Egyptian Light Transport Manufacturing Company

The Egyptian Light Transport Manufacturing Company (ELTRAMCO) was a state-owned Egyptian automobile manufacturer established in 1958 and based in Helwan. It was created as part of Egypt's nationalistic industrialisation drive under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, with the goal of building a domestic automotive industry. Lacking skilled labour and technical expertise, the company partnered with the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Bertone for bodywork and the German firm NSU Motorenwerke AG for engines and chassis. Its vehicles were marketed under the Ramses brand, named after the ancient Egyptian pharaohs of the Ramesside dynasty to symbolise national economic emergence. ELTRAMCO's first model, the Ramses Utilica, entered production in 1959. It was a compact, hand-assembled multi-purpose vehicle based on the NSU Prinz 30, powered by a rear-mounted 598 cc air-cooled two-cylinder engine producing 22 hp. Only two or three cars could be built per day due to the shortage of qualified personnel, and 1,130 units were made. In 1961 a small convertible called the Ramses Gamila appeared, with bodywork by Vignale, but very few were built. The Ramses II followed in 1963, inspired by the NSU Prinz IV and using the same 600 cc engine; 1,700 units were produced until the end of 1965. The Ramses III, presented in spring 1966, was developed in Egypt but still relied on European engines and bodywork. It was a commercial failure, produced in very small numbers, and pushed the company towards bankruptcy. After the Ramses III debacle, ELTRAMCO shifted to manufacturing utility vehicles, including tractors, vans and Polish trucks, and later Czechoslovak motorcycles, supported by generous government subsidies. However, from spring 1969 the Egyptian state ceased all subsidies. In 1969 the financially troubled ELTRAMCO and its Ramses subsidiary were integrated into the state-owned PVD Nasr Automobile Manufacturing Company, which had a stronger image and technical and financial support from Fiat. After 1972 the Ramses brand was no longer used; production continued under the Watania Automobile Manufacturing Company (WAMCO), part of El Nasr, until its closure in 2009.

The Egyptian Light Transport Manufacturing Company (ELTRAMCO) was established in 1958 in Helwan, Egypt, as a state-owned enterprise. It was part of a national project to create an Egyptian automotive industry, driven by the nationalist policies of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who came to power in 1954. At the time, all cars sold in Egypt were imported from Europe and Japan. Lacking skilled labour and technical know-how, the Egyptian government sought foreign partners. Carrozzeria Bertone of Italy provided bodywork expertise, while NSU Motorenwerke AG of Germany supplied engines and chassis. The company's vehicles were branded Ramses, a name chosen to evoke the pharaohs of ancient Egypt's Ramesside dynasty and symbolise the country's economic emergence. The first model, the Ramses Utilica, was a hand-assembled multi-purpose vehicle based on the NSU Prinz 30. Production began in 1959. It was a compact car with a multi-use body, available as a saloon and convertible with fabric doors and roof. It used a rear-mounted 598 cc air-cooled two-cylinder engine producing 22 hp, giving a top speed of 116 km/h. Due to the shortage of qualified staff, only two or three cars could be built per day. A total of 1,130 Utilicas were made. The car's angular styling was a necessity, as the factory lacked presses and stamping machines to create complex shapes. In 1961, a new model called the Ramses Gamila appeared. It was a small convertible with bodywork by the Italian firm Vignale. Very few examples were built, and photographs are rare. There may have been pick-up, limousine, and sports versions. The front resembled the later Ramses II, casting doubt on the presentation date. In summer 1963, the company presented the Ramses II, with bodywork heavily inspired by the NSU Prinz IV. It used the same 600 cc two-cylinder engine with 22 hp. 1,700 units were built until the end of 1965. The Ramses III was presented in spring 1966. It was a purely Egyptian development by Ramses, though the engine and bodywork still came from the two European partners. Only a very small number were made, resulting in a huge economic fiasco that drove the company to bankruptcy. After the failure of the Ramses III, ELTRAMCO turned to manufacturing utility vehicles, particularly tractors, vans, and Polish trucks, and later Czechoslovak motorcycles, supported by generous government subsidies. However, from spring 1969, the Egyptian state stopped granting subsidies, as the economy was expected to be self-sufficient after ten years. In 1969, the financially troubled ELTRAMCO and its Ramses automobile subsidiary were integrated into the state-owned PVD Nasr Automobile Manufacturing Company, which had a better image and solid technical and financial support from Fiat. After 1972, the Ramses brand was no longer used; production continued under the Watania Automobile Manufacturing Company (WAMCO), part of El Nasr, until its closure in 2009.

• 2009

  El Nasr (including WAMCO) closes.

• 1972

  Ramses brand discontinued; production continues under WAMCO.

• 1969

  ELTRAMCO and Ramses integrated into PVD Nasr Automobile Manufacturing Company; state subsidies cease.

• 1966

  Ramses III presented; commercial failure leads to bankruptcy.

• 1963

  Ramses II presented; 1,700 units built until 1965.

• 1961

  Ramses Gamila introduced, a small convertible with Vignale bodywork.

• 1959

  Production of the Ramses Utilica begins; 1,130 units built.

• 1958

  ELTRAMCO founded in Helwan, Egypt.

State-owned manufacturer of affordable, utilitarian vehicles for the Egyptian market.

• 1959

  Ramses Utilica

  Compact multi-purpose vehicle based on NSU Prinz 30, 598 cc two-cylinder engine, 22 hp, 1,130 units built.

• 1961

  Ramses Gamila

  Small convertible with Vignale bodywork, very few built.

• 1963

  Ramses II

  Inspired by NSU Prinz IV, 600 cc two-cylinder engine, 22 hp, 1,700 units built until 1965.

• 1966

  Ramses III

  Egyptian-developed model, commercial failure, very few built.

1. 1Wikidata: Egyptian Light Transport Manufacturing Companywikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia (French): Ramses Automobilesfr.wikipedia.org
3. 3El Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Co. (MIH)mih.eg