DETROIT, Mich. Detroit Diesel appears to have changed its corporate mind and decided it wont abandon most its motorcoach industry customers after all.

Executives from both Detroit Diesel and motorcoach industry manufacturers report Detroit reversed course several weeks ago and began discussions about possibly continuing to supply engines to other coach builders besides Setra.

In March of last year, Prevost Car announced that Detroit Diesel had informed it and other coach builders it would restrict 2010 and beyond engine sales to Setra. Both Setra and Detroit Diesel are business units of Daimler AG of Germany. (See March 15, 2008, Bus & Motorcoach News.)

That decision seemingly meant no Detroit Diesel engines after this year for Van Hool, Prevost and MCI.

However, since the announcement, Detroit Diesel reportedly has come under pressure from both long-time bus industry customers and many of its own dealers to reverse the decision.

The engine users supposedly want to stick with Detroit Diesel even though it is switching to a brand new engine platform next year and eliminating its workhorse Series 60, and the dealers dont relish the prospect of losing a segment of their customer base while the trucking industry is mired in a deep downturn.

One senior Detroit Diesel sales executive said the company was offering its 2010 BlueTec engines to all of its long-time bus builder customers but didnt plan to officially announce its move until the coach manufacturers had decided whether they would jump back into bed with Detroit.

That scenario was confirmed by top executives at two leading suppliers of motorcoaches Prevost Car and ABC Companies.

ABC and its major coach supplier, Van Hool, have confirmed they will be offering both Detroit Diesel and Cummins engines in 2010.

A senior marketing executive with Prevost Car said his company had not yet made a decision whether to accept Detroits offer.

MCI issued a statement saying it "is continuously evaluating a multitude of suppliers products that may work in our coaches and offer a performance and commercial advantage to our customers. At this time, MCI is not at liberty to disclose future commercial relationships."

While on its face the decision for coach builders would seem fairly simple, it is not. Despite the popularity of Detroit Diesel in the motorcoach industry, coach manufacturers, with the notable exception of Setra, have been living life for nearly 18 months as if there would be no Detroit Diesel in their future.

They have engineered their 2010 coaches for the emissions-upgraded engines from Cummins, Volvo and International.

Plus, there may be other factors at work. For example, Prevost is owned by Volvo, and Volvos No. 1 world competitor is Daimler. And some coach builders reportedly have made overtures to other engine manufacturers.

Still, the Detroit Diesel sales executive said the company had received a generally positive reaction from the coach builders.

Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Detroit Diesel announced it had applied for 2010 certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resource Board for its DD13 and DD15 engines with BlueTec emissions control systems.

The applications sent to the USEPA and CARB include test results and documentation to prove the engines are in compliance with the tougher 2010 emissions standards. The 2010 rules are aimed at reducing NOx and particulate matter to near-zero levels at the tailpipe.

"We have millions of test miles under our belt, including ... testing in extreme ambient conditions and diverse operating conditions," said Rakesh Aneja, 2010 program manager at Detroit Diesel. "We are satisfied with the readiness of our engine and after-treatment system for production launch."

Detroit Diesel is using selective catalytic reduction as the primary technology to meet the 2010 emissions regulations.