Nassau Motor Company - 2nd Gen 900 Revealed!

[MAG]

January 6, 1990 - A new decade has begun. The 1980s were very good for Nassau. We came into the decade with 3 model lines, all carburated, and all but 1 rear wheel drive. Our most powerful car was a V8 produced 170hp. CAFE mandates were just coming into affect and our fleet average at the time was 19.03mpg.

It’s now 10 years later. We introduced our 5th model line, a small SUV/pickup, last year. It is our only rear wheel drive model as we’ve switched all of our cars to front wheel drive. Thanks to our engineering department, we’ve switched all of our cars to electronic fuel injection. We’ve actually started introducing multi-point injection on some of our upper level models. Our most powerful car for 1990 produces over 230hp and will outrun everything we’ve ever built. We’ve seen our CAFE average jump to over 25mpg.

But enough about our history. Let’s see how Nassau fared in 1989.

This year we made a profit of nearly $600 million on $8.8 billion in revenues. Our total sales were up over $1 billion from the previous year. The desirability of our new cars helped increase our prestige by 2 points.

All of this is occurring as the economy begins another contraction.

The addition of the Bandito model line helped make this Nassau’s best year ever in terms of sales. Better production scheduling helped ensure we didn’t run out of _Accolade_s before the new model hit dealer lots.

Total sales for 1989 rose to 755,662, which was our best year ever. Our previous best was 1984, when we wold 724,990 cars. Sales were up in all three major markets as the 2nd generation Tango has become a sensation.

337,504 - Gasmea (+25%) - Top Seller: Tango S
275,193 - Fruinia (+13%) - Top Seller: Tango S
142,965 - Archana (+6%) - Top Seller: Nifty Deluxe

Sales of the Nifty hatchbacks were steady this year as we again sold every car built. Total sales were 147,831.

The Nifty S sold 69,047 units, which was the same as last year.

The Nifty Deluxe sold 78,784, which was one car fewer than last year.

Sales on the Tango model lines exploded this year. Total sales are still below 1980-1983 levels, but we’re nearly selling out due to the complexity of producing the more modern car. This year sales totaled 398,837.

The base model Tango R performed very well, selling 128,778 units.

The 1989 Tango S became the best selling model in the history of the company, recording 270,059 sales this year.

The second generation Laguna sport compact debuted for 1989. Sales were good, as 107,929 hatchbacks sold.

Sales for the base model, which this year becomes the Laguna S were down considerably over the previous generation. We sold 68,043 units, which is around half of the sales of the Laguna Coupe.

However, the Laguna Turbo, which was extensively overhauled following a disappointing run from 1984-1988 saw sales boom. We sold 28,916, which is just 2k shy of the total sales of the first generation car.

We expected the top of the line Laguna NP to have limited sales, so when the final numbers were tallied and we had sold 10,970, we were ecstatic. We figured we’d have around 5,000 takers.

The Bandito also debuted for 1989 and is our first entry into the SUV market. Even with very little market awareness for the new car, we managed to sell a total of 54,239.

The Bandito S SUV led the charge, racking up 30,959 sales.

Our first pickup since the failed Runabout; the Bandito Pickup took home 23,280 sales. We expect this to increase as more people become aware that Nassau builds SUVs.

Finally, we come to the outgoing first generation Accolade. Sales dropped off this year as we expect consumers are waiting for the new model for 1990. Sales across both model lines totaled 46,826.

The Accolade SE sold just 16,957 units. There are still a couple hundred sitting on dealer lots.

We’ve sold the final 29,869 _Accolade Estate_s.

Sales Breakdown
270,059 - Tango S (+13%)
128,778 - Tango R (+30%)
78,784 - Nifty Deluxe (-)
69,047 - Nifty S (-)
68,043 - Laguna S (-12% from the Laguna Coupe)
30,959 - Bandito S (NEW)
29,869 - Accolade Estate (-31%)
28,916 - Laguna Turbo (+771%)
23,280 - Bandito Pickup (NEW)
16,957 - Accolade SE (-40%)
10,970 - Laguna NP (NEW)

Other Business
As Nassau prepares to enter a new decade, Robert Gaul has begun planning for his retirement. He took over the company his father founded in 1960 at the age of 30. Now, 30 years later, Robert has called his company leaders into his office to announce his succession plan.

Robert plans to retire in 1995, at which point his son, the current head of product planning and development Charles Gaul, will take over.

You may be thinking this is nepotism at work, but Charles has built quite the reputation at Nassau. Charles was born in 1958 and joined Nassau’s engineering department in 1980. During his time as an engineer, he helped create Nassau’s electronic fuel injection systems, which are now used on every single model we make. He was the leader of the team that created the 2nd generation Laguna. In 1988 he was promoted to head of product planning and development, where he helped spearhead the creation of the Accolade Sport, which is just coming on to the market. He also had his hand in the development of other Nassau vehicles, which are still in engineering.

[MAG]

January 28, 1990 - We have sold the final 1989 Accolade SE sedan. Let’s take a look back at our first generation premium sedan.

The Accolade SE debuted in 1983 for the 1984 model year. Replacing the aging, rear wheel drive Galleon, the front wheel drive Accolade SE went for the premium market, rather than being an all-encompassing car like its predecessor. Powered by the company’s first ever V6 engine, the Accolade SE became a hit.

Sales were relatively good, even though the sedan was surprisingly outsold by the wagon version each year. Sales topped in 1986 when 44,516 were sold. The Accolade SE is being replaced this year by a second generation model.

Accolade SE Sales
1984: 36,115
1985: 34,094
1986: 44,516
1987: 43,732
1988: 28,108
1989: 17,413
Total: 203,978

January 5, 1991 - The first year of the new decade has come to a close. It was a big year for Nassau. With the release of the new Accolade, we’ve completed the revision cycle on all of our current models, minus the Nifty.

Speaking of the Nifty, we raised prices on our subcompact hatchback this year. The Nifty S was increased to $9,495 and the Nifty Deluxe increased to $10,748. This had an interesting affect, as sales declined in both Archana and Fruinia. Sales declined enough that for the first time since 1986 we had extra Deluxe models to export to Gasmea. And for the first time ever, the Nifty S was available at Gasmean dealerships.

Motorsports

Fruinian Touring Car Championship
The dominance of the Laguna NP continued for 1990 as Marcos Andres became the series’ 2nd 4 time champion. Our car once again won more than half the races on the schedule.

