PRIMUS - The First Choice

[Happyhungryhippo]

For 1978 the new third-generation Primus Astrona arrived, and it was an attempt at a “world car”. The Globus Comet was discontinued, only the Fastback was offered until November 1978, the other models were dropped in January with the arrival of the new Astrona.

The idea was a car that was suiting all markets, with a styling influenced by both Hetvesian and Gasmean taste. The car grew in its dimensions, but not excessively to avoid inhouse competition with the Imperator. The interior was almost the same in space as before, and still a lot smaller than that of a Globus Premier, but the car was much more fun to drive than the Globus - and the rear-wheel drive was kept. A semi trailing arm rear axle that replaced the solid axle in the rear ensured that the car still felt nimble like an Astrona should.

Another new idea were more individualization possibilities, now featuring differen trim levels like the Publica had, so you could have a more loaded car with the base engine, the stronger engines were however limited to the better trims. An automatic was now available for both six-cylinder trims, and it was now a four-speed like in the Imperator. These two six-cylinder engines grew in displacement, since the new Astrona was overall more premium than before, but the base engine was still the 4B18 with 1,8 liter - the entry level model should still be accessible for the masses. Since the Diesel Astrona had some success, it returned with the same 2,1 liter engine.
Safety and comfort improved compared to the predecessor, but the higher weight resulted in a slightly higher consumption and slower performance despite better aerodynamics. On the other hand, the price was kept the same. This resulted in steady sales for the fleet market, and a few private commuters liked the diesel engine as well.

Primus Astrona 210D CL
Front engine RWD
built: 1978-1984
LxW: 4,43 x 1,71 m
Power: 75 hp, 178,5 nm
0-100: 14,6 s
speed: 160 kph
cons.: 7,7 ltr D (regular UL)
four-speed manual
price: 9180 $

The Astrona 180 was the cheapest model, like its diesel sibling available in base CL and mid-range GL trim, and recieved a small engine improvement, now making 88 horsepower instead of 86. The CL was, despite a modern and overall nice interior, still frugal - neither a five-speed gearbox nor power steering were a standard feature, but central locks and a passenger side mirror were now included, both an extra on the four-cylinder predecessor that was also sold at an identical pricing before. The sales were overall good, since the Astrona 180 was easy to service and among the more reliable options.

Primus Astrona 180 CL
Front engine RWD
built: 1978-1984
LxW: 4,43 x 1,71 m
Power: 88 hp, 131 nm
0-100: 12,9 s
speed: 170 kph
cons.: 10,6 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 8170 $

The Astrona 230i was available as GL and GLX, and the GL trim was quite a difference to the CL. Leather interior, plastic wood trim, a nicer steering wheel and front power windows made the GL a nicer place to sit in. Power steering and gas dampers were standard for all six-cylinder models, a two-tone paint was optional for GL and GLX. The old 6ADA engine was now sent into retirement (and now only continued in the Country Cruiser until 1982), now using the 6BV V6 in both sixpack options. With the displacement increasing from two to 2,3 liter, the smaller six-cylinder was set further apart from the entry-level Astronas. Fuel injection was not a common standard for midsize cars, even for the slightly upmarket ones like the mid-range Astrona. With now 130 instead of 100 horsepower, the car was perfectly balanced in it´s class - and became the most-sold Astrona, despite a hefty price tag. On the other hand, even with automatic, it could go 200 kph on an even surface, quite a lot for a midsize car with some comfort.

Primus Astrona 230i GL
Front engine RWD
built: 1978-1984
LxW: 4,43 x 1,71 m
Power: 130 hp, 177,5 nm
0-100: 10,3 s
speed: 198 kph
cons.: 12,4 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 12.300 $

The strongest Astrona now had 2,6 instead of 2,4 liter displacement, the power increased from 130 to 146 horsepower - since the modern 6BV was already used in the facelifted Astrona II, the difference was lower, nevertheless the 260i was again noticeably faster. Since both six-cylinder engines came with a five-speed manual, they were quite quick. The 260i passed the 200-kph-mark with ease, especially when it was ordered without the automatic gearbox. Another change was the fact that the strongest Astrona did not have a sportier suspension - it was up to the client to order a touring suspension or not, while before the buyers of the Astrona 240i had to live with a sporty setup.

The GLX trim was among the best one could get in a midsize car, it featured even more plastic wood, power windows in the rear, heated power mirrors and an aircondition at no extra cost. The instrument cluster was wider since the Check-Mate now found its way into the Astrona as well, however that fancy but uncceccessary gimmick was rarely ordered on GL models.
Stuffed like that, one might think twice before ordering an Imperator 320i if an Astrona 260i with sportier handling, more modern design and interior and similar performance could be ordered for $1000 less, but on the other hand, the Imperator offered more space for not much more, and still drove nicely and up-to-date. The 260i GLX was a success, but did not defend the segment leadership as good as the predecessor - a world car had to make the one or other compromise to be good at everything everywhere.

Primus Astrona 260i
Front engine RWD
built: 1978-1984
LxW: 4,43 x 1,71 m
Power: 146 hp, 205 nm
0-100: 8,2 s
speed: 215 kph
cons.: 12,2 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 14.200 $

1979 already announced that the Primus brand would change dramatically again. More innovation, more efficiency was the demand by the bosses, and the all-new Urbano was the first car to be fully developed under the new goals.

The Urbano was a new Frunian developement, intended to replace the Publica, but with a radically new concept. The car is minimalistic - 55 horsepower from a brand-new 1200ccm three-cylinder SOHC engine that was completely made out of aluminium to lower both emissions and weight to increase the efficiency, no unneccessary features, reduced to the essential. On the other hand, it accomodates five adults - one more than the Publica - for even less money, and the new all-aluminium engine with three valves per cylinder is actually as modern as those machines in sports cars sold at that time. A big plus was the low consumption of only 6,5 liter regular, and the car had an excellent start in Frunia, but the Gasmeans liked neither the unusual small engine nor the bizarre shape. Despite the modern and still unproven engine, the reliability matched Publica, as things that aren’t installed won’t break. It was even simpler than the old Publica in some details, like having a solid rear axle on coil springs and front drum brakes.
The corners were cut wherever possible without ruining the usability, and in the end, it was one of the cheapest new cars available, but nevertheless accomodated five adults and featured a multi-valve aluminium engine. The seats were good and qualitative, and even a basic AM radio was included.

Primus Urbano CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1979-1981
LxW: 3,72 x 1,48 m
Power: 55 hp, 99 nm
0-100: 14,5 s
speed: 161 kph
cons.: 6,6 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 6680 $

For those that wanted to use the new Urbano as city car and strongly preferred an automatic, a GL model was offered as well, with the only difference that the GL included a passenger mirror and a better 8-track stereo and - the most important - a four-speed automatic. The proven three-speed swallowed too much of the sparse engine power, so the newer and more efficient four-speed was installed. The consumption was still below 7 liter, and the price of $7000 was dragging a lot of people into Primus showrooms, especially in Frunia.

Primus Urbano GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1979-1981
LxW: 3,72 x 1,48 m
Power: 55 hp, 99 nm
0-100: 15,9 s
speed: 156 kph
cons.: 6,9 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 7020 $

The minimalistic concept and the practical shape as well as the as-cheap-as-possible engineering resulted in the Urbano being absolutely unsuitable as base for a hot hatch. Instead, the Publica III GT trim survived, but lost the “Publica” name since the “normal” CL and GL were discontinued as soon as the Urbano arrived.

Now just called “Primus GTS”, the grandmaster of hot hatches still sold new after 10 years and some new updates, like the revised 1.8 liter Astrona engine. Since practicality was now the task of the Urbano, the GTS was only sold as three-door car, such body style was formerly only available in Letara. A new front design that gave up the double round headlights and new radios were the only changes, apart from the door count and the two horsepower more, but there was one huge argument for the oldie: The bang for the buck. No other hot hatch was this fast at a price this low. However, the chassis maybe kept up surprisingly good after a decade, but the body shape was outdated and the interior cramped and out-moded, too. It managed to sell strong until 1982, and it was discontinued soon after the demand dropped noticeably. While the 1969 Publica ST set a class record with 169 kph top speed, the 1979 GTS even speeds up to over 190 kph - and even if daring young men were the usual buyers, few of them dared to drive that fast with it.

Primus GTS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1979-1983
LxW: 3,65 x 1,45 m
Power: 88 hp, 131 nm
0-100: 9,2 s
speed: 193 kph
cons.: 9,1 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 7580 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

The Check-Mate was hardly a reason to buy a Primus for that alone, but it was a gadget that had the buyer`s interest and Primus recieved a lot of publicity for that hyper-modern electronic control panel. So both the engineers and the project managers became interessed in the possibilities of modern electronics. By 1980, Primus Globus was no longer a small niche automaker, they were among the top 10 worldwide. With all these resources, there was not much that stood in the way to become an industry leader in the one or other aspect.
But the flagship had aged - the Imperator was on sale since 1967, with the latest updates in 1975. Despite fuel injection, a four-speed automatic and a tasteful design, it was too outdated to lead the brand into a new decade, so for 1980, the successor was due and impatiently awaited.

The Imperator was now part of the establishment, and considering that, the designer´s creativity was limited. It had to somehow be similar to the previous model to avoid rapid depreciation of the old one, but had to look fresh and modern to convince people to upgrade. And to make it all more difficult, the end of the Globus Grand Cruiser for late 1980 meant that those customers should consider the Imperator II as well.

Another attempt at a “world car”, with bold Gasmean general styling, but the side profile featured almost invisible B-pillars, resulting in an almost coupé-like feeling, while the rear The side profile features almost invisible B-pillars, resulting in an almost coupé-like feeling. The rear end is not as Gasmean as the front, iwith the intention of adding a hint of sportiness and lightness to the car.

Speaking of lightness, the Imperator used partial aluminium panels to reduce the weight. Efficiency, as the last year´s Urbano featured like almost no other car, was now a part of the Primus DNA, and it should not be limited to frugal econoboxes.
But that was not the only thing the engineers did. A brand new and innovative electronic transmission shifted so fast, smooth and efficient through the four gears that Primus no longer offered a manual in these cars. It adapted to the driver´s behaivour (although quite slow, these processors were trash to 21st century standards, but in long-term owning the car really did behave accordingly to the driver) and featured a seperate sport mode.
But that was not everything - most progress was not noticed until you opened the door. The dashboard of the new Imperator was heavily inspired by the bridge of a cruise ship. Spacious and inviting, with all elements within easy reach of the driver. To underline that a new Imperator introduces a new age of car building, it came with revolutionary electronic equipment for more convenience. Digital gauges were not the only game-changer - and those were also in developement by the competitors and soon to be something usual in premium cars.: But the POIC (Primus Onboard Information Center) was an advanced trip computer not only providing tons of information - but you could also configure car functions like coming-home-lights, delay on interior light dimming, change color of the gauges, shift mode of the gearbox (yes, it can be set to a sportier behaivour, as previously stated) and much more.

Primus saddled for the right horse, since a second oil crisis recalling the first one in the people´s minds now dramatically boosted efficient cars. Even if the usage of a diesel engine in such a luxury boat was - under normal circumstances - something most people would avoid, it was now just the right thing. The Imperator 270D was planned to exist only on paper, to lower the fleet consumption, since new, stricter rules, were applied.

But the use of aluminium and the advanced gearbox together, as well as - believe it or not - despite the boxy front quite acceptable aerodynamics allowed for bearable driving with the 2,7-liter-diesel engine.
So, instead of being a car existing on paper for better fleet statistics, there was demand for it, and frequent travellers with a strong desire for comfort and a calm nature dragged it out of the dealer´s hands. While all that new and fancy stuff actually did fail at times, especially the gearbox ECUs, the diesel engine did it´s job with brilliant reliability.

That firework of technology had one downside: The Imperator II was expensive, the diesel was even more expensive than the old Imperator 520i (that was a bargain in it´s class, to be fair). On the other hand, the Imperator II was not one but at least two steps ahead in every aspect, and while buyers really needed to think twice if buying an Astrona 260i GLX or an Imperator 320i, it was now again a significant gap between the fullsize and the midsize.

Primus Imperator 270D
Front engine RWD
built: 1980-1983
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 96 hp, 222 nm
0-100: 15,2 s
speed: 184 kph
cons.: 9,1 ltr D (aka regular UL)
four-speed automatic
price: 19.900 $

But the diesel alone would not be a convincing choice for most buyers in the premium to luxury class. For that reason, the 3.2 V6 returned. Since the oil crisis led to the final withdrawal of the V8 (and Primus did not put more resources in the old OHV engines, since they were not really believable for the “efficiency” image), the six-cylinder was the only other engine option in the beginning - and it had to deliver a performance close to the old Imperator with V8 to replace it in a way the customers accept, especially since the price was noticeably higher.
For that reason, it came with individual throttle bodies, something also formerly unknown (except in the race-tech handbuilt Alpha) in Primus cars and otherwise only featured in true upmarket sports cars. The output rose to 185 horsepower, and the engine was so willingly on the gas that it felt like moving a midsize. On the other hand, some testers found the engine to be “nervous”. In the end, the 320i was indeed faster and more responsive than the old 520i - another proof that the new generation was more than just one step ahead, and propably the most modern car of the whole industry. The sales were - despite the costly purchase - very good - and they better are, since Primus had spent billions on the development of the car and all it´s gadgetery.

The Imperator 320i was also reviewed by a Letaran magazine:

The most interresting piece of their show was the all new Imperator. While other regions already had the car, we are also finally able to get our hands on one over here. The big sedan comes with 2 engine options of which we will be only getting one: the 320i featuring a 3.2L V6. A diesel option is also being sold, but it wasn’t greenlit by the goverment. While the outside was more downed down, the interior was where the party was. With its intergration of computers, the inside of these cars are probally fancier and more tech than most peoples houses. (Mikonp7, Letaran Car Show 1980)

Primus Imperator 320i
Front engine RWD
built: 1980-1983
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 186 hp, 273 nm
0-100: 8,5 s
speed: 235 kph
cons.: 13,2 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 22.800 $

Globus on the other hand, caused by the new fuel crisis, entered a dark period. The Grand Cruiser was dropped, the Atlas was totally outdated, the Premier sales started to drop, the DuraTrans was also… not the most modern van and therefore well past it´s peak, and last but not least the Country Cruiser seemed to loose grip, too… At least the buses were a thing increasingly demanded in times of absurdly high gas prices, and the Omni 15 was redesigned for 1980, now having more power for a little bit less diesel. This Omni 15 was bought by the council of Roane County, and since it had to stop on interstates, it was equipped with disc brakes. On the other hand, it hardly passed something worth being called “city”, so it was ordered with a four-speed manual. Unit 601 is displayed in the local transportation museum.
In general, public transport in Gasmea was cut wherever possible, and the Omni 15 was rather unsuitable for export - so in the mid-80s, its end was announced, while the Omni 12 was continued for quite a long time.

Globus Omni 15 D811B-MS
Front engine RWD
built: 1980-1988
LxW: 14,57 x 2,50 m
Power: 315 hp, 900 nm
0-100: 29,7 s
speed: 142 kph
cons.: 36,7 ltr Diesel (aka regular unleaded for simulation)
four-speed manual
price: 20.100 $ (without interior installed)

A renewed Omni 12 followed for 1981, with the same benefits: Improved reliability, increased power, slightly less fuel consumption. Visual changes were small, and the 12 model was still - and even more - less Gasmean-styled than the 15, since the export markets were even more important than the Gasmean home market, but the largest single customer remained Belasco Public.

Globus Omni 12 D86b-AC
Front engine RWD
built: 1980-1987
LxW: 11,98 x 2,50 m
Power: 237 hp, 677 nm
0-100: 33,3 s
speed: 130 kph
cons.: 30,9 ltr Diesel (aka regular unleaded for simulation)
three-speed automatic
price: 16.000 $ (without interior installed)

The Premier sedan was updated for 1981 - the interior recieved new, updated HVAC controls that were easier to use, the exterior now featured more modern rectangular headlights, more stable door handles and different mirrors, a more aerodynamic shape from the Primus Imperator II. But the most important change was made to the 3,1 V6. While the mechanical injection system used by Primus would be too expensive for Globus, they figured out something else. The Globus SPI (Single Point Injection) was basically a mix of an injection system and an electronic carburetor, not as sophisticated as the Primus solution, but a lot cheaper and much better than “classic” carburetors. Equipped like that, the power rose from 120 to 128 horsepower, while the emissions were reduced a lot, so a converter was still not needed for the 3,1 V6. While the overall reliability slightly increased, service cost became a bit lower. Rear disc brakes and a little stiffer suspension should improve the handling, but the general indifferent feel and oversteer in emergency situation was still not fully solved. The automatic was now a four-gear, but not computer-assisted - but nevertheless it improved economy, boosting up the falling Premier sales despite a higher price. But that boost was only short-living, and outside of Gasmea still nobody wanted it.

The wagon and the Stallion were unchanged, since Globus announced that 1981 would be their final year.

Globus Premier
Front engine (l) FWD
built: 1981-1985
LxW: 4,67 x 1,76 m
Power: 128 hp, 249 nm
0-100: 10,3 s
speed: 197 kph
cons.: 12,0 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 12.300 $

While the Atlas lost its fancier trim, since it was too old to further compete in the premium truck segment, the basic HD model continued with the updated Premier engine - and an OHC aluminium engine in that old truck was an unusual choice, but the 4.0 V8 was finally outdated and the engine change was the last gasp of a model that finally outlived its usefulness. Despite better economy and bearable reliablitity, it was no longer competetive, and was discontinued mid-1983. The sales were low, and a Letaran review suggested:

On the polar opposite was the facelift of the Atlas, not a lot was changed about the pickup which we know since 20 years, besides it new front. Maybe its time to update this giant piece of metal. (Mikonp07, Letara Car Show 1980)

Globus Atlas
Front engine RWD
built: 1981-1983
LxW: 4,93 x 1,95 m
Power: 128 hp, 249 nm
0-100: 10 s
speed: 171 kph
cons.: 13,1 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 9050 $

Things were a lot better for Primus. Since the new Imperator was a well-awarded and highly desired figurehead, it seemed way too modest that a V6 with 186 horsepower was the maximum you could get. Since the V8s were abandoned, Primus thought back to 1972 where the Imperator turbo made quite an impact, but was killed by emission laws and the super leaded that it required. Primus added two turbochargers - one per bank - to the 3.2 V6, which increased the output by massive 100 horsepower while providing identical economy. To distribute all that massive power, Primus added even more innovations on top: A full time AWD-system with a slightly rear biased setup and a geared LSD, and, since that rocket needs good braking, an ABS system, so the 1981 Primus Imperator tix was even a lot more technologically advanced than the “normal” 320 and casually became the fastest four-door luxury saloon on the market. Gasmeans were sceptical and preferred a good old V8, but in the end, the hard facts counted and it surpassed the old OHV V8 by a lot. The downside were horrid service cost and poor reliability, however, the customers knew they were getting one of the most complex machines at that time, so they lived with that - or sticked to the regular 320 or bought a brand with a more proven and less advanced engineering. Among the rich and beautiful in the whole world, a Primus Imperator 320tix was not far away, but the average, more modest wealthy guy feared the ownership of it.

Primus Imperator 320tix
Front engine AWD
built: 1980-1983
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 281 hp, 422 nm
0-100: 6,65 s
speed: 250 kph
cons.: 13,3 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 31.400 $

While Primus now had a very modern lineup, one car sticked out: The RT320, unchanged since 1974, so after seven years, the sales started to drop. A huge restyling with pop-up headlights, optional two-tone paint and small interior improvements was desperately in need. But the best update was in the rear: The engine from the Imperator tix. While the old RT320 was definitely not slow, the car was now as fast as a bullet, with the engine propelling the light two-seater past 280 kph and an accelleration competing with supercars for twice the money. Even if the price rose by 7000 $, it was still a good offer for what it delivered. ABS was standard as well as a nice cassette player, but power steering was not available - but since the car was light in the front, this was not so much of an issue. As it was a potential widowmaker, safety improvements were welcomened.
The RT320 was back in the game, and it successfully continued until its replacement´s arrival in late 1985.

Primus RT320 BiTurbo
rear engine RWD
built: 1981-1985
LxW: 3,66 x 1,76 m
Power: 281 hp, 422 nm
0-100: 4,3 s
speed: 283 kph
cons.: 10,4 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 24.900 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

1982 did not change much for Primus - the sales were good, the Imperator stirred up the premium and luxury market with it´s advanced gadget and outstanding efficiency, while the Astrona offered good value for money, and the aging RT was boosted with a facelift, only the GTS was now a victim of it´s age, so 1983 was announced as the final model year of the Publica III platform.

The Urbano - made in Frunia for Frunia - turned out to be an excellent performer, however, unlike most other regions, the Frunians had a desire for small cars that were performant and luxurious. With that in mind, the model turned away from the very basic engineering and was upgraded, but without neglecting the need to remain affordable.

The very modern 12-valve aluminum three-cylinder engine now recieved the Globus SPI system, since it was better than a “normal” carbutetor without being too expensive. Primus asked for it, since the new Primus electronic injection system was far more advanced but just didn´t work and needed a lot more time in the oven. The power raised from 55 to 63 hosepower, which resulted in the Urbano recieving front disc brakes. The CL base model also recieved a better radio. Despite the higher price, the success was unchanged - the car was really nimble and quick, which pleased Frunian driving habits a lot.

Primus Urbano CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1985
LxW: 3,72 x 1,48 m
Power: 63 hp, 100 nm
0-100: 13,4 s
speed: 170 kph
cons.: 6,6 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 7280 $

The GL profited from the new engine, too, since small cars with Automatic were usually fun-killers - but not the Urbano. With the four-speed conventional automatic, it already had an advantage, now even increased by the stronger engine. Relatively agile, roomy and still affordable, it was a common sight in narrow city areas.

Primus Urbano GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1985
LxW: 3,72 x 1,48 m
Power: 63 hp, 100 nm
0-100: 14,9 s
speed: 166 kph
cons.: 6,8 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 7660 $

But as stated, there was an increasing amount of Frunians (and a few Hetvesians in desperate search of parking spots) that were willing to spend money on a car with luxury features, but as downsized as possible. Two different models were added for those customers that usually opted for a Swanson 112.

The Edition sport featured power steering, upgraded suspension, a five-speed manual and better leather seats, a nice radio and steering wheel as well as some aluminium decor in the interior. The bumpers were painted, while the secondary color was a sporty black, looking like piano paint. Even expensive alloy wheels were part of the special edition, making it one of the fanciest ways to own a subcompact car. However, it was not really a worthy successor of the Primus GTS - it was noticeably slower while being a lot more expensive. The Urbano Edition models were more “engineer´s cars”, with a more sensible approach than just “the fastest car for the least money”.

Primus Urbano Edition Sport
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1985
LxW: 3,72 x 1,48 m
Power: 63 hp, 100 nm
0-100: 13,9 s
speed: 178 kph
cons.: 7,1 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 9630 $

The Edition Luxe differed from its sporty trim by the wasteful use of chrome and an automatic transmission, adressing buyers that didn´t want a premium city car for its lightness and agility but rather preferred a “classic” comfortable sedan but lived in narrow and crowded areas. The interior even featured standard wood decor and the option for a giant canvas sunroof as well as power windows. Alloy wheels were, in contrast to the Edition Sport, also an option, not a standard feature. A fully optioned Urbano could cost a hefty $ 12.000! That was already the price of an Astrona 180 with the GL trim - so the “Edition” models were a rare thing, but it wildered in a market segment with few competition, apart from the Swanson 112.

