Empire Motors (subsidiary of Teko Maskinteknik)

falukorven · 27 September 2018 21:42

Teko Maskinteknik was founded in 1919 in the village of Teckomatorp, Sweden. The initial purpose of the company was manufacturing of engines and other machinery for the Swedish army. The most well known Teko engine was the high torque 10.3L V12, often used in heavy army utility trucks.

By 1925, the company was tasked with providing a multi purpose off road capable utility vehicle to be used for logistics but also for lighter combat roles in the Swedish army. That’s where the TRF28 (terrängfordon modell 1928 – terrain vehicle model of 1928) and TLB30 (Tung lastbil modell 1930 --heavy truck model of 1930) was made.

The TRF28 was a light all terrain vehicle that could act as a light to medium transport vehicle but was also robust enough to be equipped with a machine gun or pull the heavy 10.5 cm Cannon Model 1927 (if the TRF28 was equipped with the 6.6L V8).

In 1933, Teko Maskinteknik was privatized so it could operate with fewer restrictions then it could have under government ownership. The privatization was done swiftly and avoided media attention. To this date, it is still unknown who became the new owner of the company back then (owner change occurred again later on). The company kept all military contracts though.

As tensions rose right before the outbreak of WW2, Teko was working on updated versions of its military vehicles and engines. In 1942, as WW2 was going on, the TRF42 (terrängfordon modell 1942 – terrain vehicle model of 1942) was released. It featured an all new 2.5L I4 and extremely simple design. It was a hit with the government as one single vehicle platform could be adapted for many uses, thus cutting costs of having multiple different vehicle models. The TRF42 would later become the company’s first vehicle on the civilian market.

(car incoming in next post)

falukorven · 27 September 2018 21:47

As WW2 ended, the now privately owned company Teko Maskinteknik AB wanted to expand to the civilian market. Post war Europe was in the process of rebuilding, and a multi purpose off road capable utility vehicle would surely help with things, such as transporting building materials.

Teko already had the TRF42 in production so it was decided upon that the TRF42 should be re-labelled as the M25 and be sold to the civilian market more or less as is. No modifications were made besides tires being changed from offroad to road tires and slighlty lowered suspension. Obviously, the civilian M25 didn’t feature any military markings or mounted machine guns (you wish). It did however come in only one color in order to not increase costs, and that’s Color #21, or what is referred to as “Army Green” by buyers. The same color used on the military TRF42.

The M25 was introduced in 1946 and was an extremely simple and cheap pickup truck that served as a heavy utility vehicle to many happy owners. A no frills vehicle that wouldn’t break down on you. It wouldn’t overheat thanks to great cooling capacity. It was four wheel drive with locking differentials to tackle the harshest of environments.

The engine was a very simple 2.5L I4 with loads of low-mid range torque, keeping it over 160Nm from 1500RPM all the way to 3100RPM. The engine is also ripped from the military production as it had no mufflers and no regards to fuel economy. The main features were high torque, reliability and low cost, as specified in the military contract .

The truck seats three people in a basic interior and there’s no radio. Four large headlights provide lots of visibility, which was a requirement in the military contract. The truck doesn’t have blinkers at all so they were tacked on at the end. The front blinkers were placed by drilling holes into the front grille and for rear blinkers, the brake lights were rewired to be able to act as blinkers like on American cars. There’s also no reverse light. To keep it as simple as possible, the fuel tank is below the bench seat in the cabin and to fuel the truck up, you lift the bench seat up like a lid and unscrew the fuel cap.

There was an “Army” trim which basically included higher ground clearence and the military specification offroad tires. No further modifications were made

As a proof of concept of the modularity of the M25 to the civilian market, in 1948, the M25SB was released. It was a very cheap cargo van based on the TRF42/M25 platform. The front end remained the same however, the rear got a major overhaul (and now includes reverse lights!) as well as some fancy labelling. Drive line was changed to a RWD configuration and open differential and a new four speed gearbox was installed. With one seat less and cargo hauling tuned suspension and tires, the M25SB was a massive hit in the delivery segment as it could act as both a light, intermediate and heavy delivery vehicle. With a starting price of just $7533 (today’s money), it could be seen cruising along in many European cities making important deliveries.

