Nice idea
For the Polish automotive industry, the 70s were perhaps the most successful. This was the period when even the most wild dreams and plans of Polish automakers. The best proof of this is the Polonez passenger car.
Launched into production in the late 60s at a Polish plant FSO (Fabryka Samochodow Osobowych) Italian licensed car Fiat 125p outwardly quickly became outdated. It became clear that in a few more years the export potential of this model would finally dry up. The Polish automobile industry needed a more modern and respectable passenger car than the Fiat 125p. It was necessary to create something fundamentally new.
In the first half of the 70s, the Poles turned to the concern’s specialists FIATSp. A from Turin with a request to develop a car with a new body, which would make maximum use of the already produced component parts from the Fiat 125p. At the same time, the Polish side set many additional conditions, including a high level of passive safety and reducing costs for the production of a new car.
The appearance of a modern Polish car was designed by a famous design company Ital Design under the direction of Giorgetto Giugiaro (Giorgetto Giugiro ) - one of the largest constructors and designers of the time, author of bodies for Ferrari, Maserati, Lotus and BMW. True, they say that Polonez- this is just a reworked project that was originally intended for a new Lancia Delta, but for some reason was sold to the Polish FSO plant.
The first prototype with a monocoque five-door hatchback body, manufactured in 1975, turned out to be “in trend” - let’s remember contemporary cars: Audi 100 Avant, Simca 1307, Renault 30, Volkswagen Passat. At the same time, the hatchback body not only provided the car with greater capacity compared to sedans, but also significantly reduced air resistance. The new Polish car was distinguished by very good aerodynamics (drag coefficient Cx is 0.35), which, on the one hand, made it possible to slightly increase the maximum speed of the car, and on the other hand, to maintain relatively low fuel consumption.
When developing the new model, much attention was paid to safety and comfort. Thanks to the large wheelbase (2509 mm) and rational use internal space, the car could comfortably accommodate a driver and four passengers. It was convenient to load luggage through the fifth door, which was held open by two gas cylinders.
At the time of its birth, the Polonez was one of the safest European cars in its class and certainly the safest in the East. European countries Oh. The Italians have carefully calculated the energy-absorbing deformation zones of the body at the front and rear. Moreover, they designed it to meet even very strict American standards.
In addition, from the very beginning the car was equipped with inertial seat belts for the front seats and reinforced places for fastening the belts of the rear sofa, designed for three passengers, shockproof plastic bumpers that withstood small impacts without damage (up to 5 km/h), as well as plastic side bumpers overlays in the most vulnerable places, allowing to protect the paintwork from minor impacts.
With all this, the Polonez moved and braked well (all four brakes were disc), and had good visibility due to large area body glazing and powerful light - four headlights and standard installed additional fog lights.
The front seats were well adjustable in length and backrest tilt, which, coupled with an adjustable steering column, provided a comfortable driving position for drivers of any height and build. You can also recall the tachometer, quartz clock, windshield wiper and heated rear window, and a lock on the fuel tank. Not every European car, even a more prestigious one, could boast such an optional list back then! Therefore the owners Polonez involuntarily aroused respect among car enthusiasts.
True, many “bells and whistles” led to the fact that the car weighed a little more than its classmates, but in the 70s, few people paid attention to such “little things” as excess weight. In addition, the Italians and Poles were confident that Polonez would soon receive a completely new, more powerful line of engines.
The Fiat 125p engine under the hood of the Polonez was to be replaced by 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 liter petrol engines and a 2 liter diesel engine. But, as often happens, plans remained just plans. When FSO accepted new body car, it quickly became clear that the plant was not able to additionally pay for the development of engines.
As a result, the new car used upgraded power units from the Fiat 125p with a volume of 1295 and 1481 cm3 and, accordingly, a power of 60 to 82 hp. All of them had an OHV-type gas distribution valve mechanism with a camshaft in the middle of the cylinder block, the only difference being that in the Polonez the camshaft was driven not by a chain, but by a toothed belt. In addition, the mechanical fan drive of the engine cooling system was replaced by an electric one, which slightly increased the effective engine power.
The car was also equipped with a single-plate diaphragm clutch with a mechanical drive (instead of the hydraulic one used on the Fiat 125p). The gearbox was not fundamentally different from the Fiat gearbox, but the gear ratios were slightly changed: 3.75-2.13-1.39-1.0 (for Fiat 125p they are the same as on ours BA3-2103 "Zhiguli").
