Ikarus 255 bus: photos, technical specifications

Surely everyone remembers what kind of buses were in the USSR. Mostly these were LAZs and Ikarus. The latter were considered the real top of the automotive industry. The Hungarians made very comfortable and reliable buses. In today's article, we'll talk about Ikarus-255. This bus was serially produced from 72 to 84 year. The car came to replace the obsolete 250-th model, which was produced since the 50's. Well, let's get acquainted with this legendary bus.

Design

All buses that were delivered to the republics of the USSR are painted in red and white. It was the same for all models. The car received additional fog lights and a new bumper. The edging of the windows is chrome plated. The same brilliant strip separates two huge windshields. The janitors were located vertically. And above the black radiator grill Ikarus inscribed proudly. The 255th model was sometimes completed with a searchlight from above, which provided an additional color. The body itself is of a wagon configuration, with mechanical doors. In its lower part there are boxes for extra luggage. They were both on the left and on the right.

Dimensions

Ikarus-255 belongs to a large class of buses. So, its total length is 10.97 meters, width - exactly 2.5 meters, and height - almost 3 meters. The size of the wheelbase is 5.34 meters. Ikarus-255 was impressive in size, so it could accommodate up to 47 passengers. However, the long body is not only capacity, but also huge overhangs. So, the size of the front was 2.45 meters. The rear overhang is 3.17 meters. "Ikarus-255" was difficult to maneuver in the city, so it was usually exploited outside of it. By the way, the minimum radius of the turn of the bus is 22.4 meters.

Salon

The previous models of "Ikarus" used an archaic, flat panel of devices. Ikarus-255 (photo of the salon you can see below) was equipped with a modernized panel made of black plastic. As a decoration, a dark tree appeared. The steering wheel is a two-spoke, without any adjustments. On the dashboard were all the necessary scales. Also on the left there is a light control unit, and on the right (on the ledge) a radio receiver could be placed.

As for the passengers themselves, they are provided with comfortable light seats with headrests. There was also an armrest. On subsequent models of "Icarus" it was already throwing out. On the top was a shelf for bags and other things. The seats were arranged in two rows. Back in the classics was almost a continuous sofa. It is located slightly higher than the rest of the seats. This is not done for a better view of the rear passengers, but for locating the power unit. The motor on the Ikarus was behind. By the way, the length of the body of the 250-th model was less by one meter than the previously produced 255-th model. To accommodate all passengers, it was necessary to bring the seat backs on each row. Also, unlike the 255th Ikarus, there were no pneumatic doors and a refrigerator at the rear. Therefore, the 250th was used mainly on short routes. The exception was the Ikarus-255 bus of modification 250.59. It was equipped with front pneumatic doors that opened into the interior. But the rear were still mechanical.

Ikarus-255: specifications

The "Rab-MAN" engine was installed on the bus. It is a diesel inline engine with a turbocharger. The working volume of the power unit was 10,350 cubic centimeters. The maximum power is 220 horsepower. But a more important parameter for the bus was the torque. On the Ikarus of the 255th model, it was 820 Nm at two thousand revolutions. No matter how strange it may seem, the manufacturer officially treats the Euro-0 environmental standard for this engine. The bus did not use any particulate filters and modernized injection systems.

Transmission, dynamics, consumption

The car was equipped with a manual transmission with a dry single-plate clutch. Total in the box was 5 steps, without divisions. The box, unlike the engine, has not been modernized. In view of this, many drivers complained about the huge backstage moves. Also over time, the programs were switched on with a crunch.

If we talk about dynamic indicators, then the maximum speed of the bus was 100 kilometers per hour. The acceleration to 60 kilometers per hour took 22 seconds. As for fuel consumption, here the data diverge. The manufacturer says about 19 liters per 100 kilometers. But in practice this figure is about 27 liters, and outside the city (where this bus was used 90 percent of the time). The power reserve on one tank is about a thousand kilometers.

Chassis

Perhaps the most significant drawback of the 250th Ikarus is the suspension design. Hungarians used an archaic, spring scheme. And the sheets were on both the front and rear axles. Damping of vibrations was carried out by hydraulic shock absorbers. In the model 255, the air suspension was already used, thanks to which the Ikarus won such wide recognition and was characterized as the most comfortable bus of those times. Steering - screw-nut with hydraulic booster. Brake system - drum type. What is noteworthy, the pads were reduced from the air pressure (that is, the brakes were pneumatic).

Cost

There are practically no such copies left on sale. The cost for the "live" model is kept at a high level - about 450 thousand rubles. In a condition under restoration it is possible to buy for 200 and less thousand. These buses have outlived their own. Many have rotted or stand with a broken motor. For business, they are hardly suitable. Spare parts for Ikarus have not been produced for decades, and it's very difficult to find something on the dismantling. In fact, the 250th is a museum exhibit, a rarity that has hardly survived to this day.

Conclusion

So, we found out what the Ikarus of the 250th model is. Ikarus is a legendary bus, which was supplied to the Baltic States, the RSFSR and other republics by masses. The machine was used on different routes. On these "Ikarus" many traveled half the country. Unfortunately, they are no longer seen on the streets of our cities. And only the most desperate are ready to take under the restoration. Now such a technique can be found in the museum of passenger transport in Moscow and St. Petersburg. On the flights, these buses have not been released for a long time. Most of it was written off to scrap metal.