The B12 was Volvo's first large coach chassis with a vertically mounted engine, which limited the available body models that would fit.

Because of the engine height it was probably less popular than the lower B10B, but it was Volvo's only rear-engined coach chassis that was offered as a tri-axle.

The only other option for a tri-axle coach was the mid-engined B10M, and not all customers wanted to have the engine "where the luggage was supposed to be".

The production of the B12 in Sweden ended in 2001 in favour of the B12B, but at Volvo's plant in Curitiba, Brazil, the chassis was also available later.

The production ended in 2011, with the B11R taking over in 2012 under the names of B380R, B420R and B450R, depending on the power output.