In 1952, the M25 received a major facelift but only for the civilian market. The aim here was to demilitarize the M25. Proper blinkers were added to the front and it receieved a makeover. The rear now has a new light setup with reverse lights included. A side mirror on the passanger side was added and the general style of the vehicle was made less military-esque. A new stock color was introduced and it’s a black paint with a slight hint of “Army green” pearl. It also features tech innovations such as 2LS drum brakes in the front and a longer cargo bed.

In 1955, the new edition M25SB was introduced, featuring most of the styling elements seen on the 1952 M25. Besides the innovations in the 1952 M25, the M25SB had fancy radial tires as opposed to the old cross ply ones. It also features a revised version of the 2.5L I4 that vastly improved the fuel economy thanks to a new carburator setup. Once again a massive hit in the delivery market.

Remember that you can always email us (= write stuff in the thread) if you have questions about our vehicles. We will reply as soon as possible!

TRF42 platform specifications:

Solid axle coil springs F/R.
Steel ladder chassis, steel panels.

M25 specifications:

4x4 w/ locking differentials.
2.5L I4 (81hp, 168Nm torque).
3 speed manual.
Standard 40s safety.
Drum brakes.
Basic 3 seat interior.

M25SB specifications

RWD, open differential.
2.5L I4 (81hp, 168Nm torque).
4 speed manual.
Standard 40s safety.
Drum brakes.
Basic 2 seat interior.

M25 “facelifted” specifications

4x4 w/ locking differentials.
2.5L I4 (81hp, 168Nm torque).
3 speed manual.
Standard 40s safety.
Drum brakes (2LS front).
Basic 3 seat interior.

M25SB “facelifted” specifications

RWD, open differential.
improved 2.5L I4 (83hp, 168Nm torque).
4 speed manual.
Standard 40s safety.
Drum brakes (2LS front).
Basic 2 seat interior.
Radial tires!

TRF42 timeline:

1942 - TRF42 introduced into army service.
1946 - released to civilian market as the M25.
1948 - delivery van variant M25SB released.
1952 - facelifted M25 released, end of production for old M25.
1953 - end of army contract for TRF42 with Swedish army
1955 - facelifted M25SB released together with improved 2.5L I4, end of production for old version.
1960 - end of production for facelifted M25.
1962 - end of production for facelifted M25SB.
1963 → 1965 - leftover stock of M25 and M25SB sold off to developing countries.
1965 - spare parts production for TRF42 platform ended. Parts tooling sold to [REDACTED].

falukorven · 29 September 2018 14:25

In 1955, the PBL55 (personbil modell 1955 – passenger automobile model of 1955) platform was released, Teko’s first vehicle platform intended for the civilian/non-military market. Featuring innovative technology such as a galvanized steel chassis as well as double wishbone front suspension, the PBL55 was obviously designed for on-road use primarily. Besides the civilian market, the PBL55 platform was designed to be simple to manufacture and maintain as the company wanted to win contracts with police departments looking for new police cars.

Together with the platform, the first car based on it was released, the Diplomat. A premium full size sedan powered by an improved 6.6L V8 dishing out 228hp and peaking at 443Nm of torque at 2300RPM. It does however deliver over 420Nm from 1400 - almost 3700 RPM to ensure you have all the torque you could ever want. While the engine block hasn’t changed whatsoever, the new twin 2BBL carb boosted both power and fuel economy.

With the flashiest safety features known to man in the 50s, you could feel safe cruising at the cars top speed of 200 km/h. One distinct feature of this car is side exhausts right out of the factory, which wasn’t that common on premium sedans.

With a premium interior, comfort tuned suspension and a reasonable price tag of $15 957 (today’s money), the Diplomat was a massive hit in the utility segment (mainly premium and sport luxury), the muscle segment as well as the GT segment.

In 1958, a special edition of the Diplomat was released. the Diplomat Police Patrol (PP). With a cheapified interior, higher ground clearance to be able to easily get over curbs, more aggressive brakes and and stiffer suspension for better cornering, the Diplomat PP was intended for law enforcement use. The 6.6L V8 was tuned for more horsepower and higher revs to be durable and powerful enough for police pursuits. With a redline of 5000RPM, 267hp and 469Nm of torque, few bad guys could outrun the Diplomat PP. A strengthened chassis was added, heavy duty suspension to adsorb flying over curbs at high speeds, increased cooling capacity to ensure no overheats could occur and power steering. The Diplomat PP had moderate amounts of success within law enforcement use.

It could be seen with a few European police departments as a highway patrol vehicle, as an unmarked car or within special divisions of the police force. It could also be seen with a few police departments in the USA.

The Diplomat PP, with a V8PP badge on the rear, was also sold to the public, obviously without all the police modifications. It was simply the regular Diplomat with a police grade driveline and engine, powered steering and the police tires and suspension tuning. It was incredibly successful on the civilian market, together with the 1955 Diplomat.

In 1960, yet another variant of the Diplomat was released. To honor the car’s name, this version was intended for use by diplomats, high ranking government officials or any other person that has enough money to be chauffeured around. The initial release date was set to 1958 but due to supply chain issues and development issues, it was postponed to 1960. It did however give the team time to research and develop disc brakes and a three speed automatic as well as look into the most advanced 60s safety man has ever seen. While it was successful as a vehicle for high ranking officials, it was also popular moderately popular as a luxury car in the civilian market. It had a luxury interior and luxury AM radio. Of course the civilian version had no armor or other modifications that makes it more resistant to firearms and such

This is also the first vehicle using the 10.3L V10 originally designed for heavy trucks. With triple 2BBL carbs and high durability internals, this engine, it it’s passenger car configuration, produces 386 HP and 718Nm of torque.You however get over 650Nm from 1200 - 4200 RPM. Redline was set to 4800RPM.

Any questions? Please contact us (= write in the thread)

Would you like to drive any of our cars? Contact us and we’ll set it all up for you (= you get files for BeamNG)

PBL55 platform features:

Galvanized chassis.
Double wishbone front & solid axle coil rear.
Clean but unique design.
Side exhausts!!

1955 Diplomat (V8) features:

Big torquey 6.6L V8 with 228hp.
Medium compound tires.
Premium interior & AM radio.

1958 Diplomat Police Patrol (for civilian market) features:

Police grade high durability driveline and gearbox.
Police grade tires.
Increased ground clearence for curbs.
High performance, high durability 6.6L V8 with 267hp.
Power steering.
Suspension that’s slightly better for cornering.

1960 Diplomat Special

First passenger car to use Teko’s heavy duty 10.3L V12.
Said V12 produces 386hp & 718 Nm of torque.
Three speed automatic.
Luxury interior & radio.
Power steering.
Best 60s safety tech available.

PBL55 Timeline:

1955: initial release of Diplomat.
1958: release of Diplomat Police Patrol. Several procurement contracts seized for law enforcement.
1960: release of Diplomat Special (V12).
1961: Media controversy in Sweden over Diplomat Special being used by dictators in authoritarian countries.
1960-1962: orders for transport of high ranking officials are made. Most notably, it was in the vehicle pool of the Swedish royal family.
1966: end of production for PBL55.
1970: end of spare parts production for PBL55.

Knugcab · 29 September 2018 14:44

Yet another Swedish company making people nobody in Sweden would have had the money to buy in the 50s… But this is automationverse after all so…

Awildgermanappears · 29 September 2018 16:25

Pretty much every swedish AM company I’ve seen made V8 barge at some point.

Knugcab · 29 September 2018 16:36

Volvo had a V8 in the S80 and the XC90 some years ago, before that only prototypes (yes, the Philip from the 50s was only a prototype despite actually being used by the tractor division, Bolinder-Munktell, for a while) if you don’t count the 3.6 litre gasoline V8 used in the small “Snabbe” truck in the 60s, Saab had a prototype of the 99 with the Triumph V8 (since the 99 used the Triumph slant 4 in the earlier years), and later a prototype of a V8 9000 built in Finland by Valmet (didn’t reach production either), the 9-7X was only a badge engineered Trailblazer that was never sold in Sweden to start with…

Volvo may have started by building huge cars that was almost copies of american barges (powered by inline sixes except for the four cylinder in the earliest models), but it really was the PV444 that saved them as an automobile manufacturer (I guess that they might have turned into a pure truck manufacturer otherwise), it was the perfect size and price class for Sweden after the war. American cars were used by the police and as taxis, most often all-black, mid range models (like 210, Customline etc.) with inline sixes, V8s were far more rare, and the most sold models to private buyers in the 50s was PV444, Saab 92 and Volkswagen Beetle, which was about what most people could afford back then. A company that would have been competiting with Cadillac or Lincoln would not have survived the 50s Sweden, the tastes here are a bit puritan too, a two tone paintjob was almost considered vulgar and sinful back then…

