New flagship for F.C. Hansa Rostock

Traditional German club gets NEOPLAN Starliner as luxury team coach

The latest addition to the team of manager Frank Pagelsdorf and F.C. Hansa Rostock is the 375th NEOPLAN Starliner of the new generation built since 2005, which from now on will be taking Pagelsdorf and his team to their games in relaxed luxury. At the Pilsting plant, board members Ralf Gawlack (Marketing) and Herbert Maronn (responsible for the contract players) as well as regular driver Heiko Aschenbrenner took delivery of the premium coach in its special club colours, the new flagship of the north German second league club. "Given the mileage we do every season, it is very important to travel comfortably and safely. In this regard, the NEOPLAN Starliner provides everything we need," says Gawlack, delighted with the new team coach. Hans Joachim Pilz, member of the Board of Management of MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland GmbH, had the following to say at the handover of the vehicle: "We are very happy that Hansa Rostock decided in favour of a vehicle from NEOPLAN that represents absolute world class in terms of luxury and high tech from MAN. We heartily welcome this really beautiful team coach and the club itself to the now very big fleet of MAN and NEOPLAN Bundesliga coaches."

The Starliner number 375 is 12.99 metres long and has established itself as the luxury coach of the NEOPLAN brand all over Europe. Several prizes, such as "Coach of the Year 2006" and the red dot and iF Design Award show just how successful it is, also in the trade itself. Special features of the vehicle are, besides the fascinating "sharp-cut" design with upper windows for an optimum view, the extremely aerodynamic chassis with its unparalleled Cw value of only 0.37, which can bring fuel savings of up to ten percent. A 480-hp MAN common-rail engine provides a powerful and efficient drive and, with MAN PURE DIESEL?technology, stays well within mandatory exhaust limits without requiring any additives.

The interior fittings were largely realised in cooperation with system partner Frenzel and go way beyond the already comprehensive series fittings, offering all that an athlete's heart could desire. They include three retractable tables with electrically adjustable legrests, 32 comfortable seats in football design with leather headrests displaying a laser image of the club's emblem, as well as countless multimedia facilities, for example a top-class eight-channel stereo system for every seat, five 17-inch TFT screens, a DVD system and preparation for WiFi. That team coaches are equipped with satellite TV goes without saying, and here this is combined with an exceptionally slim DVB-S system and reception of the Premiere channel. The generous galley with its extra-large 120-litre refrigerator fulfils every wish for healthy on-board service. An inverter-charger and sockets at all seats ensure that every player can be entertained every kilometre of the way.

Safe travelling

Safety on board has also been seen to. In addition to the safety systems that have been series equipment at MAN for years, such as ABS (anti-blocking system) and a reinforced body with patented side-wall attachment, the new Starliner also includes ESP (Electronic Stability Program) as series equipment. Further convincing features are the radar system ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) and LGS (Lane Guard System), which reliably warns the driver if the vehicle strays from its lane. High-end Xenon headlights with their innovative light-steering system and headlights for travelling by day, as well as front and rear-view cameras, guarantee optimum vision all the time. The comprehensive safety features of the flagship Starliner also include a fire warning and extinguishing system for the engine compartment. After a detailed viewing by members of the regional press in front of the DKB Arena in Rostock, the vehicle was in already service for the first time only a few day after delivery for Rostock's game against TuS Coblenz.

Munich, October 23rd, 2008

The team of German soccer club 1 F.C. Hansa Rostock with it's new team coach NEOPLAN Starliner that has been delivered in october 2008 (First row from the right): Kevin Schindler, Addy-Waku Menga, Fin Bartels; (standing, from the right): Joerg Hahnel, Enrico Kern, Kenneth Kronholm, Benjamin Lense, Dexter Langen, Assani Lukimya-Mulongoti,Team Coach Frank Pagelsdorf, Heath Pearce, Bastian Oczipka, Martin Retov, Mario Fillinger, Djordjije Cetkovic, Orestes, Timo Lange

Handing over of the Teambus NEOPLAN Starliner for German soccer team FC Hansa Rostock in the plant in Pilsting.

Handing over of the Teambus NEOPLAN Starliner for German soccer team FC Hansa Rostock in the plant in Pilsting.

Handing over of the Teambus NEOPLAN Starliner for German soccer team FC Hansa Rostock in the plant in Pilsting (from the left:) Ralf Gawlack (Board member for Marketing Hansa Rostock),  Hans Joachim Pilz (Member of the managing board MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland GmbH), Herbert Maronn (Member of the board for licence players Hansa Rostock), Mike Vannauer (Sales member MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland GmbH).

Handing over of the Teambus NEOPLAN Starliner for German soccer team FC Hansa Rostock in the plant in Pilsting.