It's "Destiny!" India Has Been Planning To Take Over the Luxury Coach Game for Years

Folks, I've been exploring the mobile living and road-tripping industries for the past several years, and if there's one thing I've learned is that the United States is rarely beaten at this game. Sure, there's a European manufacturer here that can reach the same level of luxury as North American crews, but the best of the best is found right here in our own backyard.

Well, this time around, I've decided to shed light on a country that's making a move for the King of the Coach Cup: India. Yes, India has been making great strides in whipping out countless vehicles for years now.

But a luxury travel coach is a slightly different story, and if India is making a move for the American market, these bad boys better be rather amazing. That said, the crew we'll be talking about today is JCBL, and the machine is the Destiny Super Luxury Bus.

Now, before we go on, I invite you to explore the images in the gallery. Why? Aside from having something to relate to my words, I want you to understand what 'luxury' means for this crew, maybe even this nation. In my opinion, India's definition of luxury is possibly a few decades behind North America's.

As the manufacturer's website states, this is JCBL's "benchmark travel vehicle," and with that, we can expect to see the best of the best from this crew. Oh, and before we go on, allow me to point out that this travel coach - Destiny is its name - even seems to be the precursor of another JCBL machine, their latest luxury RV, the Signature Motorhome. I've added an image or two of that machine for comparison.

At the base of this travel coach sits a variety of chassis. From Volvo to BharatBenz and countless other commercial vehicles, future owners can choose the machine that fits their lifestyle and budget. The shell is then brought to life with a galvanized frame and aluminum panels. You can be sure that some of those squares tattered all over the lower half of the body are ready for whatever cargo passengers have in mind.

Once a base has been set, interested buyers can then craft the interior they need, starting with 10 business class seats all the way up to 45 if you're looking to start a luxury coach service. But, it's the result of the work that I found worthy of bringing to light.

Overall, everything looks rather clean, with an interior reminiscent of those found in some rather high-class trains or airliners. Yet, if we look closer, a few downsides appear, as I like to call them. For example, the business class seats look rather comfortable and topped with plush leather seats and controls for a TV integrated into the seat in front of them. However, these are bucket seats, and while the backrest reclines, it's quite limited.

Yet, it's not the end of the comfort story. If long trips are included in your fleet plans, then you can have JCBL throw in a few sleeping cabins, typically in bunk form. Personally, this is where you'd find me trekking across the lands. There's just something about sleeping in a vehicle with, preferably, an airbag suspension that a stationary bed can't offer. I also found it rather amazing that up to 18 people will have a place to sleep during transit.

Now, trying to grab some shut-eye while on the road can't be considered a luxury unless, of course, the world around you goes by silently, at least when you want it to. To make this possible, JCBL employs an array of insulations, including a reduced noise and vibration barrier and construction.

Speaking of little extras in store, optionally, future owners can also request an array of sanitation systems that "eliminates 95% of all viruses and bacteria" in the bus. One way this is achieved is with a "plasma air" sanitizing system and an air filtration setup that works with UV light. Copper-coated handrails and titanium dioxide-coated doors also provide a germ-free experience. Since this bad boy came to life during the worldwide health crisis a couple of years back, you can even ask for temperature sensor chips to monitor passenger body heat.

The question at the end of the day is whether or not this puppy has what it takes to take on established travel coach industries in other countries. Sure, JCBL markets this puppy as a "luxury" machine, and while that's debatable, it reminds me of an earlier stage in America's luxury travel scene. Feel free to share your thoughts on what India is aiming for here.