But hey, Automation is all about an alternate reality and that only makes it fun, just a little reflection.

falukorven · 4 October 2018 18:03

Alongside the Diplomat and PBL55 platform, the 1955 Wasp was released. The Wasp is a medium size, compact-ish sedan with a low price tag. What makes it special is the usage of a FWD with a longitudinally mounted engine. Being FWD, the car is incredibly easy to drive and doesn’t oversteer. The car is running on the 2.5 I4 from the facelifted M25SB offering great fuel economy and decent power (because the car weighs less then 1000kg).

The construction is very simple and features galvanized steel for the chassis and simple steel panels. Other notable features are the gearbox, which is heavily based on the gearbox from the TRF42 platform but with an added gear to act as overdrive for improved cruising fuel economy.

The Wasp comes in many flavors and the one being described above is the base version, the Wasp SE (special edition), featuring a basic five seat interior and basic AM radio. This trim level was a hit on the market in many segments. Mainly as a city car, pony (why would pony car buyers buy this budget family sedan??), family sport, fun as well as utility sport and sport budget.

The Wasp was also offered with a 5.0L V8 and was called the V8 special. Dual rear exhaust and a fancy V8 badge show everyone you’re driving a V8. The V8 in question shares the tooling with it’s little 2.5L I4 brother. Some bore and stroke and all. A highly reliable, cheap and simple V8 pushing out 178hp and approx. 344 Nm of torque 1700 - 2900 RPM. The V8 special has a standard interior as well as tuned suspension and a performance gearbox giving it a 0-100km/h time of 7.7 seconds. The drive type remained FWD even for the V8. The V8 special also has wider tires to cope with the increase in power. Mostly purchased by pony, muscle car and family sport buyers. Also a few sportscar buyers.

It being FWD and having a not overpowered engine makes it incredibly easy (for a late 50s car) to throw around the Automation test track and not spin out. It does understeer a lot but the rear behaves nicely still.

In 1958, two new models of the Wasp were released. Starting with the market failure, the Wasp Coupe. A two door convertible with the same driveline as the Wasp Special Edition. It was intended to be a budget convertible but it attracted very few buyers so it was quickly discontinued in 1960. The Wasp Coupe was essentially a two door convertible variant of the Wasp Special Edition.

Together with the market failure, the Wasp Saloon was released and it was a big hit. Featuring innovations such as progressive springs and power steering, the Wasp Saloon was easy to drive (high drivability score) with reasonable practicality and price of just $9134 (today’s money). Much like the Wasp Special Edition, the Saloon sold a lot in Utility sport, family sport and pony but also sold reasonable amounts in the city car segment amongst others. The Saloon also got a rear end makeover.

Wasp Special Edition (SE) features:

Cheap.
Decent fuel economy.
Market hit.
Longitudinal FWD.

Wasp V8 Special features:

5L V8.
High performance gearbox.
Dual rear exhaust.
Longitudinal FWD and also a V8!

Wasp Coupe features:

Market failure.

Wasp Saloon Features:

Power steering.
Better springs.
Standard interior.

1955 Wasp timeline
1955 - release of Special Edition and V8 Special.
1958 - release of Coupe and Saloon.
1960 - Coupe deemed a market failure and discontinued. V8 special discontinued
1968 - Special Edition & Saloon discontinued.
1969 - Parts production tooling and licensing for 1955 Wasp licensed to third party manufacturers.

falukorven · 14 October 2018 10:32

While the TRF42 platform was very sucessful, it was really designed with military usage in mind. With the ending date for production getting closer, there was a need for a new utility and off road vehicle. Instead of building everything of one single platform with the same suspension, two vehicle platforms were created. The PLB60-KHB and PLB60-LHB (Passanger truck model of 1960 - short/long wheelbase). KHB was meant to be a full on off roader where the the LHB platform was meant for on road use, having more road oriented suspension such as double wishbones in the front. This had varying degrees of success.

