Attica (automobiles)

Attica was a brand name of vehicles produced by "Bioplastic S.A.", a company created in Moschato, Athens by Georgios Dimitriadis, an important figure in Greek automotive history. Dimitriadis had designed and built a light four-wheel passenger automobile (model "505") in 1958 with the intent to produce it. A tax imposed on four-wheel automobiles at the time, though, limited the car's market prospects; thus, he abandoned that plan focusing instead on the production of three-wheelers - taxed as "motorcycles" in Greece. In 1963 he started production of a light three-wheeler passenger car under licence of Fuldamobil of Germany as the "Attica" model "200" (it was much easier for cars certified abroad to receive certification for production in Greece). The car was built with few changes from the original German design, but later two different cabriolet versions were developed by "Attica" itself. 200 cc engines (by "Sachs", "Heinkel" as well as engines built by "Attica" itself) were used to power different versions of the car. The model became very popular in Greece and is fondly remembered to this date. Another Greek company, Alta, soon claimed some market share in the same category, introducing a similar vehicle in 1968; this was also based on Fuldamobil technology but it was extensively modified, with a more modern design. "Attica 200" was nonetheless produced until 1972. In 1968 "Bioplastic" utilized the "Attica 200" design to create a light three-wheeler truck brand named "Delta" (oddly enough, the rear-half of the "200" had become the front-half of "Delta"!), sold with modest success.

In 1965 "Attica" had already made an effort to enter the market of four-wheel automobiles, introducing the "Carmel 12"; the car was built under licence of Israeli Autocars company (which, in turn, had used British Reliant technology). In fact, the term "production" is probably not appropriate in this case, as most parts were imported (mostly from the UK). Despite a publicity campaign, the car did not sell well and only a small number of "Attica Carmel 12's" was actually built. In 1977 Dimitriadis transformed "Bioplastic" into a new company ("DIM Motor") to produce the DIM, an entirely new passenger automobile he had designed and developed. The car was presented in the Geneva Motor Show in 1977 but its life was very brief: only a few were produced.

References

*L.S. Skartsis and G.A. Avramidis, 'Made in Greece', Typorama, Patras, Greece (2003).

*G.N. Georgano (Ed.), 'The New Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to Present', E.P. Dutton, New York (1982).

External links

* [http://www.a-c-d.dk/spaendende.htm Site with automobile brochures (including "Attica" models)]