from the classic 680 unit used in the Leopard, it produces a lot more power and torque.
The engine was rated to produce 218 bhp at 2,100 rpm. Leyland said that, depending on the axle selected, the engine could give a cruising speed of up to 75 mph with the high torque output giving wide working speed range.