Lucky case
Competition for best name the future car took place on the pages of a popular Polish newspaper. In 1978, it was officially announced that the model would be called Polonez - in honor of the traditional Polish dance.
In 1986, the appearance of the serial Polonez was slightly adjusted - instead of black “plugs” in the rear pillars of the new FSO Polonaise glass appeared.
Serial production of Polonez at the FSO plant began on May 3, 1978. Initially, only two models rolled off the assembly line - Polonez 1500 And Polonez 1300, but only a small part of these cars fell into the hands of private owners. First of all, they were sent to government agencies, including the police. In Poland, by the mid-80s, the Polonez was associated primarily with a police car; it was not without reason that disciplinary dummies of police cars in the form of a Polonez silhouette were installed on the roads.
Thanks to one funny story, Polonez gained worldwide fame. In 1978, the best Polish rally driver Andrei Jaroszewicz, the son of the Prime Minister of Poland, crashed his racing Lancia Stratos and was essentially left without a car. And then one of the FSO specialists came up with a wonderful idea - to take this opportunity and make a rally car out of the Polonez for the famous racer, especially since the engine from the broken Lancia remained intact Ferrari Dino 246 260 hp True, in order to install it in Polonez, the car had to be made mid-engine. But such “little things” did not frighten anyone. Externally, they tried to disguise the “mid-engine” Polonez in every possible way.
Of course it was clean water propaganda - to demonstrate to the West the “socialist” model, which turned out to be no worse than the famous brands. And in the very first race, the Polonez 2500 Racing car won, leaving behind Porsche 911 and Renault 5 Turbo.
The main goal was achieved - people started talking about the model in Europe, which means it was possible to begin export sales.
As for the car itself Polonez 2500 Racing, today it can be seen in a place of honor in the Warsaw Museum of Technology.
Since then, Polonez has become a regular participant in European rally racing, but these were different cars, closer to production ones. On machines named Polonez 2000 Rally, there were two-liter engines in front Fiat DOHC with four carburetors Weber(each cylinder has its own carburetor). At the same time, the engine power reached 170 hp. In addition, the car had a brake system from Porsche 911RS with ventilated discs.
Debut Polonez 2000 Rally took place in 1979 at the Monte Carlo Rally. IN sports biography Polonez had another surge: in 1983 a rally modification appeared Polonez 2.0 D Turbo based on a three-door body with an Italian engine VM Motori HR 488 volume 2 l. But this car never received sports homologation and remained in a single copy. World fame Polonez received in 1978 thanks to participation in European rally racing.
"Crisis" Options FSO Polonez
Since 1980, the political situation in Poland has sharply become more complicated, which was partly the reason for the appearance of the “crisis” version of Polonez in the most simplified configuration. Almost everything was removed from the car optional equipment(fog lights, tachometer, rear windshield wiper, etc.), and regular vinyl was used for the upholstery.
By 1986, a fairly clear line of FSO hatchbacks had lined up. The simplest version Polonez 1500X grew out of the “crisis” version. The “economy” version could easily be recognized by its rectangular headlights, which replaced the more expensive dual optics.
The middle position was occupied by the modification Polonez 1500LE: It was equipped with a 1.5-liter engine, but already had a five-speed transmission with a fifth overdrive gear to save fuel at cruising speeds and a built-in radio. On the outside, the LE featured dual headlights with halogen sections. At the top of the FSO product line was Polonez 1600 SLE Prima with an engine capacity of 1598 cm3.
Its larger engine was created on the basis of a one and a half liter engine by boring the cylinder diameter from 77 to 80 mm. Externally, Prima could be distinguished from the LE series by an additional aerodynamic body kit, including front and rear spoilers.
In 1986, the appearance of the serial Polonez was slightly adjusted - instead of black “plugs”, glass appeared in the rear pillars, which somewhat improved visibility. The radiator grille was slightly changed: it lost its “shiny” elements and began to look more severe. A little earlier, an upper air intake appeared on the hood - with it the car began to look more sporty.
In 1989, the car underwent another “cosmetic operation”. The changes affected mainly the rear (loading height): the fifth door was lowered to the level of the bumper, which made it easier to load things into the cabin. At the same time, the rear lights, the location of the front sidelights and direction indicators were changed. The fifth door windshield wiper was now horizontal in the neutral position.
