Africar
Encyclopedia
The Africar project set out to provide vehicles able to cope well with the rough terrain of Africa but were cheap enough to be bought widely in Africa.
engines and drivetrains, until such time as Africar's own engine and drive train was fully developed. The bodywork was to be made of epoxy-coated wood - the 'West' system used in the construction of some yachts - which could be repaired with locally-available labour and materials. The wood for building the cars was to be obtained from sustainably-managed forests. It was also envisaged that a series of small factories could be installed anywhere in the world and that these would be viable with a much lower output of units/annum than is the case with 'normal' car factories.
television programme was made of this. There was also a book, entitled "Africar" to accompany the series.
but interest, even in the UK, demonstrated that it was an attractive, capable vehicle.
Design
They were initially to have CitroënCitroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
engines and drivetrains, until such time as Africar's own engine and drive train was fully developed. The bodywork was to be made of epoxy-coated wood - the 'West' system used in the construction of some yachts - which could be repaired with locally-available labour and materials. The wood for building the cars was to be obtained from sustainably-managed forests. It was also envisaged that a series of small factories could be installed anywhere in the world and that these would be viable with a much lower output of units/annum than is the case with 'normal' car factories.
Production
A company, Africar International Limited, was set up in 1986 to make and sell the vehicles. Based in Lancaster, England, it intended to offer a variety of vehicles, ranging from a four wheel drive car to an eight wheel drive panel truck. There was considerable interest in the vehicles and their potential, both from firms who saw the commercial possibilities of the project, and from users who appreciated the vehicles' capabilities.Promotion
Three versions were actually completed, an estate car, a pick up and a six wheeler and these were tested in 1984 on an expedition from the Arctic Circle in Norway to the equator. A Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television programme was made of this. There was also a book, entitled "Africar" to accompany the series.
Failure
The project foundered because of financial difficulties, and in July 1988 the company ceased trading.Legacy
The car was never properly tested by market forcesMarket Forces
Market Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
but interest, even in the UK, demonstrated that it was an attractive, capable vehicle.