The Pony rides again

The NAMCO firm belonging to the Kontogouris family from Thessaloniki, says the new Pony is in the type assessment phase by EVETAM, the multi-tech laboratory for evaluation and assessment of industrial and consumer products. If all goes well, the file will then proceed to the transportation ministry and the vehicle will then be put to trial according to what is foreseen by state regulation for final approval.

In any event, it's the first time after many years that a Greek car is put to trial for type approval. After its glory days, in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s., tough competition, among other things had put paid to Greek industrial efforts.

The new Pony will be intensely reminiscent of the older model: a classical look with straight lines, looking like a cross between a jeep and a pick up truck.

The new Pony is the result of research and development over many years. A modern car with state-of-the-art mechanical parts, designed on the basis of the company's classic styling. In this way the company “ensures the minimization of problems, easy and fast repair with cheap parts. Made from new generation steel sheets.”

The plan is to reach a production rate of 24 vehicles a day, with an average cost of around 7,000 euros.

In the 1950s, in Germany, the Kontogouris brothers had attempted to put into production a truck named “Hellas”. In 1961,they established a company in Thessaloniki called FARCO and began manufacturing a vehicle using BMW engines, albeit without much success.

In 1972 they created NAMCO (National Motor Company of Greece), and began a collaborative venture with Citroën, resulting in the presentation of a square-shaped car using mechanical components of Citroen's 2CV. This was the Pony, a car called “so ugly that it's beautiful,” as was written then in the German Press.

It became the best selling Greek car with over 30,000 sold in 14 countries. With very low operational and maintenance costs far below a regular jeep, and very low acquisition price it became a sell out with civil and military customers.

At the time the plant churned out 8-10 cars a day, with 67% of parts being of Greek manufacture. The production of the Pony stopped in 1983, mainly due to the tariff regime changes and the end of protectionist policies after Greece acceded to the EEC.