If foreign buyers, as a rule, had no problems purchasing a car from the banks of the Vistula, then in Poland itself Polonez for a long time remained a motorists' dream. Only in the late 80s, when Poles had the opportunity to buy cars of other brands, Polonez faded into the background. Most big problem its archaic and uneconomical engines with an OHV type gas distribution system remained. In order to somehow revive interest in Polonez, in 1990 they began to be equipped at the factory with imported two-liter Ford engines producing 103 hp. Simultaneously with the discontinuation of the model FIAT 125p in 1991, the plant stopped producing 1.3 and 1.5 liter engines, which automatically meant the disappearance of the Polonez car plant with these power units from the production program. However, cars with a 1.3 liter engine practically disappeared from the plant’s line in the early 80s due to the outright weakness of these engines for Polonez.
Polonez Atu for sedan body
Also in 1991 FSO concern demonstrated an updated version of its top model - Polonez Caro. “Karo” acquired a new “smoothed” front end with rectangular block headlights, a more modern radiator lining, front and rear bumpers. As an alternative to the basic option Polonez Caro 1.6 GLI Polonez Caro 1.9 GLD appeared with diesel engine PSA Peugeot/Citroen(69 hp). A few years later at the base Polonez Caro a four-door sedan was created - .
In 1997 they were replaced by cars Polonez Caro Plus And Polonez Atu Plus. They received new bumpers, grille, dashboard, etc. By this time, imported components began to be used. In addition, a 16-valve Rover engine was installed on some of the cars. English origin volume 1396 cm3.
The Polish automobile plant did not remain independent for long - in February 1999 it was bought by the South Korean company Daewoo. This company did a lot of work to refine the Polish cars produced, and as a result, in May 1999, the updated Daewoo-FSO Polonez Kombi 1.6 GSi MPI entered the market.
Official premiere Daewoo-FSO Polonez Kombi 1.6 GSi MPI took place at the motor show in Poznan.
Production of Polonez cars ended in 2002.
From Colombia to China
Thanks to its modern design, rich basic equipment, relative cheapness and reliability, Polonez sold well at the beginning of its career in a number of countries, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Colombia ( in the last two countries Polonez were used as police cars and taxis). In some of these states Polonez is known as FSO Celina. Until 1991, the largest number of Polonez cars were exported to China - more than 40 thousand copies. The second country in terms of purchase volume is, oddly enough, Great Britain. Polonez began arriving here in 1979, and immediately in a right-hand drive version.
At the end of the 80s, a batch of 150 Polonez cars were sold even in New Zealand. Polonez made a good career in Egypt, where they were assembled using CKD (Complete knock down) technology. For this purpose, an assembly plant was even built, which closed only in the early 2000s. It is clear that by the 90s Polonez were completely outdated in technical terms. Their main competitive advantage remained only their low cost, compared to more modern classmates. The classic rear-wheel drive made it possible to make quite good one-ton Polonez Trucks based on Polonez, which were in demand abroad.
In 1994, to support demand, crash tests of the Polonez were carried out. Tests confirmed the model's compliance with European safety standards - this became the reason for continuing export sales.
But since 1997, Polonez gradually began to be forced out of foreign markets, since they no longer met modern requirements for exhaust gas toxicity.
In the USSR, the appearance of the Polonez went virtually unnoticed, although these cars were demonstrated several times at exhibitions dedicated to Soviet-Polish friendship. The reason is simple - Polonez were never officially supplied to our country. Therefore, the interest in them on the part of domestic car enthusiasts was purely theoretical, in contrast to Soviet engineers, who were interested in Polonez from a practical point of view: the car was purchased to study the design and compare with domestic analogues. And yet Polonez could be found on our roads. A small number of these machines worked in Moscow at the Polish embassy and trade mission. And in the early 90s, we began to receive used Polonez from Poland and other European countries. Naturally, the majority of Polonez cars ended up in Belarus and Ukraine, bordering Poland. For Russia, Polonez remained exotic.
Variations on a theme
Passenger cars can rightfully be called long-lived: their production lasted for almost a quarter of a century - from 1978 to 2002. During this time, the appearance of the Polonez was improved several times, but the body frame and components remained without significant changes. Like any long-lived car, the Polonez has acquired a whole bunch of modifications and designs.
Since 1988, the Warsaw car plant began producing Polonez with a station wagon-type cargo-passenger body: a fiberglass superstructure was simply installed on top of a standard five-door hatchback body, which increased the length and internal volume of the body.
Polonez Multi-Task cargo-passenger vehicles were considered universal - they could equally well carry up to five people (including the driver) or quite large luggage (with the rear row of seats folded). Suffice it to say that the cargo area with the rear seats folded reached a length of 1900 mm.
The increased length of the interior made it possible to create the Polonez Ambulance ambulance based on the Multi-Task. Of course, it was not designed to carry out serious resuscitation procedures. But he did an excellent job of transporting the patient from home to the hospital. The interior of the ambulance was equipped with brackets for installing a dropper, an oxygen supply system, enhanced ventilation and additional lighting. Polonez Ambulance was intended for service in ambulances, healthcare units and military hospitals as a relatively cheap vehicle.
Since 1987 Fabryka Samochodow Osobowych launched a line of trucks and utility vehicles based on Polonez. The trucks were produced both in a purely flatbed version with three folding sides, and with plastic superstructures Atarex(Truck LB) over the flatbed, turning pickups into vans.
There were options with a short double cab (Truck Standard) and cargo-passenger versions with a double-row cab (Truck DC). The line of power units was standard for FSO products - these are 1.6 liter gasoline engines, later 1.9D Peugeot/Citroen diesel engines were added to them. Interestingly, after the Polonez production ceased at the main plant in 2002, the demand for inexpensive and reliable one-ton trucks remained, so in 2003 the new company Polska Fabryka Samochodow (PFS) tried to relaunch it, renaming it Poltruck. But for a number of reasons, this idea turned out to be unviable, and the new enterprise produced only a small number of test trucks.
In 1980, the FSO plant demonstrated the Polonez with a three-door hatchback body. The body for this model was not developed anew - it was obtained by making new sidewalls instead of the rear pair of doors. At the same time, the front doors remained as short as in the five-door version, which, on the one hand, reduced the cost of production of the three-door version, and on the other hand, made it difficult for passengers to board the second row of seats, since the width of the standard doorway was clearly not enough for this. It is not surprising that the three-door modification, “more sporty” in appearance, did not find its fans and within three years (1980-1983) it was sold in a meager circulation - only about 300 copies.
About a hundred three-door FSO Polonez cars were equipped with a 1481 cm3 engine with 80 hp. With electronically controlled ignition and a system in which preheated air was supplied to the intake manifold.
Main characters and technical data of FSO Polonez
The crisis version of Polonez in the most simplified configuration appeared in 1981. This copy was tested by US. This configuration option did not include the installation of front fog lights.
The Polonez five-door hatchback with faceted shapes looked very fashionable in the early 80s. The instrument panel in the “crisis” version did not have a tachometer, which is mandatory for other trim levels.
"Wolf in sheep's clothing» - Polonez with engine from Lancia Stratos. The only copy of this machine is today on display in the Warsaw Museum of Technology.
Photo below: A sporty Polonez takes part in a rally "Baltic Cup"(February 2012).
| Working volume, cm 3 | 1300 | 1300 | 1500 | 1500 | 1500 |
| Power, hp | 65 | 60 | 76 | 70 | 82 |
| Octane number of gasoline | 94 | 78 | 94 | 78 | 94 |
| Vehicle speed, km/h | 140 | 135 | 150 | 145 | 155 |
In the 70s, not every European car could boast such an option list as the Polonez. True, the “bells and whistles” led to the fact that the car began to weigh a little more than its classmates, but at that time buyers did not pay much attention to such “little things”.
| Number of places | 5 |
| Maximum speed at full load | 155 km/h |
| Fuel consumption at a speed of 40 km/h | 9.5 l/100 km |
| Electrical equipment | 12 V |
| Tire size | 175RS 13 |
| Weight, kg | |
| equipped | 1140 |
| full | 1540 |
| Track, mm | |
| front | 1314 |
| behind | 1292 |
| Front suspension | independent, spring, with anti-roll bar, telescopic shock absorbers |
| Rear suspension | on longitudinal springs with two reaction bars, telescopic shock absorbers |
| Brakes | working - disc, on all wheels, with separate hydraulic drive, parking - on the rear wheels, with mechanical drive |
| Clutch | single-disc, dry, mechanically driven |
| Transmission | mechanical, four-speed (five-speed since 1990), with synchronizers in all forward gears |
| Engine | carburetor, four-stroke, four-cylinder, overhead valve |
| Cylinder diameter, mm | 79,5 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 77 |
| Working volume, cm 3 | 1481 |
| Compression ratio | 9 |
| Cylinder operating order | 1-3-4-2 |
| Maximum power | 75 hp at 5250 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 11.7 kgf.m at 3300 rpm |
Polonez, perhaps, can be called one of the most successful developments in the history of the Polish automobile industry. By the mid-70s Fiat 125p, the previous model produced at the Passenger Car Factory ( FSO), is noticeably outdated and has lost its export potential.