Primus Urbano Edition Luxe
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1985
LxW: 3,72 x 1,48 m
Power: 63 hp, 100 nm
0-100: 15,9 s
speed: 166 kph
cons.: 7,4 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 9580 $

Globus seemed dead by 1980. With just a quickly fading number of old, almost unsellable clunkers left and the Premier being the only modern car, that also did not really celebrate a success, the 1982 new arrivals were the last gasp of the still rather young company. The CEO Lionel Lomax was forced into retirement in 1978, and his successor Donald James Parker negotiated hard with the Primus mother company: Either we are now entering official worldwide sales (and just not on “special request” outside of Gasmea), or we will compete directly against Primus in Gasmea - despite the recent descisions to avoid double-presence in the segments, which led to the Comet and Grand Cruiser being discontinued without a successor. As Globus workers were also threatening to go on strike, Primus confirmed that seperate Globus import dealerships in the whole world could be opened with a peaceful coexistance with Primus dealers selling Globus on special request - at an equal price level, not disadvantaging the importers.

The first new 1982 model was the Intruder, named after the task to intrude foreign markets - especially those that would consider a Primus as too expensive, like Archana and Dalluha. Those countries asked for simple, cheap and thrifty cars, while having a rather conservative taste. The gap for a small, cheap sedan between the Urbano and the base Astrona was there, and the Intruder filled it.
While requesting the same money as a Urbano, it was noticeably larger by being not the engineer´s but the industrial clerk´s car. No rust protection, no sophistication, this car was not meant to last. It was built to fulfil a task cheap and mostly reliable for a few years just to be thrown away after it. The suspension was soft, since comfort was a higher priority than handling, however, the Intruder did not have the terminal oversteer issue of the Premier, that had been tamed but not fixed with the 1981 facelift. How Globus managed to equal the Urbano´s consumption with an even larger body and more weight without much effort in quality and aerodynamics while using the same engine will propably forever be a mystery. In fact, the value for money was more or less unmatched, especially for the LE - If you could live with the unpopular engine layout.

Originally planned as longitudinal FWD just like the Premier for easier service, it became transverse in the end, since Globus thought maximizing the interior space in the four-meter-class would be important on the markets it aimed. Not much effort was put into the Intruder in terms of design, since the buyers of these cars wouldn´t mind or would even put a too modern look into question.
The LE featured the same engine as the Urbano, while “LE” was referred as “Level Entry” or “Level Economy” or maybe “Level Essential”, depending on which dealer you asked. The modern all-alloy three-cylinder was not a great call for third-world countries, and the Gasmean domestic market even denied the existence of three-bangers. So, why do we remember seeing these cars in the mid 80s anyway? The Intruder LE was among the most spacious, but also the - by far - thriftiest compact sedan in 1982. With a consumption this low, and a reliability better than the shoddy build quality and the advanced engine design would suggest, it became a desired fleet vehicle, despite the shaky and slightly underpowered engine, especially when using the full load capacity, that was, well, rather low for five adults, since the simple suspension was very soft to offer the best comfort for the price range below $ 7500.

Globus Intruder LE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1985
LxW: 4,03 x 1,68 m
Power: 63 hp, 100 nm
0-100: 14,5 s
speed: 166 kph
cons.: 6,5 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 7360 $

The LS model was more conventional-powered and aimed at the Gasmean home market. By 1978, Primus still used a four-cylinder engine design from 1964 and planned to replace with an ultra-modern DOHC alloy engine derived from racing engines far in the future, Globus had to build a more low-strung engine by themselves. The 4C82MV (MV means multi valve) differed from the Primus-developed 4B64 by having a third valve per cylinder and an aluminium head. The 4C82MV turned out to be perfectly balanced between being proven and modern, and it was used until the mid-90s with great success. The first engine of the new family was a lazy 2,2 liter with the Globus SPI and a tuning for low-end torque, since this is what suits a cheap family or commuter sedan better than a high-strung revver. With 96 horsepower, it moved the Intruder LS without any stress. The relaxed but delivering engine had its power distributed by a conventional four-speed automatic, since the new Primus computer automatics were both expensive and sometimes problematic - both killers for an economy car like this.
With the smoother engine, convenient power, automatic transmission, power steering and a slightly nicer plastic desert in the interior with small goodies like headrests, dimmable lights, mirrors in the sunvisors, height-adjustable passenger seat, more plastic wood and (from MY83 onwards) central locks, the LS was actually a convenient car and sold quite good, but few of them lasted past the 80s. While the reliability was acceptable, long-term quality wasn´t that good, unless the car was rust-protected and properly maintained - which most cheap boring budget cars were not…

Globus Intruder LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1985
LxW: 4,03 x 1,68 m
Power: 96 hp, 184 nm
0-100: 11,0 s
speed: 186 kph
cons.: 10,0 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 8950 $

In Gasmea, the new Stallion heated up the spirits like no other car in 1982. For traditionalists, it was already unbearable that the Stallion became an FWD V6 car in 1976. and now the shock was even worse: A compact hatchback with a four-banger! With a quirky design to make it all worse! The conservative Globus clientele caused a serious rampage at the Gasmean car show at the end of January 1982.
Despite good press reviews of the Stallion 2.2, it never went on sale. Instead, only the - also displayed - Stallion GT went on sale, but left the “GT” suffix since there was no longer a “regular” one below.

Very cheap to buy, but quite average running costs. Third lowest sportiness in the field, decent otherwise. Not the biggest fan of the front. (AndiD, QFC15, Globus Stallion 22S)

A few Stallion 22 and 22S (the latter featuring five-speed, gas dampers) were already pre-produced, and exported as “short-time special model”. A Hetvesian magazine mentioned the 22S as one of the top 5 purchases among small cars with some sportiness:

Very cheap to purchase (1100 DM less than the winner!) but quite expensive to run with otherwise middling stats and a front end requiring an acquired taste (AndiD, QFC15).

But coming back to the (formerly so-called) GT, featuring the 3,1 SPI V6 from the Premier. With 128 horsepower mobilizing a 954-kilogram-car, it was quite obvious what Globus was up to: The most bang for the least buck. The car did not even have a five-speed manual (available only at extra cost) but at least gas dampers, not available for the Intruder platform donator. The handling of the four-seater was underwhelming, to say the least, but not insecure. It just didn´t handle in a fun way. On the other hand, it was light on gas and surprisingly quick. The Stallion was a cheap straight-line performer with some coolness that Globus was previously not known for. The Stallion was built to be shown off at high school parking lots and smoking its 175/60R14 front tires.
To be affordable for teenies, it had to be below $10.000 - a keen restriction considering it has a full-aluminium V6 that wasn´t left far behind by contemporary V8 cars. For that reason, it did not feature power steering. Dave, the quarterback of the football team, would not miss it. However, Jeanne, the blonde cheerleader, could at least ask her daddy to spend the extra $90 - and the car would still be at $10.000 and not a single penny more.
In the end, the fact that the Globus customer base avoided and partly even hated the car, it managed to succeed by adressing a younger folk that would not have considered a Globus before, and the contribution of the 3rd-gen-Stallion to the brand should not be underestimated, since some of its buyers became loyal Globus customers later.

Globus Stallion
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1985
LxW: 4,03 x 1,68 m
Power: 128 hp, 249 nm
0-100: 7,6 s
speed: 214 kph
cons.: 9,1 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 9910 $

Finally, Globus revived the Ratio name. The first generation was based on the ancient Primus Publica F and already long gone, now Globus had a fitting own platform. The Ratio was basically an Intruder LE with a three-door hatchback shape and even more low-end interior. The two-seater had a load capacity of just 500 kg, but on the other hand, it was cheap to buy and run and easy to drive despite the lack of power steering - but a small 1,2 liter alloy three-cylinder above the front axle was barely causing the driver to do a workout while driving. The Ratio was a desperately needed addition to the van portfolio, since the DuraTrans was more or less a fossil after 32 years in production, despite all updates and improvements. It was in worldwide use, and in such a down-graded category like light delivery, even Gasmeans accepted the existance of a three-cylinder.

Globus Ratio
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1982-1989
LxW: 3,81 x 1,68 m
Power: 63 hp, 100 nm
0-100: 12,8 s
speed: 161 kph
cons.: 6,5 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 7050 $

Since the RT320 by Primus was a flop in Gasmea, as the rather frugal Frunian design was considered uncomfortable and overall too spartan, Globus was allowed to build something different in that league: Front-engined, with a focus on comfort, and larger dimensions, for a lot less money than the soon-to-come RT320 BiTurbo. The “Project Phoenix” was started alongside the “Project Intruder”. The Phoenix should become a brand figurehead like the Grand Cruiser was in 1970, showing that the brand just resurrected like a Phoenix from the ashes. But there was one problem: The V8 engine developement was abandoned by Primus, and Globus only had the money left for ONE new engine. Since Donald James Parker decided that economy cars would help overall more, a new V8 was denied in favor of the 4C82. Since Primus showed interest to use it until the new DOHC engines would be introduced a few years later, the new SOHC-12V engine would improve the lower-end Primus models a lot over the use of the 4B64. In Exchange for the engine family, Primus offered Globus the partial-aluminium coachbuilding know-how of the upcoming Imperator II as well as the new 185-horsepower-V6. Previous ideas with a fiberglass body were abandoned as too unusual for the average Globus buyer.

The chassis was nothing new: It was at least a monocoque (body-on-frame sports cars would be unsellable by now), but the front double wishbone and solid rear axle on coils was the known reciepe of Globus. The LS with the ultra-responsive V6 and manual transmission was, despite the old-fashioned suspension, a capable budget sports car. The low weight, acceptable weight distribution and healthy engine allowed for surprising cornering abilities, good aerodynamics allowed for impressive top speed and low highway cruise consumption. The retro styling was a little rough around the edges, but considering the limited resources, the Phoenix was a good outcome, and a successful entry on the Gasmean market for all that could do without a V8 and automatic transmission.

Globus Phoenix LS
Front engine RWD
built: 1982-1983
LxW: 4,33 x 1,80 m
Power: 186 hp, 273 nm
0-100: 6,4 s
speed: 256 kph
cons.: 11,6 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 15.800 $

But domestic Gasmean two-seaters were rarely used on a track. Instead, V8 and automatic were must-haves, offered in the LT. While the Primus computer automatic was given to Globus in exchange for the SPI system, a new V8 was just not there - so the latest and strongest available was installed - the 230-horsepower 5.2 from the Imperator 520i, offered from early 1975 to the end of 1979.
It was surely not a surprise that it needed a lot more fuel, even if using the most modern automatic transmission available at the time. But what was rather surprising is the fact that the V8 was not faster than the V6, just a slightly higher top speed sets it apart, while the acceleration was marginally lower. But the comfort was good, and it was carefully placed between a muscle car and a GT, wildering in both territories.

Overall, the Phoenix had a good start. But it was a little rough around the edges. It used expensive and qualitative materials, but the styling was not bad but lacked some finish, while the V8 was not the most modern, although still competetive. The built quality was not up to the material quality, and even if it worked on the large Gasmean market, it failed in export markets, so while the the Phoenix was a blessing for the image, it was the Intruder platform that had to save the brand. Globus was still alive and slowly coming back, but the comeback had to be steady to survive in the long run.

Globus Phoenix LT
Front engine RWD
built: 1982-1983
LxW: 4,33 x 1,80 m
Power: 230 hp, 393 nm
0-100: 6,8 s
speed: 265 kph
cons.: 15,0 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 18.400 $

1983 brought new models in the offroad segment. The Globus Country Cruiser was outdated and due for a replacement. Since Globus did not offer a simple basic jeep since the GPMs end in late 1971, the customers might have oriented otherwise. However, a survey in 1977 stated that most GPMs are still in use but really about to be replaced, at least those made in the 50s.
With the 2,2 engine and its 184 nm of torque and all the expertise that would soon go into retirement, Globus presented a remake of the GPM, called Ranger.
Simple, reliable, cheap and capable of even hard offroading, the Ranger was really a true GPM successor, but with bearable comfort and much better onroad performance than the old clunker that had its origins in 1948. While the military wasn´t the number one customer any more, all kinds of forest workers considered the Ranger worth a look, and Globus had a successor for the low-end Country Cruiser models. With adjustable seats that are more than a wooden stool, a radio and actually working heater, the Ranger differed from the very basic army-oriented cars, but avoided all stuff that was not essential. But the slower performance and higher consumption compared to the last GPM offered from 1966 to 1971 showed how much weight the Ranger gained in comparison. But the comfort was really important, unlike in the 40s. The canvas roof had good isolation and a better fit than the old GPMs, so it was a pleasant vehicle for all that wanted a cheap car that can survive in harsh road conditions.

Globus Ranger
Front engine 4x4
built: 1983-1989
LxW: 2,97x1,49m
Power: 96 hp, 184 nm
0-100: 14,0 s
speed: 144 kph
cons.: 12,5 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 9690 $

Primus soon understood that more upmarket offroaders were potential cash-cows, especially since the V8 trim of the Country Cruiser was by far the most succesful model. But you just couldn´t sell a souped-up heavy duty vehicle anymore, since the prestige was also playing an increasing role. To have an offoader with luxury, prestige and the overall feel of a premium car, a seperate, unique upmarket model was neccessary.
In 1979, Primus started the development of the Aventura. No compromises should be made in offroading, since a performance far away from paved roads was needed for the credibility of the vehicle. On the other hand, the interior convenience should be competitive to an Astrona, maybe even to an Imperator. The engine should not be below six cylinders.
However, the latter was dumped. The second oil crisis and the surprising success of the Imperator Diesel showed that the D5A engine could have a future in the Aventura. But since the 2.7D only mobilized 95 horsepower that moved the Imperator … well, gently, it would be a disaster with the heavy Aventura. The seperate frame was galvanized and had solid axles in front and rear, allowing for remarkable offroad capabilities, but hampered the handling in fast corners. Aluminium was used nowhere - just thick steel. The Aventura was tough and not a bluff.

Turbochargers were considered as fancy sports car stuff by Primus engineers - but then, in the early 80s, the first manufactors used them to make Diesels work in larger cars. And Primus followed, installing a ball bearing turbocharger on a refined injection system with electronic engine management. Both the Aventura and the Imperator needed at least one third more power than the naturally aspirated engine could deliver, and they endeed up having 50 percent more - to everyone´s surprise.

The GL Turbo Diesel and the GLX V6 were both scheduled for 1983, but the multi-point computer injection caused trouble in the development process and disappointed with awful reliability, while the Diesel with a modified system worked fine - so the only 1983 Aventura offered was the GL TD. The interior was true premium, although the materials were more durable and less plushy than in an Imperator, the Turbodiesel with all its clatter and roughness was the engine you choosed when the Aventura should be, besides all that premium market position, a working vehicle, like for rural doctors and veterinarians or pull trailers.
The car became a hit, and most of that because the interior was as good as in a premium car and the engine. The Aventura TD managed to speed up to 100 kph in 11,5 seconds, while not needing a lot more than 10 liter in the average mix. With a stunning performance like that, most people in the car industry asked themselves what this engine could do in the Imperator…

In the summer 1983, there was already a waiting list for the car - and it didnt even offer the V6 twin. Production capacities had to be increased, so the recently given-up GTS had its assembly line modified to produce Aventuras to meet the demand.

Primus Aventura GL Turbo Diesel
Front engine 4x4
built: 1983-1988
LxW: 4.48 x 1,79m
Power: 144 hp, 369 nm
0-100: 11,5 s
speed: 176 kph
cons.: 10,7 ltr D (regular ul)
five-speed manual
price: 13.100 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

1984 featured another firework of new cars, further developing the new Primus reputation of offering innovative, efficient cars that were among the most advanced the industry built.

All new Primus and Globus models, except the three-cylinders that had low emissions anyway and the diesels have now a three-way catalytic converter installed - in areas with difficult acces to unleaded gasoline, the dealers could remove them and put them in the trunk for a later install.

Considering that, the name “Advance” for the new compact car might be fitting. Compact cars were the cash-cows in Hetvesia and Frunia, and in the late 70s, Primus decided to leave that market not to the competition.
A modern shape, state-of-the-art technology, thanks to the techpool boost the costly Imperator II development process gave Primus and Globus, and thoughtful detail engineering resulted in a stunning car. First press reviews were positive:

“If the Mara is too austere, may we recommend the Primus Advance? This is more of a first-world compact commuter car, and is priced accordingly, but it’s still affordable, and a lot safer as well. It’s much more comfortable, especially with its advanced automatic transmission (an optional fitment, but present in our test car), and despite slightly oversized light clusters front and rear, it still looks way better than the bare-bones Mara. (abg7, 1984 Letaran Auto Convention)”
The Advance was one of the very first in its class to offer a galvanized chassis, which was a boon for long-time ownership the Globus Intruder did not have.

The entry level Advance was available for only $7410, but a few corners were cut. The interior was a plastic desert, the engine only a three-cylinder, and things like a fifth gear, a rear interior light, a stereo radio, headrests or even a power steering were not included. On the other hand, the CE base trim offered decent interior space, good safety and a satisfactory performance considering it´s the base model - the engine was taken from the 1982 Urbano. And the mono cassette radio is enough to listen to the news when stuck in a traffic jam. The Advance 1.2 CE found some buyers in the family budget segment, when a modern compact for a tight budget was a considerable option over a smaller car. For a similar price like the Globus Bravura LE, it offered similar interior space, but a more practical rear hatch, better handling but even less standard features. However, the service cost of only $357 a year beat the Globus ($516) by far, and it was the cheapest car to service in the compact segment, so the ownership of a 1.2 CE was not a burden at all unless you wanted to spend much time in it. The CE trim was only available for the 1.2 base engine.

Primus Advance 1.2 CE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1984-1989
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 63 hp, 100 nm
0-100: 14,6 s
speed: 166 kph
cons.: 6,5 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 7410 $

A lot better was the CL trim, available for the 1.2 and 1.5 engine. The 1500ccm engine was a descendant of the 4C82MV Globus engine, and delivered healthy 82 horsepower - more was not needed to have an overall pleasant driving experience in the Advance. Finally, the new computerized and overall fancy hightech multi-point injection system was ready and installed, now not only a lot more powerful than the Globus “Digital Carburetor” and the old mechanical injection system, but also even more reliable. The reliability issues of the Imperator II showed that more time in the oven wasn´t bad, and Primus became more careful with their new innovative stuff. The CL also featured many essentials the CE lacked: A fifth gear, better seats with headrests, cloth in the door panels (the CE had just hard plastic), a fifth gear, wheel covers, a passenger side mirror, and other small goodies like rear three-point belts instead of lap belts. The cassette radio was an average one, a lot better than the one-speaker unit in the CE. The 1.5 CL was the most reasonnable choice, it had everything needed, but it had nothing unneccessary, even if it was much more expensive than the 1.2 CE, it did not feel like a budget compromise but more like a “whole” car. The success was impressive, displacing most competitors immediately.

Primus Advance 1.5 CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1984-1989
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 82 hp, 130 nm
0-100: 11,6 s
speed: 180 kph
cons.: 7,5 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 9340 $

The GL seemed like an upgrade not worth its money at the first look. The exterior differed from the CL by featuring some small chrome accents and painted bumpers - which looked nice but was overall impractical.
But in details, the GL showed valuable improvements: The seats had plushy velours cloth, the interior door handles were made of aluminum instead of plastic, and speaking of plastic: Most of it was replaced with a leather-like, soft-foamed polyurethane material, nice to touch but resistant to scratches (as long as you didnt use the car as delivery vehicle). Power mirrors and power steering were also part of the standard features, a welcomened addition in city use. It was optional for the CL, but the CL lacked another popular driving aid: The GL, available only for the 1.5, also had the option of an automatic transmission, and the early issues the computerized automatic had were mostly ironed out. An 1.5 GL Automatic - ordered frequently by the customers - was the car tested first at the Letaran Auto Convention, and the testers summed up:

Primus Advance - Probably the best economy car of our time. (abg7, 1984 Letaran Auto Convention)

Primus Advance 1.5 GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1984-1989
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 82 hp, 130 nm
0-100: 13,4 s
speed: 178 kph
cons.: 8,4 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 10.500 $

But there was even more you could get: Besides the 1500ccm engine, a similar 1794ccm four-cylinder with 96 horsepower marked the upper end for 1984 Advance models, and it was even more premium than the GL for less than just $1000 more: The GLX offered seats in fabric-leather combination, better gauges with an RPM counter and the Check-Mate control system, a sunroof, front power windows, four speakers instead of two, and last but not least, fake wood trim. The GLX was sold as five-speed manual or automatic, and the latter was by far more successful. In fact, the 1.8 GLX became the second car of wealthier families, so it was mocked as “dentist wife car”, but that did not stop it´s success: It was hardly possible to get a better and more balanced all-round car with a hint of luxury, and especially in dense areas the buyers traded their used midsize cars in for it.

Primus Advance 1.5 GLX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1984-1989
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 96 hp, 158 nm
0-100: 11,5 s
speed: 186 kph
cons.: 8,9 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 11.300 $

1984 also brought a first facelift of the Imperator. Overall, lower prices were a sales booster, possible because the new technology was now shared with other cars and amortized fast. Frequent travellers were fond of the 270D, but the lackluster performance was a concern, although it was not painfully slow. With the turbodiesel engine of the Aventura, things changed a lot. Besides that, the Imperator now featured a better cruise control as standard feature, the POIC now had just one instead of two screens - the mostly elder buyers were confused with the usability. The car now even featured adaptive cruise control as option, but the system was unreliable and debris damaged the radar device which was a horror to fix, so it was very rare. Adaptive dampers were another option for all three 1984 Imperator models. What was a standard feature now, were antilock brakes, formerly at extra cost since 1982. New taillights with better seperated rear and brake lights and less protruding mirrors (a customer complaint, although they were foldable on 1980-1983 Imperators, they were often smashed in narrow garages or overtakes).

With now commensurate performance, the Imperator diesel doubled its sales, since it had not much competition - moving a luxury flagship with less than 9 liter while being able to push on the highway was unique in 1984.

Primus Imperator 270TD
Front engine RWD
built: 1984-1987
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 144 hp, 368,5 nm
0-100: 11,1 s
speed: 218 kph
cons.: 8,8 ltr D (aka regular UL)
four-speed automatic
price: 17.800 $

Diesels were not for everyone - especially a five-cylinder turbo diesel. And while the 270TD moved now a lot quicker, the six-cylinder alloy engine was the top dog. With the new MPI system, power was increased to 200 horses, a mighty amount for a six-cylinder. Although still a bit too waspish on the gas, the engine was able to create a decent amount of wheelspin with the heavy car - the addition of a geared limited slip differential was surely a good idea. It was fast. Really fast. 8 seconds to 100 kph were comparable with most gas-guzzling V8 competitors. The Imperator was still the car to beat in the fullsize premium and luxury segment, with immense success.

Primus Imperator 320 mpi
Front engine RWD
built: 1984-1987
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 200 hp, 294 nm
0-100: 8 s
speed: 247 kph
cons.: 12,2 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 22.400 $

Primus was still of the opinion that a V8 was absolutely not needed in the Imperator - but Gasmean customers missed it and started looking into Wraith, Miller or Warren dealerships - something that must be avoided, and the competitors reacted to the Primus success and modernized their V8 cars. On the other hand, Globus needed an updated V8 for the Phoenix, and that changed the lights to green:
With the new MPI system, the now introduced five-liter variant of the old OHV V8 delivered 238 horsepower, not much more than the V6 and thirstier, but a V8 is a V8, and in the luxury class, desicisons are not made only from a rational point of view. Although reliability issues still plagued the Imperator, a small improvement about the earlier models was gained, and Gasmean buyers finally had their V8 in the Imperator - while Frunians and Hetvesians preferred the V6, the 500 mpi succeeded across the pond, even if the heavy cast iron clunker made it slower in accelleration than the 320 and ruined the weight balance.

Primus Imperator 500mpi
Front engine RWD
built: 1984-1987
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 238 hp, 392 nm
0-100: 8,5 s
speed: 257 kph
cons.: 14,5 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 24.300 $ (with standard aluminum rims not shown on the brochure car)

The 320 mpi engine was a welcomened addition to the Aventura, offered only as GLX model instead of the turbo diesel´s GL trim. That included a two-tone paint and some small chrome accents on the exterior and leather, wood trim and a simplified version of the Imperator´s POIC in the interior that was true luxury - unmatched in this class, although Primus was not the first to offer a luxury offroader, but now had the most modern at that time. The V6 was available with an automatic only, since the Imperator did not offer any manual gearbox and few would buy one, so it was not offered. But the GL TD recieved an automatic option in return, and ABS was now an optional upgrade for both. Even more than the TD, the GLX V6 was torn out of dealer´s hands and the demand exceeded the production capacity by far, so the GLX was not only produced in Hetvesia but also in Gasmea, alongside the Imperator.

