The Alexander ALX500 was fitted to Dennis Trident 3 and Volvo Super Olympian chassis (they could be distinguished by the design of the engine compartment: with round indicators for Dennis and square indicators for Volvo), and came in lengths of 10.6, 11.3 and 12 metres (35, 37 and 40 foot).

Due to the climate there, all of them were fitted with air conditioning systems, and as a result lacked a rear window on the lower deck.

The extra length of the buses mean the seating capacities were near the 100 mark for the 12.0 metre variant.

Production of the ALX500 body was started later in the same year, with two examples exhibited in Coach & Bus '97 in Birmingham; but there were some minor changes in appearance, for example the exit door was moved rearward (for 12.0 metre variant only).

[2] When TransBus International was formed in 2001, the Alexander ALX500 body replaced the standard height, right hand drive version of the Duple Metsec DM5000 body (built for the Dennis Trident 3) which was duplicated with the ALX500 design.