The new product has maintained continuity with Polski Fiat in terms of components and assemblies. At the same time, the exterior of the hatchback, developed in the studio ItalDesign the famous “maestro” Giugiaro, was quite consistent with the latest automotive fashion of those years, and the car itself had a very high level of passive safety (even by European and American standards), was quite comfortable for traveling with five people and very well equipped for its class. These advantages determined the success of the model not only in Eastern Europe, but also in the markets of Great Britain, Germany, France, China and others developed countries and third world states.
Poles with Italian roots. Polonez, Fiat 125p And Fiat 126p.
City "slicker" Polonez and rural "hard worker" Tarpan.
Photo of the prototype model - from Wikipedia.
Base model: FSO Polonez
Manufacturer: FSO, Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych, Poland
Years of production: 1978–2002
Modification: Polonez 1500 (1978–1986)
Number of seats: 5
Engine power: 76 l. With.
Maximum speed: 150 km/h
Number of cars produced: 1,061,807
Model 1/43: Autolegends of the USSR and socialist countries No. 152 FSO Polonez
In 1978, the Polish plant Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych S.A. began producing a new model called Polonez. The model was named after the Polish dance of the same name. Initially, three models rolled off the assembly line of the plant: Polonaise 1500, Polonaise 1300, and Polonaise 2000 Rally, the numbers following the name indicate the engine size of the model. In 1979, the Polonaise 2000 Rally debuted at the Monte Carlo Rally. In 1980, three-door modifications of the models were released. In 1986, the Polonaise 1500 X model was released, which had a 1481 cubic centimeter engine, 80 horsepower, a 5-speed gearbox and a built-in radio. Due to its relative cheapness and reliability, the car was exported to a number of countries, including: the Netherlands, Bolivia, Great Britain, China, Greece, Italy, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Egypt. A car assembly plant was built in Egypt but closed in the early 2000s. In addition, cars were exported to some Latin American countries, where they were used as police cars and taxis. Beginning in 1997, cars gradually began to exit foreign markets without meeting exhaust emission requirements. Gradually production volumes decreased and in 2002 production was discontinued.
Specifications
- Engine - 4-cylinder, in-line, 4-stroke, OHV, camshaft drive by timing belt
- Water cooling.
- Cylinder diameter 79.5 mm, piston stroke 72 (“1300”) or 77 (“1500”) mm.
- Power 48 or 56 kW (65 or 76 hp).
- Electric cooling fan
- Transmissions are both 4-speed and 5-speed (models since 1980), the latter has an overdrive fifth gear.
- Transmission - single disc clutch
- Brakes - disc on all wheels, with a hydraulic dual-circuit drive.
- Suspension - front independent, spring, with anti-roll bar, rear on longitudinal springs with two reaction bars, telescopic shock absorbers.
- Tires - dimensions 175 R13.
Model options
- The basic hatchback version was the first to leave the assembly line.
- The sedan is also known as Selina in some export markets (produced since 1994)
- Station wagon or Polonaise Caro (produced since 1994)
- Pickup or Polonaise Truck (produced since 1987)
- Specialized models for the needs of the Polish police, ambulance and fire service.
Gallery
FSO Polonez 1500
FSO Polonez MR"78 1500 in Kraków 2 (3).jpg
FSO Polonez 1500
FSO Polonez model 1989
FSO Polonez Caro 1.5 GLE produced in 1994 - green (front).jpg
FSO Polonez Caro
FSO Polonez Atu Plus
Polonez Truck Plus 4 drzwi.jpg
FSO Polonez Truck Plus
Daewoo-FSO Polonez Kombi 1.6 MPi red rear in Warsaw.jpg
FSO Polonez Kombi
Polonez ambulance.jpg
FSO Polonez Cargo
Daewoo-Fso Cargo Plus.jpg
Daewoo-FSO Cargo Plus
Daewoo-FSO Cargo Plus..jpg
Daewoo-FSO Cargo Plus
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Excerpt characterizing FSO Polonez
Balashev could not answer this and silently bowed his head.“Yes, in this room, four days ago, Wintzingerode and Stein conferred,” Napoleon continued with the same mocking, confident smile. “What I cannot understand,” he said, “is that Emperor Alexander brought all my personal enemies closer to himself.” I do not understand this. Didn't he think that I could do the same? - he asked Balashev with a question, and, obviously, this memory pushed him again into that trace of morning anger that was still fresh in him.