FTCC Final Standings:
1st - Marcos Andres (Nassau Performance) - 4 victories
2nd - Anton Gustav (Trenton Performance) - 4 victories
5th - Bill Lindgren (Nassau Performance) - 2 victories
6th - Stan Specter (Segelson Motorsports) - 1 victory
8th - Fred Donaldson (Donaldson Racing) - 1 victory
9th - Jason Borden (Dover Motorsport)
10th - Daniel Matthias (Dover Motorsport)
12th - Ronnie James (Donaldson Racing)
13th - Greg Adams (Segelson Motorsports)
15th - Zack Dokken (Trenton Performance)

Sales Overview

Revenues soared this year to over $10.5 billion. We’ve got a relatively new model lineup and people want our cars. Prestige increased over 4 points thanks to the new Accolade models, though our reputation has taken a bit of a hit as we still work out some small kinks in the new fuel injection systems.

The market correction has started to level out. Hopefully the economy maintains at this level, at least for a little while.

As you can see from our 5 year sales graph, we’ve broken the 70,000 cars sold per month barrier.

Nassau is flying high right now as 1990 saw us sell an incredible 829,080 cars. This is up nearly 75k over last year, which was our best year ever up to that point. As we continue to flesh out and expand our model lineup, we hope to eventually hit 1 million sales.

Sales were up big in Gasmea as they have become our primary market. Our engineering team now works with a “Gasmea First” policy. They have the biggest auto market in the world and that’s why we’ll cater to them. This made up for a small drop in Fruinian sales and a rather considerable drop in Archana.

431,264 - Gasmea (+28%) - Top Seller: Tango S
272,929 - Fruinia (-1%) - Top Seller: Tango S
124,431 - Archana (-13%) - Top Seller: Nifty Deluxe

As mentioned before, we increased the prices of the Nifty subcompacts. There were 2 main reasons behind this. The first is that these are aging models and we’d like to squeeze as much profit as possible from them before they’re replaced. The second is that we have some expensive projects on the drawing boards and would like to have as much money in the bank as we can get. With the Nifty entering the Gasmean market, there were some interesting and unexpected changes to the distribution of our sales. Total sales for the subcompacts fell slightly to 143,989 units.

The Nifty S saw a big decline, down to 60,432 units sold.

The Nifty Deluxe saw sales rise as Gasmean consumers opted for it over the bare bones base model. We sold 83,557.

The Tango model line felt the squeeze from the Nifty being more widely available. Consumers who wanted something smaller than the Tango didn’t have a choice from Nassau before. Now that they do, sales of our compact hatchback fell to 369,261 units.

The base Tango R actually saw sales rise to 132,586 cars.

The more well appointed Tango S took the brunt of the sales hit, falling to 236,675 units.

Sales of the Laguna sport compacts dropped as well. This is because of the release of the new Accolade mid size sedan. They’re both playing around in the same market and the Accolade is newer, bigger, and in the case of the Sport, faster. The Laguna sold 72,443 units this year.

The base Laguna S still performed relatively well, selling 52,682 units.

The Laguna Turbo saw sales more than halved as it now competes against itself in a more powerful version and a much more powerful sedan. We sold 13,252.

The Laguna NP saw a big drop as well, but we never intended for this to be a mass market car anyway. We sold 6,509.

The Bandito is picking up steam as awareness in the offroad and utility markets begins to rise. This year we sold 63,363 of our compact SUV/pickup.

The Bandito Pickup saw the biggest increase as it is now nearly overtaking the SUV in total sales. We sold 30,858.

The Bandito S SUV had a slight increase, up to 32,505 units.

The Accolade is where the money was at for 1990. While the first generation had its top sales year in 1986 with 108,797 cars sold; the first year of the second generation blew it away. We sold 179,568 _Accolade_s this year.

We start off with the Accolade SE sedan, which sold 58,607 units.

The Accolade Estate was the sales leader of the group, coming in at 77,800 units.

The new Accolade Sport, which like the Laguna NP isn’t intended to be a mass market vehicle, sold 19,825 units.

Finally, the luxury Accolade Elite model did better than expected, coming in with 23,336 sales.

Sales Breakdown
236,675 - Tango S (-12%)
132,586 - Tango R (+3%)
83,557 - Nifty Deluxe (+6%)
77,800 - Accolade Estate (+166%)
60,432 - Nifty S (-12%)
58,607 - Accolade SE (+237%)
52,682 - Laguna S (-23%)
32,505 - Bandito S (+5%)
30,858 - Bandito Pickup (+33%)
23,336 - Accolade Elite (NEW)
19,825 - Accolade Sport (NEW)
13,252 - Laguna Turbo (-54%)
6,509 - Laguna NP (-41%)

CAFE Update

Now the bad news. Because of the popularity of our more inefficient mid size sedan, our CAFE average fell to 23.74mpg, well below the 25mpg mandate for 1990. We’ve been fined $20 million.

We have learned about the new CAFE mandates for 1990. Because model cycles are taking longer and longer as cars become more complex, the government has decided on a new set of mandates for the 90s.

Rather than have a benchmark to hit every 2 years, we will need to hit a 30mpg average for the year 2000. This gives automakers more time to plan and develop future products.

That’s all for now. We’ll see you in February at the Fruinian International Motor Show.

[abg7]

The impending Fruinian Auto Show means that there will be a new Nassau or two… Whether it’s a revision of an existing model or the introduction of a new one (or both), there will be exciting times ahead for Nassau!

[MAG]

February 12, 1991 - Welcome to the 1991 Fruinian International Motor Show!

At the Nassau Motor Company, small family cars have been our specialty since day one. Our company started with the Metropolitan, which in post-war Fruinia gave families mobility for a low cost. In the 1960s, the Arabia became the go to small car for Fruinia. The Arabia was also the model that introduced Nassau to Archana and Gasmea. The Tango brought economy into the mix as our small car made the switch to front wheel drive.

Now, it has come time to introduce the definitive small family car for the '90s. Introducing the 1992 Nassau Tango!

We start with the entry-level 1992 Nassau Tango S. The third generation Tango moves from a hatchback body style to a sedan and rides a 93" wheelbase, making it more maneuverable than the current hatchback.

The base model features a basic interior with room for 5. 4 wheel Anti-lock disc brakes come standard on all Tango models.

Powering the Tango S is Nassau’s D18-4I 1.8L 4 cylinder engine producing 85hp and 102ft-lbs of torque.

Connected to a 5 speed manual transmission, the Tango S is the economy master, returning an astounding 33.2mpg. The 1992 Tango is the first Nassau to feature plastic cladding underneath to increase fuel economy.

Next, we move up to the 1992 Nassau Tango SE.

Stepping up to the 1992 Nassau Tango SE adds several improvements and a lot of value to the car.

Inside, the standard interior still seats 5, but is now equipped with a cassette deck.

Outside, a restyled front fascia features front fog lights. Wheels are upgraded from 14" steel to 15" alloy.