Primus Aventura GLX V6
Front engine 4x4
built: 1984-1988
LxW: 4.48 x 1,79m
Power: 200 hp, 294 nm
0-100: 9,55 s
speed: 204 kph
cons.: 14,6 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 18.000 $

Globus was finally slowly getting back on it´s feet, and the Phoenix was a capable figurehead - however, the competition did not sleep and the new engines were desperately in need to help the model establishing further. While that was quickly done, the car design evolved further: Especially the round retro taillights, a looker in 1982, were now becoming out-moded. The front was considered old-fashioned as well by latest reviews. This resulted in a very early facelift after just two years, making the owners of 1982 and 1983 Phoenix furious with rage. Globus reacted with guaranteed discount of 15 percent if an one-owner Phoenix is traded in for a new one, those who kept their early models recieved one year warranty extension.
The new engines, the more modern and overall better design resulted in increasing sales, and the Phoenix gained speed in the Gasmean sports car market race.

The V6, still considered as light and affordable sports car, offered impressive performance figures for an unbeatable price - still addressing driving enthusiasts since the car was light and had a perfect 50/50 balance and was only available with a manual. Despite the simple solid rear axle and the lack of ABS, this was still a sharp and capable track tool.

Globus Phoenix LS
Front engine RWD
built: 1984-1988
LxW: 4,33 x 1,80 m
Power: 200 hp, 294 nm
0-100: 6,2 s
speed: 267 kph
cons.: 10,9 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 16.400 $

The more popular trim was once again the LT. While the engine delivered almost the same engine like the old one borrowed from the 1975 Imperator 520i, the new one shared with the Imperator II offered better economy - not too unimportant since the Phoenix adressed not millionaires but blue-collar workers that finally wanted to “afford something” fast and fancy, while suiting everyday use. The automatic transmission was still the only choice for the LT, this trim was not adressing hobby racers but those that want to cruise with a cool and comfortable straight-line performer, and it worked: The car was among the more popular two-seated choices in Gasmea, although rather exotic elsewhere, while the sportier LS - not as common as the LT in the home market - was frequently found worldwide among car enthusiasts that were attracted by the performance for the money. While Primus continued its increasing success with surprising velocity, Globus now showed the results of a painful, but fruitfully redevelopment of the brand´s products and strategy. The collaboration was intensified, and while the solid 4C82MV engine was one main contribution for the success of the Advance, Globus accessed Primus knowledge otherwise unaccessible due to the shrunken reserves Globus had in the early 80s.

Globus Phoenix LT
Front engine RWD
built: 1984-1988
LxW: 4,33 x 1,80 m
Power: 238 hp, 392 nm
0-100: 7 s
speed: 269 kph
cons.: 13,6 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 17.200 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

By 1985, the new four-cylinder was ready to be sold. And what an engine it was! Four valves per cylinder! Dual overhead camshaft! Made fully out of aluminium! Electronic multi-point injection! Individual throttle bodies! High-flow converters! This was still racing car technology, now offered for the masses in the new Primus cars. The two-liter engine managed to deliver 156 horsepower and revved until 7000 rpm. That was an impressive archievement back then.

In the compact Advance, this engine powered the new GTi-16V trim with insane performance figures. This car was not an average hot hatch, it was a high performance machine, and the front wheels only managed to distribute the power with a standard limited slip differential. The equipment was more than just premium, and this was the hottest offer you could get when looking for a compact car. Even full leather interior and adaptive dampers were included. When developing the car, the engineers had a 1969 Publica ST in the parking lot, to get some inspiration how huge the impact that it made was in ´69, and to repeat it in ´85. Not many buyers considered buying an FWD compact hatchback with 156 horsepower, but among performance freaks, this car gained a legendary reputation and became the number one in a small market segment. While being astonishingly affordable to service and needing less fuel than one might expect, the purchase price of this technology monster was understandably high.

Primus Advance GTi-16V
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1989
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 156 hp, 214 nm
0-100: 6,9 s
speed: 239 kph
cons.: 8,0 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 15.600 $

But that was not everything. Something even more insane was offered, however, your average Primus dealer had nothing in stock. For motorsports, Primus had a homologation model called “Belial” (yes, like the demon), with a turbocharged engine and crazy 258 horsepower. It was limited to 5000 units that all sold, but few survived - most were crashed in amateur rallyes. Since it was still an FWD car, it might not surprise that amateur drivers were not able to stay on the road with it. But it was an important benchmark of what was possible since it had an average consumption of 8 liters while speeding up to over 270 kph.

Primus Advance Belial
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1989
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 258 hp, 409 nm
0-100: 5,5 s
speed: 272 kph
cons.: 8,2 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 19.600 $

With a giant party, Primus introduced the 4th generation of the Astrona. Following the idea of revolution instead of evolution, not a single screw was kept from the predecessor. Nothing less than building the perfect midsize car was the goal, which led to countless changes. Not only new engines, but a totally new concept.

• Transverse FWD for maximum interior space
• Many upmarket features already in the base model
• Automatic transmission for every model except the Turbo AWD
• Speaking of the Turbo AWD, Primus now offered a full time AWD drive
• Perfect aerodynamics for more efficiency

Partial aluminium panels, as the Imperator had since 1980, were put into consideration but scrapped since that would have been to expensive - the Astrona was still a mass-market car, and all the new features were already expensive enough. Compared to an 1984 Astrona 180, the new one was roomier, a lot sportier and by far more efficient while having, despite the sportier feel, almost the same comfort level since the trim level was a lot better. The CL trim was deleted, an Astrona started now as 180 GL. Included were four power windows, power mirrors and the Check-Mate surveillance system as well as power steering and a five speed manual. Instead of the 4B64, the 180 was now powered by the more modern but very reliable 4C82MV engine, which made the base model as good as most competitors mid-range model. Top speed and economy were benchmarks in the class, and the 180 GL was still affordable for the masses.

Primus Astrona 180 GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1988
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 96 hp, 158 nm
0-100: 11,1 s
speed: 195 kph
cons.: 8,8 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 10.700 $

The new Astrona also became a popular taxi, thanks to extremely low consumption, generous interior space and the possibility of combining a modern automatic with a new diesel engine. The 2.3 liter was a progression of the 2.1 that served in the Astrona II and III since 1976 and delivered sufficient power to move the Astrona through everyday traffic. A pleasant interior is no less important for a taxi, and even if the new Astrona could not compare with the game-changing interior of the Imperator, it was perfectly in the Primus tradition of a modern and qualitative design.

Primus Astrona 230DA GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1988
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 85 hp, 206 nm
0-100: 14,0 s
speed: 183 kph
cons.: 7,5 ltr D (aka egular UL)
four-speed automatic
price: 10.900 $

The Astrona 180 and 230D could be upgraded to the GLX trim, which included opulent leather and some plastic wood as well as such small things like interior light dimming delay when shutting the door and other electronic aids. An aircondition - quite a luxury in 1985 - was also included as well as satellites behind the steering wheel to controll all car funtions including the radio. A lot of chrome on the outside and painted mirror caps distinguished it further from the GL models. Hidden, but no less important features of the GLX were gas dampers and a partially clad underbody.

Primus Astrona 230D GLX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1988
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 85 hp, 206 nm
0-100: 12,7 s
speed: 193 kph
cons.: 7,2 ltr D (aka regular UL)
five-speed manual
price: 11.400 $

The new 4ALD2016 DOHC 16V engine was the next step ahead - the Astrona 200 was only available in the GLX and GLS trim. As GLX, choosing the 16V added vented brakes in front and rear as well as an antilock brake system as standard feature - the 200 was capable of high speeds and should be stopped accordingly. The 200 could be told apart from other GLX models by a glass cover for the headlights, improving aerodynamics even further, and small vents for the brakes below the front bumper. Despite all the well-thought performance gadgets, the 200 GLX was not a sports car - it was surely a sporty sedan, but it did not force the driver to drive hard. It was smooth in everyday use and capable in emergency situations, even with the optional automatic transmission, it was extremely responsive if needed.

Primus Astrona 200A GLX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1988
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 156 hp, 214 nm
0-100: 8,35 s
speed: 237 kph
cons.: 8,6 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 15.200 $

If you really bought an Astrona 200 for hard and engaged driving, the GLS trim was the one to order. With a standard geared LSD and medium compound tires on larger 15 inch aluminum rims, this sedan made most sporty coupés green with envy. A power sunroof and even more plastic wood added some comfort value to the package. The 200 GLS was the ultimate driving machine among FWD sedans, and it showed even most six-cylinder competitors the taillights while being controllable at any speed. Only 4,8 secons passed from 80 to 120 kph, and the quarter mile was done in 15,5 seconds, and 20m cornering was close to 1g. Once again, the efficiency was unmatched, with 8,3 liter overall consumption while outrunning competitors with much more horsepower.

Primus Astrona 200 GLS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1988
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 156 hp, 214 nm
0-100: 7,6 s
speed: 244 kph
cons.: 8,3 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 16.200 $

But the real deal was the Turbo AWD. Not only did it have an innovative all-wheel-drive system, it also featured a twin scroll turbocharger with ball bearing, resulting in massive 258 horsepower. The car was not a monster as the Advance Belial with the same engine, instead, it was overall manageable to drive even for average drivers. Adaptive dampers, an extra for the GLX and GLS, were standard as well as the POIC (Primus Onboard Information Center) similar to the unit in the Imperator and combined with digital gauges. The interior added power and heated seats as well as some carbon and aluminum decor instead of the plastic wood. The exterior featured a two-tone paint (exclusively for the Turbo), piano black instead of chrome accents and front and rear spoilers. Compared to the 200 GLS, this was a machine suiting for professional drivers that want the best or nothing in terms of handling and suiting everyday use. It was even more expensive than an Imperator 320 or even 500 and not even closely comfortable, but another world in terms of driving dynamics and performance figures.

Primus Astrona Turbo AWD
Front engine (t) AWD
built: 1985-1988
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 258 hp, 409 nm
0-100: 5,7 s
speed: 265 kph
cons.: 9,0 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 24.400 $

Overall, the Astrona became a huge success, thanks to the great variety from thrifty Diesels over sane and not too boring standard models up to hightech performance variants, and the long development time helped the reliability a lot, which was absolutely alright overall, despite the high-strung technology. No other midsize was able to equal the economy, and the performance image was underlined with surprising top speeds and good handling even from the very basic models. However, despite the roomy and pleasant interior, the comfort was lower than in most competitors. The emphasis was more on being a driver´s car, and the lack of a six-cylinder left some conservative buyers of the Astrona III looking for something else. Neverhteless, the Astrona became once again a sales hit and one of the most iconic sports sedans of the 80s.

But all that technology firework did not end with the Astrona Turbo AWD - the Imperator 320tix was discontinued with the facelift, and a prestigious top-trim was still something that was desired in the mid 80s. But not only did Primus add even more power AND an AWD drivetrain, but also the CloudRide, an air suspension with adaptive dampers. Massive 315 horsepower were now squeezed out of the 6BV engine (compared to 280 before), resulting in ANOTHER innovation presented in the new Imperator 320tix - electronic traction control.
While the aero devices were removed on the outside (although they could still be ordered as extra, but many buyers wanted a more inconspicuous appeareance), the inside gained a lot - the 320tix was a four-seater with a huge center armrest with cupholders, a cooling compartment and remote access to the automatic aircondition as well as the stereo system. A large variety of interior decoration was available apart from the obvious wood, and the most garish and insane color combinations were possible - this was not the car of the average boss, but a ride for the really famous. And finally, ONE MORE innovation was featured in this car - a standard driver airbag, now optional for all Imperator models. The car was very expensive, but getting another car that fast and comfortable with that much features was hardly possible, and even if the design started to age since the competition now recently offered less bulky luxury liners, the car sold. In fact, the new 320tix was only a little more than a thousand more expensive, but had more power, more luxury, more safety and air suspension.

Primus Imperator 320tix
Front engine AWD
built: 1985-1987
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 315 hp, 493 nm
0-100: 7 s
speed: 269 kph
cons.: 13,8 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 32.700 $

Globus on the other hand, was still in trouble. Primus had a huge and very healthy cashflow, but all the money that was earned was invested in the development of new models and technology, while Globus used up all reserves for the Phoenix and Intruder, the latter coming with the new 4C82MV engine that Primus heavily profited from.
The overall image of Globus was bad, despite the Phoenix being positively welcomened as an exception. The cars were cheap and conservative, and the average Globus buyer was retired or about to do so. The Stallion - hated for being a cheap car with more show than go, but it wasn´t too awful - attracted younger buyers but disappointed with goofy styling and a lack of refinement, so it would not support the Phoenix enough to make a turnaround in terms of brand image.

The Advance platform, on the other hand, offered a chance for another sporty model that was more tought-out. Accounted as a no-interest credit, Primus gave Globus a modern 2+2 two-door, modified especially for the Gasmean market, but with a chance on the worldwide market. Although more a two-door sedan, the brochure advertized a “sports coupé”. The car was called Bravura and available in three trims. The LS was an alternative to the Stallion, with an upgraded 2.2 liter engine, now delivering 110 instead of 96 horsepower despite a catalytic converter, thanks to the new multi point injection replacing the Globus SPI system.

While the LS was not luxurious, the Bravuras distinguished from the Advance by some sublte interior upgrades, a retro analog clock on LS and LX and some more decor trims on LX and LT. Automatic transmission was standard on all Bravuras, since Gasmeans hardly considered manuals anymore unless it was a really cheap or a true sports car.

The LS was the perfect choice if the daily commute should be better and more stylish than an Intruder, and for less than $ 10.000 it had a good, easy handling, pleasant performance, some reliability, acceptable comfort and was at least a little fun to drive, while being economical and having average service cost. Not what one would consider being a “sports coupé”, but a honest ride that was at least more exciting than a budget sedan and still having rear seats that were berarable for adults on short distances, so it sold not too bad. Manual Bravuras were rare, most were ordered with the computerized automatic. While you could roll down the rear windows halfway, which was rare on a two-door, the brakes were really more Gasmean-spec, with front solid discs and rear drums, which led to acceptable and not critical, but existing fade.

Globus Bravura LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1989
LxW: 4,01 x 1,66 m
Power: 110 hp, 197 nm
0-100: 9,55 s
speed: 205 kph
cons.: 8,6 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 9890 $

The next step up was the LX that came with automatic transmission only as well as with four power windows, power mirrors, wood trim and leather interior as well as gas dampers and underbody cladding for less wind noise and better protection. Since this was a downsized personal luxury and aimed at the typical white-haired Globus buyer, neither the engine nor the brakes were upgraded. To archieve the still rather low price, unlike in the Advance, the dashboard was still hard plastic instead of soft-foamed polyurethane like in the better Advance models. However, this did not hamper the success - the LX was a car that sold, and it was less terrible for the Image than the Intruder.

Globus Bravura LX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1989
LxW: 4,01 x 1,66 m
Power: 110 hp, 197 nm
0-100: 9,8 s
speed: 209 kph
cons.: 8,7 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 10.500 $

Since the Bravura was a chance to get rid of the rocking chair image, the sports trim should recieve the new 4ALD2016 engine, but on the other hand, a Globus should be noticeably cheaper than a Primus. This led to a very weird package. The 156 horsepower engine was mated to an automatic as only gearbox, while vented discs all around were fitted. To allow for a lower price, neither an LSD nor medium compound tires were offered. Antilock brakes or adaptive dampers were also not found in the Bravura brochure, but a rear wing was installed, as well as aluminium rims and interior trim. This left the LT as a rather unbalanced car. Just $1500 more got you the Advance GTI with a more refined package, but since Gasmeans often looked for the most bang for the least buck, a two-door instead of a hatchback, with standard two-tone paint and an extremely powerful engine actually did sell as fun car in a country where most roads were just a straight line and everyhing is more show than go. And the Advance GTi-16V had one huge disadvantage compared to the Bravura LT: It came only with three pedals, no matter how nice you asked for two…

Globus Bravura LT
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1989
LxW: 4,01 x 1,66 m
Power: 156 hp, 214 nm
0-100: 7,4 s
speed: 237 kph
cons.: 8,0 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 14.100 $

By 1982, it was obvious that Primus alone would not be able to redevelop Globus as needed. It was enough for the Phoenix, Intruder and the Bravura as a descendant of an existing Primus model, but the Premier was in urgent need of a successor and the DuraTrans was, well, an archaeology fossil. So the Gasmean government had to jump in. At that time, a very early prototype of the new Premier was tested, since the Primus Astrona was about to become a sports sedan in its 4th generation, the Premier should remain a very comfortable car for a low price, while ironing out the suspension issues.

But the Gasmean government forced Globus to give it up - the Premier was not a huge success and it would be questionable if Primus offered another FWD car in a similar range, since the change from RWD to FWD was already confirmed. Not to mention the not-so-great reputation of the car, especially outside Gasmea. The Gasmean ministry of economy urged for something sellable worldwide, more innovative and without an inhouse competitor to finance the further development.

Since the early 80s featured the first minivans, and those had a huge success, Globus took some already developed Premier II parts, mixed them up with the Advance/Bravura platform and a minivan body, with the result being the 1985 Traveller. Small on the outside - smaller than a Premier -, large on the inside with up to seven seats, although the third row was cramped for adults and almost no trunk space was left. But all seats except the two in front were easily removable, so the Traveller was a very versatile and “garageable” van.
The front MacPherson struts were taken from the Bravura, while the solid rear axle was a Premier leftover, the 2.2 four-cylinder base engine was another gift of the Bravura, while the optional, V6 with identical displacement was originally developed for the Premier II and continued for the Traveller.

The LS model featured everyhting essential, with the engine being adequate for the small van, while the interior lacked nothing essential. Neither gas dampers, nor power windows or automatic transmission was standard, however, the latter was at least available as option. With only the most important features, the Traveller LS was bearable to service, accessible to own and reliable, things that counted a lot for a family utility vehicle. Globus managed to get their slice of the cake with it, since the LS was simplified as much as possible without cutting a corner too much, offering a seven-seater for the already rather low price of the Bravura LS.

Globus Traveller LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1991
LxW: 4,11 x 1,55 m
Power: 110 hp, 197 nm
0-100: 9,9 s
speed: 193 kph
cons.: 9,2 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 9820 $

For those that had a larger wallet and drove their family many hours across the country, a version with a lot more comfort was needed. The LX did exactly that. The newest descendant of the 6BV engine was - as mentioned - originally planned for the Premier II. It had more horsepower but less torque at the same displacement, but a V6 was alway smoother, although the 6BV as very early full-aluminum construction was not as reliable as the 4C82MV. Speaking of reliability, it was not as good as the LS - power everyhting, the V6, ABS and airconditioning rose the price far up and offered some possibilities for failure. Nevertheless, the LX became more successful since most minivan buyers took their car for family roadtrips and welcomened the huge extra comfort and safety. With ABS and all that standard features, it was no worse to drive than an upmarket wagon while being more practical, so the Traveller brought some cash to pay back to the Gasmean state.

Globus Traveller LX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1991
LxW: 4,11 x 1,55 m
Power: 128 hp, 176 nm
0-100: 9,8 s
speed: 201 kph
cons.: 11,4 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 13.300 $

The development of a successor for the DuraTrans finally began in 1983, with borrowed money. But since the current model was in its basic design from 1950, not a single part could be taken over and the engineers had to start with a white paper, and Globus was loosing more and more market share. To stop this, another quickly developed delivery vehicle, modern and successful, must support the aged DuraTrans until it´s successor arrives. The Traveller platform was perfect for that, and a stripped delivery variant called “Express” was developed both quick and cheap. With even less standard features than the LS, the Express was not really a comfortable vehicle, but a lot more modern than the outmoded DuraTrans. Engine options were taken from the Primus Astrona, either the 2.3D with 85 horsepower or the 1.8 gasoline with 96. Instead of the usual five-speed, the only transmission available was just a four-speed, the radio an outdated basic one, which allowed for competetive pricing. The Express succeeded, especially as thrifty and bulletproof Diesel, and created the basis for a comeback in the commercial market. In fact, it worked so good that it was sucessfully sold for 11 years, many of them alongside the all-new second generation DuraTrans.

Globus Traveller Express
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1985-1996
LxW: 4,11 x 1,55 m
Power: 85 hp, 206 nm
0-100: 11,1 s
speed: 176 kph
cons.: 6,6 ltr D (aka regular UL)
four-speed manual
price: 8640 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

PRIMUS GLOBUS is now on BeamNG resources! I uploaded the first three models, however, approval on that platform takes up to a week. I will inform you when they are available, and I will do frequent updates with more and more cars. Optimizing them for Beam is a pain (Light settings going wild, paints appearing white and having to reset everything, sound modulations for Diesels, adding rear pillars or having to correct grilles that suddenly poke through the headlights which they did not in Automation…
This will take many months I guess, but I will do it.

1986 was no less of a new model firework for Primus and Globus.

The Primus Urbano recieved a successor, but it was even more basic than the predecessor. Although Primus was a premium brand, they wanted to use scale effects - when a customer has a Primus as first starter car, he or she might become a faithful buyer later with more expensive cars. In addition, people having a Primus as their main car might buy another one as second or third cheap city car.
The new Urbano had no longer an avantgardistic design, it was plain and simple inside and outside, just as simple as a modern car could be, and even a lot smaller than the predecessor. On the other hand, no corners were cut too much, since a Primus can´t afford being bad in any aspect. Front disc brakes, a basic cassette, good safety, modern MPI injection. Since the Advance CE offered budget family transportation, the tiny Urbano was only a four-seater - and more for city use, although it could accomodate two adults in the rear.
For a car with an 1,0 liter engine, the performance was well above average, it was nimble and economical while offering some practicality at a low price, although the comfort was low. But this car was not built for long-distance use. There were no trim levels available, especially no fancy “Edition” models - this one did not address premium buyers, those could get an Advance GLX or GTi-16V. A few options existed, like a second mirror or better radios, armrests and a cigarette lighter. Neither automatic nor power steering were available, at least the latter was definitely not needed. The Urbano II was the last Primus / Globus to be introduced without a catalytic converter, and the only one that had none by 1986, since the Globus Intruder and Stallion recieved them with the facelift.

Primus Urbano II
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 3,30 x 1,40 m
Power: 57 hp, 88 nm
0-100: 12,9 s
speed: 164 kph
cons.: 5,4 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 7190 $

Althought the Globus Traveller was a rather compact car built especially for practicality, a classic wagon was still desired - and since the end of the Globus Premier wagon with the 1982 model year, the brand had none. After the 1984 Letaran car show, the bosses of Primus and Saarland got drunk together, and the idea was born: Their Adjunkt was similar to the Primus Advance, and a wagon version was already in development, which the Advance platform didn´t really do well with.

When the Saarland Adjunkt wagon appeared in 1985, Primus followed one year later with the Solair - a standalone wagon model, which was and still is absolutely rare. The design did not change much, the car had a different front end to better blend in with the other Primus cars, that was it. Own engines and gearboxes, minor changes in the suspension fine tuning and different trim levels were all that was changed.

The base CL model recieved the 1.5 liter engine from the Advance, and it also felt like an Advance CL by using similar materials and almost identical standard features. Although the car was noticeably larger than an Advance, the passenger space was not really larger. What did stand out was the luggage space, which was impressive for something based on a compact car, but a lot of space was consumed by the larger hood, which was also neccessary for the wagon, why, will be explained later. The car actually did sell, despite being in direct competition with the Adjunkt, mostly to the existing customer base of Primus Globus. The 1.5 could be upgraded to the GL trim, but without the possibility of an automatic.