“And let him know that I will do it,” said Napoleon, standing up and pushing his cup away with his hand. - I will expel all his relatives from Germany, Wirtemberg, Baden, Weimar... yes, I will expel them. Let him prepare refuge for them in Russia!
Balashev bowed his head, showing with his appearance that he would like to take his leave and is listening only because he cannot help but listen to what is being said to him. Napoleon did not notice this expression; he addressed Balashev not as an ambassador of his enemy, but as a man who was now completely devoted to him and should rejoice at the humiliation of his former master.
– And why did Emperor Alexander take command of the troops? What is this for? War is my craft, and his business is to reign, not to command troops. Why did he take on such responsibility?
Napoleon again took the snuff-box, silently walked around the room several times and suddenly suddenly approached Balashev and with a slight smile, so confidently, quickly, simply, as if he were doing something not only important, but also pleasant for Balashev, he raised his hand to the face of the forty-year-old Russian general and, taking him by the ear, tugged him slightly, smiling with only his lips.
– Avoir l"oreille tiree par l"Empereur [Being torn out by the ear by the emperor] was considered the greatest honor and favor at the French court.
“Eh bien, vous ne dites rien, admirateur et courtisan de l"Empereur Alexandre? [Well, why aren’t you saying anything, admirer and courtier of Emperor Alexander?] - he said, as if it was funny to be someone else’s in his presence courtisan and admirateur [court and admirer], except for him, Napoleon.
– Are the horses ready for the general? – he added, slightly bowing his head in response to Balashev’s bow.
- Give him mine, he has a long way to go...
The letter brought by Balashev was Napoleon's last letter to Alexander. All the details of the conversation were conveyed to the Russian emperor, and the war began.
After his meeting in Moscow with Pierre, Prince Andrey left for St. Petersburg on business, as he told his relatives, but, in essence, in order to meet there Prince Anatoly Kuragin, whom he considered necessary to meet. Kuragin, whom he inquired about when he arrived in St. Petersburg, was no longer there. Pierre let his brother-in-law know that Prince Andrei was coming to pick him up. Anatol Kuragin immediately received an appointment from the Minister of War and left for the Moldavian Army. At the same time, in St. Petersburg, Prince Andrei met Kutuzov, his former general, always disposed towards him, and Kutuzov invited him to go with him to the Moldavian Army, where the old general was appointed commander-in-chief. Prince Andrei, having received the appointment to be at the headquarters of the main apartment, left for Turkey.
Prince Andrei considered it inconvenient to write to Kuragin and summon him. Without giving a new reason for the duel, Prince Andrei considered the challenge on his part to be compromising Countess Rostov, and therefore he looked for personal meeting with Kuragin, in which he intended to find a new reason for a duel. But in the Turkish army he also failed to meet Kuragin, who soon after the arrival of Prince Andrei in the Turkish army returned to Russia. In a new country and in new living conditions, life became easier for Prince Andrei. After the betrayal of his bride, which struck him the more diligently the more diligently he hid the effect it had on him from everyone, the living conditions in which he was happy were difficult for him, and even more difficult were the freedom and independence that he had so valued before. Not only did he not think those previous thoughts that first came to him while looking at the sky on the Field of Austerlitz, which he loved to develop with Pierre and which filled his solitude in Bogucharovo, and then in Switzerland and Rome; but he was even afraid to remember these thoughts, which revealed endless and bright horizons. He was now interested only in the most immediate, practical interests, unrelated to his previous ones, which he grabbed with the greater greed, the more closed from him the previous ones were. It was as if that endless receding vault of the sky that had previously stood above him suddenly turned into a low, definite, oppressive vault, in which everything was clear, but there was nothing eternal and mysterious.