Under the hood, the 1.8L is replaced by the Nassau D20-4I 2.0L 4 cylinder.

Power is increased to 100hp and 118ft-lbs of torque. That power is supplied to the front wheels via a 4 speed automatic transaxle.

Should you decide that this new sedan is too small for your family’s needs, we’ve got you covered there as well. For you is the 1992 Nassau Tango R.

Mechanically identical to the sedan version, the 1992 Nassau Tango R increases practicality with a 5 door wagon body style. The Tango R is powered by Nassau’s 2.0L mated to a 4 speed automatic.

But before we end the presentation, there’s one more model to show. The 1992 Nassau Tango XF.

The 1992 Nassau Tango XF coupe is our hot new sport compact. The 2 door version of our family car features a standard cloth interior with seating for 4 and a cassette deck and radio.

Outside, there are several changes from the standard sedan. The 15" alloy wheels are replaced with 16" alloys and the decklid features a rear spoiler.

The gem of this car is under the hood. We’ve dropped in a 2.2L Nassau D22-4I 4 cylinder engine.

This 2.2L produces 122hp and 133ft-lbs of torque. This engine powers the Tango XF to 60mph in 9 seconds and through the quarter mile in 16, all while returning 26.6mpg.

Production of the Tango moves from our factory in the city of Nassau, which has produced our family cars since it opened in 1949 to our factory in Slotylv, Archana. This does lead us to one final announcement.

1991 will be the final model year for our Nifty subcompact. With its size slotting between the current Tango hatchback and the outgoing Nifty, the new Tango is the perfect replacement for both vehicles.

Pricing will be announced in the coming months.

[abg7]

What about a Tango NP with a turbocharged engine and/or an AWD system? Surely such a car would be a welcome addition to the range!

[MAG]

March 6, 1991

We’ve finally received the March issue of EngineFad magazine and there’s a lot to digest.

The cover story is a feature on the new Atlas Ace. Atlas, a division of Albright motors has taken one of their heavy-duty V8s from their truck line and stuck it in a sports car chassis. The 7.0L V8 creates 400 tire shredding horsepower. Finally, the Whitaker Blackhawk has competition from another Gasmean supercar.

Nassau is featured somewhat heavily in the news and rumors section. In fact, EngineFad writers spoke with Robert Gaul, the president of the Nassau Motor Company to get the full story.

“When we spoke with Mr. Gaul about the possibility of a high performance variant of the company’s new Tango compact he quickly shot us down, stating that Nassau has no plans for a trim above the currently announced XF coupe. He added that should consumers want to try a faster compact car, they should consider the company’s Laguna lineup.”

Another story regarding Nassau, one that Robert declined to speak about, centers around the North Gasmean International Auto Show. EngineFad was able to get ahold of the preliminary schedule for the event and noticed that Nassau has a rather big presentation scheduled. EngineFad ponders if we could be updating the Laguna or possibly be presenting a new subcompact to replace the outgoing Nifty. Our current lineup is relatively modern, with our current oldest model being the Nifty, which debuted in 1983. The Laguna and Bandito both debuted just 2 years ago in 1989, and the Accolade last year for 1990. The current Tango debuted for 1988 and is new for 1992.

Also in this month’s issue is a review of Blake’s new B-Series compact cars. Blake’s compact lineup has been one of our biggest competitors in Fruinia and we look forward to competing with them yet again with our new Tango.

Another story centering around the North Gasmean International Auto Show is the impending debut of the next generation Whitaker Panther. The current version of Whitaker’s pony car debuted in 1982, a year before its chief competitor, the Lutz Stallion.

Fruinian carmaker McNamara has finally updated its ancient Thunder SUV and this month’s magazine features a glowing review.

[MAG]

April 15, 1991 - Welcome to the 1991 North Gasmean International Auto Show!

The Nassau Motor Company has always been the go-to brand for customers who have families that need a little more space. Starting with the Regent in 1964, all the way through to today’s Accolade Estate, Nassau has prided itself on providing the best option in the market for growing families. In 1989, we even added offroad flavor to the mix by introducing the Bandito S SUV. Through 1990 we’ve sold over 1 million Nassau estate and “utility” vehicles.

But we’re also aware that the market is changing. People want more space, better economy; a vehicle that can take them anywhere. They want a car that can do everything. At Nassau for 1992, we’ve built the car for you.

Presenting the 1992 Nassau Overland!

We’ll start with the entry level Nassau Overland S.

The 1992 Overland S is Nassau’s entry into the emerging minivan market. Riding a 110" wheelbase and coming in at an overall length of 190", the Overland S is a small, maneuverable solution for the needs of the growing family.

Inside you’ll find a standard cloth interior with three row seating for 6 (or more depending on chosen options) and a Nassau cassette deck.

Under the hood of all Overland models is Nassau’s all new D33-6I 3.3L V6, which has been tuned specifically for our new small van.

The D33-6I features multipoint fuel injection and produces 161hp and 191ft-lbs of torque. While you won’t be winning many races at the drag strip, the Overland does have the power to get to 60mph in just over 9 seconds. That power is directed to the front wheels through a 4 speed automatic transaxle.

Like the 1992 Tango, the Overland features plastic cladding underneath to improve fuel economy. The Overland S returns 21.2mpg, which is near the top of the segment.

But we haven’t just stopped with the Overland S. We move on to the 1992 Nassau Overland XL.

The Overland XL is a step up from the Overland S. Riding the same wheelbase, the XL has had its overall length increased by 5 inches which increases storage volume inside.

Outside, upgrading to the Overland XL gets you a revised front bumper with foglights, 16" aluminum alloy wheels (compared to the 16" steel wheels on the S), and chrome trim instead of black plastic.

Inside, the cloth interior is replaced by premium leather, which still seats 6 (or more). The standard Nassau cassette deck is upgraded to a Nassau Hi-Fi cassette.

Under the hood, the Overland XL is powered by our new 3.3L V6.

We have one more model to show. Let’s bring out the 1992 Nassau Overland XL AWD.

The 1992 Overland XL AWD is identical to the Overland XL with one important difference. This is the first vehicle to utilize Nassau’s brand new all wheel drive system (the Bandito S is 4WD). This new AWD system means the Overland can go almost anywhere with confidence.

Pricing for all models will be announced later this year.

Until then, enjoy the rest of the show!

[MAG]

June 25, 1991 - Nassau would like to announce pricing for its new models for 1992.

The 1992 Nassau Tango will be available in 4 trim levels. They will be priced as follows.

$10,339 - Tango S
$11,600 - Tango XF
$11,946 - Tango SE
$11,955 - Tango R

The 1992 Nassau Overland will have late availability, going on sale in March 1992. It will be priced as follows.

$15,422 - Overland S
$18,169 - Overland XL
$19,131 - Overland XL AWD

[MAG]

June 28, 1991 - The final 1991 Nassau Nifty Deluxe has been sold. Let’s take a look back at the premium version of our first ever subcompact.

The Nifty Deluxe was introduced for the 1983 model year. This was our first car built in the new Slotylv, Archana factory. The Nifty was originally developed for the cheaper Archanan market with some sales in Fruinia expected. However, to make the project viable, a higher trimmed version was created to sell in the more premium markets in Fruinia. While the car was never expected to sell in Gasmea, it eventually found its way across the sea in the late 1980s.

Powered by an all new D14-4I 4 cylinder engine, the Nifty was the first Nassau to feature fuel injection. This made it much more advanced than its bigger brother, the Tango, which at that point was 5 years old.

Production issues in Slotylv kept Nifty Deluxe sales low, as we sold every car that could be built. Sales of the Nifty Deluxe were flat from its introduction until 1990, when production changes caused sales to rise to 83,557 units for the year.

The Nifty Deluxe will currently be replaced by the new for '92 Tango S model. The new Tango line slots size-wise right in between the outgoing Nifty and the current Tango hatchback.

Nifty Deluxe Sales
1983: 75,408
1984: 78,619
1985: 78,783
1986: 78,783
1987: 78,785
1988: 78,785
1989: 78,784
1990: 83,557
1991: 45,841
Total: 677,345

August 17, 1991 - The final 1991 Nassau Nifty S has been sold. Let’s take a look back at our entry level subcompact.

The base model Nifty S was developed in the early 1980s as a car for third world foreign markets. Featuring very little in the amount of options, the car was originally slotted to be sold in Archana and the more economically run down parts of Fruinia. Eventually as the decade progressed, the Nifty S reached more and more markets.

While it was developed as a cheap car, it was still rather advanced for the time, featuring a single cam fuel injected four cylinder and front wheel drive.

Going on sale in 1983, the Nifty S immediately had its best year, recording 69,989 sales. Sales remained steady throughout the 9 year model run.

The Nifty S will be replaced by the Tango lineup for 1992.

Nifty S Sales
1983: 69,989
1984: 69,216
1985: 69,047
1986: 69,047
1987: 69,046
1988: 69,047
1989: 69,047
1990: 60,432
1991: 30,634
Total: 575,505

All together, the Nifty line sold a total of 1,252,850 units over 9 years.

October 24, 1991 - The final 1991 Nassau Tango R has been sold. Let’s look back at our second generation family hatchback.

The second generation Tango R dropped the 5 from the original name, though it still kept the 5 door hatchback body style. A much more rounded and aerodynamic body and a new 1.6L version of our fuel injected 4 cylinder made this a much more efficient car than the first generation.

Sales of the Tango R actually fell considerably from the first generation model. While the 1978-1987 Tango 5R averaged around 217k sales per year, the second generation came in at just over 113k. This can be attributed to a much better economy. People with more spending power chose the higher trimmed Tango S instead.

It didn’t help that the second generation Tango was a bit of a stop gap solution. We needed a completely new car, but didn’t have the resources to fully devote to one at the time, so we simply reworked what we already had. Perhaps the public could see that. The top sales year was 1990, when 132,586 were sold.

The second generation Tango R will be replaced by the new Tango model line for 1992.

Tango R Sales
1988: 99,059
1989: 128,778
1990: 132,586
1991: 93,936
Total: 454,359

November 10, 1991 - The final 1991 Nassau Tango S has been sold. Let’s take a look back at the higher trimmed version of our second generation family hatchback.

An improving economy in the late 1980s caused a sales explosion for the Tango S. While the previous generation averaged around 147k cars sold per year, the 1988-1991 Tango S sold an average of 234k. Its top year was 1989, when 270,059 were sold - making it the best selling Nassau model ever through 1991.

The Tango S will be replaced in 1992 by the new Tango model line.

Tango S Sales
1988: 238,389
1989: 270,059
1990: 236,675
1991: 190,415
Total: 935,538

All together, the second generation Tango sold 1,389,897 units.

November 28, 1991 - Now that the 1991 motorsports seasons have concluded, let’s take a look at how Nassau performed.

Fruinian Touring Car Championship
It was more of the same for 1991 as the Laguna NP continues to be the class of the field. The championship came down to the wire again between Trenton Performance’s Anton Gustav and Nassau Performance’s Marcos Andres. This time, 3rd year driver Anton Gustav completed the upset by winning the season’s final race and the championship.

FTCC Final Standings:
1st - Anton Gustave (Trenton Performance) - 5 victories
2nd - Marcos Andres (Nassau Performance) - 4 victories
4th - Stan Specter (Segelson Motorsports) - 1 victory
5th - Fred Donaldson (Donaldson Racing) - 1 victory
6th - Bill Lindgren (Nassau Performance) - 1 victory
8th - Jason Borden (Dover Motorsport)
9th - Zack Dokken (Trenton Performance)
11th - Greg Adams (Segelson Motorsports)
14th - Daniel Matthias (Dover Motorsport)
16th - Don Swift (Donaldson Racing)

[MAG]

January 6, 1992 - The new year is finally upon us. This year sees the release of our new Tango compact line. In March, we will be releasing our first ever minivan, the Nassau Overland.

That being said, we at Nassau were prepared for a pretty rough 1991 and as you’ll see below, the year did not disappoint. We discontinued 2 models that had been producing at pretty much capacity, so when production ended mid year, total sales began to tank. Combine that with some rather expensive factory upgrades and a fine for not meeting CAFE targets and you get a perfect storm for a bad year. We do fully expect to bounce back for 1992.

As you can see, it was bad. If we hadn’t spent the 1980s saving our profits we’d be in real trouble as we lost $1.4 billion this year. We did see a rise in our prestige rating as our lower end models were discontinued. That also correlated with a drop in our reputation, as those lower end models were much more reliable than say, the Accolade, which we’ll get to later.

The economy has hit a bit of a stumble. With the fall of the iron curtain in 1990, an influx of cheap, shoddy goods from Archana began to make their way into the Fruinian and Gasmean markets, causing a bit of a collapse.

As you can see from our year over year graph, the loss of our entire small car production really hurt. However, the Slotylv factory is now ready to produce the new Tango and our Nassau factory is nearly ready for the new Overland.

Total sales of Nassau vehicles in 1991 were 695,910 units, down 133k from the prevous year. Sales were down in all three markets as our small cars made up the majority of our sales.

386,918 - Gasmea (-10%) - Top Seller: Tango S
229,532 - Fruinia (-16%) - Top Seller: Tango S
79,460 - Archana (-36%) - Top Seller: Nifty Deluxe

The Nifty model line was discontinued this year to make room for production of the new Tango compacts. Total sales for the final year of the Nifty were 76,475.

