ORLANDO, Fla. Marketing gurus often urge business owners and managers to strive to make their products and services unusual and unique. Accomplishing that, of course, is frequently easier said than done.

"Differentiating yourself from your competition is a challenge every motorcoach operator faces today," says Tom Chezem, vice president of coach sales at Daimler Buses North America.

"We offer a great number of exclusive options to make your passengers travel experience even more special and your coaches even more distinctive."

For 2009, Daimler Buses motorcoach brand, the Setra S 417, is offering a handful of new features and options designed to differentiate its coaches and strengthen its claim to being "the benchmark in the premium segment of the market."

Unveiled at UMA Motorcoach Expo here last month was a linear fade paint scheme that goes from black to maroon, thanks to a computer-controlled paint system.

The 09 S 417 also offers seating "the Ambiente" that is ergonomically shaped for "unique levels of comfort; synthetic hardwood flooring; a handsome optional galley installed under the optional large rear window; overhead LED reading lights; six, 19-inch flat screen LCD monitors, optional WiFi, and a finished luggage bay shelf that can be used to separate smaller bags and freight from larger cargo.

Beginning this month, the S 417 will come standard with two-point lap belts, which currently is the safety requirement in Europe, where Setras are built.

Patrick Scully, chief commercial officer for Daimler Buses N.A., said the company is considering the innovative Safeguard/American Seating seat, which has an integral three-point belt system, as an option for the S 417.

In addition to the S 417, Daimler Buses also showcased the Dodge Sprinter shuttle bus at Motorcoach Expo.

The Sprinter, which had record sales in 2008 and has become increasingly popular with motorcoach operators seeking to diversify their fleets, is available in a variety of seating configurations suitable for tour-and-charter groups of up to 16 passengers, plus commuter, airport, hotel and paratransit seating arrangements.

Seatbelts and leather seats are an option.

New this year is an integrated side-entry wheelchair lift, with an access door that matches the vehicles body lines. The lift-equipped Sprinter provides seating for eight passengers, plus driver with two wheelchairs, or 14 passengers with driver.

Dr. Andreas Strecker, president and CEO of Daimler Buses N.A., said 2008 was a record year for the North American bus unit of automotive giant Mercedes-Benz.

Both Sprinter and pre-owned bus sales set records last year, while Setra had its third-best year since the brand was introduced to North America 25 years ago. Total unit sales, including the Setra, Orion and Sprinter brands, were up 30 percent and revenue up 16 percent from 2007.

Scully said Setra S 417 sales were on pace to set a record last year before the credit crunch hit near the end of the third quarter. He said Daimler was "positive" about the outlook for 2009, but there would be challenges "credit being primary among them."

He predicted 2010 would be a "watershed" year because of new federal emissions standards for over-the-road diesel engines.

However, he noted that for the first time since the federal government began imposing emissions standards on diesel-engine builders a decade ago, the 2010 Detroit Diesel engines in Setra coaches would show a "positive fuel gain."