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Mercedes Benz O 520 "Cito"- er den mindste; men samtidig den teknisk mest avancerede model i den nye modelrække. Den har diesel-elektrisk fremdrift og lavt gulv i hele bussens længde. Den fås I tre længder: 8.0, 8.9 og 9.6 meter. Bussen lider af de samme skavanker som f.eks. DAB serie 11, hvor motorrummet fylder meget bagi og derved begrænser passagerkapaciteten. Støjniveauet i O520 er også ret højt. Salgstallene her da heller ikke været store, og i 2003 blev det derfor besluttet at
opgive produktionen.
MERCEDES-BENZ O520 CITO
TUR, Reims no. 514 (3249 ZV 51) - September 2001
This bizarre bus is a Cito, a type which enjoyed some popularity in France. The most unusual thing about the Cito (aside from its looks) is its driveline. This consists of an electric motor supplied with current by a generator, driven by the 4-cylinder Mercedes engine mounted above the rear axle. The Cito is available
in three lengths (8m, 9m and 10m), but the 10m version shown here is the most common. The engine compartment takes up quite a lot of space at the rear of the bus, and there can't be much room for passengers inside an 8m Cito!
MERCEDES-BENZ O520 CITO
RTM, Marseille no. 905 (741 WZ 13) - September 2000
Aside from the 8 buses in service in Reims, Citos may also be found in number in Marseille (18 buses) and Toulouse (16 buses). There are small batches in service in other French towns as well. This rear view of two of Marseille's buses shows the windowless rear end and the amount of space taken up by the engine compartment.
These buses tend to be classed as midibuses, although 10m long by 2.4m wide isn't very midi. In something of an about-turn, Mercedes have now withdrawn the Cito from their range, blaming excess competition in the midibus market. However, those Citos in service in France do seem to have a reputation for being troublesome, and it may be that Mercedes have simply given up with this bus and its unusual transmission arrangement.
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