The Nifty S stuck around a couple months longer, but recorded fewer sales than the premium model. Nifty S sales hit 30,634 units.

The Nifty Deluxe despite selling out in June, was our best selling model in Archana. We sold 45,841 in its final year.

The Tango line didn’t see quite as dramatic of a sales drop as we were able to keep production going for a little longer as well as over produce for a few months. The final year of the second generation model sold a total of 284,351 units,

In its final year, the Tango R hatchback recorded 93,936 sales.

The Tango S hatchback stuck around for a month longer and recorded 190,415 sales.

The biggest benefactor of the loss of our front wheel drive compacts was the Laguna lineup. While sales were still down, the Laguna saw large increases near the end of the year. The total lineup sold 67,300 units.

Sales were led by the base Laguna S, which sold 49,224 units.

The Laguna Turbo continues to sell below expectations, but still much better than the first generation car. This year, 12,987 rolled off dealer lots.

The Laguna NP may be a showcase of our technology and a proven race winner, but it’s not winning the sales race. This year sales fell again, down to 5,089 units.

The Bandito line saw sales rise yet again. It may be worth looking into the offroad/SUV market for future products. Sales across both models totaled 73,814.

The Bandito Pickup used strong sales in Gasmea to come in with a total of 34,346 units sold.

The big surprise was the Bandito S SUV. After being eclipsed by sales of the pickup for a few months, demand for the SUV has begun to rise. This year we sold 39,468.

The second generation Accolade has been a hit. Sales rose across all 4 model lines and we’re producing at capacity. Total sales were 193,970.

The Accolade SE is now selling twice as much as the previous model. This year we sold 63,547.

The Accolade Estate continues to be the sales leader of the group, registering 82,658 for 1991.

The Accolade Sport has proven to be extremely popular in Fruinia and whatever’s left sells out in Gasmea. This year sales were up to 22,181 units.

Finally, the luxury Accolade Elite also saw sales increase, up to 25,584 units.

Sales Breakdown
190,415 - Tango S (-20%)
93,936 - Tango R (-29%)
82,658 - Accolade Estate (+6%)
63,547 - Accolade SE (+8%)
49,224 - Laguna S (-6%)
45,841 - Nifty Deluxe (-45%)
39,468 - Bandito S (+21%)
34,346 - Bandito Pickup (+11%)
30,634 - Nifty S (-49%)
25,584 - Accolade Elite (+10%)
22,181 - Accolade Sport (+12%)
12,987 - Laguna Turbo (-2%)
5,089 - Laguna NP (-22%)

Final Business
As he gets ready to take over the company in 1995, Charles Gaul has been pouring over report after report. A few things have caught his eye and are beginning to cause some worry.

Firstly, there’s the problem with the Accolade. While the car is selling in record numbers and people seem to love it, especially in Sport trim, the car is hurting the company in two different ways; and both relate to the V6 under the hood. Our C-series V6s are beginning to develop a reputation for unreliability, which is dragging our reputation down. In the latest consumer reports review magazine, the Accolade scored a miserable 58.1 in reliability, well below the industry average. Some of this is attributed to the engine, and some to the new and unproven tech we built into the car.

The second problem with the Accolade is its atrocious fuel economy. Increased sales of the new car in 1990 caused us to miss our CAFE target for the year which resulted in large fines. While we’d love to wait a few years for a replacement, we may need to consider it ASAP.

Our other problem is the Laguna. After 8 years, it seems we still haven’t been able to prefect the front wheel drive sports car. While the car is fun to drive and proven on the track, the sales numbers continue to fall flat. The 1991 model needed the discontinuation of all of our other small cars in order to only post a slight sales decline. We may need to go back to the drawing board and re-invent the formula for what the Laguna should be.

[MAG]

April 29, 1992 - The May 1992 issue of EngineFad magazine has arrived and it’s good news for Nassau.

EngineFad has named the 1992 Nassau Tango its 1992 Car of the Year! Nassau becomes the first non-Gasmean company to win the magazine’s prestigious award.

Previously, the 1978 Tango made the magazine’s top ten list and the 1988 Tango was the runner up. The 1990 Accolade also made the top ten. In 1970, the original Nassau Raider finished runner up for the “Import Car of the Year” award. That award was discontinued in 1982.

EngineFad sites the wide range of choice given to consumers that the Tango lineup offers as well as the high reliability of our D series four cylinder engines.

Sales have been strong through April and this will only help to increase them.

Other stories include a comparison test of one of the hottest new market segments, the minivan. Not surprisingly the company that created the minivan, Albright, finished in first with their Conestoga. The Nassau Overland finished second, thanks to it being the only van to offer all wheel drive.

The 1988 Car of the Year, the Whitaker Sultan, has been refreshed slightly for 1992. Customers are greeted with new engine options and a new interior. Much of the outside of the car remains the same, with the exception of new tail lights.

EngineFad’s reporters have noticed something outside the city of Stria, Fruinia. Nassau’s factory there, which had gone dark after the production of the third generation Raider ended in 1984, has had some activity lately. Aside from the Raider, the factory had acted as storage for a series of 6 first generation Laguna chassis. These chassis were actually Raider based and contained a V8 up front and were rear wheel drive. They were produced in hopes that the Laguna would be able to continue racing in the Trans-Gasmean Racing Series, but unfortunately they were never allowed to race. EngineFad has no idea what’s going on at the Stria factory, but there is activity.

The final major story is about the impending bankruptcy of southern Fruinian automaker Martini. Martini had re-entered the Gasmean market in the late 1970s and had also won the 1975 and 1976 FTCC championships. However, the company has struggled to meet economy standards in the 1980s and have now officially declared bankruptcy. Rumor has it the company’s assets will be on the auction block within a year or two.

[MAG]

January 3, 1993 - 1992 was a year of change for the Nassau Motor Company. Let’s take a look back.

Motorsports Review

Fruinian Touring Car Championship
The Laguna NP continues to own the FTCC, but it seems the competition is catching up. Anton Gustav drove his #33 to his second consecutive championship and the fourth consecutive title for Nassau.

FTCC Final Standings:
1st - Anton Gustav (Trenton Performance) - 4 victories
3rd - Marcos Andres (Nassau Performance) - 2 victories
5th - Stan Specter (Segelson Motorsports) - 1 victory
6th - Bill Lindgren (Nassau Performance) - 1 victory
8th - Zack Dokken (Trenton Performance)
9th - Jason Borden (Dover Motorsport)
13th - Fred Donaldson (Donaldson Racing)
14th - Daniel Matthias (Dover Motorsport)
17th - Don Swift (Donaldson Racing)
20th - Terry Smith (Segelson Motorsports)

Sales Review
1992 was a big rebound for Nassau sales wise. The reliability an excellent engineering found in the new Tango compacts and Overland minivan helped raise our reputation by nearly 3 points this year.