Primus Solair 1.5 CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 4,46 x 1,69 m
Power: 82 hp, 130 nm
0-100: 12,4 s
speed: 175 kph
cons.: 7,7 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 9180 $

The next step up was the GL, just having the same benefits like it´s Advance cousin: Touch-friendly polyurethane, chrome interior door handles, rear headrests, power steering, power mirrors, central locks, even front power windows, which were not included in the Advance GL, but lacked the cloth-leather combination for the seats, the Solair had just cloth. The GL trim also added the possibility of adding an automatic transmission for the 1.8 and the 2.3D.
The Adjunkt platform with the much larger hood had one advantage: The five cylinder diesel fitted in, although it filled the engine bay and was rather difficult to service there. Diesel engines were popular among wagons, and the strong-pulling 2.3D delivered what it should, except for one thing: The consumption was not so much less than the gasoline siblings, and the difficult servicing scared fleet managers, so the diesel was rather rare in comparison, although some salesmen loved the giant trunk and travelled so many kilometers that the 2.3D paid off. Another reason for bearable sales was maybe as well the fact that Saarland offered no Diesel in their Adjunkt and in general almost no competitor at all in this segment.

Primus Solair 2.3D GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 4,46 x 1,69 m
Power: 85 hp, 206 nm
0-100: 12,7 s
speed: 178 kph
cons.: 7,4 ltr D (regular UL)
five-speed manual
price: 10.400 $

For the same price as the 2.3D, you could trade in 1,6 liter consumption and get the 1.8 engine - more comfortable than the Diesel and also easier to service. With 96 horsepower, the Solair was performing well enough in all situations, while the GL trim offered all neccessary equipment - this Solair became the most successful in the private market, while fleets rather took the 1.5 CL or the delivery variant, the Globus Metro.

Primus Solair 1.8 GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 4,46 x 1,69 m
Power: 96 hp, 158 nm
0-100: 11,3 s
speed: 184 kph
cons.: 9 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 10.400 $

Top of the line was the GLX trim, intended for the Gasmean market, but sold everywhere else, too. Leather interior and some plastic wood and rear power windows were premium midsize standard, and the engine was now the 2,2-liter from Globus as known in the Bravura. Since too much configurations with a foreign platform would end up chaotic, the GLX was only available as automatic. The only extra was an aircondition. Popular luxury features like CD radios and a sunroof were not possible for any Solair model. Saarland did not offer an Adjunkt overseas in Gasmea, so this car had no “half-inhouse” competitor and sold great there and quite good everywhere else.

Primus Solair GLX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 4,46 x 1,69 m
Power: 110 hp, 197 nm
0-100: 10,7 s
speed: 193 kph
cons.: 9,5 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 11.400 $

The dated RT320 rolled into retirement, and the successor was - from a visual point of view - a lot less radical. The insane 1965 Alpha looked front engined and had a rear one, and this tradition continued with the Ares that had the engine mounted in the middle of it. It looked like an usual sports car, but it was more than that. It had the biturbo engine from the Imperator tix as well as the AWD system, and it handled a lot better than the RT320 that required a driver that knew exactly what he was doing when pushed hard.
The Ares was a lot larger than the RT320 but not more comfortable than the predecessor that was often criticized for being cramped and hard. The Ares was also more a track-tool than a daily driver, offering a firework of latest technology. Adaptive dampers, fully clad underbody, electronic traction control, four-piston vented discs.
All that in a car that looked like it had only 200 horsepower. With the service cost of a supercar (and also the performance).
On the Automation test track it came clear that the rather heavy weight of the AWD system compromised the possible lap times. The legendary, crazy Alpha hypercar in its later 1971 variant needed just 2:10,29 minutes, the RT320 turbo from 1981 clocked in at 2:14,01, and the new Ares with even more horsepower was last at 2:17,23, even if it was quite good at handling and easy for amateurs.

Despite being praised for that and an overall still impressive track performance, it was not a success. While the purchase price was not too much for what it offered, it did not look the part for what the owner had to spend, especially in the service which was absurdly expensive, since it even used heavily staggered tires despite the AWD system. The comfort was a lot worse than one might think. Despite the not-welcomened understatement, the Ares was not a total flop: The tame handling of the huge power was not the only positively outstanding thing, it also turned out to be very reliable for a supercar and offered latest safety features, even an airbag could be ordered, while crash tests showed impressive results of the structural integrity.

Primus Ares
mid engine AWD
built: 1986-1990
LxW: 4,13 x 1,78 m
Power: 315 hp, 493 nm
0-100: 4,5 s
speed: 287 kph
cons.: 11,6 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 27.700 $

The 1986 Globus offerings started with a facelifted Intruder. The sales were negatively affected by the more modern Primus Advance in export markets, but a conservative and price-sensitive clientele was still faithful to Globus´small sedan. What was pleasing these customers was the fact that the visual changes were little, although for the better, and the engines were changed as well, to those engines that mobilize most Advance and Solair - the 1.5 and 1.8 4C82MV variants.

The LE lost its three-cylinder since this was considered odd by the old-fashioned buyers, and it only sold because it was cheap, economical and surprisingly reliable. The four-cylinder offered a much better comfort and was noticeably stronger, making the Intruder LE a surprisingly agile car, at least on a straight line. The fuel consumption rose, but remained rather low overall. The 1986-1989 base model even turned out to be more reliable than before, although the complex injection system and generally more filled engine bay led to higher service cost.

Globus Intruder LE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1989
LxW: 4,03 x 1,68 m
Power: 82 hp, 130 nm
0-100: 11,7 s
speed: 188 kph
cons.: 7,1 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 8460 $

Especially in the home market, the LS played a bigger role, and instead of getting its 2.2 liter in the new 110 horsepower variant, it was replaced with an 1.8 keeping the 96 horsepower. The small and light sedan simply did not need more than 100 horsepower to move quickly enough. In addition to that, the automatic was now electronically controlled like in the other Primus and Globus cars, the simple Intruder was the last one to get it. While the acceleration remained the same, the consumption dropped by a whole liter - making the LS an even better commuter car.

Globus Intruder LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1989
LxW: 4,03 x 1,68 m
Power: 96 hp, 158 nm
0-100: 11 s
speed: 193 kph
cons.: 8,9 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 9270 $

The Stallion was criticized for its unusual design, and this resulted in more exterior changes than done to its platform donator. The car now had a conventional grille, and the headlights were still weird but not as weird as before. The taillights were changed to a more conservative design to match the Intruder more than before. The higher price was justified with a much better trim level, power steering, a fifth gear and a new cassette radio were now included.

Globus Stallion
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1989
LxW: 4,03 x 1,68 m
Power: 128 hp, 176 nm
0-100: 7,6 s
speed: 221 kph
cons.: 9,1 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 10.600 $

The Bravura recieved additional convertible variants, the SE and LE, with the latter having nothing in common with the low-level Intruder LE. Market research showed that small sporty convertibles are sought-after, and the Advance platform with the Gasmean-ized Bravura seemed perfect. The rear seats had to be deleted for the folding mechanism of the roof, so the Bravura convertible was not practical at all, but affordable for what else it offered. The SE was the comfort model, based on the LX sibling with closed roof, but with a few goodies like more fake wood trim and the Check-Mate computer instead of the analog clock, since the convertible was above the “normal” two-door in the model hierarchy. Despite the good offer, not many SE were ordered, compared to the market size: For a normal convertible, it lacked rear seats (even small ones), for a roadster, it was too generic and had only average driving dynamics and a lazy engine.

Globus Bravura SE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 4,00 x 1,62 m
Power: 110 hp, 197 nm
0-100: 10,6 s
speed: 215 kph
cons.: 8,9 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 11.500 $

Even if the LE had the 16V engine and a sportier overall setup, it still did not strike in, although it had slightly more success than the SE. With an automatic transmission, a rather restrained styling and transverse front wheel drive, it did miss the expectations of those looking for a sports convertible.

Globus Bravura LE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 4,00 x 1,62 m
Power: 156 hp, 214 nm
0-100: 8,1 s
speed: 237 kph
cons.: 8,4 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 15.200 $

The Phoenix models were expanded with the GT, combining the advantages of the both existing trims: It had the mighty V8 and the comfort features of the LT, but featured a manual transmission like the LS. Medium compound tires, a limited slip differential and adaptive dampers were standard on the technical side.
Visually, the GT trim added a fancy plexiglass T-top and bicolor paint in exotic colors - if ordered so, classic white/white or black/black was still possible for the GT.
This version of the Phoenix matched the buyer´s taste, and originally just planned as a nice addition, it became the most-sold trim and granted the Phoenix a second spring, and it was able to compete with more complex sports cars that costed a lot more, unless you wanted to use it in professional competitions, where the simple suspension lacked refinement that could no longer be concealed. Press reviews were positive.

The test driver hopped into the drivers seat and started up the engine. Getting moving onto the open road the driver noted that the car was easy to drive and had a good weight behind the wheel, it was decently comfortable but lacked any feeling of speed, atleast everything was robust, it felt like it would be reliable to own and it was cheap.
Arriving back at the roadside where the other cars were gathering the driver announced “It felt like a solid car, but it needs some better handling if you want to throw it about. Very high driveability, low sport, average comfort, prestige is still on the low side, highest safety, second highest reliability, it is cheap as well.” (Riley, TMCC26)

Globus Phoenix GT
Front engine RWD
built: 1986-1988
LxW: 4,33 x 1,80 m
Power: 238 hp, 392 nm
0-100: 6,3 s
speed: 277 kph
cons.: 13,2 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 17.700 $

While the first information about the new DuraTrans was leaked and it was officially confirmed to be offered in 1987, Globus offered another delivery vehicle, based on the Saarland-cousin Solair. Called Globus Metro, it was meant to serve as courier vehicle, larger and more comfortable than the spartan Ratio, more highway-suiting than the boxy Traveller. The high roof accomodated even large items, so the descision between the Express and the Metro was mainly personal taste, and while the Express used the 2.3D, the Metro had the 1.5 gasoline mounted in the engine bay - although the Diesel could be ordered, it was not common.

Globus Metro
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1986-1991
LxW: 4,44 x 1,69 m
Power: 82 hp, 130 nm
0-100: 11,1 s
speed: 169 kph
cons.: 7,6 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 8480 $

[Knugcab]

Solair, the best Primus ever.

[Happyhungryhippo]

1987 featured a sporty variant of the very basic Urbano, since a cheap fun car was not yet in the lineup - the Advance GTi-16V was quite expensive, the Globus Bravura wasn´t light and zippy, and the LT was the cheapest way to get the hands on the new DOHC-16V engine, but still rather costly to obtain and not as sporty as its Advance cousin.

The interior was slighty upgraded from the base Urbano, and it even had a basic cassette radio. Other changes included rack-and-pinion steering (it was rather weird that the Urbano was launched with a recirculating ball steering, since this hampered agility and was rather costly, that kind of steering was previously found in larger vehicles without power steering), gas dampers and, well that was it. Except for the engine that recieved a turbo for an output of 75 horsepower, massive for a 725 kg car. Different than the normal Urbano, it even had a catalytic converter.

The buyers adressed were those that wanted a puristic and enjoyable drive without spending a fortune, young adults that daily drove it and wanted the reliability of a simple new car - and the Urbano was one of the best cars in that aspect, what is not there can not break. Overall, that car adressed at a niche, but that rather succesful.

Primus Urbano II CS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1987-1991
LxW: 3,30 x 1,40 m
Power: 75 hp, 120 nm
0-100: 10 s
speed: 182 kph
cons.: 6,2 ltr regular UL
four-speed manual
price: 8450 $

Long awaited was a new Globus Duratrans, and after 37 (!) years, the second generation rolled into the dealer´s yards. A modern shape finally fulfilled modern requirements at design, driver and passenger comfort and aerodynamics, but the chassis was still a ladder frame with solid axles in front and rear, considerably less modern than the competition, although the front now featured coil instead of leaf springs. The largest change on the technical side was switching to front wheel drive, mounting the engine transverse. The van was now able to load 3 tons (!) instead of 1,1 - the positive side of the ancient but bulletproof frame. The occupants were sitting very high, even higher than in competitors, but that gave the car an almost truck-like feel and good vision of the surroundings, helpful when maneuvering on construction sites.

The 3023 model featured the 2,3 liter NA Diesel known from the Astrona and Solair, while the servicing was easy, and the power was sufficient when empty, it had problems when maxxing out the load capacity. But for that purpose another model existed. The 3023 sold good and was happily welcomened by the customers.

Globus DuraTrans 3023D
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1987-1991
LxW: 4,81 x 1,89m
Power: 85 hp, 206 nm
0-100: 15,4 s
speed: 147 kph
cons.: 8,9 ltr D (regular UL)
four-speed manual
price: 8200 $

Customers also wanted a van with more power to use up the three ton load capacity, and an offorad-going variant for construction sites was also demanded. The 3027 HD4 combined both and was the top model of the Duratrans range. The engine was the bull-strong 2,7 liter turbodiesel known from Imperator and Aventura, and it made the van almost too fast. Inexperienced drivers had fatal crashes with them, since the driving dynamics did not match the power that had to be used wisely.
With the optional AWD drive, the stronger turbodiesel could be tamed, and it was useful for towing as well as driving on muddy surfaces. It came at a price, but despite all that technology and power the van was still very reliable, although the service bill was painful.
There were not much alternatives to this vehicle, and whoever wanted a van on the upper end of the scale, bought the Duratrans.

Globus DuraTrans 3027TD HD4
Front engine (t) AWD
built: 1987-1991
LxW: 4,81 x 1,89m
Power: 144 hp, 369 nm
0-100: 11,1 s
speed: 170 kph
cons.: 10,3 ltr D (regular UL)
five-speed manual
price: 11.700 $

In 1988 Primus reacted to the falling sales of the Imperator. The luxobarge, ultra-modern by 1980, was overtaken by sleeker and similary modern competitors. Now the large Primus was considered rather dull, and while a conservative clientele still loved it´s bulky appeareance and old-money image, something had to be done.
Unfortunately, while the design was clearly more modern, it did not change the meanwhile overall old-fashioned style, it even made things slightly worse with the pseudo-fancy rear light covers with filigree chrome stripes that did the opposite of what they were supposed to do - this was a Gasmean retiree dream. The new aerodynamic mirrors looked a little out of place on the huge brick, the front had now smaller headlights with rounded indicators, making things better, but not modern enough. A neat gimmick were projector headlights, standard on the 550, optional for the others.

Other updates were standard airbags and aluminium wheels for all Imperators, overworked HVAC systems and a new POIC system, called POIC 1.5, standard on the 550, optional for the others that retained the old unit unless the customer was into digital stuff and upgraded when ordering his car. More welcomened was the fact that CD radios were now standard for the Imperator, pure luxury in 1988! The latest innovation in technology rather in driving than in listening, a variable steering, was also standard in every Imperator after the second facelift as well as electronic traction control.

The Diesel kept the 2,7 TD, since there was nothing wrong with the engine. Strong, thrifty, reliable - although a five-cylinder was rather uncommon for that league of car, and it was significantly rougher than the six-cylinder gasoline engine.

Primus Imperator 270TD
Front engine RWD
built: 1988-1990
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 144 hp, 368,5 nm
0-100: 11 s
speed: 221 kph
cons.: 8,5 ltr D (aka regular UL)
four-speed automatic
price: 24.100 $

The 320 featured an engine upgrade, increasing the power from 200 to 205 horsepower by using a VVT system, a premiere for Primus and one of the first in the industry. While being rather thrifty, the 320 still outperformed most V8 rivals, even the latest ones. The car was definitely not as old-fashioned as it looked meanwhile, below the surface the Imperator still led the segment.

Primus Imperator 320 mpi
Front engine RWD
built: 1988-1990
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 212 hp, 296 nm
0-100: 7,9 s
speed: 256 kph
cons.: 12,1 ltr regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 31.400 $

A tix turbo top model was no longer offered - the new V8 offered enough power to fill the gap - after 33 years, Primus finally developed a brand-new engine with 5,5 liter displacement. Full aluminium, overhead camshaft with four valves per cylinder, VVT, this was the newest technology featured. To make it not too waspish - a complaint on the 320 - individual throttle bodies were not considered, Primus sticked to the standard configuration. A variable intake made sure the engine performed excellent along the whole rpm range. With 335 horsepower, the engine propelled the Imperator with immense force - a reason why the AWD system, available exclusively for the V8, was frequently ordered despite every V6 and V8 featuring a standard LSD.
Although the Imperator suffered from declining sales, the massive updates kept it in the game for the last three model years. Especially the V8 had a huge advantage: Few other luxobarges managed to speed up to almost 290 kph, and the acceleration made most sports cars green with envy, while having outstanding comfort and traction in all situations.

Primus Imperator 550x
Front engine AWD
built: 1988-1990
LxW: 5,14 x 1,85 m
Power: 336 hp, 504 nm
0-100: 6,4 s
speed: 287 kph
cons.: 15,1 ltr premium UL
four-speed automatic
price: 37.900 $

Globus no longer offered the Omni 15 due to low request, but the Omni 12 recieved another makeover.
Besides minor engine improvements, the buses now featured better crash safety and digital matrix displays for line and destination, even in the interior for passenger information. A completely new dashboard improved the working conditions for the driver, and some other interior details were modernized.
Sadly, the D86c was decreasingly ordered by the first and most important customer Belasco Public - alongside the Omni which was the only model ordered for 15 years, the local competitor Wendwart also delivered vehicles. In 1988, Globus signed a contract for 30 buses, Wendtward for 10 - and finally, when new contracts would be made in 1990, Globus delivered 15 and Wendtward finally won the competition and recieved an order for 30 units.

Globus Omni 12 D86c-AC
rear engine RWD
built: 1988-1992
LxW: 11,98 x 2,50 m
Power: 245 hp, 685 nm
0-100: 36,2 s
speed: 137 kph
cons.: 30,9 ltr Diesel (aka regular unleaded for simulation)
three-speed automatic
price: 17.000 $ (without interior installed)

1989 already featured a refitted Astrona. The car sold good, but the competition was tough. Why not buying a Hinode instead? To defend the comfortable market position in the top range, a fresher design, new engines and an even better interior were needed.
While the front now resembled a little the ´88 Imperator, but smoother, the rear that was criticized the most now changed to a more modern interpretation of the Astrona III. The interior featured more modern controls, new seats with more support and the engine program was almost fully changed. All Astrona now had standard ABS, not a thing most competitors offered at no extra cost. Airbags were also standard for the driver and a steering column that breaks on purpose in very heavy accidents, while the engine now slides underneath the car when the whole engine bay was crumpled. The latter was not even featured in the 1988 Imperator.

The entry level ´89 Astrona was still the GL, now starting as 230 D for fleet customers. Good handling, nice comfort, spacious interior - the Astrona was still a popular taxi. The engine was still an outstanding example of reliability and not too dull, so it was kept. The Check-Mate surveillance system was deleted for GL and GLX, but in return, the electronic ECF (Electronic Convenience Functions) like interior light delay when opening and closing the locks, reminder bells, automatically light switch and one-touch window opening and closing, formerly exclusive to the GLS, became standard.

Primus Astrona 230DA GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1989-1993
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 85 hp, 206 nm
0-100: 14,1 s
speed: 196 kph
cons.: 7,2 ltr D (aka egular UL)
four-speed automatic
price: 11.900 $

The base gasoline model was still the 180, but now also a DOHC variant, no longer the 4C82. This engine was also coupled with the GLX trim, so the base price rose significantly, but also the fun to drive it. Since everything was now 16V except for the diesels, there were no more visual differences between them and other engines. All models except the 230D now had aluminium wheels. This example in brown was ordered with automatic transmission, but even with that, the car was very fast.

Primus Astrona 180A GLX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1989-1993
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 130 hp, 179 nm
0-100: 9,55 s
speed: 231 kph
cons.: 9,5 ltr D regular UL
four-speed automatic
price: 14.400 $

Impractical but stylish fully painted bumpers as well as tinted taillights and white front indicator glasses showed that you just ordered a GLS model - that trim was available at extra cost for the 180 and obligated if you ordered a 200. Adaptive damping was now standard on the GLS and no longer exclusive to the turbo AWD. The 200 was now equipped with 160 horsepower, thanks to an overworked engine. Electronic traction control, variable steering and a CD (!) radio made this car very expensive even for a midsize, but it was definitely even more the driver´s choice among premium family-suiting sedans. Some people rather wanted a V6 than an ultimately high-strung four-banger, but the Astrona IV was all about efficiency in the end, and less than 8 liter for that performance was definitely unbeaten.

Primus Astrona 200 GLS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1989-1993
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 160 hp, 217,5 nm
0-100: 7,7 s
speed: 255 kph
cons.: 7,8 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 22.600 $

Diesel cars were always rather unspectacular, boring cars with a dull feeling. Slow, heavy, the low consumption as only advantage. The turbodiesel engine from Primus, as mounted since 1983 in the Aventura and Imperator, made the already rather good D5A engine to a really considerable option for frequent travellers (you really had to make up the service expenses by driving a lot), but both cars were rather heavy and not what a sporty driver would consider.

As first manufactor in the whole Uni, eh, Automationverse, Primus combines a sport sedan with a turbodiesel engine that performs like a sledgehammer. As GLS buyer, you had the choice between the 200 that had the feel of a road-tamed rallye car, and the 250 tds that felt like a bull when seeing red. 377 nm of torque at only 1700 rpm, activated without any noticeable turbo lag were clearly a sensation in a midsize sedan, unless you drove an Astrona turbo AWD. The tds (turbo diesel sport) was not as fast as the 200, but at least slightly cheaper. The heavy D5A cast iron clunker hampered sharp cornering, but the low consumption rather made it suitable for long highway driving while having something to throw around corners with some pepper. The consumption was very low, although the 200 offered also outstanding efficiency not too far away from the tds. The engine had its roots in the mid 70s, while the all-alloy DOHC 16V was far more advanced, after all.

Primus Astrona 250tds GLS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1989-1993
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 145 hp, 377 nm
0-100: 8,5 s
speed: 243 kph
cons.: 7,1 ltr D (aka egular UL)
five-speed manual
price: 20.600 $

The turbo AWD returned as well with more power, however, this car was rather there for a sporty image and as base car for motorsport enthusiasts as well as those with a huge wallet looking for an outstanding daily driver, and as those, it once again swept the floor with extraordinary performance. While now needing the increasingly available premium gas, it offered even more power and luxury, with an absurd possible top speed of over 280 kph.

Primus Astrona Turbo AWD
Front engine (t) AWD
built: 1989-1993
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 262 hp, 413 nm
0-100: 5,95 s
speed: 283 kph
cons.: 8,3 ltr premium UL
five-speed manual
price: 29.200 $

The sales of the Astrona remained very strong with the facelifted model. although the price level rose noticeably. Pleasant styling, good handling, unmatched performance and efficiency as well as class-leading safety turned out to be a very effective mix, and even if the competition did not sleep and offered very good cars as well, the Astrona mostly defeated them in the premium midsize segment.

Another car selling good that was under pressure to defeat the position was the Aventura. The facelift was not as extensive to the Astrona. Airbags were still not offered, the visual changes were not as intensive, but new engines and small interior improvements were provided.

The GL Turbo Diesel now profited from the new 2,5 engine that propelled the Astrona to records, and it was even more reliable than the 2,7 TD that was still sold in the Imperator and Globus DuraTrans. The GL did not even have standard ABS, since a rather affordable price was also an objective, the Aventura was suitable as a workhorse; and as those, still sold good, thanks to the more economical engine that delivered even slightly more power as the old one.

Primus Aventura GL Turbo Diesel
Front engine 4x4
built: 1989-1992
LxW: 4.48 x 1,79m
Power: 145 hp, 377 nm
0-100: 11,2 s
speed: 183 kph
cons.: 10,2 ltr D (regular ul)
five-speed manual
price: 13.000 $

The GLX V6 recieved the updated engine from last years Imperator, and in addition to that, variable steering just as the Imperator and better Astronas as well as traction control, when the waspish power of the V6 was demanded on loose surfaces. The mixture of performance, utility, comfort and the capability of hard offorading was still not really matched, so the Aventura V6 remained a top-selling car.

