| Prevost | |
| Type: | Subsidiary |
| Foundation: | 1924 |
| Location: | Sainte-Claire, Quebec, Canada |
| Parent: | Volvo Buses (1995–present) |
| Industry: | Manufacturing |
| Products: | Coaches RV (Conversion Shells) |
Prevost (in French pronounced as /pʁevo/), formally known as Prevost Car, is a Canadian manufacturer of touring coaches and bus shells for high-end motorhomes and specialty conversions. The company is a subsidiary of the Volvo Buses division of the Volvo Group.[1]
Prevost Car in 1924 by Eugène Prévost (1898–1965), a cabinet maker specializing in church pews and school furniture, who in 1924 was asked to build a custom bus body for a new REO truck chassis. Les Ateliers Prévost, as the company was then called, received several repeat orders. Between 1937 and 1939, Prevost Car's first bus manufacturing plant was built. Initially the vehicles were built around a wooden frame. In 1945 this changed, and bodies were made of metal.
The company was acquired by Paul Normand in 1957. In 1969, two American businessmen formed a partnership with André Normand, then President of Prevost, to become the company's owners. These three men, in turn, sold Prevost to Volvo Bus Corporation in 1995.[2]
For 2006, the XL-II was revised to become the X3-45. The H-Series received a new sound system, plus GPS and destination sign options.
For the 2008 model year, Prevost introduced the Volvo D13 engine from their parent company as a replacement for the then-current Detroit Diesel Series 60 offering. The Volvo I-Shift semi-automatic transmission was introduced as an alternative to the Allison B500R transmission. A set of new interior color schemes was also introduced.
In 2009, Prevost became distributer of the Volvo 9700 coach in Canada and the United States.
Beginning in 2011, the Prevost X3-45 was made available in a transit-style configuration as a commuter coach. The New York City Transit Authority was the launch customer for this configuration. Previously, 20 transit-style buses in the LeMirage predecessor model had been built for GO Transit in the late 1990s.
In 2019, the X3-45 was redesigned, getting a new headlight setup and a new rear end. It continues to be available in intercity and transit configurations.
As of June 2019, Prevost operates 15 parts and service centers in North America, nine of them in the United States.[3]
For the 2024 Model Year, the H3-45 was redesigned with a new front end and interior facelift.
| Photo | Model | Production | Length(s) | Configuration(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-Series[4] | 1985–present
| Intercity Coach | Also available as a conversion shell | ||
| X3-45 | 2005–present | 45 feet | Intercity CoachTransit Coach | 2nd generation model introduced in 2019 Also available as a conversion shell | |
| Volvo 9700[5] | 2009–present | Intercity Coach | Assembled in Mexico by Volvo |
See main article: Ground Force One. Ground Force One is the nickname given to two heavily modified X3-45 VIP conversion coach owned by the United States Secret Service and used by the President of the United States and other high-ranking politicians or dignitaries.[6] Prevost built the coach as a conversion shell, the Hemphill Brothers Coach Company fitted out the interiors of the coach, and it is assumed that other features, like armor plating, were added by the Secret Service.[7]