Société Automobiles Ménara
Encyclopedia
The Société Automobiles Ménara is an Moroccan
automobile manufacturer and was founded in 1972 under the brand name CANAM. The company is located in Aïn Sebaâ
, Casablanca
.
Gilbert Guzzo who had persuaded the former CEO
of Texaco
to build him a service station
and an garage
to serve the local Moroccan market. Besides the sale of fuels the company had built caravan
s and trailer
under his CANAM brand name. Later they had manufactured speed boat
s and amusement rides. Another activity was also the real estate
business with new buildings and the construction of special machines.
of her Majesty King Hassan II
. For this project thei moved to a company area with larger premises. So they decided a vacant factory site near to the old place. Currently the company covers an area of 10,000 square meters. The Bébé replica got the official model name CANAM Ménara. Next replicas of the manufacturer were a 1912 Buick Model 35, a 1908 De Dion-Bouton Landaulet, a 1917 Buick 45 Touring and a 1928 Citroën 5CV Trèfle. This units are 1:1 copies.
Ménara is active as a restorator of old passenger cars also. So they got orders from the Moroccan royal family to restore an old Ford Model C and a 1934 Chrysler CB.
In 2001 they got the idea to assemble an own vehicle model like in the former CANAM years. A year later M'enara had launched their retro-styled Ménara WSC 2002 roadster
. The vehicle is built in Handicraft
and includes all equipment ordered by the customer. The WSC 2002 is a two-seater model which is especially popular for ambassador
s. The WSC 2002 is available with a 4-cylinder gasoline engine
thas is having a capacity of 1998 ccm. It has a power of 88 kW and enables a top speed
of 160 km/h. The rotations per minute are at 5,500. All used materials are from Moroco. Currently the Ménara vehicles are mainly distributed in countries of the Northern Africa area. But there are North American showrooms ins New York City
and Toronto
who sales the Ménara model.
The Société Automobiles Ménara participates in racing. The company provides own racing teams for various car manufacturers like Ferrari
, Fiat
, Kia Motors
and Maserati
. The manufacturer is also organizing their own racing events like the Automobiles Ménara Compétition. Ménara is active as a general importer for this brands also. About 100 workers are employed by the Société Automobiles Ménara.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
automobile manufacturer and was founded in 1972 under the brand name CANAM. The company is located in Aïn Sebaâ
Ain Sebaa
Aïn Sebaâ is an industrial arrondissement in the north east of the Province of Casablanca, Morocco on the road to Mohammédia. It is the base for the major industrial conglomerates of Morocco. At the 2004 census it had a population of 155,489.-References:...
, Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
.
The CANAM years (1972-1993)
CANAM was founded by the electricianElectrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
Gilbert Guzzo who had persuaded the former CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
to build him a service station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
and an garage
Automobile repair shop
An automobile repair shop is a place where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and electricians.- Types :The automotive garage can be divided in so many category....
to serve the local Moroccan market. Besides the sale of fuels the company had built caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
s and trailer
Trailer (vehicle)
A trailer is generally an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle. Commonly, the term trailer refers to such vehicles used for transport of goods and materials....
under his CANAM brand name. Later they had manufactured speed boat
Motorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
s and amusement rides. Another activity was also the real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
business with new buildings and the construction of special machines.
The Ménara era (since 1993)
In 1993 the company stopped the production of their obsolete products and changed their name into Société Automobiles Ménara. They began to built unique vehicles, especially replicas. The first product was a replica of the 1913 Peugeot Bébé. The command to do this cames from the estateEstate (law)
An estate is the net worth of a person at any point in time. It is the sum of a person's assets - legal rights, interests and entitlements to property of any kind - less all liabilities at that time. The issue is of special legal significance on a question of bankruptcy and death of the person...
of her Majesty King Hassan II
Hassan II of Morocco
King Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...
. For this project thei moved to a company area with larger premises. So they decided a vacant factory site near to the old place. Currently the company covers an area of 10,000 square meters. The Bébé replica got the official model name CANAM Ménara. Next replicas of the manufacturer were a 1912 Buick Model 35, a 1908 De Dion-Bouton Landaulet, a 1917 Buick 45 Touring and a 1928 Citroën 5CV Trèfle. This units are 1:1 copies.
Ménara is active as a restorator of old passenger cars also. So they got orders from the Moroccan royal family to restore an old Ford Model C and a 1934 Chrysler CB.
In 2001 they got the idea to assemble an own vehicle model like in the former CANAM years. A year later M'enara had launched their retro-styled Ménara WSC 2002 roadster
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
. The vehicle is built in Handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
and includes all equipment ordered by the customer. The WSC 2002 is a two-seater model which is especially popular for ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s. The WSC 2002 is available with a 4-cylinder gasoline engine
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
thas is having a capacity of 1998 ccm. It has a power of 88 kW and enables a top speed
Top Speed
Top Speed is a 1930 American musical comedy film released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers.-Production:The film was completed as a full musical...
of 160 km/h. The rotations per minute are at 5,500. All used materials are from Moroco. Currently the Ménara vehicles are mainly distributed in countries of the Northern Africa area. But there are North American showrooms ins New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
who sales the Ménara model.
The Société Automobiles Ménara participates in racing. The company provides own racing teams for various car manufacturers like Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
, Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, Kia Motors
Kia Motors
Kia Motors , headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010...
and Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
. The manufacturer is also organizing their own racing events like the Automobiles Ménara Compétition. Ménara is active as a general importer for this brands also. About 100 workers are employed by the Société Automobiles Ménara.