Nasr (car company)


Nasr is Egypt's state owned automobile company. It is the first Arab vehicle manufacturer, founded in 1960 in Helwan, Egypt. Since, the company has produced licensed versions of the Fiat 1100 R, Fiat 1300, Fiat 2300, Fiat 128, Fiat 125, Fiat 133, Fiat 126, series 2 Fiat 127, 1983–92 FSO Polonez and in 1991 introduced a further range of Fiat-designed cars licensed via the Turkish company Tofaş. In the early 2000s Nasr began producing the Florida range under license from Serbian manufacturer Zastava.

History

Nasr was a replacement for the short-lived Ramses automobile, which suffered from poor design and performance. The Nasr was intended to be an affordable car for the average person of means. The company's creation was also part of the general industrialization process initiated after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which would see millions of Egyptians flock to urban areas to gain work in newly built factories and industrial centers.
The decision to focus on assembly of foreign licensed cars under the Nasr marque was primarily based on the desire to avoid the engineering and design problems associated with previous attempts at domestic car manufacture. Furthermore, the compact and comparatively affordable Fiat-based cars were well suited to the Egyptian market. Nasr would later expand to production of utility and agricultural vehicles such as trucks.
As the years progressed, Nasr's best-selling model, the 128 GLS, began to show its age. Consequently, Nasr began production of a new range of vehicles, once again based on existing Fiat models, including the Regata, and Fiat-based models licensed by Tofaş, particularly the Dogan and Şahin. The early 21st century saw the relationship with Zastava expanded with production of the Nasr Florida.
Nasr's position in Egypt remains strong, largely due to its brand recognition and comparative affordability vis a vis foreign produced vehicles. However, its cars' relative lack of modern design, and the increased availability of low-to-mid range foreign brands in Egypt have increased the level of competition in Nasr's core market.
Nasr ended the production of passenger vehicles in 2009.

Discontinued Nasr produced automobiles


Production figures

Total production from 1961 until 2005 = 402.536 units.

Other automobile manufacturers in Egypt

In addition to Nasr, other manufacturers such as: