The coachwork:
latest technology in a small space

As with any good design, the high roof rounding not only fulfils aesthetic demands. It also acts as a trough that stops rainwater from running from the roof over the side windows and channels it into the wiper range of the front windscreen - one reason why the wipers are equipped with 1,200-milimetre long blades. Additionally, the rounding acts as a channel for running all the cables and hoses and piping for the air conditioning. The most important interfaces have been positioned specifically for easy access. The ventilation ducts in the narrow ceiling lining are, therefore, free of disruptive inserts and the air is fed without disruption straight to the air outlets for ventilation of the passenger area.

With its functionality, the special design of the roof edge adds to the overall design of the modular, self-supporting tube frame. The light-weight and extremely stable structure has been welded from precision-lasered square bar steel using tried and tested all round spar technology and has two defined antiroll bars in the area of the B column and at the rear. Using three-dimensional CAD construction and laborious finite element calculation, the engineers were not only able to give the coachwork functional and attractive sculptured surfaces, but were also able to optimise with regard to weight and stability. Of course, the coachwork is certified in accordance with the latest tightened standard ECE R66 on antiroll stability. The whole steel tube construction is reliably and permanently protected against corrosion with a top-quality KTL primer down to the smallest elbow. Therefore, VISEON makes a 6-year guarantee against perforation corrosion.

The connection between the framework and the tried and tested chassis and drive modules supplied by MAN is effected at defined points that do not cover any hollow spaces and, therefore, can easily be re-protected against rust after fitting.

Whilst the front and rear sections consist of glass fibre reinforced plastic, the side walls are lined with fully galvanised steel plate, which is firmly connected under tension. The extremely light aluminium luggage flaps and doors get their unusual stability and torsional stiffness from the double-leaf method familiar from car doors. The smooth outer surface is firmly connected to the stabilising inner of bevelled steel. The multi-link hinges are an equally simple yet effective innovation. These are used to attach luggage space flaps, the engine space flap and the service flaps. The newly developed hinge with seven links and very small size also swings the flap outward slightly on opening, facilitating an unusually large opening angle of over 140 degrees. This makes the luggage space and service points particularly accessible. The attractive wheel arches of corrosion-free, glass fibre reinforced plastic are designed as universal models for left and right and can be removed if needed.