Arola SARL

Arola
legal form	SARL
founding	1976
resolution	1983
Reason for dissolution	Takeover by Aixam
Seat	Aix-les-Bains , France
management	Daniel Manon
Branch	Automobile manufacturer

Arola was a French manufacturer of automobiles .

Company history

Daniel Manon's company Arola SARL from Lyon-Corbas began producing small cars in 1976 . In 1983 the company was taken over by Aixam .

Models 10, 11 and 12

Arola 10

The first vehicles that Arola brought out were the tricycles type 10, 11 and 12. They had a tubular steel frame and were designed in such a way that they could be driven without a license in accordance with the French legislation of the time. The models 10 and 11 were powered by an approx. 3 HP (approx. 2.2 kW) single-cylinder engine from Saxonette with 47 cm³ in the rear and a two-stage automatic . The model 12 engine was from Motobécane and its transmission also had a reverse gear. There was a handlebar for all versions with the same functions as a moped . It was also important to Arola that a customer who was familiar with the Motobécane Mobylette mopeds could quickly get to grips with the Arola.

The polyester body had a solid roof. Optionally, there were light, completely transparent doors made of Plexiglas that could be installed or removed in a very short time. could be dismantled. The simple seat had no back. The basic equipment included an electric starter , a windshield wiper and a chrome-plated exhaust that could be attached lengthways or at an angle to the direction of travel. The difference was in the equipment; Models 10 and 11 did not have a speedometer or ashtray. Models 11 and 12 had pockets for storing small items. The maximum speed with the Saxonette engine was approx. 40 km / h, the model 12 reached approx. 65 km / h. It is unclear whether the doors were part of the basic equipment here. The tricycles model 10, 11 and 12 had a length of 1840 mm, a width of 1070 mm, a height of 1570 mm and a weight of approx. 110 kg. The model 12 was produced until 1982, the construction time of the other two versions seems to have ended a little earlier.

Model SP

In 1978, the model series was supplemented by the SP model, which was technically closely based on the 12 model, which was built in parallel. SP does not stand for "Sport", but for "Super Prâtique". The vehicle was 2275 mm long with otherwise the same dimensions. The area gained was used by a flatbed with a tarpaulin , which turned the vehicle into a mini pick-up . The type SP was also built until 1982. It was the brand's last three-wheeler model.

Models 14, 15 and Compacity

The first four-wheeled Arola appeared in 1979. The models 14 and 15 were a further development of the three-wheelers and were very similar in profile and from behind. However, they had center steering with a steering wheel , a configuration that was chosen before it became foreseeable that this vehicle class could receive French approval for two people. The drive was largely taken over from the model 12 / SP. The "seat" still consisted of a lightly padded board, but was a bit more comfortable with a backrest of a similar construction. Model 14 received transparent plexiglass doors with a ventilation slot, model 15 those with a sliding window made of real glass. With unchanged width and height, the length was 1880 mm.

The information about the Compacity model is somewhat vague, the function of which is the same as that of the SP for the model 12. This four-wheel pickup was on sale from 1980 to 1982, but it is unclear whether it was actually produced in series. Photos show a Compacity with black doors and sliding windows. This may be a prototype . The 14, 15 and Compacity models were discontinued in 1982.

Models 18 and 20

Arola 20

Model 18, released in 1981, is slightly larger and even more angular than its predecessor. The biggest difference to these, however, lies in the design: Instead of the tubular steel frame, Arola used a polyester floor with reinforcements made of aluminum profile. The body was made of aluminum profiles that were planked with polyester parts. Four engines, still housed in the rear, were available: from BCB, Motobécane or Peugeot with 50 cm³ each and another version of BCM with 125 cm³. The latter should be good for 65 km / h. A version S included refinements such as an on-board clock. Model 18 was 2000 mm long, 1250 mm wide and weighed 190 kg.

There is hardly any information about the model 20. Outwardly, it looks very similar to the Model 18, but has rear side windows. Possibly it is an intermediate model.

Minoto

The name Minoto is a play on words from "miniature" and "automobile" in French. The model name appeared for the first time at the short-lived French manufacturer Bel Motors (1976–1982) for a light vehicle with a steel frame and polyester body over an aluminum frame. The Arola Minoto was designed completely differently, as a self-supporting polyester construction. The drive takes place with the well-known 50 cubic engines from Motobécane or Peugeot, later a diesel engine from Lombardini with 325 cc will be added. The somewhat "grown-up" Minoto measures 2030 mm in length, 1300 mm in width and weighs 203 kg as a petrol engine.

A vehicle of this brand can be seen in the Musée Automobile de Vendée in Talmont-Saint-Hilaire .

literature

Harald H. Linz, Halwart Schrader: The great automobile encyclopedia. BLV, Munich 1986, ISBN 3-405-12974-5 .

Web links

Commons : Arola - collection of images, videos and audio files