It was also a banner year for revenue as we made nearly $11 billion dollars.

However, the huge costs associated with beginning the production of these new models had a big impact on our bottom line, causing us to lose another $500 million. We’ve now lost over $2 billion in 2 years. With the models now released, we’re hoping that we won’t be burning through any more of our reserves.

The recent economic correction of the late 80s has begun to stabilize. All indications show that the economy should begin another boom relatively shortly.

In January our sales began a steady uptick that really took off once the Overland became available to the public. By the middle of the year, we were equaling our sales from 1990, which was our best year ever. We had our best third quarter ever.

1992 saw Nassau rebound to 803,060 sales. This was second only to 1990 in terms of total sales. Sales were up in all three major markets.

457,505 - Gasmea (+18%) - Top Seller: Tango R
235,564 - Fruinia (+3%) - Top Seller: Tango R
109,991 - Archana (+38%) - Top Seller: Tango R

With the discontinuation of the Nifty subcompacts, we expected the Tango to pick up the slack and it did. Across all four model lines, the Tango sold 462,480 cars.

The entry level and economy leading Tango S recorded 89,704 sales.

The all-rounder Tango SE, expected to be the sales leader of the group, came in with 84,187 sales.

The public continues to crave Nassau wagons. The practicality an affordability of our Tango R wagon made it our best seller this year, coming in at 254,561 sold.

The Tango XF coupe did very well in its first year, selling 34,028 cars.

At the other end of the spectrum was our aging Laguna sport compact. Originally released in 1984 and refreshed in 1989, our “sports car” is showing its age. After a brief resurgence in 1989, sales have tumbled. The release of the new Tango XF could have been the final nail in the coffin. Laguna sales across all model lines totaled just 18,335 units this year.

The Laguna S, equipped with the 100hp 2.0L sold just 12,355 units.

The Laguna Turbo didn’t fare any better, recording just 3,699 sales.

The Laguna NP originally conceived to be a showcase of Nassau’s leading turbo technology rercorded 2,281 sales. With its success on the racetrack beginning to wane, the NP could be on the way out.

1992 also saw a large decline in sales of the Accolade sedans. While it was just refreshed in 1990, the Accolade dates back to 1984 just like the Laguna. Poor reviews of the V6 engine under the hood aren’t doing it any favors. This year we sold 115,328 _Accolade_s.

The Accolade SE saw sales more than halved, falling to 29,753 units.

The Accolade Estate continued to be the sales leader of the group, recording 38,936 units sold.

Interestingly, sales of the Accolade Sport were up over the previous year and it was nearly the second best selling of the group. 28,476 rolled off dealer lots this year.

The same couldn’t be said about the Accolade Elite. While sales did decline, they didn’t fall as harshly as other models. We sold 18,163.

Our Bandito lineup wasn’t immune to sales declines either. Across both models, we sold just 46,062.

The Bandito Pickup is still popular in Gasmea, but sales fell to just 21,183 units.

The Bandito S SUV also saw declines, down to 24,879 units.

The Overland minivans had an impressive debut for 1992, selling 160,875 across the three model lines.

The Overland S was the sales leader, recording 95,295 sales.

The mid range Overland XL came in at the bottom of the three, selling 27,753.

The top of the line Overland XL AWD surprised us by outselling the non-AWD model. It sold 37,827 units.

Model Breakdown
254,561 - Tango R (NEW)
95,295 - Overland S (NEW)
89,704 - Tango S (NEW)
84,187 - Tango SE (NEW)
38,936 - Accolade Estate (-53%)
37,827 - Overland XL AWD (NEW)
34,028 - Tango XF (NEW)
29,753 - Accolade SE (-53%)
28,476 - Accolade Sport (+28%)
27,753 - Overland XL (NEW)
24,879 - Bandito S (-37%)
21,183 - Bandito Pickup (-38%)
18,163 - Accolade Elite (-29%)
12,355 - Laguna S (-75%)
3,699 - Laguna Turbo (-72%)
2,281 - Laguna NP (-55%)

Inside the Business
Continuing to pour over sales reports, Charles Gaul has noticed a disturbing trend at Nassau.

Nassau’s biggest competitor is itself. Our vehicles fail to distinguish themselves enough from our other models. This, combined with a somewhat bloated model lineup, means that even though we’re selling more vehicles than ever our profit margins are razor thin.

This is no more evident than with the release of the new Tango. With 4 model lines, the Tango caters to every part of the market. The release of the new car destroyed sales of our Laguna model line and took sales away from the bottom of the Accolade lineup. The Accolade was also hurt by the release of the new Overland as they also compete in a similar market.

Charles has brought this to the attention of Robert Gaul, but was told not to worry about it. We’re selling more cars than ever. Just like his father before him, whether he wants to admit it - Robert is stubborn.

While we already have several models in the pipeline that can’t be changed, Charles plans on making some changes once he takes over in 1995.

[MAG]

January 2, 1994 - The final official year for Robert Gaul as head of the Nassau Motor Company has begun. Taking over in 1960, he’s spent 35 years at the helm and has grown the company from selling just 5 models and over 100,000 cars to a company with 16 different models selling over 800,000 cars per year. Let’s take a look back at 1993.

Motorsports Review

Fruinian Touring Car Championship
The sun is beginning to set on the Nassau Laguna NP’s dominance of the series. Since debuting in 1984, the Laguna has won 6 championships. It was not to be this year. Greg Adams piloted the brand new Blake B2400 to the company’s first championship since 1980.

FTCC Final Standings:
2nd - Anton Gustav (Trenton Performance) - 3 victories
4th - Marcos Andres (Nassau Performance) - 2 victories
5th - Stan Specter (Segelson Motorsports)
6th - Zack Dokken (Trenton Performance) - 1 victory
9th - Fred Donaldson (Donaldson Racing)
11th - Jason Borden (Dover Motorsport)
12th - Justin Jonas (Nassau Performance)
16th - Daniel Matthias (Dover Motorsport)
18th - Don Swift (Donaldson Racing)
21st - Terry Smith (Segelson Motorsports)

Sales Review
While 1992 saw us rebound in sales numbers with the introduction of the new Tango and Overland models, 1993 saw us rise back to profitability. Interestingly, our reputation fell slightly, while prestige rose a bit.

This year we earned $12 billion in revenues, translating to $1.135 billion in profits.

We’re building our cash reserves back up. And Charles thinks we’re going to need them. There are some projects we have in engineering which Charles Gaul was completely against and were pushed through by Robert. Charles feels there isn’t market justification for them, but Robert wants a full lineup, despite the costs and model overlap.

On the plus side, the economy is humming along pretty nicely. It’s a much different world now than the depression of the 1960s and 1970s.

As you can see, sales have rebounded pretty nicely following the bottom out in 1991. In December 1993, we had our best month ever, selling 74,463 cars.

1993 once again saw Nassau post its best sales year ever. This time we came in at 863,749 cars. The new Tango and Overland continue to be huge successes.

504,642 - Gasmea (+10%) - Top Seller: Tango R
241,401 - Fruinia (+2%) - Top Seller: Tango R
117,706 - Archana (+7%) - Top Seller: Tango R

Our sales are stagnating in Fruinia. We’re pretty much at full market penetration as it currently stands. Unless we can begin to expand into new markets, we’ve pretty much leveled out. The same can be said for Archana. As much as the market has grown since the fall of the iron curtain, we’re not selling many more cars each year. The big market is Gasmea and that is where our focus will continue to be.

The Tango compacts have now won multiple awards to go along with the 1992 EngineFad Car of the Year title. The awards, along with the car speaking for itself, has led to the 3rd generation model becoming a huge success. This year we sold a total of 502,891 across the four model lines.

The entry level Tango S crossed the 100k mark, selling 110,521 cars.

The higher trimmed Tango SE also crossed the 100k barrier, selling 103,919 cars.

The Tango R wagon is the one that’s really winning over consumers. After selling a quarter of a million last year, we sold even more for 1993. All told, 259,674 left dealer lots. This makes it our second best selling model ever, behind the 1989 Tango S, which sold 270,059 units.

The Tango XF coupe had a decent year, but ended up posting a sales loss. We sold 28,777 this year, down from 34k last year.

Then we come to the Laguna. With the Tango XF pushing in from the bottom end and the Accolade Sport pushing from the top, the Laguna has been squeezed out of the market. We will continue producing the car for the 1994 model year, but that will be its last. For 1993, we sold just 9,001 units.

The previously successful Laguna S sold just 5,890 vehicles. This is down 91% from the debut of the second generation in 1989 and 95% from the car’s best year in 1987 (sold under the Laguna Coupe name).

The Laguna Turbo didn’t fare much better, selling just 1,425 units.

The 1993 Laguna NP will be the final full model year for the car. A series of a few hundred special “final” editions will be produced for 1994, but once those are gone the car is done. We sold 1,686 1993 models.

The Accolade sedans had an interesting 1993. Total sales were down to 100,923 units for the year, with the big losses coming from the SE and Estate models. However, the Sport and Elite models posted slight gains.

The Accolade SE “entry level” premium sedan sold 21,435 units.

The Accolade Estate has finally lost its “top seller” status among our premium sedans. We sold 28,961 this year.

Taking that top sales spot for the sedans was the Accolade Sport. Surprisingly, sales rose to 30,160 units.

The improving economy meant that more people sprang for the Accolade Elite this year, as sales were up to 20,367.

Sales of our small Bandito offroader remained flat this year as we sold a total of 47,942, which was slightly up over the previous year.

The Bandito Pickup saw sales rise to 23,732 units.

The Bandito S saw sales fall ever so slightly, down to 24,210 units.

With three more months of sales compared to last year, the Overland saw sales explode to 202,992 units.

Leading the charge was the smaller Overland S, which sold 116,504.

The larger premium Overland XL sold more than last year, but still below expectations, racking up 34,129 sales.

Finally, the Overland XL AWD continued to shatter expectations. People want all wheel drive, as we sold 52,359 premium vans.

Model Breakdown
259,674 - Tango R (+2%)
116,504 - Overland S (+22%)
110,521 - Tango S (+23%)
103,919 - Tango SE (+23%)
52,359 - Overland XL AWD (+38%)
34,129 - Overland XL (+23%)
30,160 - Accolade Sport (+4%)
28,961 - Accolade Estate (-26%)
28,777 - Tango XF (-15%)
24,210 - Bandito S (-3%)
23,732 - Bandito Pickup (+12%)
21,435 - Accolade SE (-28%)
20,367 - Accolade Elite (+12%)
5,890 - Laguna S (-52%)
1,686 - Laguna NP (-26%)
1,425 - Laguna Turbo (-61%)

Inside the Business
Charles Gaul cannot wait to take control of Nassau, as he has huge plans for the company. At first he will be saddled with some models that he doesn’t want, but he’s already got replacements on the drawing boards for everything the company offers.

Up first is the Laguna, as the clock has struck midnight on our sport compact. The Laguna was never really focused enough on a single market and it showed. As we built cars that encroached on some of the markets the Laguna appealed to, sales tanked. The next car has a more focused approach and will be debuting in February at the Fruinian Motor Show. This will be the first of a complete revamping of our lineup.

[MAG]

February 15, 1994 - Welcome to the 1994 Fruinian Motor Show!

As everyone is aware, we at Nassau are here to say goodbye to our Laguna sport compact car. Following the 1994 model year, and after 11 years of production, the Laguna will be discontinued. This will be commemorated by the production of just under 300 Laguna NP special “final edition” cars. This will also be the final year for the Laguna NP in the Fruinian Touring Car Championship, where it has had a dominating decade. Since debuting in 1993, the Laguna has scored 91 victories and 6 championships - the most of any car during that timeframe.

But as the Laguna drives off into the sunset, we’re left with a rather large gap in our lineup. We’re here today to debut a new model, aimed at picking up where the Laguna left off.

We’re proud to introduce the 1995 Nassau Hornet!

Starting with the 1995 Nassau Hornet S, we’ve developed this car specifically for the pony car market. Riding a 103" wheelbase, the Hornet gives a much smoother ride and with a total length that’s actually 4" shorter than the outgoing Laguna, you can fit it into even tighter spaces.

Standard equipment includes a cloth interior with a Nassau cassette deck and seating for 4. Aluminum alloy wheels are standard as well as four wheel anti lock disc brakes. Like the Tango and Overland before it, the Hornet S makes use of plastic cladding underneath for increased fuel economy, which comes in at 25mpg.

We didn’t skimp on performance either. We know that many people never came to grips with the 4 cylinder turbos used in the Laguna. For the Hornet, we’ve gone ahead and shoved our D33-6I 3.3L V6 under the hood.

Slightly improved over the version used in the Overland, the D33-6I now produces 162hp and 192ft-lbs of torque, delivered to the front wheels via a 5 speed manual transaxle. This pulls the Hornet S to 60mph in 7.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in 15.8 and will keep pulling up to 140mph.

While the Hornet S is a fantastic car, we know that consumers in the 90’s want options. That’s why we’ve also come up with the 1995 Nassau Hornet XF!