Today, the Polish auto industry does not have the same popularity and fame as, say, the German or Japanese. However, it has a rich and distinctive history. The Polish automobile industry received special development in the socialist Polish People's Republic. Before the war, the Polish automobile industry was limited only to assembly plants of Western automobile companies. The road network was practically non-existent, and Poland ranked seventeenth in Europe in terms of the number of cars. As of 1980, the annual production of cars in Poland was about two million. The country already had an extensive network of roads, including motorways.
In the fifties of the twentieth century, Polish road workers, with the support of their Soviet colleagues, had to raise transport system Poland is practically in ruins. With the support of engineers from the USSR, new factories were built in Warsaw and Lublin. At the first stage, production was organized Soviet Victory, on the second truck GAZ-51. Later, specialists from France and Italy were attracted.
However, Polish automakers did not limit themselves to copying Soviet and Western models of automotive equipment. Already in the sixties, they modernized their products and began producing cars of their own design. The car builders of Poland were also famous for their innovations. In particular, they proposed a modular principle of car design. In the 80s, the production of licensed and own samples was constantly expanding.
The most striking example of such a “Polish approach” is a car produced by the Warsaw FSO plant (factory of special self-propelled vehicles). The car with the beautiful name “Polonez” belonged to the so-called small class of the third group (Soviet analogues of the VAZ-2103, 2106 and Moskvich-2140). However, in terms of its characteristics and level of comfort, it was close to the middle class.
Contrary to the widespread fashion of the time for a three-volume layout, the body was two-volume. The trunk turned out to be unexpectedly large, and folding seats were used, which added versatility to the interior. The Polonaise was slightly longer than the Zhiguli and Moskvich, with comparable width and height. Convex sidewalls and curved side windows added free space in the cabin, improving the aerodynamics of the body.
The volume of internal space is closer to that of the Soviet Volga with smaller dimensions. Also worth noting good review through a windshield with a large angle of inclination.
The aerodynamics of the car were carefully verified by tests. This made it possible to obtain higher dynamics compared to the base FIAT-125P, despite the increased size and weight of 1140 kg.
There are also a lot of interesting and unusual things inside the car. For example, square control devices. Their abundance, rectangular “diagram” shape with small numbers and signs look very original and fashionable. However, information content and readability are a matter of habit.
Adjustable ventilation and heating nozzles are built into the panel on the left and right. Part of the control keys is located on the so-called console to the right of the driver. A radio receiver is also located there. A large visor above the panel prevents instruments from being reflected in a strongly inclined windshield. Unlike the 125p model, the gear lever is mounted directly on the box lid, and not on a special extension; as a result, it comes out into the body from the console (at 125p it is located between the seats).
The front seats are equipped with automatically retractable seat belts and armrests, and the driver's seat can be moved back and forth and up and down, and the angle of inclination can be changed. In addition, the angle of the steering column is adjustable. Everything taken together makes it possible to adapt well workplace driver to his build.
All four doors are equipped with handrails and armrests. Seat belt fastenings are provided for each of the three seats in the rear sofa. There is a shelf behind the back of the rear sofa, so that the contents of the trunk are not visible through the windows. If you need to transport a large item in the back, the shelf can be folded. It also folds when opening (more precisely, lifting) the rear fifth door. Note that this door is equipped with supports on the sides with pneumatic (gas) balancing, so lifting does not require much effort.
The Polonaise mechanisms are largely borrowed from the 125p model. Engine - 4-cylinder, in-line, 4-stroke. The upper valves are arranged obliquely in two rows, driven by the lower camshaft; The shaft drive is a toothed rubber belt located in a special casing. Water cooling. Cylinder diameter 79.5 mm, piston stroke 72 (“1300”) or 77 (“1500”) mm. Power 48 or 56 kW (65 or 76 hp). The machine is equipped with one of two engine options - a displacement of 1.3 and 1.5 liters (models “1300” and “1500”). For the future, 1.6 and 2.0 liter engines are provided. Compared to the base engines, the power supply, lubrication, cooling, and distribution systems have been changed. The cooling fan is driven by an electric motor, which turns on only when the engine overheats. These measures contribute to the quietness of the machine. A new carburetor was installed. The specification includes both 4-speed and 5-speed gearboxes, the latter having an overdrive fifth gear. It is convenient for driving on highways, is silent, and saves fuel.
Transmission - single-disc clutch with mechanical drive from the pedal, fully synchronized 4-speed (in the future 5-speed) gearbox, rear axle drive by a two-link driveshaft. Brakes - disc on all wheels, with a hydraulic dual-circuit drive.
