猛獅 RR8 MAN RR8
編號 Class：
二零一八年十一月十八日，一架配有馬來西亞順豐車身的猛獅巴士運抵本港，巴士披有新大嶼山巴士最新的企業色彩，然而這部新巴士並非現時常見的低地台巴士，而是屬旅遊巴款式的RR8，換句話說乘客上落車廂時候需要拾級而上，是近年專利巴士陣營中，少見的非低地台車款。猛獅RR8市場定位為城際客運用途，這部樣板巴士之所以出現，全因嶼巴希望透過新型車款，作為取代目前嶼南一帶路線主力的猛獅A91，而RR8正正是猛獅作為取代A91而推出的產物。可惜的是，相關部門除了限制嶼巴需要引進新巴士外，取代過往由母公司冠忠集團轉移旗下旅遊巴士至嶼巴車隊，更要求新購入的巴士必須為可供輪椅上落的低地台巴士，結果令到這架猛獅RR8樣板巴士便無緣加入嶼巴車隊。
在這樣板車出現之前，多間非專利營辦商包括陽光巴士及冠忠巴士都已經引進一批RR8，車身選擇包括本地亞洲，以及來自新加坡的SC Auto及馬來西亞的Intercoach，全數均以旅遊巴士形式示人。至於這架嶼巴猛獅RR8樣板車，是全港首架以至應該唯一一架以城市巴士版本形式示人的同款新車，順豐這趟為這部樣板巴士打造的車身，外觀源自配用於嶼巴早年引入猛獅RC2的車身款式，同樣以雙門形式示人，不過車門卻採用常見於旅遊巴士的設計，若不細心留意是不會察覺到中門的存在。至於車廂佈置亦是嶼巴最新標準，當中包括仿木紋地板及USB充電插頭。動力來源自猛獅歐六排放標準引擎配ZF全自動波箱，空調系統則是常見的日本電裝出品，並且採用Hanover提供的路線牌箱。在進行驗收期間，猛獅香港代理曾於二零一八年十二月七日，將這架RR8樣板車開到香港中文大學，以供有關方面作評估，從而希望得到新車訂單。
正如前述，儘管嶼巴及順豐細心打造這部樣板巴士，以期能夠找出一款全新巴士服務嶼南地區，但正如前述，運輸部門的政策令到這架樣板RR8巴士最終未能加入嶼巴車隊，至於這部新車之後便一直存放於代理之中，並換上一身全白色車身示人。最終這架RR8於二零一九年九月再一次進行驗車，並且在稍後時間換上冠忠巴士標準色彩，確定了巴士最終的主人。雖然冠忠購入了這架獨一無二的RR8，但未有立即替其進行出牌手續，仍然安排停放於代理車場之中，直到二零二零年七月底才作首次登記，車牌WV9713。WV9713在登記之初的載客量為四十七個座位，而冠忠亦安排巴士停泊於錦綉花園巴士總站，但直到有關方面於同年年底於車廂增設行李架，以及重新驗車取得企位後，最終載客量為四十五個座位及二十二個企位。
二零二一年一月初，WV9713正式投入錦綉花園屋邨巴士路線服務乘客，常見於行走往返上水站的NR94路線。
A brand new Gemilang bodied MAN RR8 prototype with latest NLB corporate livery was arrived in Hong Kong from Malaysia on 18 Nov., 2018 which was used for the evaluation of new bus model serving the Southern Lantau. MAN RR8 was an inter-city bus chassis as it successor A91, the backbone of the NLB Southern Lantau routes and it was a rare sight for a step-entranced model like RR8 joined the franchised bus fleet. Unfortunately, Transport Department not only required NLB introduced new buses instead of transferring buses from parent company Kwoon Chung Group, but also only super low floor buses can be acquired. As a result, the evaluation programme of RR8 in Southern Lantau was called off.
MAN RR8 was already operated by various non-franchised operators like Sun Bus and Kwoon Chung Group as coach and bodyworks supplied by local builder Asia Auto, SC Auto from Singapore and Intercoach of Malaysia. This Gemilang bodied demonstrator was believed to be not only the first but also the only RR8 used as city bus in Hong Kong. Design of the dual-door bodywork fitted on this RR8 was based on RC2 that NLB acquired in 2015 with the coach style door chosen, compartment was followed the latest standard of NLB with USB chargers and wood-effect floor included. MAN RR8 was powered by a Euro 6 MAN engine with ZF fully automatic transmission, Nippon-Denso air conditioning unit and Hanover display were fitted. On 7 Dec., 2018, dealer sent this demonstrator to CUHK for evaluation in hope of gaining purchasing order.
The Transport Department policy prohibited this MAN RR8 from evaluating along the Southern Lantau Road and hence, fleet renewal programme was affected. It was stored at the dealer and repainted with an all white livery and sent for examination again in Sep., 2019. Finally, Kwoon Chung Group was the home for this RR8 and standard KCM livery was applied, however, it was not registered until Jul., 2020 with carrying capacity of 47 passengers without any standees and WV9713 as registration number. WV9713 always stand by at the Fairview Park bus terminus during it early days of registration and debut in early Jan., 2021 after a luggage rack and standees provided, the latest carrying capacity after modification was 45 seating plus 22 standees.
At present, WV9713 can be easily seen on NR94 linking Fairview Park and Sheung Shui Station.