Great. I’m a little surprised that SBST has this
time round decided to get the bodywork assembled overseas before
shipping here as complete built-up units. For this, I can expect to
see a high standard of bodywork produced. Hopefully the superior
bodywork can minimise or eliminate vibrations even in the long run,
just like the old MBO405 buses.
All along, they bought the chassis from overseas and then
assembled the buses locally to save costs. How come this time round
they decided otherwise?
I can only think of 2 reasons for now. 
1. SBST must be very interested in getting these buses and
Mercedes Benz give them a very good price which is comparable to
importing kits and assembling the buses locally. The package might
include assembling, QC, testing and modification works all in
Germany, which delivers high quality products to SBST itself.
Moreover SBST is their biggest customer in Asia now. And I feel
that Citaros are only imported as wholly built bus, so no kits
exported for assembly.
2. Probably most of the assembly plants in Hougang and SC are
filled with and busy with assembling the Wrights now and thus
not much more assembly plants here to cater more needs to
assemble more buses. So thus might as well get these Citaros fully
built in Germany.