Suspension - front independent, spring, with anti-roll bar, rear on longitudinal springs with two reaction bars, telescopic shock absorbers. Tires - 175RS 13.
When studying the design of the Polonaise, attention is drawn to elements aimed at ensuring active and passive safety - here is the “anatomical” driver’s workplace, a powerful braking system, a rear wiper, buffers on all sides of the body, the rigid structure of its body, soft, “ “injury-proof” interior finishing parts.
To a certain extent, even the shape of the machine ensures safety. Thanks to the large surface of the rear part of the body, the car is less susceptible to crosswind gusts than with a three-box layout.
A few words about the speed qualities of the Polonaise. It easily and steadily, without any overwork for the mechanisms (for passengers too!) on free sections of the highway develops 130-140 km/h (on Polish motorways the speed is practically unlimited). Moreover, the noise is not too disturbing; you can talk without raising your voice. This is the result of careful development of the engine design and body insulation, a successful choice of tire pattern, and research into the aerodynamics of the car.
And in rainy weather, the streamlining of the body has a beneficial effect. It does not splash too much, and drops are blown off the windshield; the cleaner only helps remove them. The rear windshield wiper is very useful and convenient.
However, there are no cars without flaws. Polonaise also has them. These include some stiffness of the suspension (you can feel the wheels overcoming minor road irregularities) and, as already mentioned, poor readability of instruments.
Nowadays, it is customary to give a car, as they say, an “integral” assessment, that is, one in which the entire complex of its qualities is taken into account, and each quality, depending on its importance, is given a certain so-called “weight factor”. So, the integral assessment of “Polonaise” would probably be high. Its few shortcomings fade into the background before speed, streamlining, road visibility, spaciousness of the body, large trunk, safety, original and progressive appearance.
A promising three-door version of the Polonaise car.
According to the plans of the FSO plant, in addition to the five-door model we described, it is planned to produce a three-door model. Its peculiarity is that the side doors are enlarged, and the rear window is extended and covers the area occupied by a black trim on the five-door model.
“Polonaise” will gradually displace the “Fiat-125p” model from the assembly line until the plant completely switches to its production.
SIMULATION TIPS
The simple forms of the Polonaise are very convenient for creating copy models of any kind. But on a small-scale model, this same simplicity can create the impression of primitiveness if some details are not emphasized. This applies especially to the relief of the sidewalls of the body. The width of 15-20 mm ledges very delicately made on a real car will be less than a millimeter on a scale of, say, 1:25, and they will visually disappear. Therefore, the ledges and other small details should be somewhat exaggerated.
The second tip relates to coloring. "Polonaise" is available with bodies of a variety of colors. The most common and typical colors are white, golden brown, dark blue (see picture on inset), green and red. In our opinion, relatively dark colors are more suitable for the architecture of this car, since against the background of light ones the black parts of the front and rear facings, buffers, side trims and sill panels coated with anti-corrosion paste look too sharp. But dark does not mean dull or gloomy, especially for models. So, active, bright, but not too light coloring.
The interior lining of the Polonaise is mostly black, except for the ceiling. This was not done by accident. Bright and light colors interior decoration could distract the driver's attention from watching the road and impair visibility due to reflections in window glass. Even the windshield wiper parts are coated not with shiny, but with black chrome.
Pay attention to the wheels. They are available in two versions. In the first one, the holes in the disks are combined into four groups, with “spokes” stamped in the spaces. This wheel option is used without decorative caps, but with a chrome-plated hub cap and screw heads. The second option is the usual one, with holes around the entire perimeter and decorative caps.
The external lighting fixtures of the Polonaise are very rational. Fog lights under the front bumper are standard equipment. The rear light combination contains a reversing light (glass white), turn signal (orange), side light, brake light and reflector (red). Two-color turn signal repeaters are installed on the front fenders.
Driver's workplace. The backrest of the left seat is reclined, the right one is shown by a conventional line.
The company inscription is installed near the edge of the rear door. The right side of the inscription is given on the radiator grille.
Instrument panel (from left to right): ventilation nozzle, heating control keys, speedometer and trip meter, indicators for gasoline level, oil pressure and hearth temperature, clock, tachometer: under the indicators are indicator lamps for brakes, “choke”, low and high beam headlights, battery charging, hazard warning lights and direction indicators. The manufacturer's mark is located on the steering wheel hub.
