Alongside Van Hool coaches, VDL is also strengthening its position in the UK market with the Futura 3

VDL Bus Group is also beginning the launch of its new-generation Futura 3 model on the UK coach market: the Dutch manufacturer will unveil the right-hand-drive version of the type for the first time at the Euro Bus Expo trade show in Birmingham, held from 3 to 5 November. The 12.9-metre FHD-129 RHD variant is the first version of the model range, which debuted in Brussels in autumn 2025, designed specifically for markets with left-hand traffic. The presentation also illustrates VDL Bus Group’s dual-brand coach strategy: the group, following its acquisition of Van Hool’s coach business, has retained the Belgian brand’s models in its range while continuing to develop its own Futura model range. Accordingly, alongside the new Futura 3, it will also display a Van Hool Astron luxury coach at the Birmingham exhibition.

VDL already announced last year that the new-generation Futura 3 would also be available in right-hand-drive form, but the version intended for the UK market is only now making its first public appearance. The manufacturer has chosen the nearly 13-metre version of the model range for the introduction of the right-hand-drive variant. However, Great Britain is far from being a new market for the Dutch company: according to UK vehicle registration data, around 400 examples of the previous-generation Futura were in operation in the country at the end of 2025. Van Hool, which has traditionally had a stronger presence on the UK coach market, had around 630 vehicles in service during the same period; however, VDL proved more successful in terms of new registrations last year, with 44 Futuras registered compared with just 18 Van Hool coaches.

The Futura 3 is the latest generation of a model range with a history spanning more than four decades, originally launched under the Bova brand. It is produced at VDL’s Dutch plant in Valkenswaard, which, following the relocation of public-service bus production, now focuses exclusively on the Futura model range. The drivetrain of the two-axle base version unveiled in Brussels and now also debuting in right-hand-drive form has been carried over largely unchanged from the previous generation: the 449 hp DAF MX-11 diesel engine, with peak torque of 2,350 Nm, is paired with a 12-speed ZF TraXon 2 automated gearbox. This time, the renewal has focused primarily on aerodynamic optimisation of the bodywork, weight reduction and improved passenger comfort. VDL’s long-standing partner, the Dutch MODYN studio, also contributed to the design, while computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were used during development to reconcile styling and aerodynamic requirements. As a result of the modifications, VDL claims that fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 15% compared with the previous generation. Complying with the latest European General Safety Regulation (GSR) requirements, the 3.7-metre-high coach has a luggage capacity of 11.5 cubic metres as standard, while its passenger compartment can accommodate up to 53 passengers depending on the seating layout.