VDL Bova, better known as Bova, is a luxury coachbuilder based in Eindhoven, Netherlands which began building coaches in 1931. In particular, it is well known for the Bova Futura, a streamlined coach, often with a DAF engine, which was first introduced in the 1980s and continues in a similar form today.
The founder, J.D. Bots, later to be known as J.D. Bova first started the company that would come to be known as Bova in 1878 with the creation of a timber business in Valkenswaard. When J.D. Bots died, he left the business to his eldest son Simon who first introduced the name Bova, which was derived from Bots Valkenswaard. [1]
In 1931 the company began building coaches, and in 1969 introduced the Benelux, a self-supporting integral coach.[2] The company was purchased by VDL Groep in 2003, who also own Berkhof, Jonckheere and Kusters Venlo.
