TORSUS, manufacturer of the world’s toughest, most-capable heavy-duty off-road buses, has unveiled the next generation of their flagship bus, PRAETORIAN. A raft of more than 50 all-new technical updates and options for 2024 amp up the PRAETORIAN’s class-leading ability to travel where others dare not tread, to take on the toughest jobs and safely transport up to 35 occupants comfortably across any terrain, in any conditions, anywhere in the world.
The TORSUS PRAETORIAN takes its name, and its indomitable character, from the legendary Praetorian Guard. An elite regiment of the Imperial Roman Army formed in 509 BC; the Praetorian Guard was essentially the world’s first special forces unit. Members were highly skilled veterans, hand-picked from the best army in the world for their superior fitness, unmatched combat prowess and ability to keep a cool head in the heat of battle. Wherever the toughest and most important tasks were set – protecting the emperor, gathering intelligence, operating far behind enemy lines – only a Praetorian would suffice.
TORSUS designed and developed the PRAETORIAN 4×4 off-road bus to match to the ethos of Rome’s most famed and most feared regiment. Whatever the weather, whatever the terrain – mountain, desert, forest – and whatever the application – mining, rescue, defence – the TORSUS PRAETORIAN is engineered to operate at the tip of the spear, and to get the mission done, no matter how impossible. And now, in third generation guise, the PRAETORIAN lifts the bar even higher, once again setting standards that no would-be competitor can ever hope to match.
From the fully upgraded suspension, strengthened chassis, all-round disc brakes, redesigned cabin, uprated heating, air-con and ventilation (HVAC), improved maintenance accessibility, greater range of seating configurations and more, no detail has been overlooked, and no solution spared.
In addition, the unrelenting determination of TORSUS to utilise the best materials and advanced manufacturing techniques, contributes to the ability of the 8.7-metre, polymer-bodied PRAETORIAN TG3 to transport occupants in even greater comfort and refinement than its predecessor. The enhancements to the PRAETORIAN’s suspension and chassis also provide greater agility, enabling drivers to better unlock the maximum potential of the bus’s 1,150Nm six-cylinder MAN diesel engine, 12-speed transmission and heavy-duty 4×4 off-road drivetrain.
A hunger for progress
Vakhtang Dzhukashvili, Founder and CEO of TORSUS, said: “At TORSUS, we know if we want to create the toughest off-road bus in the world, we’ve got to be tough on ourselves as a company and tough on ourselves as designers and engineers. To continue to lead the market, we know we can’t just sit on our laurels – we’ve got to push hard and innovate, and we’ve got to do it all the time.
“We have a saying in Ukraine, ‘A hungry dog is stronger than a satisfied wolf,’ and at TORSUS, we are always very hungry for progress. Fortunately, our customers, who operate in the harshest and most challenging sectors all over the globe, such as disaster relief, medical provision, motorsport, forestry, mining, farming, tourism and more, help us deliver that progress.
“We proactively collect data from our customers all the time, and they give us vital feedback from extreme use case scenarios. And this data enables us to design and engineer highly focused technical enhancements that deliver mission-specific, real-world advantages as clearly demonstrated by the next-generation PRAETORIAN, and our smaller, faster, and even more nimble TERRASTORM.”
Suspension and chassis upgrades deliver superior comfort and agility
One of the most significant engineering upgrade packages implemented on the new PRAETORIAN is not obvious at first glance. Underneath the vehicle’s polymeric exterior body, which features an extreme protective polyurea top coating, sits an extensively uprated chassis and suspension system.
Uprated silent blocks, the name given to the bespoke, heavy-duty, semi-spherical rubber pillows that support the brackets providing the connection between the vehicle’s MAN chassis and the superstructure, have been upgraded. The new silent blocks provide better comfort and articulation and keep road noise and vibration to a minimum, even when the PRAETORIAN is negotiating its way through a boulder field.
The PRAETORIAN is further supported by the introduction of new mounting points for the superstructure floor, which enhances rigidity to give passengers a more relaxed travelling experience. However, the TORSUS engineering team is not so easily satisfied, and during extensive testing, decided to develop even more extreme technical solutions.
Tomas Micuda, TORSUS Technical Manager, explained: “Following feedback from our customers around the globe and a 20-month R&D programme, we have added a complete front air suspension assembly between the chassis and the superstructure for the first time. This provides a higher level of compensation for the weight of the front portion of the superstructure and gives the TORSUS even greater control, composure and safety, no matter how rough the terrain gets.
“At the rear, the leaf springs found on the previous PRAETORIAN have been replaced by a new air suspension system on the latest model. That amps up the comfort levels for passengers, improves agility and gives the driver even more freedom to utilise the fully potential of the MAN diesel engine to bolster the PRAETORIAN’s ability to cross terrain that drivers of any other off-road vehicle would never even dare to approach.
“We have also introduced a special algorithm that benefits vehicles with a high gravity point, such as the PRAETORIAN TG3. This significantly reduces the ‘top heavy’ feel of the bus, especially off-road. This deep level of engineering provides a safe and highly composed feel that makes it easy to control the PRAETORIAN, despite its considerable size and high-power output. The technology also renders it intuitive and effortless to control, which in turn makes for ease of operator training.”
