The Irisbus Agora (previously known as Renault Agora, Karosa City Bus or Ikarus Agora) was a low-floor bus designed and built by Renault from 1995 to 2002, the date upon which it has been built by Irisbus, firstly a joint-venture with FIAT subsidiary IVECO from 1999, with Iveco engines. It has also been built by Czech-based Karosa under the Citybus name as a diesel-powered bus, Skoda as a trolleybus in Eastern European markets as the Škoda 24Tr Irisbus and Škoda 25Tr Irisbus, and by the Romanian-based Astra Bus.
On 8 February 2006, the last Irisbus Agora was delivered to RATP, being replaced in production by the Irisbus Citelis.
The range consisted of:
Over 11,000 were built, mainly for European operators. Right hand drive countries for English and Australian bus operators have 1 door only.
The RATP Group was the largest purchaser with over 2,500. Standard Agora buses have been used in Greece by Athens bus operator OASA in two versions: diesel and CNG. In Spain the Agora (known as Renault/Irisbus Citybus) have been one of the most common buses in the 2000s and 2010s, with plenty of units in Málaga, Sevilla, Madrid, Valencia or Zaragoza from both Renault and Irisbus and also Standard and Long versions. In Czech Republic 321 Agora S (Citybus 12M) and 53 Agora L (Citybus 18M) were delivered to Prague and more than 350 buses to other Czech cities. They were manufactured in Karosa factory in Vysoké Mýto (today part of Iveco Bus).
In England, 23 were bodied by Optare, the majority for Norfolk Green for its rural and urban services.[1]
In Australia, a batch was ordered by King Brothers. Six Northcoast Bus & Coach bodied examples were delivered, however a larger order for Custom Coaches and Australian Bus Manufacturers bodied examples was reneged on and amongst the operators to purchase them were ACTION (20), Baxter's Bus Lines (5), Fearne's (5) and Thompsons Bus Service (5).[2]
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