The 1995 Hornet XF is tuned slightly more for comfort, but has been given the full sport makeover. Outside, the XF receives front and rear chin spoilers, as well as front fog lamps. A rear spoiler is also added.

The big changes are inside. Open the doors and you’ll find a premium leather interior with seating for 4 along with a Nassau cassette deck.

The D33-6I remains the only engine choice, but you won’t be complaining as you’re rocketing to 60mph in 7.7 seconds and through the quarter mile in 16.

Pricing for the new Hornet sport coupe will be announced later this year.

[abg7]

The Hornet is quite an improvement on the Laguna it replaces, and packs a real sting (just like its namesake) with its atmo V6 - hopefully, it should outsell its predecessor considerably! It also looks much better to boot. But will it be offered with all-wheel-drive as an option this time around?

[MAG]

March 4, 1994 - The new issue of EngineFad magazine has arrived, but first some comments from Charles Gaul regarding the 1995 Nassau Hornet.

We’re hoping that aiming more directly at the “pony car” market will pay off for the new model. The Laguna was more of a compromise between “pony” and “fun” and when the new Tango was released, which also dips into the “fun” market, it killed our old Laguna, which dates back to 1984. The refresh in 1989 helped, but it’s an old car that needs to go.

There are no plans for an all wheel drive Hornet. AWD is still an expensive proposition and takes a lot of engineering to get right. We plan on introducing it in our top models first before it trickles down, which is why we started with the Overland. We may or may not be planning an AWD version of the next Accolade.

Now to digest the newest issue of EngineFad.

The cover story is on the new engine for the Whitaker Panther. The new car debuted in 1992, but engines were carry-overs from the previous model, which used a pushrod 5.4L V8 with single point injection. The new model uses a DOHC 4.8L V8 which makes more power and more torque.

There’s also a story about our new Hornet and the development process of the new car. The Hornet rides on a stretched and widened version of the Tango chassis and uses the V6 originally developed for the Overland minivan. While that may make it sound like a parts-bin special, everything somehow comes together in perfect harmony. EngineFad plans a comparison test later this year with the Hornet, the McNamara Lynx, the Whitaker Knight, the Lutz Palmetto, and the Albright Primo. As you can see, the FWD sport compact market has exploded with options.

Swedish automaker Viking debuted their new small family car, the Viking P4 at the Fruinian Motor Show. The P4 competes with the Tango in the compact market. Viking is a small company and was last really relevant in the early 1980s when the 800, which the P4 replaces, won back to back FTCC titles.

German luxury automaker Z.A.C. has purchased the assets of the bankrupt Martini Motor Company.

There’s also a story on traction control, which is starting to be found in many new models.

[abg7]

The Panther actually looks quite nice, but it’s not likely to be a direct competitor to the Hornet now, since it has a different drivetrain layout. As for companies other than Nassau (such as Whitaker), will you make company threads for those as well? They clearly deserve them as much as Nassau does!

[MAG]

The Panther was a direct competitor with the Nassau Raider from 1970-1984. When we dropped the Raider and switched to the front wheel drive Laguna, the cars actually still did compete. Power from V8s in the early '80s was low enough to make that possible. But as automakers have learned how to get power with the advent of fuel injection and better materials, cars like the Panther and the Lutz Stallion have left the front wheel drivers in the dust.

However, the market for front wheel drive has grown considerably since then, enough so that those companies as well as others are making sport compacts like the Hornet. Perhaps the Laguna was just ahead of its time.

As for other company threads, I may make a catch all thread for other cars once I finish the Nassau story.

[MAG]

April 19, 1994 - Welcome to the Nassau stage at the North Gasmean International Auto Show. You may be wondering why we’ve scheduled this presentation. Well, a little over five years ago, my father Robert announced to the company his plans to retire in 1995. We wanted to give him a going away present that’s a little better than your standard gold watch. So we took a small group of engineers and gave them complete freedom to come up with something spectacular. Now, we’re ready to present the fruits of those late nights to the world.

Presenting, the 1995 Nassau Stria!

The 1995 Nassau Stria S is the most advanced sports car the world has ever seen. This new from the ground up 2 seater features a fully aluminum body to save weight. Riding on a 96" wheelbase, the Stria S tears through the corners better than any other car on the market. Featuring 4 wheel disc brakes and for the first time ever in a Nassau vehicle, traction control, the Stria S is essentially a rocket ship. However, with its sleek leather interior and Nassau Hi-Fi audio system, it’s a little more well appointed.

As advanced as the chassis of the new Stria S is, it’s the engine that’s the real star of the show.

If you look under the hood of the Stria, you’ll find nothing. That’s because we’ve shoved the all new, all-aluminum E38-6T into the middle of the car. The E38-6T is a 3.8L full alloy DOHC V6 that sucks in air through twin-turbochargers. This newly developed engine produces 332hp and 355ft-lbs of torque. That power is routed through a 5 speed manual transmission to the rear wheels and makes the Stria S the quickest car in the world. In just 3.9 seconds, you’ll reach 60mph. In case you’re wondering, that’s .1 second faster than the Atlas Ace GTS, which is the current record-holder. The quarter mile will whisk by in just 12.3 seconds and the Stria S will keep going up to 162mph.

But what if you’re not a hardcore performance enthusiast? What if you want the hot new car to cruise the Riviera? Well, Nassau hasn’t forgotten about you.

The 1995 Nassau Stria C convertible is what you’re looking for. Mechanically, the _Stria C_is exactly the same as the Stria S coupe, but with increased strengthening beams to compensate for the drop top. With the added weight, the Stria C is slightly slower, 4.2 seconds to 60 compared to 3.9 and 12.6 seconds in the quarter mile compared to 12.3. But really, what is .3 seconds when you’ve got the wind rushing through your hair and the entire southern coast staring at you in awe?

The Stria C is the first drop top Nassau since the now classic 1969 Grand Pacific Convertible.

Named for the town in which it’s built, the Stria will be a limited production model. Pricing will be announced later this year.

[abg7]

At last, Nassau makes a supercar - and it’s a good 'un! I can imagine period posters of it with someone like Pamela Anderson, Cindy Crawford or Denise Austin standing next to one.

Its engine could have been mounted longitudinally, but it isn’t, so I reckon that mounting it transversely (like in an Acura NSX) would have been motivated by cost concerns (and also because you are more familiar with transverse-engined cars by the time the Stria debuted).

Also, the Stria is the first rear-drive Nassau in several decades, and the only one in the 1995 lineup that isn’t built on a front-wheel-drive platform, as is the case with the rest of the range. And even if it’s not actually the quickest car in the world, it’s right up there with the very best.