Primus Aventura GLX V6
Front engine 4x4
built: 1989-1992
LxW: 4.48 x 1,79m
Power: 212 hp, 296 nm
0-100: 9,3 s
speed: 210 kph
cons.: 14,6 ltr regular ul
four-speed automatic
price: 23.900 $

Premium offroad vehicles became rapidly popular and sought-after. Despite the good demand for the V6, some competitors offered similar cars with a prestigious V8, and Primus thought this was now the call for their new V8C55 engine. 336 horsepower in this car were for sure an unique experience, propelling this monster to 250 kph if it was not restricted by factory to 210 for safety reasons - but that limiter was removed on special request after passing a special Primus Driver Experience training. Does anybody need this much power in a car like that? No, definitely not. Is it fun? Is it prestigious? For sure. The GLS V8 sold great to those that want the little more extra that they acually did not need at all.

Primus Aventura GLS V8
Front engine 4x4
built: 1989-1992
LxW: 4.48 x 1,79m
Power: 336 hp, 554 nm
0-100: 8,1 s
speed: 250 kph
cons.: 16,2 ltr premium ul
four-speed automatic
price: 27.900 $

Compared to 1980, when the brand seemed almost dead, Globus was in a far better position at the end of the decade. Many new models, carefully introduced aside the Primus lineup, allowed for a recovery, although the money earned was still not on the Primus level. But overall, Globus was healthy and had already promising things in the pipeline for 1990. So, 1989 did not feature too much. The Phoenix, the figurehead, was still rather good for an eight year old model, but did no longer compete with real sports cars.
The LS base model now featured a reincarnation of a dead, namingly the 34 year old V8A55 engine, now carefully modernized. The old OHV engine was maybe not the most stunning piece of technology, but it was a V8. And very cheap. Aside from a “friendlier” front end styling and a fresh choice of colors, the LS was either available as manual or automatic, and the ancient 4.2 did not to a bad job for a car that was a good show for a few bucks. It was not as responisve and nimble like the V6 predecessor and a bit thirstier, neither was ABS nor the new variable steering a standard feature, but it was cool, cheap and had a V8. A good argument for the new Phoenix was the driver airbag, now a standard feature - the car was, despite the lazy engine, still something to kill yourself when not handling it sane. That what it featured for the moeny was all a lot of Gasmeans wanted, although it did not become a sales hit.

Globus Phoenix LS
Front engine RWD
built: 1989-1992
LxW: 4,33 x 1,80 m
Power: 193 hp, 324 nm
0-100: 6,9 s
speed: 269 kph
cons.: 11,5 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 15.700 $

The LT however, was a more serious thing. With the modern 5.5 V8 with 336 horsepower, it could be combined with either a manual or an automatic, and the T-Top was standard, as well as variable steering and ABS with traction control, both urgently needed to handle the massive power. A premium CD radio and adaptive dampers were mounted at no extra cost.
Despite the hefty price, the LT sold like crazy, since the performance figures were outstanding, and sports cars with similar statistics were mostly more expensive or a nightmare to service, while the Phoenix was still a mostly simple design without any oversophisticated features aside from the potent engine. While it accelerated as fast as the Primus Ares with the 3,2 biturbo, the top speed was more than 30 kph faster, while servicing was only half as expensive! Since the new engine was all aluminium, the weight distribution was almost perfect at 51/49%. The 89-92 Globus Phoenix LT was simply THE car to show off, and it maybe still was not among the most refined, but in performance for money, it could not be passed.

Globus Phoenix LT
Front engine RWD
built: 1989-1992
LxW: 4,33 x 1,80 m
Power: 336 hp, 554 nm
0-100: 4,6 s
speed: 318 kph
cons.: 12,6 ltr regular UL
five-speed manual
price: 25.300 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

1990 saw Primus Globus Motors established as top-five-brand in the Automationverse. Since leaded gas is almost nowhere used, all consumption figures refer to gasoline being unleaded - all new Primus Globus models from 1974 onwards have already been able to use unleaded. The first new cars shown in January were the facelifted Advance models.

The spartan CE trim was no longer offered, and the design of the car became a bit sportier, especially in the rear. Since the car still sold well in 1989, not too much was changed.
The 1,2 liter three-cylinder remained the entry power unit, now providing 66 horsepower with the help of MPI injection. The performance figures in the light and efficient car were good, thanks to a standard fifth gear. The entry level model was still quite affordable, and therefore remained a competetive car in the compact class.

Primus Advance 1.2 CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1993
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 66 hp, 104 nm
0-100: 13,5 s
speed: 175 kph
cons.: 6,1 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 8420 $

The better GL model came with a new engine, a turbocharged variant of the 1.2. Since the Urbano CS proved that small turbo engines can be fun, it should work in the larger Advance as well. The main goal was optimized efficiency, and the turbo was therefore rather mildly tuned, with the possible option of automatic transmission, as installed in the car shown. That seemed to work, without an annoying turbo lag and linear power delivery, it managed to equal the consumption of the non-turbo variant, even with the GL extras and automatic, while being not really a sporty or fast car, but noticeably more powerful. A downside was the need for premium gas, but that was now widely available - and if you did not want the 1.2T, there was a traditional four-cylinder offered as well, but the price difference to the 1.2 CL was huge, although the car was praised for its efficiency and sold remarkably well. Another contribution to overall lower consumption was the new power steering system that changed from hydraulic to electric for better efficiency, one of the first in the industry.

Primus Advance 1.2T GLa
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1993
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 80 hp, 146 nm
0-100: 12,3 s
speed: 184 kph
cons.: 6,2 ltr premium
four-speed automatic
price: 10.600 $

Above the GL was still the GLX trim, and it came with an 1.6 liter engine that was optional for the GL for only $ 200 more. With the more conservative 92 horsepower engine, efficiency miracles could not be performed, the newest 4C82MV descendant was boring but reliable, pushing the Advance firmly forward. ABS and aircondition were standard features seen not often in this class, so the car offered a lot of value for the price - and remained one of the main choices.

Primus Advance 1.6 GLX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1993
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 92 hp, 138 nm
0-100: 10,5 s
speed: 197 kph
cons.: 7,4 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 11.500 $

The GTi-16V model was downgraded - the mighty race-tech 2.0 was replaced with a similar 1.8 liter unit, but without ITBs. The reason was that the GTi was simply too expensive for young people that wanted it, and the power it had was maybe even too much for a compact car. So the downgrade made the facelifted one the saner car, since 130 horsepower in that car were good enough for spirited driving. But it was not actually cheaper - since it came with the newest of gadgets, like a hi-fi premium CD system otherwise only found in fancy premium cars and an airbag, however, most dealers sold the car for less since they were able to order it without radio from the factory on request.

Primus Advance GTi-16
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1993
LxW: 3,79 x 1,62 m
Power: 130 hp, 179 nm
0-100: 7,9 s
speed: 232 kph
cons.: 7,4 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 16.900 $

The 1989 Astrona started with that 130 horesepower engine, unless you ordered the rather dull 2.3 TD diesel - not everyone´s cup of tea. The customers demanded an entry level gasoline engine, so Primus installed the new 1.6 from the Advance GLX. It could only be ordered with the GL base trim, but that was not a problem since the GL was not really frugal - the Astrona aimed at the premium sport sedan segment, after all, so the low-spec models must not be overly cheap.
Even with the optional automatic transmission, the Astrona 160 needed less than 10 seconds to highway speed of 100 kph. More than enough for the mostly elder buyers that had a Primus before and wanted again a modern, but modest and affordable midsize sedan from their favourite brand.

Primus Astrona 160A GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1993
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 92 hp, 138 nm
0-100: 9,8 s
speed: 203 kph
cons.: 8,4 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 11.800 $

Globus had just passed a difficult decade - the brand seemed dead by late 1980, but got back on its fee, eh, tires in the second half, thanks to financial support from the Gasmean government that borrowed money for generous conditions and the Primus mother company that agreed to do a valuable technology transfer to make Globus cars more competetive.

The Ratio city delivery did not undergo any facelift since 1982, unlike its platform donator, the Intruder, that had at least superficial improvements. Since the Intruder platform was otherwise cancelled for 1990, the Ratio should squeeze some more money out of it, so the makeover was - despite a brand new front design introducing the split grille that became a major part of the brands visual identity throughout the 1990s - not really extensive to minimize the investments - it had to be cheap and simple, after all.
The Ratio managed to hold on six more years, but then it was finally outdated and withdrawn from the market, since a Mara Zora MK2 that became Letaras Car of the Year 1995 was a lot better option.

Globus Ratio
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1995
LxW: 3,81 x 1,60 m
Power: 66 hp, 104 nm
0-100: 12,3 s
speed: 173 kph
cons.: 5,9 ltr regular
four-speed manual
price: 7590 $

The Advance-based Bravura 2+2 seater and the cheap Intruder were merged into a new Bravura model that was now Globus´most modern new model. It was better in every way compared to the Intruder that was quickly thrown together by a broke company, while the successor was the number one priority of a company that was almost healthy again.
To save cost, most of the platform was still related to the Advance, but modified to serve as the new core model of Globus. The demand after cheap commuter and family cars was huge, and despite a croweded market, there were many sales to gain.
The design was nowhere as dull as the Intruder, although the five-door models were a bit on the restrained side. Five door? Yes, Globus engineers felt inspired by the draie-kiep-durr from the Anhultz Dione that invented the system in 1978 - you could either open the whole hatch, which is sometimes impractical since it´s huge and heavy and will slam against garage roofs - or the smaller trunklid.
Combining the advantages of a sedan and a hatchback was nice, other than that, the Bravura offered much better rustproofing than the Intruder and generous interior space considering the small size of the car.
Unobtrusive design, good reliability, latest technology (such as the brand new engine variants and the electric power steering) and great value made this car not only popular in Gasmea but also on export markets - and since the political barrier to the Archana and Dalluha just broke down, a car like the Bravura came just in time.
The LE base model offered 92 horsepower, a five-speed and power steering as well as a standard cassette player - it´s engineering was correspondingly: It avoided any fancy or expensive stuff, but had everything needed for a convenient experience. Not more - and not less. A perfect budget family car that sold alright.

Globus Bravura LE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1994
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 92 hp, 138 nm
0-100: 11,5 s
speed: 197 kph
cons.: 7,6 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 9650 $

If you wanted an automatic, the LS was your choice. Genuine leather and a few other goodies in the interior, gas dampers, less plastic on the exterior - that were the main changes to a car that was made for people wanting both value and comfort. As such, it sold very good and also pleased the importers outside of Gasmea - this car was competetive anywhere in the world in value for money.

Globus Bravura LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1994
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 92 hp, 138 nm
0-100: 13 s
speed: 199 kph
cons.: 7,7 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 10.700 $

But Globus offered more.
What if you wanted a car that is decently roomy for five, practical, offering heated leather seats, power windows in front and rear, ABS, Airbag, and a high quality CD sound system for well below $15.000 while it must offer a top speed above 200 kph? There was not much to choose from - but the LX offered all this. The car with a larger 2,0 liter engine variant was not standing out in any way, but it was the most you could get for $14.400 in terms of comfort and efficiency if you were looking for a Gasmean car. In the home market, the Bravura was Nr. 2 in the sales statistics in the family segment, and that was mainly archieved by the LX that offered reasonnable luxury in a non-premium car without feeling wrong or unrefined.

Globus Bravura LX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1994
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 105 hp, 181 nm
0-100: 11,8 s
speed: 213 kph
cons.: 8,1 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 14.400 $

But what about the buyers of the old Bravura that wanted an affordable two-door? They still can get that, by ordering the Bravura LT.
Unlike the old one, the new model offers two spacious rear seats that are acceptable for more than just short distances. An unique rear design that was a lot inspired by the predecessor should give continuity with the old Bravura that was still sold alongside as convertible while looking more modern. The LT was based on the LX in terms of trim level but featured the 1.8 DOHC engine from the Advance GTi - this coupe should drive as fun as it looks, after all. Once again, Globus managed to offered solid value for money, and the Bravura LT became successful as well.

Globus Bravura LT
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1994
LxW: 4,28 x 1,65 m
Power: 130 hp, 181 nm
0-100: 9,1 s
speed: 230 kph
cons.: 7,6 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 15.300 $

With the end of the Intruder, the Stallion coupe sibling ended as well - just to reappear as a sportier variant of the Bravura LT.
The Stallion started with eight cylinders in 1969, continued with six in 1976 and now finally only had four - but at least those of the great Primus DOHC engine - and instead of the 1,8 liter, it used the 160 horsepower unit from the Astrona 200. The car should offer some real sportiness, so it was only available with a manual. Two tone paint, sportier suspension with adaptive dampers, digital gauges and a rear wing completed the package. The performance almost made forgotten that this was not more than a souped up Bravura, however, this was still miles better than a souped up Intruder.
The new Stallion merged the better handling of the old Bravura with the roomier Interior of the old Stallion, and sold great as a compromise between a family sports and a modern efficient pony car. It came at a price, it was in fact more expensive than the Phoenix LS, but on the other hand, the Stallion was the more efficient, almost equally fast and a lot more suitable for everyday use. However, the descision between the two seater with the old-fashioned but still powerful OHV V8 and the four-seater with the high-strung four-cylinder was a very tough one.

Globus Stallion
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1990-1994
LxW: 4,28 x 1,65 m
Power: 160 hp, 217,5 nm
0-100: 7 s
speed: 244 kph
cons.: 7,4 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 18.900 $

The new financial stability of Globus offered the return of a legend: The Globus Grand Cruiser was back after almost ten years absence. It was meant to combine tradition and modernity: A huge size just like in the good old days, but with a more aerodynamic shape. A simple and durable suspension, but no longer a seperate frame. The goal was to offer the largest car for the least money. This meant that driving the base Grand Cruiser LS was not an overwhelming experience, but it perfectly represented the old values that were lost with all the new economy boxes. Giant interior, sofa seats, lazy V8 power, plushy ride and an overall urge to drive relaxed across Gasmea without any stress for many hours. Tons of chrome, a column shifter, a huge amount of boring colors as well as such that already appeared on the old Grand Cruiser and are more daring for both the exterior and interior, this one represents the Gasmean Dream. Not even the electronic steering was installed, instead, a conventional hydraulic system was used - for a more “classic” feel.
Which leads to the problem that this car does not appeal to buyers outside of Gasmea, so only a handful importers considered offering it. The Grand Cruiser was not developed with export markets in mind. The LS trim was astonishingly successful, with sales even surpassing the expectations - so there was still a market for the domestic landyacht, despite the trend for downsizing. Well, at least the car shrank a little compared to the 1970s model…

Globus Grand Cruiser LS
Front engine RWD
built: 1990-1994
LxW: 5,34 x 1,84 m
Power: 193 hp, 330 nm
0-100: 10,3 s
speed: 231 kph
cons.: 13,4 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 16.500 $

For those that wanted their Grand Cruiser not only to drive to church and to the grandchildren, Globus offered an LX model for a hefty $ 23.500 - that was the level of a Primus Aventura V6 or Astrona 200 GLS Automatic. But it had not much in common with the cheap LS twin. Upgraded touring suspension, ABS with traction control, alloy wheels, better brakes, premium interior with all-inclusive options like a fantastic CD player. Since the mighty 5,5 V8 was reserved for the police interceptor package, the public got a new 4,3 liter variant mostly identical to the larger engine. Lightweight engine internals, variable intake, high-flow converter, VVT - this resulted in respectabe 280 horsepower - enough to propel the giant in seven seconds to 100.
The LX managed to sell like bread in Gasmea as well, even if competing against more efficient and more refined models, but the Grand Cruiser managed to grab the nostalgia feel of many Gasmeans and formed it into a car.

Globus Grand Cruiser LX
Front engine RWD
built: 1990-1994
LxW: 5,34 x 1,84 m
Power: 280 hp, 390,5 nm
0-100: 7,1 s
speed: 275 kph
cons.: 13,5 ltr premium
four-speed automatic
price: 23.500 $

The Ranger might not have changed a lot visually, but the updates were huge: A fifth gear, a new engine, the 2 liter from the Bravura LX, power steering, better safety, a bit more comfort. Despite all the effort, the sales of the Ranger continued to drop. The facelift may avoided a steep downfall, but at the beginning of the decade many other manufactors started to offer small cheap offorads, and the Globus Ranger was not the fanciest in the competition. It sold good enough to remain in offering, but since the competition was tough, Globus cancelled plans for a successor in the mid 90s, instead, the existing one should remain on sale as long as possible with few changes, just like the Ratio.

Globus Ranger
Front engine 4x4
built: 1990-1993
LxW: 2,97x1,49m
Power: 105 hp, 181 nm
0-100: 12,9 s
speed: 157 kph
cons.: 10,7 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 11.100 $

1991 finally gave Primus a new top model - or two, if you were following the general idea behind the Imperator successor.
The Imperator did not sell great in 1990 - it was not a bad car, but sportiness - hardly important when the second generation was developed from 1976 to 1980 - was now demanded even for the plushy luxobarges, since cars like from Avion or Inframotive offered this without too much compromises.

The new Primus flagship offered the newest technology to make it a pleasure to throw around corners - a super-complex multilink rear axle, almost perfect weight distribution, panels fully made of aluminium, advanced driving aids - the development that started in 1985 took longer than expected. The engines were already known ones, since they were ready before the car and installed elsewhere. Primus again fitted an automatic as standard since they were convinced that a manual would not be adequate in this cars, and that their automatic is so good that a manual won´t be missed.

The whole silhouette was very sleek and aerodynamic to underline that this car is now a lot more fun to drive than the old model, but it was hardly progressive. The car was also noticeably shorter - the rear space in the old one was gigantic, but over the top. The new models were tighter, but still offered adequate space for a luxury sedan. When opening the driver door, a new Primus fullsize would blow your mind with an interior not seen on any car before in quality, design and technology - but it was more an evolution of the known and proven Imperator II “cruise ship” concept. However, the standard POIC system was as capable as an average desktop PC, using an i386 processor with 33 MHz and one megabyte RAM. This was standard in every new fullsize Primus.
They came in two models, the rather restrained Legacy that aimed at those that wanted a car that looked pricey but not too posh, and the Imperator that was a pure luxury vehicle, showing off as much as possible with a more ornate design.

The entry into this privileged world was the Legacy 250td, featuring the engine of the Astrona 250tds. If you got a procuration, it was likely that your fleet manager provided you this car. Comfortable and thrifty at the same time, it was perfect for frequent long business trips - the reliability of the D5A was good, and the newest variant was also strong enough to make the car competetive with petrol models of other manufactors. If only it was running less rough - but despite all the new technology, the base model did not rise it´s price.

Primus Legacy 250td
Front engine RWD
built: 1991-1993
LxW: 4,95 x 1,85 m
Power: 145 hp, 377 nm
0-100: 10,1 s
speed: 222 kph
cons.: 7,9 ltr D (aka regular UL)
four-speed automatic
price: 23.500 $

The 320 had exactly the same engine as the predecessor. But despite all the effort, it did neither consume a lot less, nor was it really much faster. But the price for that car was lower - the electronic gadgets introduced in the 1988 Imperator II facelift were now easier to produce. Compared to the 250td, the car offered an automatic aircondition instead of a manual one and adaptive dampers as well as a 4CD-changer in the trunk at no extra cost. A geared LSD was no longer included - it was replaced it with electronic traction control.

Primus Legacy 320
Front engine RWD
built: 1991-1993
LxW: 4,95 x 1,85 m
Power: 212 hp, 296 nm
0-100: 7,5 s
speed: 250 kph
cons.: 12 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 28.200 $

A V8 version was again available, using the 4.3 V8 from the Globus Grand Cruiser LX - the 5,5 liter was reserved for the more luxurious Imperator. Besides the engine, the 430 offered standard CloudRide air suspension with adjustable damping, providing excellent comfort and cornering in all situations - this system was only available as an option for the 320. When it went on sale, it was actually the hottest offer in the V8 premium to luxury segment. Fun to drive, very comfortable, prestigious performance and all that for a price that was accessible for mid-level management.

Primus Legacy 430
Front engine RWD
built: 1991-1993
LxW: 4,95 x 1,85 m
Power: 280 hp, 390,5 nm
0-100: 6,66 s
speed: 275 kph
cons.: 13,8 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 31.000 $

For all that did not have to worry about looking too rich, the Imperator was the nicer option - if you could afford it. While a Legacy 430 was already one of the best cars you could get in 1991, the Imperator 550 offered even more. A fancier styling with a mighty detailed chrome grille, hood ornament, tinted taillights and some interior upgrades like an ultra modern steering wheel, chrome door handles and other small goodies. All Imperators offered - as an advantage over the Legacy models - a geared LSD, medium compound tires and all wheel drive for perfect cornering and traction under all possible circumstances - all that was already standard in the old Imperator, but the new model did not only look a decade more modern and a lot more fun to drive - it really was it. Another difference to the Legacy was that Imperators were four-seaters, while the Legacy came always as five-seater.

Primus Imperator 550
Front engine AWD
built: 1991-1993
LxW: 4,96 x 1,85 m
Power: 336 hp, 504 nm
0-100: 6,2 s
speed: 281 kph
cons.: 14,7 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 37.100 $

Especially Frunians built cars for the tiny “sport luxury” niche - executive sedans that should drive like a capable sports car. To compete here, Primus took the drivetrain of the new Ares (see this next) and fitted it into the Imperator. The result was impressive - while the comfort was not as good as in the other cars of this model, the sportiness was good enough to make Avion engineers worry. 405 horsepower were the absolute upper limit of the old 6BV engine with it´s two-valve head, and careful tuning made this car even surprisingly thrifty and reliable, although expensive. But this was the premier league of cars, after all.

Primus Imperator 320TS
Front engine AWD
built: 1991-1993
LxW: 4,95 x 1,85 m
Power: 405 hp, 677 nm
0-100: 4,3 s
speed: 298 kph
cons.: 11,5 ltr premium
six-speed manual
price: 42.300 $

The Ares was suffering from bland styling and horrific service cost, and even if the first problem was not fully solved, it was improved by featuring an Imperator-like front end that looked a lot better than the indifferent boredom of the 1986 model. The price rose a lot, but you had to be rich anyway for the upkeep. The Ares Turbo II, how the facelift was called, played out the understatement card even more. The performance figures were enough to hunt supercars like those of Zephorus, and now the excellent AWD system with all its advanced technology was brought to it´s limits. On the other hand, a Zephorus offered surprising comfort, and the Primus Ares improved in that aspect, too.

Primus Ares Turbo II
mid engine AWD
built: 1991-1997
LxW: 4,13 x 1,78 m
Power: 405 hp, 677 nm
0-100: 3,7 s
speed: 312 kph
cons.: 11,2 ltr premium
six-speed manual
price: 39.300 $

While the Ares sold mediocre, since a car in this league had to look a lot less generic, the new fullsize models Legacy and Imperator were the right car at the right time. They drove like a good midsize, did not compromise on comfort and while the Legacy looked exactly like what a trustworthy and modest manager would want, the Imperator had the style to please the super-rich. The only concern was still the reliability, the Imperator II s gadgets were troublesome at times, and the new models had their faults as well. Even if improvements were made, the customers would have wished for more sophistication in that aspect, however, cars with a better built quality than a Primus were definitely either more expensive or featured not so much technology. The sales were great, and the brand faced a bright future.

[Happyhungryhippo]

1992 offered some new cars as well, while the focus was on facelifting the oldest models. Rumors said that Primus was about to introduce many new models soon, exhausted engineers were working overtime on a regular basis, and it was no secret that the company was hiring a lot of people.

The Urbano was hardly bought for the appeal - it was cheap and functional, but the rather strict design was not really pleasing the young people that were targeted. With a much rounder design and garish seat pattern, the car should look a lot fresher. While the new one was neither a beauty, it did look “younger”. The interior improvements were sparse, but as last car, the Urbano finally recieved a catalytic converter (as last car of the brand) and a cassette radio.

Primus Urbano
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1997
LxW: 3,30 x 1,40 m
Power: 57 hp, 88 nm
0-100: 13 s
speed: 170 kph
cons.: 5,3 ltr regular
four-speed manual
price: 7270 $

The CS was kept, now powered by the 1.2T from the Advance. While the mild tuning moved the heavier compact car nicely but without too much force, the small shopping cart Urbano was firmly propelled foward, but remained drivable even without power steering or ABS. The price was no longer a bargain, but especially the interior profited from the facelift, now being peppier and more comfortable. Upkeep remained the same, the car now needed premium gas, but consumed noticeably less, so it was balanced out.

Primus Urbano CS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1997
LxW: 3,30 x 1,40 m
Power: 80 hp, 146 nm
0-100: 9,5 s
speed: 192 kph
cons.: 5,5 ltr premium
five-speed manual
price: 9300 $

The Saarland-Clone Solair changed less - new engines and electric instead of hydraulic power steering that was now standard in every model were the only noticeable change. Other than that, a minor restyling of the front bumper with much smoother integration of foglamps (if ordered) and a fuel door hiding the fuel cap were the only changes. The interior recieved a nicer steering wheel, but that was everything.

The base engine was now a Diesel - and no longer a D5A-type motor. Instead - since Primus engineers were overworked - a four-cylinder engine was ordered from the Frunian manufactor Rigel, based on their brand new D3TD family. The engine missed the turbocharger, but had a more advanced cylinder head and a more refined fuel system. After seven very successful years, the popular 2.3D D5A engine was changed for the 1,9 liter 72 horsepower unit D3TD-19PGM. It was weaker, but on the other hand, also lighter and made servicing easier since the cramped engine bay of many Diesel models stressing the Primus mechanics was now about to vanish, although it was still rather…filled. It missed the strong pull of the D5A and the unique sound, but it was very thrifty - and this is what for Diesels are ordered, so in the end, it was not a bad descision to order the Rigel engines. The car shown here was a prime example of how the high workload of the engineers affected the lineup with rebadging: It was a foreign car with a foreign engine, a Saarland with a Rigel motor, sold as Primus.

Primus Solair 1.9D CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1995
LxW: 4,46 x 1,69 m
Power: 72 hp, 160 nm
0-100: 14,3 s
speed: 174 kph
cons.: 6,5 ltr D (aka regular)
five-speed manual
price: 9550 $

The nicer GL trim still had no ABS, but at least got it optional. The engine was the same 1,6 liter unit that already worked in the Advance and Astrona. The 1.6 GL was the most-sold model, and it was so popular that even Primus was astonished, as it was a rather aged model that was developed by another manufactor, but the 1.6 fitted perfectly into it.

Primus Solair 1.6 GL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1995
LxW: 4,46 x 1,69 m
Power: 92 hp, 138 nm
0-100: 11,7 s
speed: 189 kph
cons.: 8 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 10.700 $

The famous DOHC engine finally found its way into the Solair - some tuners did it before as aftermarket swap with the mighty 160 horsepower 2.0 liter to create a sleeper, however, that was expensive and really rare for this affordable practical model. The 130 horsepower 1.8 DOHC was also a well-known engine formerly introduced in Advance and Astrona, and despite the balance shafts of the ALD2016 family, the old 2.2 felt more fitting - the Solair was a small cheap wagon, after all, no sports car. Despite that, the car sold surprisingly well, but reliability problems occured - nothing serious, but the combination of this engine and the optional automatic gearbox seemed to struggle, all other combinations were less prone to cause trouble. Although the car was loaded with many features, neiter an airbag nor a CD player were offered - Primus did not put that much work into the step-child.

Primus Solair 1.8 16V GLX Automatic
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1995
LxW: 4,46 x 1,69 m
Power: 130 hp, 179 nm
0-100: 9,7 s
speed: 212 kph
cons.: 8,1 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 13.800 $

Globus recieved an accordingly updated Metro, now using the 1.9 Diesel four, which made the car not really lively when using the full load capacity, but since the car aimed at highway couriers, at a constant speed of 120 kph, it needed less fuel than before and the rather mild acceleration from standstill rarely played a role if used like that. A fifth gear would have been a benefit,and so it was finally standard.

Globus Metro
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1995
LxW: 4,44 x 1,69 m
Power: 72 hp, 160 nm
0-100: 12,2 s
speed: 166 kph
cons.: 6,3 ltr D (regular)
five-speed manual
price: 8270 $

The longest-running car without updates was the Traveller, and for its seventh year, some modernization measures were needed to keep the pace of the competitors. The base LS model was no longer frugal: Four power windows, driver airbag, ABS and automatic transmission were now standard. For better efficiency, the electric power steering was installed. Power came from the 2,0 liter four-cylinder of the Bravura LX which also moved the Ranger since 1990. The LS was now slightly slower, but traded the power in for better economy. Safer and more comfortable than before, the Traveller remained a competetive offer.

Globus Traveller LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1996
LxW: 4,11 x 1,55 m
Power: 105 hp, 181 nm
0-100: 11,8 s
speed: 192 kph
cons.: 8,5 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 11.300 $

The LX was still a lot more expensive. The engine was almost the same as before, now having two horsepower more - but a bit thriftier. Since not much effort was put into the engine, it was clear that the 6BV family now had its final curtain closed soon. Nevertheless, the car was - like the cheaper LS sibling - still selling.

Globus Traveller LX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1996
LxW: 4,11 x 1,55 m
Power: 130 hp, 178 nm
0-100: 9,9 s
speed: 210 kph
cons.: 10,8 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 14.900 $

The Express also traded in the 2.3D D5A for the newer but weaker 1.9D D3TD-PGM. The Express stood out with a sensationally low consumption of only 6 liter Diesel while not being too slow - no wonder that the Express sold good.

Globus Express
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1996
LxW: 4,11 x 1,55 m
Power: 72 hp, 160 nm
0-100: 12,3 s
speed: 175 kph
cons.: 6 ltr D (regular)
five-speed manual
price: 8530 $

The Bravura was a very new 1990 model, but the convertibles were still based on the 85-89 coupes, now finally shifted to the new platform. That led to the problem that the trim level LE, in use since 1987 on the convertible now had an LE twin as five-door entry level version. This was resolved with the base model LE renamed as SL.

Another last-minute change was the addition of the LXE. While the Bravura LX offered good comfort, was loaded with options and offered modest but sufficient performance, the customers demanded for a V6, since most competitors offered one in the lower midsize segment. With the updated 2,2 liter V6 now introduced in the Traveller LX, the Bravura had a donor. The engineers were not sure if that would fit, since the Bravura was never designed for the use of a V6, but since the Traveller engine bay was even smaller, it was worth a try - and succeeded. The LXE was not that much faster than the LX, but the prestige of a V6 was worth the rather little extra money for most buyers, although the LX remained the perfect pensionermobile, only driven for groceries, doctor visits and to church on sunday. The LXE added not only the V6 but also rear disc brakes and electronic traction control - because whoever ordered it instead of an LX surely wanted to use that modest extra power.

Globus Bravura LXE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1994
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 130 hp, 178 nm
0-100: 9,55 s
speed: 234 kph
cons.: 9,5 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 15.400 $

The best benefit of the new and larger platform was the possibility to offer two small rear seats - the Bravura convertibles always sold dull since they were only two-seaters and way too average for being a sports convertible. Looking more modern, being more comfortable, offering ABS and driver airbag as standard and finally having rear seats - although tight, but for short trips they worked - the new Bravura convertibles were much easier to sell, although the huge success was missed again.
The SE convertible featured 130 horsepower from the LT engine, as any engine below the 1.8 DOHC struggled with the heavy weight of the convertible - it was relatively stiff and safe for what it is. The SE was meant as comfortable cruiser that performs as it looks - definitely better than average, but not outstanding.

Globus Bravura SE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1997
LxW: 4,32 x 1,65 m
Power: 130 hp, 179 nm
0-100: 10,5 s
speed: 224 kph
cons.: 8,1 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 14.500 $

The LE was basically a Stallion with foldable roof - and shared the drivetrain as well as the two-tone paint and the digital gauges. However, the Stallion as top model must not be less expensive than the Bravura convertible - so the LE had a bit less trim level - the most apparent being the lack of a CD player - instead, only a premium cassette drive was installed at no extra cost to keep the base price lower. The CD system was available as an option. But the larger and heavier Bravura II platform was even less suitable for a sports convertible than the old one, and neither the suspension nor the general feel of the car kept up with a roadster, so the LE sold less than expected, while the SE came at least somehow close to the esimated sales.

Globus Bravura LE
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1997
LxW: 4,32 x 1,65 m
Power: 160 hp, 217,5 nm
0-100: 8,1 s
speed: 243 kph
cons.: 7,8 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 16.400 $

The last model updated for 1992 was the Duratrans. Although heavy delivery vehicles were rarely bought for their design, the 1987 model looked already dull. With a new and much fresher front design, this was cured. Engine wise, the cheaper model recieved the Rigel Diesel despite concerns about being underpowered. The reason is that as a part of the deal, Globus mounted a twin called Rigel FurGo on the same assembly line until Rigel showed up with an own model in the segment. And it was as forecasted: Despite a fifth gear, the van barely moved on steep roads when using up the three ton load capacity. On the other hand, the 3019D was very cheap to buy and run, suiting for customers that carry very large goods that are relatively light for their size, and it was slow, but not dangerously underpowered.

Globus DuraTrans 3019D
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1998
LxW: 4,81 x 1,89m
Power: 72 hp, 160 nm
0-100: 17,6 s
speed: 143 kph
cons.: 8,2 ltr D (regular)
five-speed manual
price: 8010 $

The AWD option was rarely ordered and therefore deleted, although especially customers in construction business mourned it. The HD4 package returned for 1993, but only on special request. The front-wheel driven turbodiesel model seemed overpowered with the 2.7 TD, so Globus had the choice of either fitting the Rigel 1.9D with a turbocharger (like the Rigel cars had) or creating a smaller variant of the D5A. Since the five-cylinder had a lot of fans and was proven to pull strong and reliable, Primus Globus sticked to it and developed a new two-liter variant with the output of 125 horsepower and 313 nm torque - still way more than enough for the empty van, but strong enough to move three tons uphill. It was not as cheap as the 3019D, but definitely not overpriced, selling for less than 10.000 $ - so there is no surprise in this being the more successful model.

Globus DuraTrans 3020TD
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1992-1998
LxW: 4,81 x 1,89m
Power:125 hp, 313 nm
0-100: 10,7 s
speed: 179 kph
cons.: 8,0 ltr D (regular UL)
four-speed manual
price: 9950 $

[ketchup66]

The Bravura instantly made me think of the Chevrolet Beretta & Corsica! They Look Great!

[Happyhungryhippo]

Yes, that was clearly a main inspiration. I like those small US sedans like Beretta or Grand Am, they looked alright and were not that bad considering how cheap they were.

1993 replaced one of the oldest models - the Aventura. A prestigious pioneer in 1983, things looked different a decade later. The extremely boxy design was outmoded and the front solid axle was great for offroading, but these cars were rarely used for really hard offroading. More and more competitors had put pressure on the Aventura in the 1990s.
An elegant, more rounded shape improved the appeal a lot, and the car was now noticeably larger, but also heavier and far more expensive. Even with the doors made out of aluminium, the base model had an absurd weight of 1,9 tons.
What did you get for that money? More comfort, more safety, an almost “car-like” onroad feeling and only slightly worse offroad capabilities. It still got very far after leaving paved roads, although poviding excellent road manners. The base engine was a new Diesel, a turbocharged inline six with 175 horsepower and almost unreal 481 nm torque. The D6B was specifically designed for longitudinal mounting in large cars, and since Diesels are often a bit rough, Primus decided for an inline instead of a V layout - strong Diesels like this were not needed in smaller cars.
Smooth as a turbine, it was absolutely no comparison to the gruffy D5A formerly used. The quality of the engine was outstanding, designed to last for quite a while - but that made the D6B very heavy and expensive to build - but again, these engines were designed for large upmarket cars.
The diesel was still the car also adressing professional use, but was far away from being cheap. ABS with traction control, dual airbags, premium interior - all that was included. The POIC 2.0 of the Legacy was upgraded to the POIC 2.5, now even including features useful for offroading like a digital compass, an artificial horizon (although very pixelated, but it does the job) and a roll angle calculator. The Onboard Information Center was standard in every Aventura II.

Primus Aventura 300td
Front engine 4x4
built: 1993-1998
LxW: 4.85 x 1,87m
Power: 175 hp, 481 nm
0-100: 11,6 s
speed: 185 kph
cons.: 10,8 ltr D (regular)
five-speed manual
price: 17.000 $

The next level up was the gasoline six-cylinder, now also featuring a brand new engine family - the 6CV93. Other than the Diesel, this engine might also be mounted in front-wheel drive cars and shared between Primus and Globus. Compactness and a not too progressive design were mandatory - so a DOHC head was not provided. The engine went for the sane and totally average design of a modern V6: A 24 valve SOHC all-aluminium engine. The initial version had a displacement of 3,5 liter, returning 235 horsepower that were all needed in the heavy Aventura. With an engine that powerful, it seemed even slow and thirsty. But not to forget that the 350 had many weight increasing features, in fact, a luxurious interior like this was not found in any other offroader in 1993, and the car came also with standard CloudRide air suspension as well as an automatic.
The gearbox was another step foward, since Primus now introduced a newly engineered five-speed automatic. Last but not least, a newly developed driving aid, the electronic stability control, which Primus called EDSA (Electronic Dynamic and Safety Assist), was installed in the Aventura 350 and 430 at no extra cost, since such heavy cars with high ground clearance and strong engines are prone to be crashed if a driver does not understand the laws of physics.

Primus Aventura 350
Front engine 4x4
built: 1993-1998
LxW: 4.85 x 1,87m
Power: 235 hp, 330 nm
0-100: 10 s
speed: 203 kph
cons.: 15,6 ltr regular
five-speed automatic
price: 22.700 $

The 350 was not particulary fast, but it moved with enough force to handle any situation, and so by being the most comfortable vehicle in its market segment - everything above this would be unneccessary. As in the old Aventura, the V8 was for all of those that wanted nothing but the maximum.
The 4.3 liter used in the Legacy and Globus Grand Cruiser LX seemed good enough to become the top motor, even if the 5,5 liter with 336 horsepower would have been even better, Primus wanted to keep it sane. The 280 horsepower unit still featured noticeable extra power without becoming too wild. A distinguished luxury car that will succeed in any terrain.

Primus Aventura 430
Front engine 4x4
built: 1993-1998
LxW: 4.85 x 1,87m
Power: 280 hp, 390,5 nm
0-100: 8,8 s
speed: 220 kph
cons.: 16,4 ltr premium
five-speed automatic
price: 26.400 $

The Aventura became an instant hit, despite the salty prices. But large offroads with expensive interiors were no longer bought with the offroad capability in mind. In fact, people started to prefer this over a luxury sedan like the Legacy because of prestige and the intimidating presence of such a behemoth. The larger, more luxurious and more powerful, the better. And this is why moving the Aventura further up seemed like a good idea. The 300td was still suiting professional use, being less fancy, but thriftier and far more reliable at a much lower price than the two others. All three models succeeded and put the Aventura back where the predecessor was until 1991 - at the top of the segment.

Globus sent the Phoenix into retirement after 11 mostly successful years. The replacement with the internal code C93 was introduced with only one variant for 1993, and the public did not react as the managers expected. The car changed from a pseudo (unless you ordered the hot trims) sports car to a regular coupe, adding two small rear seats that increased the practicality. The front seats were very generous, but that was all the people saw as improvement.
The “fishy” aerodynamic shape that was even more radical than that of the 1990 Grand Cruiser clearly boosted the efficiency, but the narrowing pillars irritated or even annoyed tall occupants, and the very reduced design seemed to mix up being sleek with being bland. Despite being quite large and having a four-speed automatic as only transmission (the brand new five-speed was exclusive for Primus), it was neither slow nor a gas-guzzler, since the partly aluminium panels were kept. For the price asked the new Phoenix offered a complete package - leather, CD sound system, traction control, driver airbag - all that was included. Despite keeping the basic chassis layout of the predecessor with a solid rear axle, the handling was better than expected than judging after a first look at this fishy clunker. In fact, only the unusual and not really welcomened looks were the only real weakness - the rest was nowhere really great, but showed no major fault in any aspect. Despite some panel gaps here and a rattle there, the consumer guides announced that the reliability was surprisingly good, with the new Phoenix succeeding the six-month 50.000 mile hardcore test of the magazine “Motor&Road” with ease. Thanks to good balancing and value for money, the new Phoenix might have been unpopular in the public opinion, but sold alright - which was urgently needed, since Globus had just recovered from very tough years and could not risk a total fail.

Globus Phoenix SC
Front engine RWD
built: 1993-1997
LxW: 4,76 x 1,96 m
Power: 235 hp, 330 nm
0-100: 7,4 s
speed: 279 kph
cons.: 11,3 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 17.400 $

Globus refused to be outsold by Wendtward and other bus manufactors, and finally invested a huge sum into their Omni. Better and more comfortable seats were available and often ordered when the transit company liked their customers and the interior color scheme was modernized, no longer slapping plastic wood onto the walls. The doors now recieved manual emergency openers that were easy to operate for any passenger, formerly the bus driver had to use a special key, making door malfunctions an annoying misery and even dangerous in case of a fire with simulatneous malfunction of the doors.
Another boon for safety was the ABS system, now installed in every Omni. But the biggest change was in the rear: The engine, still very similar to the 1973 initial design, was redesigned from the ground up. Without huge changes, the engineers managed to increase the output by 55 horsepower and mated it to a four-speed automatic instead of a three-speed. Although the gearbox was still an old-fashioned one without fancy computer controls, the Omni accellerated so fast that passengers had to hold on to something even at half throttle. While the sales did not recover to the numbers of the early days, the new Omni stopped the decline and even increased the sales, and especially in Belasco with its steep hills, the bear-strong overworked Diesel featured a huge advantage over Wendtward that could not keep up at all with the power of the Globus.

Globus Omni 12 D86d-AC
rear engine RWD
built: 1993-1998
LxW: 11,98 x 2,50 m
Power: 300 hp, 710 nm
0-100: 26,4 s
speed: 156 kph
cons.: 31 ltr Diesel (aka regular for simulation)
four-speed automatic
price: 18.300 $ (without interior installed)

[Happyhungryhippo]

1994 might be the biggest change for the company so far. More or less the whole car lineup changed to either fully new models or were facelifted, if not introduced shortly before. Primus was still stable as Nr.5 in the industry, but that already since the late 80s. Now the aim was to climb up in the top three, and no investment was too expensive, no idea to absurd, no change too radical.

However, radical is not what would describe the new compact car replacing the Advance, the Persua. Obviously made to persuade customers, Primus did not risk a thing. In fact, the very restrained look was consistent with the late Advance models, especially in the rear, but managed to be duller and more massive. Marketing managers thought that a rather bold and boring design would stand for dependability, safety and practicality what more or less was what most buyers of a classic compact car wanted.
The Persua came as three and five door model, unlike the Advance, but had neither a Globus coupe or convertible built on it, since that was now the Bravura chassis that, of course, made similar use of the Advance platform as well as the Persua. It might not surprise anybody that the Persua and Advance felt very similar.
Despite looking larger, Primus managed to offer a hint more interior space even with shrunken dimensions. It is hard to believe, but the Persua became actually smaller. And the quite frugal 1.2 CL model remained other than the new shape the same, even keeping the engine.
Although the car did not really live up to the Premium reputation Primus wanted, it had one huge advantage: It was very affordable, especially in the base trim, and therefore buyers were attracted even if it neither was as stylish or higly engineered as other more expensive Primus vehicles. The CL trim was available for the 1.2, 1.5 and 1.9D

Primus Persua 1.2 CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 66 hp, 104 nm
0-100: 13,6 s
speed: 180 kph
cons.: 6 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 8140 $

But how to attract young buyers that might become faithful buyers later on? With the Persua CL, you didn´t even encourage them to yawn instead of overseeing it.
Rigel, with which Primus had a loose cooperation, introduced a “young” trim for their Tinto compact, basically a slightly more youthful but cheaper and rougher compact, with the youth model being very cheap and having funky colors.
Primus thought that at a very young age, parents or grandparents pay for the ride - so the Persua young, based on the CL, not only peppy colors for interior and exterior as well as tinted taillights, transparent front indicators and a decent radio but also ABS - that was what the grandparents paid attention to. The other available options with discounted extra fees were CD radio and airbag - pleasing young and old simultaneously.
A novelty in the compact class was the availability of a Diesel, with the 72 horsepower non-turbo Rigel D3T3PGM used, while Rigel relied on a 90 horsepower turbocharged variant with 90 horsepower that was cheaper, stronger, but more troublesome.

Primus Persua 1.9D young
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 72 hp, 160 nm
0-100: 12,9 s
speed: 186 kph
cons.: 5,7 ltr D (regular)
five-speed manual
price: 8900 $

The four-cylinder engines were no longer the 12V units with cast iron block from Globus - instead, as 16 valves were a prestigious purchase argument at that time, a new engine, made fully out of aluminium, was now found below the hood - the 4IEA9423 was based on a 2,3 liter variant with a low cam and balance shafts, intended for the Globus Bravura, and an 1.5 and 1.8 with harmonic damper and normal cam profiles for Primus, mainly used in the Persua, the larger one also as base engine in larger models.
The 1.5 had an output of 90 horsepower, which was “upper average” in the price segment. However, it was not as thrifty as the old three-cylinder base engine. Compared to the 82 horsepower 1.5 from the predecessor, it was lighter, a bit cheaper and a hint more economical while having much lower emissions, but it was also louder and offered neither more torque nor more reliability.
The GL trim was the medium range model, available for all engines and the basic trim for the 1.8, featuring airbags, tachometer, a CD radio, front power windows and electric power steering - which could also be condsidered “upper midrange”. A popular option was an aircondition, and the automatic as shown here was also frequently ordered for GL models. Primus did not offer the five-speed automatic - the Persua was not premium, after all.

Primus Persua 1.5 GL Automatic
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 90 hp, 132 nm
0-100: 11,9 s
speed: 197 kph
cons.: 7,7 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 11.000 $

What if you still were not a pensioner, but the young was too frugal? In this case, Primus offered, based on the GL, another permanently available special model, the “spirit”. The same tinted light covers as the young, but now added with projector-style headlamps, weird fabric pattern (the brochure, believe it or not, phantaszised about it as “urban chic”), sport steering wheel, slightly improved suspension, alloy rims, electric sunroof. The spirit was neither available with an automatic nor for the 1.2 and 1.9D, but aircondition could be ordered.

Primus Persua 1.5 spirit
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 90 hp, 132 nm
0-100: 10,9 s
speed: 201 kph
cons.: 7,5 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 10.900 $

Of course, Primus again offered a luxury trim, now called GX. Chrome exterior and interior accents, plastic wood and leather in the interior, a “premium” steering wheel exclusive for this trim, heated front seats, aircondition, metallic paint and remote infrared key. The GX was only available for the 1,8 liter engine and as five-door - if you wanted the 1.8 as three-door, you had to opt for the GT instead. A popular option was an automatic, since this burgeois model appealed at an elder demographic. Neither the design nor the detail quallity and sophistication were as good as on more expensive Primus, though, and were no improvement at all over the Advance, but stood the test against the direct competition.

Primus Persua 1.8 GX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 115 hp, 159 nm
0-100: 10,1 s
speed: 214 kph
cons.: 8,1 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 12.400 $

Compared to the former Advance GTi-16, the Persua GT was a bad joke. Even if the 1.8 16V moved the car firmly enough to consider the driving “a bit fun”, the performance was lackluster compared to a proper hot hatch. On the other hand, the price was hotter than the data sheet - for the money asked you got a premium interior with aircondition and the sport steering wheel, however, it missed the heated seats, but traded these for larger rims with wider tires, so the GT had the wheel arches pulled out a bit to look sportier, added by small front and rear spoilers and the better suspension quality from the spirit. But the GT also followed the No-Premium attitude: Neither adaptive dampers, LSDs nor traction control were available. The GT was only available with the 1.8 as a three-door and manual.