Mammoth torque, multiple transmission choices and unmatched braking power
The strong beating heart of the TORSUS PRAETORIAN off-road bus is its six-cylinder, 6.9-litre diesel engine, which dispenses a mammoth 1150NM of torque from anywhere in between a broad range of 1,200 to 1,750 RPM. This robustly proven unit effortlessly distributes its phenomenal pulling power through a state-of-the-art MAN 12-speed Tipmatic ZF AStronic transmission and a heavy-duty 4×4 off-road drivetrain, featuring front-axle, inter-axle, and rear-axle differential locks. Along with the independent heating radiator area, the engine bay is protected by an automatic Blazecut powder fire suppression system.
The sheer hardcore technical ability of the TORSUS powertrain is backed-up with a level of sophisticated and intuitive driver control that is simply unmatched in the sector. No less than six driving modes can be selected with the touch of a button.
Vlada Orlova, Sales Representative for TORSUS, commented: “Whatever challenge operators encounter, on or off-road, the PREAETORIAN has the technology and the ability to deal with it. For normal driving on highways and around town ‘Efficiency Mode’ is best, as it optimises fuel efficiency and indeed occupant comfort by providing a more relaxed gearchange. But at the other end of the scale, when it’s a matter of life or death, ‘Emergency Mode’ sees the PRAETORIAN’S gearbox changes faster at higher engine speeds to accelerate rescue crews as quickly as possible to whatever situation they need to get to. And if the tarmac runs out, no problem, the PRAETORIAN’s ‘Off-Road Mode’ and ‘Low-Range Mode’ will enable the crew to complete their mission.”
The PRAETORIAN’s ability to get to its destination, no matter what, is aided by the introduction of a new, ultra-powerful 12-tonne 30-metre front winch, which can be used to haul obstacles out of the way or help the vehicle cross boggy ground.
To provide best-in-class stopping power, TORSUS has equipped the PRAETORIAN with massive 19.5-inch brake discs on the front and rear axle.
Greater choice of seating configurations and enhanced passenger comfort
The PRAETORIAN’s heating, ventilation and air-con (HVAC) package was subject to a robust engineering interrogation to determine and act upon any areas where improvements could be made. As a result, the vehicle’s heating circuit is now connected directly to the engine cooling system. This enhancement enables waste heat from the engine to heat up the superstructure of the bus more rapidly and use bus independent heating as a motor preheating function.
Passenger comfort has been improved in hot weather too, thanks to the integration of new air vents that distribute cool air in a more uniform and efficient manner. Sound quality has been upgraded too, thanks to the introduction of a separate Pioneer audio amplifier.
The next-generation PRAETORIAN offers an even greater range of seating configurations than before, with 14 different options now available for customers.
Enhanced features provide better driver control and operational safety
Inside, PRAETORIAN benefits from a complete redesign of the driving environment. The upgrade includes features such as a new dashboard, gear shifter, buttons, switchgear and controls, along with a new illuminated indication panel. Additional air vents have been integrated at the ends of the dashboard to prevent the windscreen from misting up in monsoon conditions and new sunblinds fitted to better deal with the glare of the desert sun. The introduction of an electric driver’s step further improves life for the person behind the wheel.
Given the often challenging and at times, outright hostile terrain the PRAETORIAN must operate in, driver and passenger protection is a critical factor. With the latest variant, TORSUS has significantly improved safety with the introduction of lane detection, as well as light and rain sensor technology. Meanwhile, new side windows and rear-view mirrors provide greater visibility.
During the project, the TORSUS engineering team also took the opportunity to fully re-evaluate all of the PRAETORIAN’s electrical systems and introduced new electrical insulation to ensure more efficient, seamless integration with the original MAN chassis wiring.
Front end redesign for tougher performance and easier service and maintenance access
“Every TORSUS PRAETORIAN is designed to shrug off water, mud, gravel, dust, sand, snow, ice and virtually anything nature cares to throw at it. We’re well aware that many of our buses never get to see a tarmac road again once they start their working lives, never mind getting parked up in an immaculate bus garage every night. That thinking was very much to the fore when we redesigned and rebuilt the PRAETORIAN’s front mask,” continues Vakhtang Dzhukashvili.
The maximum opening height of the bus’ front mask was increased by approximately 30cm to ensure greater access for service and maintenance tasks such as filling fluids and changing air and cabin filters, while the windshield washer fluid tank was repositioned to better access the filling point. A double latching mechanism was also added to the front mask, with four additional centre pins added to ensure the mask remains securely in the closed position, even while soaking up unrelenting punishment over the roughest possible terrain.
Production of the third-generation PRAETORIAN TG3 has already commenced, and the vehicle is already in service in markets such as Spain, Germany and Ukraine. Pricing starts from 225 831 EUR (GBP 192,112) and the vehicle is available in Shell, Transporter and Minesite specifications. The MAN chassis and powertrain are fully warranted and serviceable by all MAN suppliers anywhere in the world.