MAVA-Renault

MAVA Company is the Greek importer of Renault automobiles. In 1979, it decided to enter the car-production business introducing a passenger-utility car, a type then very popular in Greece for tax cetagorization reasons. MAVA assigned the creation of the car to Georgios Michael, a Greek designer credited with the design of Neorion Chicago, as well as that of several other Greek vehicles. Michael and his team completed the development and prototype construction (on Renault mechanicals) in record-time and the car, named "Farma", was introduced the same year. MAVA had insisted that the car should be presented as a "Renault model" and thus the prototype was tested and approved by the French company. The "Farma", accordingly bearing the Renault logo, was produced in a variety of versions, including "passenger" and "van" types. It had a 4-cylinder 845cc 34hp engine and could reach a top speed of about 110Km/h. A total of 3500 were built, including the "pure jeep-type" "Σ" model introduced in 1983, and some minor face-lifts. The attractive car had also received a modest publicity in the European press. By 1985, the Greek law had changed affecting the market for this type of vehicles, thus making their production unprofitable. Michael and his team then worked on a completely new model; the much more advanced (and particularly attractive) new "Farma Change" was introduced in 1985. By that time, though, MAVA had scrapped the whole project and only one car, the prototype of the new model, was built.

References

*L. S. Skartsis and G. A. Avramidis. "Made in Greece" Typorama: Patras, Greece (2003) / University of Patras (2007).
* K. Bitsikokos, "Affordable cars made in Greece", "Auto Bild (Hellas)", issue 22, Feb 29, 2008