Primus Persua 1.8 GT
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,60 m
Power: 115 hp, 159 nm
0-100: 8,9 s
speed: 218 kph
cons.: 7,9 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 12.200 $

The Persua was - other than the Advance that made a huge impact in 1984 as Car of the Year - not a big deal. It was never meant to. A solid compact car with few flaws and even fewer highlights, affordable and aiming for the wide mass. As such, it sold surprisingly successful, even if the Persua was a rather unpopular car in terms of image. Car enthusiasts saw it as a simplified and rationalized Advance with a new name and minor renovations, and they were right about that.

The 4th gen Astrona was a remarkable and very successful sport sedan, but it left a lot sales on the table since in that segment, neiter front wheel drive nor the lack of six-cylinders helped to escape the “best of the rest” status. In 1988, Primus decided that a successor would be perfect as the new brand´s core product, being the incubator of the brands DNA. Not only did Primus switch back to RWD, they also abandoned the Astrona name for the new car.
After long debates, the name “Merit” was found, and as being the core model, a wide variety of variants, engines and trims was developed. Even an own factory in Hetvesia was built from the ground up, exclusively producing the Merit in its countless variants.
Timeless styling, modern, but nowhere overdone, a considerable amount of sportiness and a class-leading comfort at modest prices were the bullet points while the buyer had to have countless individualization possibilities. Every buyer had to be able to get a car that fits his expectations and taste like a glove.
The traditional trim names like CL and GL were given up for more “fresh” names, while each trim gets a certain “personality” referred to in the 102-page brochure.
Partly aluminium panels were now cheaper to build than a decade ago, so the Merit recieved them. But the multilink axle from Legacy and Imperator was dismissed as too costly - entry level trims had to be offered, too. Instead, front and rear featured double wishbone suspension, a good compromise between price and performance. Low weight and almost ideal balance made the car perform what the looks promised.

A late pre-production model was tested by a Gasmean magazine and besides overall praise, criticized for wallowy suspension and fading brakes.

“Apart from brake fade issues (due to undersized brakes and no brake cooling) and somewhat soft suspension, the Merit has a lot of, erm, merit. It has plenty of standard equipment (including stability control) and looks the part inside and out, with commensurate performance. Staggered tires could complicate servicing, though. (abg7, QFC19)”

The new superlative in the midsize segment, only on third rank? Within weeks, Primus delayed the introduction from january to february and reworked a lot and retuned the suspension to a slightly firmer ride, deleted the tire stagger while keeping oversteer tendencies under control. The released Merit 250 Elegance was sent into another test a year later, this time in Letara, scoring even better than the pre-production late 1993 model, now moving up from the third to second, only beaten by a small margin and being the most comfortable in the segment.

A very safe, very comfortable premium sedan, with an elegant and modern shape that could have benefitted from a little less tacky use of chrome. It also sells for a very competitive $20900 price. As a Knightwick competitor, that’s a little more money, for a car that’s clearly the better one. Ironically enough, except for one thing - the british car has better build quality. However, that’s more or less the only thing that disappoints us with the Primus. Sure, the fuel economy could have been better - but again, having a 2.5 litre V6 is something you’re going to pay for at the pump, any way you look at it., Knugcab, LAC95

The base trim was the Classic, available for the 180 and 200td. Power windows and mirrors, dual airbags and a cassette radio were included as well as ABS and variable steering - even the base trim should be fun to drive, since that is what the Merit as a whole was advertized for.

Primus Merit 180 Classic
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,50 x 1,71 m
Power: 115 hp, 159 nm
0-100: 10,9 s
speed: 220 kph
cons.: 8,8 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 12.700 $

Finally, Primus offered a wagon, available for all engines. The Merit was one of the first lifestyle wagons, intended for leisure use, but especially as 200td with the Comfort trim and the ultra modern five speed automatic it was a capable and reasonnable family hauler. The five-cylinder turbodiesel from the Globus Duratrans left a good impression in the Merit, and the unique sound and noticeable boost together with good engine reliability and nice economy worked out. Newer engines might be more refined and thriftier, but after almost 20 years in use, the D5A was still a good engine. The comfort trim added a CD radio, foglamps and other small goodies. The comfort trim was available for 180 and 200td.

Primus Merit 200tdTA Comfort
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,54 x 1,66 m
Power: 125 hp, 313 nm
0-100: 10,9 s
speed: 209 kph
cons.: 7,4 ltr D (regular)
five-speed automatic
price: 15.000 $

Former Astrona buyers were relegated to the Merit 200 Sport. The exterior offered sideskirts and sportier front and rear bumpers, white indicators and tinted taillights as well as a daring fabric in the interior, accompanied by aluminium and leather accents. Not luxurious, but surely already a premium feel. The two liter DOHC engine gained four horsepower more, remaining one of the strongest four cylinders in the segment. A slightly stiffer, but not uncomfortable and unneccessary hard suspension completed the package. If a Persua young is what you got, a Merit Sport was what you wanted. Since the Merit was a sport sedan, the trim was available for all engines and the base trim of the 200, 250 and 250tds, but even a 180 could get this, although that felt wrong.

Primus Merit 200 Sport
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,50 x 1,71 m
Power: 164 hp, 220 nm
0-100: 7,7 s
speed: 248 kph
cons.: 8,1 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 18.300 $

The Business trim adressed at companies, and a private person could not order it. Instead of having to choose a trim, most features and engines could be compiled like at a buffet. Wood trim, but no CD radio? Possible. A 300 without fancy interior? Possible. A fleet car had to serve different and individual purposes depending on the use, and the Business trim allowed for that. The car shown here had no foglamps, but leather interior with orthopedic seats, electric sunroof, and CD radio - propably used by a frequent traveller.

The 250tds inline six engine replaced the Astronas five cylinder unit with 145 horsepower. With a smaller displacement than the 300td engine, a light flywheel and lightened but strong internal parts, the tds was as smooth as a turbine and was responsive and agile, and the reliability was excellent. In fact, only the rouger sound and the 4500rpm redline told that this was a Diesel. Primus installed the sportiest Diesel on the market in one of the most advanced sedans - a car without much competition. While being more economical, it kept up with most gasoline-engined competitors.

Primus Merit 250tds Business
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,50 x 1,66 m
Power: 150 hp, 421 nm
0-100: 8,1 s
speed: 245 kph
cons.: 7,3 ltr D (regular)
five-speed manual
price: 17.500 $ (as shown)

The Elegance trim was perfect for all people that wanted a Legacy-level comfort but feared the ownership of a boat or preferred something sportier and fresher. A symphony of leather, wood and chrome contradicted the Merit as sporty sedan, but outstanding comfort and suiting as a comfortable premium midsize was also requested by the wide variety of engines and trims, and the 250 Automatic Elegance was the result of this. It could be combined with the 200, 250, 250tds and 300. Highlight was surely the POIC in its latest generation, standard for Elegance and Avance models and the most apparent feature of the two premium-luxury trims, since it could not be ordered for Classic, Comfort and Sport and only for the three six-cylinder engines in the Business trim.

The engine was a descendant of last year´s new 24V V6, and with 163 horsepower and 222 nm, it was comparable to the 200 DOHC. Which one to take was a question of the personal taste. The V6 was less responsive, thirstier and did not rev to the sky, but ran smoother and more distinguished - in terms of power, the V6 was a bit slower, but please mind when comparing the statistics, that this 250 has the popular automatic transmission slowing it a bit down. In the range up to $ 20.000, a Merit 250A Elegance was the one to beat.

Primus Merit 250A Elegance
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,50 x 1,66 m
Power: 163 hp, 222 nm
0-100: 8,5 s
speed: 245 kph
cons.: 10,4 ltr regular
five-speed automatic
price: 19.600 $

The 300 engine marked the top of the engine program for the sedan, wagon and convertible. With more than 200 horsepower, it kept up with most competitor´s special sport model, propelling the Merit in far less than seven seconds to highway cruise speed. Speaking of the highway - only pure sports cars were able to shake it off with ease. Sleek aerodynamics, perfect roadholding and the three-liter V6 made it one of the best sedans for engaged driving.
The Avance trim, available for 250, 250tds and 300, was basically a combination of Elegance features and Sport looks, added with aluminium decor and the firmer suspension of the Sport, even improved by having adaptive dampers.

Primus Merit 300 Avance
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,50 x 1,71 m
Power: 207 hp, 288 nm
0-100: 6,55 s
speed: 269 kph
cons.: 10,9 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 21.200 $

Since a RWD car might cause a problem in snowy winter mountain landscapes, even with standard traction control, an AWD system was available for the six-cylinder models with 40/60 distribution. While it was very rare on the sedan since it consumed some of the not too generous trunk space, the wagon had it more often. This one shown here in bordeaux red with cognac leather interior might be a perfect example of a premium lifestyle wagon.

Primus Merit 300TxA Avance
Front engine AWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,54 x 1,71 m
Power: 207 hp, 288 nm
0-100: 7,8 s
speed: 246 kph
cons.: 11,4 ltr regular
five-speed automatic
price: 22.400 $

The coupe version of the Merit was the hottest to order. Based on the Avance trim and exclusively fitted with the 3,5 liter V6 from the Aventura, it had even more punch than the Merit 300. The coupe was also the only Merit to have a geared LSD as standard feature - just as in the model change from Imperator II to Legacy, these expensive diffs were replaced with traction control, for the Merit a standard feature in the 200, 250, 250tds and 300, while it was optional for the 180 and 200td.
The Merit 350C went even further with providing an ESC system, the EDSA introduced a year prior in the new Aventura, at no extra cost. That system was available as an option for all other Merit models, even the 180 Classic, since an RWD car advertized as sporty model might need this.

Primus Merit 350C
Front engine AWD
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 4,54 x 1,71 m
Power: 235 hp, 330 nm
0-100: 5,7 s
speed: 278 kph
cons.: 11 ltr regular
six-speed automatic
price: 22.500 $

To offer a more premium convertible than the Globus Bravura, the Merit recieved one as well. Based on the Elegance trim, it was available as 200, 250 and 300. The good safety came at the cost of a very rigid chassis with corresponding weight increase, so the 250 Automatic as shown here was not really a fast car, but never unpleasantly slow. A convertible was a cruiser anyway.

Primus Merit 250 Convertible
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-2000
LxW: 4,50 x 1,66 m
Power: 163 hp, 222 nm
0-100: 9,8 s
speed: 242 kph
cons.: 11,2 ltr regular
five-speed automatic
price: 21.200 $

Since the Persua lacked a proper hot hatch, Primus chopped off the Merit and turned it into a three-door hatchback. To avoid inhouse competition, the individualization choices were limited. As sports model, it was reserved to the sport trim, and the only engines available were the 200 (reasonnable, only as manual) and the 300 (a bit crazy, but can be tamed with optional automatic).
Compared to a four-door 200 Sport, the car had not really an advantage despite being smaller, lighter and perfectly 50/50 balanced. It was neither faster nor really cheaper, but a perfect base for amateur motorsport, and a LSD could be ordered from the factory.

Primus Merit compact
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-2000
LxW: 4,34 x 1,71 m
Power: 164 hp, 220 nm
0-100: 7,7 s
speed: 242 kph
cons.: 8,2 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 18.000 $

The Merit striked in like a bomb. The development was even more expensive than that of the Legacy, but with the giant model and trim variety, modern technology, well-detailed design and the perfectly balanced handling between sports and comfort, the car became the worldwide most-sold premium midsize. Even the low-end models managed to perform well against their competitors. Not to forget that the Merit was also praised for great interior design, a speciality of the larger Primus models. The first-gen Merit as it was introduced in 1994 is considered one of the best, maybe even the best Primus of all time, even today.

To remain above the midsize, the Legacy recieved an early facelift, but to avoid buyers becoming upset. the changes were subtle, preventing depreciation of 91-93 models. A slightly more dynamic front bumper, a bit darker taillights and the license plate moved up in the rear, and all Legacys recieved the Imperator´s steering wheel.

The base model was still the Diesel, but despite good paper statistics, the five-cylinder never really fitted a premium to luxury car in terms of smoothness, but the 250tds engine did exactly that. Even in this large car and mandatory automatic transmission, the performance was great - maybe also because the fullsize changed the old four-gear against the new five-gear automatic.

Primus Legacy 250tds
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1997
LxW: 4,95 x 1,85 m
Power: 150 hp, 421 nm
0-100: 9,1 s
speed: 230 kph
cons.: 7,7 ltr D (aka regular)
five-speed automatic
price: 24.600 $

The 320 became now the 300, and the new engine was not only cheaper to produce what decreased the price, but in combination with the new automatic, despite a hint less power, the car was slightly faster and thriftier. This engine still sold the most, marking the golden center between power and value, being “reasonnable luxury”.

Primus Legacy 300
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1997
LxW: 4,95 x 1,85 m
Power: 207 hp, 288 nm
0-100: 7,1 s
speed: 251 kph
cons.: 11,1 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 26.600 $

The 430 did not change a thing except for the design and the new gearbox. With CloudRide instead of just adaptive dampers like in the six-cylinders and mighty 280 horsepower, the car was still the benchmark, so putting more work than needed - which was almost none - seemed a waste.

Primus Legacy 430
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1997
LxW: 4,95 x 1,85 m
Power: 280 hp, 390,5 nm
0-100: 6,4 s
speed: 276 kph
cons.: 13,5 ltr regular
five-speed automatic
price: 30.300 $

The Imperator changed even less than the Legacy. The 330TS was dropped, as an Authié et Dallier or similar just were too established in the “Luxury Sport Sedan” market. The Imperator did intrude with success, but not as good as planned. The 550 recieved an update with slightly more power, but at the cost of the need for now widely available premium gas. Although many manufactors used 95RON gasoline, Primus hesitated and only adapted the expensive performance engines to it. The interior now recieved a few controls more or changed location, like the seat controls moved from the seat itself (very fumbly) to the door panels for better accessibility, and only the Imperator could be ordered with two-tone paint. Such small differences seperated the Imperator for the very rich from the Legacy for the wealthy.

Primus Imperator 550
Front engine AWD
built: 1994-1997
LxW: 4,96 x 1,85 m
Power: 346 hp, 510 nm
0-100: 5,7 s
speed: 286 kph
cons.: 14,7 ltr premium
five-speed automatic
price: 37.100 $

The 300td was not a popular trim, and Primus wanted that on purpose. Many company bosses or leading personnel wanted the prestige and excessive comfort of an Imperator, but needed something economical and not too expensive. It had the air suspension and the super luxury interior and the AWD system just as any Imperator, only the engine was far less powerful but returned great mileage for such a large car.

As a Merit in business trim, this model was not for sale, at least not for the general public. It was only sold B2B on explicit request, and some dealers did not even sell it, but only leased. This was done to prevent the excellent Imperator image being compromised by a rather slow and accessible model. Rumors said leased Imperators were salvaged after the lease ended, but that was not true: But as they usualy served for frequent travellers, most were used 200.000 km or more after a four-year lease and were not sold again, while those in mint condition were often purchased by factory employees which had good enough relations to get one. The still usable spare parts were offered for Imperator and Aventura (which shared the engine). They are, almost 30 years later, a rare collectible, reffered as “the forbidden Imperator”.

Primus Imperator 300td
Front engine AWD
built: 1994-1997
LxW: 4,96 x 1,85 m
Power: 175 hp, 481 nm
0-100: 9,4 s
speed: 227 kph
cons.: 8,8 ltr D (regular)
five-speed automatic
price: 30.600 $ (if you got one…)

[Happyhungryhippo]

Since I exceeded the letter limits of the forums with the 1994 update, I have to present the new Globus cars seperatly:

Globus focussed on the faster Phoenix trim, the GT. The updated 5.5 liter V8 helped the fishy aero designed car to surpass the 300kph border, and the quarter mile was done in just 14,1 seconds despite a premium interior and the four-speed automatic. All that came at the price of a fully optioned Merit 300. Prestige and safety were great, the overall sportiness not really. The GT trim was more or less what it was named: A Grand Tourer for a budget. Although it lacked sophistcation, built quality and design, it was a good-selling car in Gasmea despite it´s shortcomings, but everywhere else, the Phoenix was not understood as show cruiser.

Globus Phoenix GT
Front engine RWD
built: 1994-1997
LxW: 4,76 x 1,96 m
Power: 346 hp, 510 nm
0-100: 6,2 s
speed: 305 kph
cons.: 13,7 ltr premium
four-speed automatic
price: 22.400 $

What if you wanted the quarter mile in less time, lets say a second less? All you needed was a Phoenix GT with a manual, a geared LSD, sports compound tires and adaptive dampers (well, those are not needed for the quarter mile, but a nice addition anyway).
Recalling the golden age of muscle cars, this coupe was named Dominator, a nameplate abandoned since 1974. As the design was criticized, Globus feared underwhelming sales and for their most important model (the Dominator was actually a great image booster in Gasmea, since raw power for little money was a thing in the country), the front end was changed. Not really for the better, said most, as the car still looked like a fish. But it was a fish accessible for many hard-working Gasmeans that wanted a strong V8 hammer with bearable handling and comfort, so the Dominator sold. Maybe not in export, but in the domestic market.

Globus Dominator
Front engine RWD
built: 1993-1997
LxW: 4,76 x 1,96 m
Power: 346 hp, 510 nm
0-100: 5,2 s
speed: 311 kph
cons.: 13,6 ltr premium
five-speed manual
price: 23.500 $

The Ranger was the first Globus to recieve the 4IEA9423 top engine with 2,3 liter and balance shafts. It was slightly cheaper to produce than the 4C82MV despite being more modern - so despite a noticeable power plus, the price did not rise. The GPM94 model of the Ranger now had the power to operate in difficult and steep terrain, 120 horsepower were a lot for such a small vehicle. Although the onroad performance was, well, not perfect, to say it mildly, the small 4x4 continued to be successful, since it was hard to find a very capable offroad at such a price, and the few alternatives were either less rugged or also outdated.

Globus Ranger
Front engine 4x4
built: 1994-1998
LxW: 2,97x1,49m
Power: 120 hp, 212 nm
0-100: 10,7 s
speed: 170 kph
cons.: 11,1 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 10.600 $

[ketchup66]

You should check out the Automation Lore site. Its basically were you can put a bunch of lore on your cars, with a wikipedia type platform Automation Lore Wiki | Fandom

[Happyhungryhippo]

The devs have announced that the current update is the last one before a merge with the stable version. That means no more giant changes rolling the dice and breaking the cars from the ground up. Using a company techpool is no longer buggy and is urgently needed to build the cars in the way the game wants it. Indeed this feature can better reflect the progress and decline of companies and makes this thread a lot more realistic.

I will start to update the thread with the new statistics. Some cars have a bit changed due to body updates or new variants that were made for challenges. When this is done, it will proceed here.
A first article exists in the Wiki. it will not become as in-depth as here, but from time to time, more cars will be shown there as well with brief summaries.

[Happyhungryhippo]

Well, I still haven´t updated older posts since I also learned how to use custom materials that export to beam, so I redo it all another time (thanks to @moroza who showed me this), but meanwhile it´s time to move on a bit. I will update this and the Automation Wiki when preparing everything for Beam release, as the exporter has now reached a level I am really happy with the results (better damage, seperate brakelights, and so on).

1995 introduced another success for Primus: The Viator. While Globus still had the Traveller, a really large MPV/Minivan was still not offered, and the 90s were the time when these cars were demanded. Primus was very late here, but used the time to develop a very balanced and fitting car. Technically, it was a mix of Persua and Merit, using a larger Persua chassis and Merit engines, the same could be said for the interior that is a mix of components of both models. The car should remain affordable for young families, but also should fit to the premium brand image of a Primus. The design resembled the successful Merit, but stood out in it´s own way, but it was still conservative enough to be recoginized as a Primus immediately without being immediately judged as “pensioner car”, an image Primus was trying to get rid of. The car sold great, as for every use case something was configurable, that was the benefit of being a large company with full shelves of models from all segments.

The base model was the Classic, available for the 1.8 base engine only. An automatic was not offered. Nevertheless, the standard features included not only two but four airbags, all power windows and the usual Primus workmanship with a sophisticated interior, while the engine was still powerful enough to move the large vehicle, without load, 200 kph were not a problem. Chassis and panels were both resistant to rust, and especially the simple base model avoided too fancy stuff, but that what was there, was durable.

Primus Viator 1.8 Classic
Front engine FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 4,60x1,77m
Power: 120 hp, 164 nm
0-100: 10,4 s
speed: 209 kph
cons.: 8,8 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 15.700 $

If you wanted an automatic, the 2.3 Globus engine with not much more horsepower, but impressive torque was the way to go. It was offered in the Comfort and Elegance trim, and ONLY with an automatic, as Primus feared that the 1.8 would struggle a bit with the automatic AND full load in stressful conditions like steep mountain roads. The automatic was the same as in the Merit, so this was the brand new and fancy five-speed. This model, a 2.3 A Comfort, marked the bestseller, as this was the perfect balance between price, power, economy and value.

Primus Viator 2.3 Comfort
Front engine FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 4,60x1,77m
Power: 127 hp, 209 nm
0-100: 10,9 s
speed: 210 kph
cons.: 10,2 ltr regular
five-speed automatic
price: 18.200 $

Frequent travellers could get a Diesel, too: In this case the proven 2.0 turbodiesel from the old D5A family, one of the last appearances of the engine that has its roots in 1976. Others might have a better economy, but it was still reliable and the unique sound and capable torque and the smooth power delivery dragged some buyers to Primus showrooms. These engines lasted long and felt unique in a car that was designed with rationalism. The 2.0TD was available with both transmissions in the trims Comfort and Elegance.

Primus Viator 2.0TD Comfort
Front engine FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 4,60x1,77m
Power: 123 hp, 292 nm
0-100: 10,4 s
speed: 209 kph
cons.: 7,7 ltr Diesel
five-speed manual
price: 19.400 $

Sport in a minivan? Almost impossible. But the Merit 200 engine found its way into this car as well, adapted for transverse layout. Surely, this engine was over the top in both power and price, but not every family dad was accepting having the redline at 6500 or below. The Elegance trim turned the family hauler into a premium car with a higher roof and more seats, giving the driver the impression of sitting in a more practical and versatile Merit. The Elegance trim fulfilled almost any wish you would have, and there was still the option list in the brochure… Combining the waspish DOHC engine with the … well, typical Primus pensioner trim and a manual, was rare, so this car shown here was surely rare in this ordered specifications. The engine was available with both transmissions in the trims Elegance and Avance.

Primus Viator 2.0 DOHC Elegance
Front engine FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 4,60x1,77m
Power: 176 hp, 235 nm
0-100: 8,5 s
speed: 231 kph
cons.: 8,2 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 26.500 $

Hauling a heavy trailer with a fully occupied MPV over long distance? This is the only reason why the engineers went through the pain of fitting an inline 6 transversely into the engine bay of the Viator. The tds engine of the still new D6B family was the dream of sales representatives in the Merit, and it realized a very low consumption and commensurate performance in the Viator as well. However, servicing this car was a pain and not few Primus mechanics cursed the engineers for this. The drivers however, enjoyed a bull-strong pracitcal car with great economy. but it wasn´t cheap at all. The Avance trim was more or less and Elegance with sportier appearance. Buyers of the tds had the choice between Elegance and Avance.