Starting with the PLB60-KHB platform. The only model derived from this is the Mountaineer. A rugged hardcore off roader featuring locking differentials and 4WD. The car became heavier then anticipated during development so Teko did the cheapest possible thing. They took the 6.6L V8 block and chopped it in half to create a 3.3L I4 using more or less the same tooling, producing 122hp. The chassis is built with galvanized steel and the panelling is corrsion resistent steel. This trim saw modest success on the market. Mostly in the offroad and offroad premium segments. This would be the Mountaineer Classic 3.3. Trims sitting on this platform also get front disc brakes as well as power steering as standard equipment.


Drivability	34.1
Sportiness	0
Comfort	4.2
Prestige	20.2
Safety	28.7
Practicality	32.7
Utility	15.5
Offroad	73.7
Reliability	61.5
Env. resist	54.7
Fuel usage	20L / 100 KM

Price (today's money)	$ 13 527

Engine HP / Nm	3.3L I4 "stora fyran" 122hp / 230Nm
Driveline Differential	Longitudinal 4X4 Manual lock differential
Gearbox Gear amount	FCL 3+1 4 speed (one gear is OD)
0-100 KM/H	13.3 s
Top speed	159 KM/H

Another trim level was offered with a V6. Simply called the Mountaineer Classic V6. While there are no real exterior differences, the Classic V6 has a modified FCL 3+1 gearbox to accomdate the new 3.7L V6. The engine block is cast iron and it’s built DAOHC design. It also features a 4BBL carb. With only a minor increase in price, this trim was a bit more popular then the 3.3 version.


Drivability	32.5
Sportiness	0
Comfort	4.8
Prestige	23.1
Safety	28.8
Practicality	32.7
Utility	18.2
Offroad	73.0
Reliability	62.1
Env. resist	53.6
Fuel usage	20.3L / 100 KM

Price (today's money)	$ 13 969

Engine HP / Nm	3.7L V6 164hp / 267Nm
Driveline Differential	Longitudinal 4X4 Manual lock differential
Gearbox Gear amount	Modified FLC 3+1 4 speed (one gear is OD)
0-100 KM/H	11.6 s
Top speed	176 KM/H

With falling popularity, Teko wanted to try to sell the PLB60-KHB platform for at least a little longer so in 1965, they tried to set up the Mountaineer to appeal to a broader audience then just offroad car buyers. The result was the Futura V8 trim level. A more preium and more powerful version of the mountaineer while still offering great offroading capabilities. It features a tuned 5L V8 with 202HP and 368 Nm of torque. The engine was mainly tuned for high torque applications and features tripple 2BBL carbs. With its premium interior and tuned suspension, it saw great popularity in the offroad premium segment with a few sales here and there for utility premium buyers.


Drivability	33.3
Sportiness	3.1
Comfort	7.2
Prestige	27.3
Safety	30.2
Practicality	35.4
Utility	20.8
Offroad	60.8
Reliability	60.9
Env. resist	52.4
Fuel usage	22.2L / 100 KM

Price (today's money)	$16 314

Engine HP / Nm	5L V8 202HP / 368Nm
Driveline Differential	Longitudinal 4X4 Manual lock differential
Gearbox Gear amount	FVL-S4 4 speed high performance
0-100 KM/H	8.7 s
Top speed	189 KM/H

PLB60-KHB timeline

1960: Mountaineer Classic 3.3 & Classic V6 released.
1965: Mountaineer Futura V8 released.
1967: Mountaineer Classic 3.3 & V6 no longer in production.
1970: Mountaineer Futura V8 no longer in production.

(PLB60-LHB in next post)

falukorven · 18 October 2018 21:24

The PLB60-LHB platform is a more road oriented platform, featuring double wishbone front suspension and rear solid axle with coil springs. The first cars built on the platform were a set of pickup trucks powered by a V8, called the Hornet. Both panels and chassis have been weather proofed and power steering is standard.

The basic trim, the Hornet 5.0 SE, uses the same V8 as the Wasp V8 Special, entirely unchanged. The Hornet 5.0 SE wasn’t all too successful. It really only sold in the heavy utility and utility premium segments. It had 3 standard seats and a basic AM radio as well as power steering. THe classic army green is still being offered with the utility and offroad vehicles.

