Malaxa (car)

Malaxa
Overview
Production	1945
Assembly	Romania:Bucharest

TheMalaxawas a car designed and built in 1945 inRomania,as the national machine industry had to convert its wartime output to civilian items. This model was designed by a team headed by engineer Petre I. Carp, of "Nicolae Malaxa Studies Society". Few prototypes were built in various aircraft factories in Romania (IAR Brașov,ASAM Cotroceni etc.), with the financial support ofNicolae Malaxa– hence the car'snickname.

The final number of cars produced in Romania is unclear. The production was stopped when theSovietsdecided to move the production line in the Soviet Union, allegedly aftera high-ranking official from Moscowhad a ride with the car inSofia,Bulgaria.

Description

Malaxa had anair-cooled3-cylinder 2-strokes rearradial engine,rear wheel drive (RR layout), and was capable of developing 30-35bhp.The top speed was 105-120 km/h and thegas mileagewas 10 L/100 km.

Thegearboxhad four speeds with auto-blocking specialdifferentialand hydraulicgear stick.

Thechassiswas tubular. Wheels had a dual hydraulic and rubber suspension. The body had a steel tubes skeleton, covered with steel, aluminum and wood panels. It was fixed on the chassis through four "saddles" and had a special vertical stabilizer.

Malaxaoffered a high level of comfort, and could carry five persons with four suitcases in all.

Further developments

The producers intended to adapt the model for a small, 1-ton truck and a small 20bhptwo-seated car intended for middle-class families, who would have cost approximately 100000 lei of 1938.

Bibliography

• (in Romanian)Primul automobil românescin "România aeriană", XX, nr. 1 from January 1946, p. 25.
• (in Romanian)Brebenel A., Vochin D.,Din istoria automobilului,2nd edition, Editura Sport-Turism, București, 1976.