SUCCESS FOR POLISH PICK-UP
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AMBITIOUS plans by the Polish motor industry for an enlargement of its production programme in the early 1980s which will bring it still closer to Western technology — licence and co-operation agreements already exist with many European partners — include a revision of the Tarpan range made by FSR of Poznan.
This is one of the three Polish plants building light vehicles. FSR has set a target of 10,000 Tarpan 233 models alone by 1980.
The vehicle, distinguished by its high ground clearance and
-functional knife-edge styled steel bodywork, incorporates a Po!ski-Fiat engine rated at 51kW (68 bhp) and transmission, as well as other components from the older ZUK range of forward control light commercials. Built in three versions, van, personnel carrier and pick-up, the Tarpan is one of the Polish-made commercials which have been successfully exported. since their introduction.
The pick-up for instance, was added at the specific request of foreign customers, and several hundred have been shipped to Greece alone. With an unladen weight of 1,275 kg, the Tarpan pick-up can carry a pay-load of 800 kg supplemented, if required, by a factory-built matching single axle trailer for 390 kg payload.
This year also sees the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of the Starachowice truck plant, now turning out load carriers up to 11 tonnes gvw. Since 1948 over 420,000 Star commercial vehicles have been built, of which almost 100,000 were produced in the period from 1972 to 1977. The older series Star, 28/29 for a gvw of nine tonnes continues to be offered with the option of a 77 kW 4.6 litre petrol engine or a 74 kW 6.2 litre diesel power unit.