Price (today)	0-100KM/H	Top speed	1/4 Mile	Emissions
13 666$	11.2 s	179 KM/H	18.31 s	N/A

Drivability	Sportiness	Comfort	Prestige	Safety
30.9	0	8.7	25.9	27.5

Practicality	Utility	Offroad	Reliability	Env. resist
27.2	30	27.3	60.9	46.6

Engine HP/Nm	Driveline Differential	Gearbox	Fuel type L/100KM	Chassis/Panel material
5.0L Wasp V8 178HP / 345Nm	Longitudinal RWD Open diff	4 speed manual	92 RON leaded 21.8L	Galvanized steel/Corrosion resist. steel

Since horsepower was a big deal at this time, Teko decided it wants to create a high powered versoin of the Hornet. Make the hornet really really angry. Enter the Hornet 6.6 Super. A combination of sports car and pickup truck. Featuring a heavily upgraded Police V8 from the 1958 Diplomat V8PP, horsepower was increased from 267 all the way to 325. The lame twin 2BBL carb setup was swapped out for a 4BBL twin carb setup and the engine tuned for more revs, going to 5300RPM.

The driveline was also swapped to a longitudinal FWD setup, like the Wasp V8 Special, which was the go to method for Teko to make highly powerful cars with open diffs easier to drive. This version also featured mighty aggressive side exhauts and fat medium compound tires, sharper suspension and lower ride. It wasn’t the most popular car and was a borderline market failure so today, the Hornet 6.6 Super is nowadays considired to be quite rare to see.

It sold here and there in the muscle, muscle premium and utility premium segment.

Price (today)	0-100KM/H	Top speed	1/4 Mile	Emissions
16 798$	6.9 s	218 KM/H	15.19 s	N/A

Drivability	Sportiness	Comfort	Prestige	Safety
35.9	3.7	5.3	30.4	28.3

Practicality	Utility	Offroad	Reliability	Env. resist
28.5	21.7	16.7	58.9	45

Engine HP/Nm	Driveline Differential	Gearbox	Fuel type L/100KM	Chassis/Panel material
6.6L upgraded Police V8 325HP / 497Nm	Longitudinal FWD Open diff	high performance 4 speed manual	92 RON leaded 32.4L	Galvanized steel/Corrosion resist. steel

In 1963, Teko wanted to try to save this PLB60-LHB platform and generate more sales. So the game plan was to build a sort of big, roomy utility vehicle on this platform. That’s how the Bison 402 LE was born. A very large, fat (just shy of 2000kg) and comfortable vehicle with really good practicality and ease of operation. With a premium interior and the latest in safety tech, a 3 speed auto and the same high power V8 from the Hornet 6.6 Super, it was a market success. It sold in muscle and utility premium mainly but also some in familiy sport, utility sport luxury and utility sport preimum.

Price (today)	0-100KM/H	Top speed	1/4 Mile	Emissions
19 080$	9.4 s	214 KM/H	16.86 s	N/A

Drivability	Sportiness	Comfort	Prestige	Safety
42.9	2.5	7.8	37.3	34.7

Practicality	Utility	Offroad	Reliability	Env. resist
53.1	31.8	7.5	53.1	44

Engine HP/Nm	Driveline Differential	Gearbox	Fuel type L/100KM	Chassis/Panel material
6.6L upgraded Police V8 325HP / 497Nm	Longitudinal RWD Open diff	3 speed auto	92 RON leaded 36.5L	Galvanized steel/Corrosion resist. steel

PLB60-LHB timeline

1960: Hornet 5.0 SE and 6.6 Super released.
1961: Hornet 6.6 Super deemed as market failure.
1963: Release of Bison 402 LE.
1964: End of production for Hornet 6.6 Super.
1967: End of production for Hornet 5.0 SE.
1970: End of production for Bison 402 LE.

falukorven · 21 October 2018 10:16

During 1960, there was a split of Teko into two companies. Teko Maskinteknik would remain as engine supplier as well as taking on any military contracts they can win. The new company, Empire Motors, would focus on passenger vehicles only. The split was due to Teko passenger vehicles become increasingly popular and eating up all of the production capacity at their factories. The newly founded Empire Motors would have more freedom in experimenting with technology and designs as the company only builds passenger automobiles

Empire Motors was founded in 1962 and one of the first cars Empire Motors produced was the 1965 Centauri, a two door luxury car that seats four people. It was a large luxury barge but could still get going if needed thanks to a modern 8.2L V12. Standard equipment included central locks (including trunk lock), power steering, air blower fans (air conditioning for Ultima trim) and an automatic gearbox. It was offered in three trims, Delux, Ultima and the créme de la créme of cars, the Ultima Custom. All trims also have the latest in safety tech as well as three point seat belts and head rests for all passengers. It also features all around disc brakes for better braking performance.

