Sales of the Airbus A318 Elite have reached double-figures with a further five firm orders from an undisclosed multinational corporation. The deal takes A318 Elite sales to 13 aircraft plus eight options, and those of the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) Family to more than 60.

All five A318 Elites will be outfitted by Lufthansa Technik, and be powered by CFM International CFM56-5 engines.

Launched at the NBAA show in November, when Swiss-based VIP charter company Comlux ordered three plus three options, the Airbus A318 Elite quickly won a further five orders and five options from NAS, the largest provider of VVIP and executive air transport in the Middle East. It now has three customers to its credit.

The newest member of the modern Airbus ACJ Family, the Airbus A318 Elite makes "big cabin" space and comfort more affordable. It offers a range of up to 4,000 nm/7,400 km - allowing it to fly non-stop from London to New York or between Europe and the Middle East with 18 passengers.

Airbus offers the A318 Elite in a choice of two layouts seating 14 and 18 passengers, respectively. In addition to having the widest and most spacious cabin in its class, the A318 Elite features several different cabin zones, each with tables and seats that can be converted into beds.

The A318 Elite complements the larger ACJ and A320 Prestige. All three are derived from the world’s best-selling airliners - the popular Airbus A320 Family - of which almost 4,000 have been sold.

With the best cabin in its class, plus many features that other business jets lack - such as modern fly-by-wire controls, cost-saving centralised maintenance and all-weather category 3B autoland - the Airbus ACJ Family delivers greater value than other top-of-the-line business jets in its price range.

In service in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, the Airbus ACJ Family is the chosen workhorse of airlines, companies, heads of state and private clients, delivering unbeatable comfort, reliability and investor appeal.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

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