Primus Viator 2.5 tdsA Avance
Front engine FWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 4,60x1,77m
Power: 163 hp, 397 nm
0-100: 9,8 s
speed: 227 kph
cons.: 8,4 ltr Diesel
five-speed automatic
price: 23.300 $

But what if… all that was still not enough? The sporty 3.0 engine from the Merit 300 fitted into the Viator, as it was a V6 and not an inline. It even left space for an AWD drivetrain, standard for this engine, optional for the 2.0 DOHC and 2.5tds (yes, the latter was a beast at towing and the nightmare of every mechanic). The Exclusive trim had … no options. Everything was standard. You just need to pick the colors. This luxury variant aimed at the Gasmean market, where MPVs with a V6 and ridiculous trim level had a market share. It was available worldwide anyway, but not that successful outside of Gasmea. This was actually one of the best seven seaters if cost didn´t worry you. Smooth, strong, very fast and decently comfortable. The AWD drivetrain made it work on most terrains, and heavy and dull enough to not notice that the chassis was derived from a compact car, although reinforced… Gasmeans did not want to endlessly read brochures, unlike the rest of the world, and therefore both the engine and trim were not available for other models. Typically Gasmean was also the roof-mounted seperate trip computer, available at extra cost for Elegance and Avance.

Primus Viator 3.0 AWD Exclusive
Front engine AWD
built: 1994-1999
LxW: 4,60x1,77m
Power: 222 hp, 303 nm
0-100: 7,9 s
speed: 247 kph
cons.: 11,3 ltr regular
five-speed automatic
price: 31.200 $

Primus was self-confident and successful as never before by 1995, but what lacked was a true statement. The Imperator was a top-seller among luxury sedans, but stood in the shadow of competitors with a V12. A disgrace, for sure. For that reason, Primus launched the Imperator V12 - with a new, groundbreaking 5-valve-per-cylinder AlSi engine. Costs were not considered at all - this engine was designed with prestige and quality first in mind. The already impressive Imperator 550 with a potent 383hp V8 was sold for $ 59.700, the Imperator 600 V12 was sold for painful $ 79.600! - there was a decent Viator in between. At that time, this amount of money also gave you a bearable house.
On the other hand, the new flagship was one of the top contenders for the title “Best Car of the World”, which it won.

A ridiculous, completely unnecessarily powerful and fast saloon, and I fucking love it. It would have been the world’s fastest production car if it weren’t for the McLaren F1, and it’s the fastest 4-door by a wide margin. It’s cool, it’s stylish, and it’s comfortable, while being very prestigious as well. It’s excellent in all respects; apart from its price tag. Did I mention speed? (shibisu, QFC23)

A very prestigeous V12 luxury sedan, with looks that are up to date and pleasing to the eye, even if the low beltline - tall greenhouse proportions isn’t everyones cup of tea. It is very comfortable, easy to drive for its size, decent when it comes to safety. But the V12 comes at a price. A very nice luxury car, but hardly groundbreaking in any way, conservative technology and bad fuel economy brings it down. It should be mentioned that it has a rather good safety rating, though. (knugcab, LAC 1995)

The latter is true - the Legacy which the Imperator is based on, does not really have a chassis as fancy as those of hand-built rivals, and a mass manufactor like Primus won´t offer exclusivity like others at the olymp of cars. Active suspension was also not offered, since the Legacy chassis was introduced in 1991 and only designed for adaptive air suspension. Nevertheless, the Imperator V12 production was sold out already in the first year - until late 1997!

Primus Imperator 600 V12
Front engine AWD
built: 1995-1997
LxW: 4,96 x 1,85 m
Power: 512 hp, 658 nm
0-100: 3,9 s
speed: 343 kph
cons.: 13,8 ltr premium
five-speed automatic
price: 79.600 $

What had active sport suspension was the Ultima. It would have been a waste of money to develop a hyper fancy V12 without sharing it with a supercar. The Ultima was, as the name suggested, the representation of the technically possible. The glued aluminium chassis and full aluminium panels could not conceal that this AWD monster was heavy. So, this supercar did not feel at home on a race track, but for showing off, it was perfect. And going fast on unlimited highways was a pleasure, offering enough remainung comfort. The V12 with a redline at 7300 rpm was muffled in the Imperator, but here it could scream as it wants to. But this car wouldn´t be a Primus if others had a cooler design, more sportiness and overall felt more exclusive. Nevertheless, among the rich celebrities, an Ultima was THE car to own. Others could not afford it anyway.

Primus Ultima 512
Mid engine AWD
built: 1995-2001
LxW: 4,75 x 2 m
Power: 512 hp, 658 nm
0-100: 3 s
speed: 361 kph
cons.: 14,7 ltr premium
six-speed manual
price: 157.000 $

Well, an Ultima 512 was definitely faster than a sane mind would go. But what if offering the fastest fourdoor luxury sedan and a very fast supercar is not enough? What if… you want to offer the fastest production car in the world, going over 400 kph with over 1000 horsepower? Primus called it the TT1000SV (superveloce, using Frunian languuage as a modest offense towards Cavaliere Nobile and other traditional and prestigious Frunian sports car companies), not telling that this car hasnt 1000 but 1061 (!) horsepower. Not that it mattered at that amount…
Looking at the specs, investing a 100.000 more for this 7 liter biturbo monster was a no-brainer. To 100 kph, it was only 0,3 seconds faster and the top speed it managed to go was beyond the skill of any usual driver, including many trained professionals. The TTSV served another purpose: Prestige. A Primus was no longer a premium pensioner vehicle. And the TTSV was also sold out soon - but Primus lost a lot of money with the Ultima despite this, as the development expenses were beyond sanity. On the other hand, other models profited from it: The V12 was welcomened in the luxury sedan class, as well as the active suspension in future sports and luxury cars.

Primus Ultima QT1000SV
Mid engine AWD
built: 1995-2001
LxW: 4,75 x 2 m
Power: 1.061 hp, 1.198 nm
0-100: 2,7 s
speed: 426 kph
cons.: 15,5 ltr super
six-speed manual
price: 256.000 $

Globus seems very modest in comparison. The Bravura was facelifted. What remained was the unique sedan/hatchback tailgate and the overall restrained look. New engines from the recent 4IEA family improved the performance, and the V6, although selling well, was dropped.

The base model recieved the 1.5 engine from the Persua, other than that, not much was changed. For a budget family sedan, it was practical, fast and economical for a low price, so the success continued.

Globus Bravura
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1995-1999
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 95 hp, 137 nm
0-100: 10,4 s
speed: 223 kph
cons.: 7,3 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 11.300 $

With the same engine and a less frugal, but still not opulent trim, the LS model was offered next. A CD radio was standard as well as metallic paint and an automatic transmission, still the old four-speed - the new five-speed was reserved for Primus. The LS was a good car, but put under heavy pressure by the competition, having launched more modern designs since 1990 - and the LS was not at the top of the commuter cars, although still among the popular choices.

Globus Bravura LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1995-1999
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 95 hp, 137 nm
0-100: 12,2 s
speed: 220 kph
cons.: 7,7 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 13.500 $

The LX model also failed to maintain the popularity of it´s early years. General model age and a not impressive reliability and sportiness haunted it, although it was neither a lemon nor terrible to drive, especially for the cheap price. The modern 2.3 liter four-cylinder propelled the car foward with respectable performance, and the trim level was pleasant, but the competition offered newer, fancier models for not too much more, and at $ 15.000 and above, buyers started considering paying more for a the car that impresses the neighbour more than a Bravura.

Globus Bravura LX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1995-1999
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 127 hp, 209 nm
0-100: 9,5 s
speed: 242 kph
cons.: 9 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 15.100 $

The coupes of the Bravura model kept the rear styling, but now offered an unique front design, trying to let them stand out from their practical but boring five-door sedan counterparts. Even if the LT offered the very powerful 2.0 DOHC engine, it was just not what the customers wanted. The highly developed, expensive and efficient engine felt wrong in an otherwise very budget car with a four-speed automatic, even if the gearbox was reinforced to stand the power. The car felt like being put together from various shelves of a large company, and this impression was totally correct. Even if good on paper, the Bravura LT was not a success.

Globus Bravura LT
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1995-1999
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 176 hp, 235 nm
0-100: 7,6 s
speed: 261 kph
cons.: 7,4 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 22.500 $

A V6, no longer offered for the Bravura, was now introduced for the related Stallion: The 3.0 version with performance intake, known from the Merit 300, the Legacy and the new Viator top model. In this small two-door, the performance scared established sports cars that costed a lot more. A manual was standard, as the Stallion was the Bravura LT´s athletic cousin. The front wheel drive chassis was totally overstrained with the power, even with a limited slip differential and electronic traction control, but handling was not the focus in Gasmea: In power per dollar, this car impressed. And was therefore more successful than the LT trim of the Bravura. No other competitor came even close at the performance per dollar madness the Globus Stallion offered.

Globus Stallion
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1995-1999
LxW: 4,29 x 1,65 m
Power: 222 hp, 302 nm
0-100: 6,3 s
speed: 285 kph
cons.: 9,3 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 21.100

The Grand Cruiser was also facelifted, now featuring a sleeker look than before, although already the 1990 model was “aero-styled”. Narrower headlights and more curved taillights as well as interior upgrades differed the new model. The trims were restructurated, now only offering two models, GS and GX.

The GS recieved a new 4 liter engine from the V8C55-88 family, now sending the old OHV engine that was once introduced in 1955 into the deserved retirement. While the torque did not improve, the peak power was definitely more, and not to forget about the emissions, the old OHV design now struggled to meet the requirements, but the economy did not improve at all. Nevertheless, this was offering a lot of car for the money and continued to sell in Gasmea.

Globus Grand Cruiser GS
Front engine RWD
built: 1995-1999
LxW: 5,51 x 2,03 m
Power: 222 hp, 333 nm
0-100: 8,8 s
speed: 254 kph
cons.: 14,6 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 24.900 $

The GX model featured the 4,3 liter V8 from the Primus Legacy and Aventura that was already in use in the old Grand Cruiser LT model. Although not much larger, it offers a significant performance boost, as Primus-sourced engines were more complex and refined as those developed for Globus. The car was not as successful as the GS, not because it wasn´t good or too expensive for what it was, but at that price point, it was above a regular family car and premium buyers preferred more modern and sportier cars than this landyacht. Nevertheless, the GX wasn´t standing like lead in the showrooms, but it was clear that the good old Gasmean barge was about to decline.

Globus Grand Cruiser GX
Front engine RWD
built: 1995-1999
LxW: 5,51 x 2,03 m
Power: 286 hp, 403 nm
0-100: 7,8 s
speed: 283 kph
cons.: 12,7 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 29.600 $

A facelift also affected the Commander, the personal luxury car based on the Grand Cruiser. This type of car was totally outmoded, so a smoother front end and some other upgrades didn´t help. Performance came from the Imperators 5,5 V8 engine, propelling this car in sports car league without even closely offering the agility. In fact, this car only pleased sternly seniors showing their Commander off at the golf course. Extremely powerful, very comfortable and luxurious, but the practicality of a coupe while having the size of a 1970s landyacht made it an anachronism. The Commander phased out after the 2001 model year without a successor.

Globus Commander
Front engine RWD
built: 1995-2001
LxW: 5,40 x 2,03 m
Power: 383 hp, 521 nm
0-100: 6,7 s
speed: 295 kph
cons.: 15,4 ltr premium
four-speed automatic
price: 33.600 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

1996 offered no changes for Primus - most models were new and successful, and the Ares, offered since 85 and facelifted in 91, had no successor yet as the development started just after the first prototype of the Ultima was done, as the smaller sports car should profit from the technology of the supercar.

Globus on the other hand had still many leftovers of the 80s, and one of them was the Traveller. While a new model was already far in development, it would no longer include a delivery van. This was now derived from the Rigel Fur-Go, and a badge engineered version with own drivetrains and some visual changes was marketed as the new Express. The strategic partnership with Rigel finally increased further. While the FurGo offered many variants, Globus only focussed on the panel van, as it was just replacing the old models and not adding new ones. The new Express became much larger than the old one, being almost as long as the DuraTrans, but more efficient and lighter, as this van wasn´t designed for heavy duty use.

Globus van buyers accepted the simple but useful vehicle, making the new Express a rather successful car. Engines included a petrol and diesel option, the gasoline-powered 1515 featured the 1,5 liter 4IEA engine known from Persua and Bravura.

Globus Express 1515
Front engine FWD
built: 1996-2001
LxW: 5,17 x 1,75 m
Power: 95 hp, 137 nm
0-100: 12,4 s
speed: 165 kph
cons.: 10,3 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 12.200 $

The non-turbo Primus Globus variant of Rigels D3TD engine was cheap and economical, as well reliable, but it was loud, rough and not the strongest, however, this was a character fitting the most to a commercial van, so the 1519D managed to sell almost as many units as the 1515. Until Primus had the capacities to come up with an own four-cylinder Diesel, the D3TD family filled the gap quite well.

Globus Express 1519D
Front engine FWD
built: 1996-2001
LxW: 5,17 x 1,75 m
Power: 75 hp, 161 nm
0-100: 15,9 s
speed: 147 kph
cons.: 8,7 ltr Diesel
five-speed manual
price: 11.100 $

Between the Globus Bravura and the Primus Merit was quite a large hole - a Merit-sized non-premium sedan with front wheel drive could be a good idea. When it was clear that Primus switches to RWD for their intermediate sedan, Globus got the assignment to offer a same sized vehicle that is noticeably cheaper and features front wheel drive. In the hierarchy, this model was the Premier, and although it ended after the 1985 model and was not really a success, Globus revived the nameplate with a very sleek but overall conservative sedan.
Technically, many was reused from the Bravura, but adapted for the larger vehicle and partly refined. Generous interior space for a very low price was the main target, but the Premier failed to impress with dull handling and mediocre build quality. The car was pretty much your average rental, but made no further impression.

The base LS model was rather frugal, but with the modern 2.3 liter 16V engine from the Bravura, it offered enough power in any driving situation. A four-speed automatic (yes, still not the fancy Primus one with five gears) was standard for all Premiers, as this car did not even try to pretend some faux-sportiness. For this very competetive price, you couldn´t even get a Bravura LX with the same engine, but better trim level. Nevertheless, the base Premier was only strong in fleet sales, not having any impact on the private market.

Globus Premier LS
Front engine FWD
built: 1996-2000
LxW: 4,72 x 1,71 m
Power: 127 hp, 209 nm
0-100: 10,5 s
speed: 226 kph
cons.: 9,6 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 14.500 $

Traction control, slightly better aerodynamics and a few interior goodies as well as alloy wheels turned the LS into the ES, aiming at buyers that are not happy with a fleet poverty spec model, but refused to shop for more than they actually need in a family sedan. Even if the car was nicer than the base model for only a litle more, it failed to beat Hindoes, IPs and other competitor´s offerings. Hinodes were cooler, and IPs offered better handling and reliability.

Globus Premier ES
Front engine FWD
built: 1996-2000
LxW: 4,72 x 1,71 m
Power: 127 hp, 209 nm
0-100: 10,2 s
speed: 226 kph
cons.: 9,7 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 15.900 $

With a 2.5 V6 borrowed from the Merit and a much nicer interior, the LX represented the classic Gasmean intermediate family sedan. The car was only two thirds of the price of a comparable Primus Merit with the same engine, yet failed to sell equally well. This was a real disappointment, as Globus has put a lot of hope into the LX model, offering a modern, relatively economical and comfortable midsize sedan for a low price. In fact, it still lacked image and was not fun to drive, although secure at usual Gasmean driving conditions.

Globus Premier LX
Front engine FWD
built: 1996-2000
LxW: 4,72 x 1,71 m
Power: 173 hp, 232 nm
0-100: 8,7 s
speed: 255 kph
cons.: 10 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 19.600 $

Although the Premier was everything but a sport sedan, the LT model tried to be just that. The descision between LX and LT was only a matter of taste, and even if the LT was slightly tuned for a bit more sportiness, it wasn´t noticeable in reality. The LT sold slightly better, but still far below the expectations.

Globus Premier LT
Front engine FWD
built: 1996-2000
LxW: 4,72 x 1,71 m
Power: 173 hp, 232 nm
0-100: 9 s
speed: 255 kph
cons.: 9,9 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 20.300 $

The car that sold relatively well was the Signature, ironically the model that Globus wanted to be exclusive. The bland FWD sedan now recieved the mighty 3,5 liter V6 from the Merit coupe and Aventura, returning massive 248 horsepower. Not that it was massive for a car in the premium segment, but it was astonishing considering it was squeezed into an FWD midsize with a enlargened and overworked compact car chassis. On the outside, a more conservative grille pleased pensioners, and that was exactly the target group that wanted a not to small, but not too large car with fully loaded interior and tons of comfort features with a smooth and powerful engine, but no sporty car, and that with a formal and unobtrusive appearance. The Signature´s trim level was nothing but impressive for the price, and together with the restrained visuals, people above 60 were absolutely pleased. And for those, the rather disappointing sportiness did not really kill the fun of ownership for them. A few bucks less would allow for a Grand Cruiser GS, but the Premier Signature had more standard features and still sufficient interior space, nevertheless, Gasmeans rather opted for the Grand Cruiser because it was a Gasmean icon and had some kind of image, not to forget about the V8 roar.

Globus Premier Signature
Front engine FWD
built: 1996-2000
LxW: 4,72 x 1,71 m
Power: 248 hp, 344 nm
0-100: 7,3 s
speed: 298 kph
cons.: 11,3 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 25.600 $

[Happyhungryhippo]

1997 was not a year with big changes. Primus facelifted the Persua, but the differences were only minor. The platform introduced in 1984 with the Advance will be replaced with a more modern one soon, and the Persua I was never designed for a long lifespan, so Primus invested only the most neccecary to keep the model attractive. While CL models of the years 94 to 96 were quite frugal, the standard equipment was now added with power steering and ABS, as customers expected such things without extra cost. The natural aspirated Diesel from Rigel now recieved a turbocharger, increasing the power from 75 to 95 horsepower and making the car quite fast for a Diesel, however, Primus already confirmed working on an own four-cylinder Diesel family.
Visual differences were limited to a new front bumper design, nicer steering wheel, new fabrics and different side indicators- everything else was dismissed as too expensive.

Primus Persua 1.9 TD CL
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 95 hp, 226 nm
0-100: 10,4 s
speed: 209 kph
cons.: 6,1 ltr Diesel
five-speed manual
price: 12.800 $

The base engine was also renewed - The partnership included a new three-cylinder gasoline engine, replacing Primus own one that was introduced in 1979. The HL3ALU powered many Rigels - and also the small Primus models. With 81 horsepower, the Primus variant was stronger than Rigels, but also more expensive to produce, and the output was impressive for only 1200ccm displacement and being a three-pot. Especially the difficult balancing and vibration cancellation was making the engine more expensive than previously calculated.
The “young” model was still everything but “young”, but tinted taillamps, absurd fabrics and some daring colors were as cool as the boring Persua could become.

Primus Persua 1.2 CL young
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 81 hp, 112 nm
0-100: 11,3 s
speed: 196 kph
cons.: 6,2 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 11.900 $

For the GL, more or less everything remained how it was. The engine was still the same 1.5 liter, and the automatic transmission was not updated to the five-gear for cost reasons - this would have required a lot of engineering and testing for not too much of a benefit, as the five-gear was not yet adapted for the engines used in the Persua, even if there was a front-wheel-drive case for the Viator, the automatic wasn´t offered for the 1.8, so all Persua engines had to stick to what they had.

Primus Persua 1.5 GL automatic
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 95 hp, 137 nm
0-100: 11,6 s
speed: 209 kph
cons.: 7,9 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 14.000 $

The same could be said for the spirit model. It was more or less kept as it was with the short remaining lifespan of the model in mind. The three-door Persuas were quite rare, apart from the GT which was not available as five-door. The giant C-pillar ruined visibility and did not positively contribute to the car´s appearance, and five door practicality was definitely desired by the mid 90s.

Primus Persua 1.5 GL spirit
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 95 hp, 137 nm
0-100: 9,8 s
speed: 212 kph
cons.: 7,5 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 13.600 $

The GX also remained more or less identical, apart from a new front bumper and different side indicators.

Primus Persua 1.8 GX automatic
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 122 hp, 164 nm
0-100: 9,9 s
speed: 223 kph
cons.: 8,3 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 14.900 $

The GT also still made no attempt at becoming a real hot hatch like the Advance predecessors. Adaptive dampers were now a new feature, standard on the GT, optional for the GX, but that still did not change the fact it was dull and boring for a sporty compact. On the other hand, the car was quite affordable and had no major compromise to make.

Primus Persua 1.8 GT
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-1999
LxW: 3,68 x 1,58 m
Power: 122 hp, 164 nm
0-100: 8,7 s
speed: 230 kph
cons.: 7,6 ltr regular
five-speed manual
price: 14.700 $

Even if the Persua started off successfully, the sales soon dropped - other manufactors offered fancier cars for the same money, and the Persua´s facelift did slow down, but not stop the decline of the model. In fact, it was planned that the car would make it´s six year run without any facelift, but the weak 1996 sales changed the plan. The first generation Persua is often mentioned when it comes to the automotive neutrum - a boring, cheap car that does nothing really right and nothing wrong, together with a numb and uninspired styling. On the other hand, it managed to bring an 80s platform through the 90s and for those that just wanted a modest and practical mean of transportation, it was fine.

Globus finally sent the Traveller into retirement, and the new model surprised by looking… not Gasmean. Instead, the car was thought-out as “world car”, combining the requirements of all regions and designing a car that is able to be sold worldwide, as many importers outside Gasmea struggled with the Globus models that mostly were outside of their home area as useful as a fish in the dry.
The new Traveller grew extensively, but was noticeably smaller than a Viator. Seven seats were standard, and the last row fully foldable or even removable. As Gasmeans tend to use larger engines, the base gasoline engine was the 2.3 liter four-cylinder that was doing service in most Globus models. An automatic transmission was available for all gasoline engines as well, but still the four-speed, as Primus wanted the new gearbox to be exclusive to the mother company for some time, although most Traveller engines were available with the EA5G94 transmission in Primus models.

Globus Traveller LS
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-2001
LxW: 4,39 x 1,73 m
Power: 127 hp, 209 nm
0-100: 11,2 s
speed: 202 kph
cons.: 10,9 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 15.500 $

The 1.9TD introduced in the facelifted Persua was also available for the Traveller, while the Viator kept the old 2.0TD five-cylinder. So if you wanted an affordable Diesel van, the Globus had an advantage over the Primus here. The “family” special model included different fabrics, ESC and a sunroof.

Globus Traveller family 1.9TD
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-2001
LxW: 4,39 x 1,73 m
Power: 95 hp, 226 nm
0-100: 12,2 s
speed: 182 kph
cons.: 7,5 ltr Diesel
five-speed manual
price: 16.100 $

For those that wanted some comfort in their van, the LX model, available for both the 2.3 gasoline and the 1.9TD, offered a premium interior with many goodies for an attractive price.

Globus Traveller LX
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-2001
LxW: 4,39 x 1,73 m
Power: 127 hp, 209 nm
0-100: 11,1 s
speed: 205 kph
cons.: 10,5 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 17.400 $

A very rare sight was the Traveller LT, and that was due to the very high price - more than $7500 more than an LX model. Of course, Primus legendary DOHC engine was still brilliant, but it was totally overpriced and too complex to build for the improvements it offered compared to the SOHC engine, at least in a Minivan. The LT trim left no wish unfulfilled, but also that seemed a bit over the top in this car. For a car in this price range, interior materials, chassis refinement and design were not appropriate, on the other hand, this car was a real sleeper, even with the now outdated E4AT automatic.

Globus Traveller LT
Front engine (t) FWD
built: 1997-2001
LxW: 4,39 x 1,73 m
Power: 176 hp, 235 nm
0-100: 8,6 s
speed: 228 kph
cons.: 8,8 ltr regular
four-speed automatic
price: 25.000 $

The new, larger Traveller was really a daring move, as it could become an inhouse competitor to the Viator, and in the end, it was inferior to the Primus. It nevertheless managed to sell, mainly because it was some $3000 cheaper (in average) than a Viator, so it only cannibalized the lower-end Viators, and it was smaller. Some minivan buyers (and there were lots of them at that time) walked away from a Viator because it was unneccecary large or didn´t fit into the garage or the tiny parking spots in cities. The Traveller on the other hand had just the perfect size between roominess and space economy, so both models could co-exist successfully.

[passengerpigeon]

What mod did you use for the top piece of the dashboard in the Imperator?