Western technology for Slav drivers
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[HIS YEAR marks the tenth mniversary of licensing and :a-operation between himler-Benz and FAP?AMOS, Belgrade, which has tow emerged as the leading upplier of heavy vehicles in Lrugoslavia.
But their is increasing anxety. in the automotive sector ■ f Yugoslav industry that the ra after Tito may severely Ifebt the liberal climate of ollaboration with the West ihich over the last two deades has enabled this Corn-iunist country to keep up rith modern technology.
Certainly the products from 'ugoslavia, superficially at ?,ast, resemble the current nes from major European uilders, although the country self has also developed a umber of less sophisticated iodels to suit its own perating and servicing quirements.
That the Germans have Lade the most important conibutions to Yugoslav CV ractice was once again parent at the Belgrade MoaShow which closed its doors ri April 6. Apart from the lercedes-Benz stand adiining that of its Yugoslav artner — FAP —MAN and AM, the Yugoslav Magirus eutz licensee, had comprensive exhibits , underlining le sustained interest in this arket. TAM is soon to ;sernble the Magirus Deutz Ilub" range for re-export to ermany so that the Ulm )mpany can then use the ugoslav foreign currency .rnings to increase its direct les to that country.
Import restrictions on all it certain specialised hides make it essential to ve a co-operation partner to eak into the relatively small t interesting market. Fiat is w hoping to conclude a deal th a Zagreb company to iemble heavies in Yugosia, The erstwhile activities of Leyland have not been pursued, and the only British presence at the show was provided by a few Land-Rovers, two Ford Transit vans and a Dutch-built Transcontinental 38 tonne artic which was taking in Belgrade as part of a European demonstration tour.
The psv side of the Yugoslav scene continues to be divided between very basic city and interurban service buses with interior appointments reminiscent of the early postwar years and luxury coaches for the tourist trade.
Since 1976 the FAP-FAMOS associated SANOS bus plant at Skopje has been building the Mercedes-Benz 0.303 coach under licence and last year this top model accounted for 61 of the 1250 passenger vehicles made there.
Automontaza of Ljubljana turned out almost 1750 buses and coaches'in 1979 including MAN and Magirus Deutz based vehicles. MAN now specifies 12 tonnes rear axles in passenger vehicles for service in Yugoslavia to compensate for the arduous operating conditions of overloading and poor road surfaces.