The Centauri Delux was the premium trim of the Centauri, featuring premium interior and AM radio. While it wasn’t a sports car by any means, it could get going fast thanks to a 333HP V12 giving it a 0-100 KM/H time of 7.9 seconds and top speed of 231 KM/H while maintaining a fuel economy of 24.2 L / 100KM. All this on a specialty tuned 3 speed auto and running on 92 RON fuel. The engine is high tech, featuring 3 valve SOHC and triple 4BBL carbs, giving it great throttle response and smoothness. The engine is also really quiet for that added comfort factor.

One quirk this car has is the trunk lock mechanism. Doors and trunk are unlocked when you unlock the car door, but when you put the car in any gear that isn’t park, the trunk stays locked unless you hit a switch inside the car to disengage the trunk locking mechanism. You can still access the trunk with a key though and there’s a mechanical trunk popping lever inside the cabin.

The Centauri Delux was a huge success, selling in GT, GT premium, utility premium, utility sport luxury as well as muscle premium.

Price (today)	0-100KM/H	Top speed	1/4 Mile	Emissions
23 512$	7.86 s	231 KM/H	16.15 s	N/A

Drivability	Sportiness	Comfort	Prestige	Safety
39.5	6	21	45.6	43.8

Practicality	Utility	Offroad	Reliability	Env. resist
37.7	25.7	15.8	55	49.4

Engine HP/Nm	Driveline Differential	Gearbox	Fuel type L/100KM	Chassis/Panels
8.2L "Proxima" V12 333HP / 630Nm	Longitudinal RWD Open diff	3 speed auto	92 RON leaded 24.2L	Both corrosion resist. steel

The Ultima trim is the luxury trim and it is fully decked out with all sorts of amenities. An air conditioning system, powered windows as well as an FM/AM radio that features a record player for 7 inch records. It also features a new spring setup called HydrauliGlide. A hydropneumatic setup for springs to make the car extremely comfortable while still keeping body roll low. The only exterior difference is the badge and this car sold extremely well in the same markets as the Delux trim, but also a lot in luxury, luxury premium and convertible luxury.

Price (today)	0-100KM/H	Top speed	1/4 Mile	Emissions
31 150$	7.99 s	231 KM/H	16.26 s	N/A

Drivability	Sportiness	Comfort	Prestige	Safety
39.8	4.4	33.8	53.2	44

Practicality	Utility	Offroad	Reliability	Env. resist
37.7	25.2	20.1	51.4	49.4

Engine HP/Nm	Driveline Differential	Gearbox	Fuel type L/100KM	Chassis/Panels
8.2L "Proxima" V12 333HP / 630Nm	Longitudinal RWD Open diff	3 speed auto	92 RON leaded 27L	Both corrosion resist. steel

The Ultima Custom, identified by a crown symbol on the rear, is the most luxurious trim level. Featuring everything the regular Ultima has plus power seats as well as a memory function for seats. Interior was hand crafted for the ultimate experience. While not many of these were produced, they were extremely popular in the GT, GT Premium luxury premium and convertible luxury segments.

Price (today)	0-100KM/H	Top speed	1/4 Mile	Emissions
36 705$	7.99 s	231 KM/H	16.26 s	N/A

Drivability	Sportiness	Comfort	Prestige	Safety
39.8	4.2	37.9	56.9	44.2

Practicality	Utility	Offroad	Reliability	Env. resist
37.7	27.1	20.3	51.1	49.4

Engine HP/Nm	Driveline Differential	Gearbox	Fuel type L/100KM	Chassis/Panels
8.2L "Proxima" V12 333HP / 630Nm	Longitudinal RWD Open diff	3 speed auto	92 RON leaded 27.1L	Both corrosion resist. steel

Production for the entire Centauri range ended in 1975.