Ilinga
Encyclopedia
Ilinga was an Australia
n car manufacturer founded in Melbourne by Tony Farrell and his partner, Daryl Davies, in business from 1974 to 1975. The company's only model, the AF-2, saw only two examples produced, despite having fifteen customers order one. Presented at the 1975 Melbourne Motor Show, the AF-2 was a potential luxury sports car
, built to compete with the likes of Porsche
and Aston Martin
. The 1973 oil crisis
and high price tag chased many potential customers away, as well as Australia's lack of automotive history. It was powered by a Leyland P76
engine modified to 220 horsepower. This engine was sourced from Rover. Plans for a four-door model in 1974 were scrapped before the factory was abandoned with broken Borg-Warner gearboxes littering the floor, as the transmission manufacturer refused to provide further assistance. US $328,000 was spent before the company finally folded after just a year in business. The two AF-2 models constructed featured a digital clock, a delay switch which extinguished the lights and locked the doors if the driver didn't do so, a self-seeking cassette player with radio, electric windows, and a fully integrated air conditioning unit http://www.geocities.com/conceptcarcentralother/ilinga.html. One AF-2 resides in Museum Victoria, in Melbourne
http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/395100/motor-car-ilinga-af-2-1975. The other was reportedly used as a daily driver by a fast food restaurant owner and re-painted green (the original color of both units was a very light powder blue
). It awaits restoration.
The word "ilinga" is an Australian Aboriginal
term for 'over the horizon'.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n car manufacturer founded in Melbourne by Tony Farrell and his partner, Daryl Davies, in business from 1974 to 1975. The company's only model, the AF-2, saw only two examples produced, despite having fifteen customers order one. Presented at the 1975 Melbourne Motor Show, the AF-2 was a potential luxury sports car
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
, built to compete with the likes of Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
and Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
. The 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
and high price tag chased many potential customers away, as well as Australia's lack of automotive history. It was powered by a Leyland P76
Leyland P76
The Leyland P76 is a large car that was produced by Leyland Australia, the Australian subsidiary of British Leyland. Featuring what was described at the time as the "standard Australian wheelbase of 111 inches", it was intended to provide the company with a genuine rival to large local models like...
engine modified to 220 horsepower. This engine was sourced from Rover. Plans for a four-door model in 1974 were scrapped before the factory was abandoned with broken Borg-Warner gearboxes littering the floor, as the transmission manufacturer refused to provide further assistance. US $328,000 was spent before the company finally folded after just a year in business. The two AF-2 models constructed featured a digital clock, a delay switch which extinguished the lights and locked the doors if the driver didn't do so, a self-seeking cassette player with radio, electric windows, and a fully integrated air conditioning unit http://www.geocities.com/conceptcarcentralother/ilinga.html. One AF-2 resides in Museum Victoria, in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/395100/motor-car-ilinga-af-2-1975. The other was reportedly used as a daily driver by a fast food restaurant owner and re-painted green (the original color of both units was a very light powder blue
Powder blue
Powder blue may refer to two different colors.The paler variant is often associated with powder snow.-Powder blue :The web color powder blue is shown on the right....
). It awaits restoration.
The word "ilinga" is an Australian Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
term for 'over the horizon'.