Africar

The Africar International Ltd.. was a British automobile manufacturer that was based in Lancaster from 1986 to 1988. Founder and temporary owner was Tony Howarth.

The Africar project saw vehicles in front that can cope well with the poor road conditions in Africa, but also should be so cheap that it would be bought in many parts of Africa.

Design

You should initially assume motors and mechanics of Citroën, as long as Africar had not yet developed their own motors and drives. The body should consist of faired with epoxy wood - the " West " system, which is used in the construction of yachts - so it could be repaired by locally available labor using locally available materials. The wood for the construction of the cars should come from extensively managed forests. It was also planning to build a number of small factories anywhere in the world, suitable for the production of low numbers were better than conventional automotive factories.

Production

In 1986, the company was founded on the construction and sales of these cars. Based in Lancaster company should offer a number of different vehicles of a car with all-wheel drive to a flatbed with eight wheels. Both companies, which saw the economic potential of the vehicles, as well as users who appreciated the capabilities of the vehicle, were very interested.

Advertising

Three versions were eventually completed: a wagon, a pickup and a six- wheeled vehicle. They were tried in 1984 on an expedition from the Arctic Circle in Norway to the Equator. The British television station Channel 4 reported on it and there was a book titled Africar to this series.

Collapse

The project eventually failed due to financial difficulties and set in July 1988, the Company their trading activities a.

Legacy

The vehicles were hardly noticed by those who were concerned with aid to Africa, taking note of. But after the collapse of the company gave critics to remember that they were a sign of how little western developers understand the real needs of the Africans: they wanted the best for Africa and did not realize that the Africans are not so different from them. The Africans want the same car as all other people, but the whole concept of Africars showed a pronounced Bevormundungshaltung the helper towards the Africans. Long after the disappearance of colonialism was the Africar that outsiders Africans as somehow einschätzten different.

Thus it was found that this vehicle did not took the market in Africa; it was entirely unwelcome.

In addition, there was another development project that criticized some Western media until it failed completely.

The fate of the founder

Tony Howarth was arrested in 1994 and accused of fraud by trading goods and real estate. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. The project recently lived as a Bedouin again.

Web link and source

Information about the Africar at " Old Woodies " (English)

Former Automobile Manufacturers Association ( England)
Former company ( Lancashire )

Ariel Motor Company Ascari Cars Asquith (1981 automobile) Beauford automobiles Caparo Vehicle Technologies Caterham Cars Dax Cars Tiger Racing Ford of Britain Ginetta Cars GTM Cars Invicta Car Jaguar Cars Locust (car) Lomax (auto) Lotus Cars Marlin (car) McLaren Automotive MG Motor Midas Cars MK Sportscars Marc Nordon Racing Noble Automotive Pilbeam Racing Designs Quantum Sports Cars Radical Sportscars Raw Striker Sylva Autokits Ultima Sports Vauxhall Motors Westfield Sportscars Albany (automobile) Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ashley (automobile) Austin-Healey Berkeley Cars Bristol Cars Buckler Cars Carbodies Connaught Engineering Daimler Company Diva (car manufacturer) Dutton Cars Enfield Automotive English Racing Automobiles Fairthorpe Cars Falcon Shells Freestream (Cars) Meadows Frisky Gill (automobile) Gordon-Keeble Donald Healey Motor Company Heron Plastics HRG Engineering Company Humber (car) Jago (car) Jensen Motors Jensen-Healey Kieft Cars Lanchester Motor Company Lea-Francis Lloyd Cars Ltd Marauder Cars Marcos (automobile) Metro Cammell Weymann Morris Motors Pashley Cycles Peel Engineering Company Peerless (UK car) Pelland Engineering Piper Cars Powerdrive Quasar Unipower Rickman Motorcycles Riley Motor Robin Hood Engineering Rodley (car) Safir Engineering Mini Scamp Singer Motors Spartan Cars Sterling (marque) Strathcarron Sports Cars Sunbeam (car company) Trident (car company) Triumph Motor Company Trojan (automobile) Turner Sports Cars

33674