The Tatras will not only be produced in Slovakia but also developed again! – PRAVDA.sk

When Tatra is mentioned in Slovakia, many people will associate Bánovce nad Bebravou with it, where these trucks were manufactured in the past. But the Tatras have developed in Slovakia in the past. The Tatra Bratislava Design and Development Center was responsible for the development. After several decades, the opportunity to participate in the development of the Tatras in Slovakia is opening up again, thanks to Tatra Defense Slovakia.

Photo: Tatra Trucks

Tatra Tactic medium truck on a 6×6 chassis, which Tatra Defense Slovakia plans to produce in its plant Source Tatra Trucks Medium truck Tatra Tactic on a 6×6 chassis, which Tatra Defense Slovakia plans to produce in its plant.

Although the Tatra carmaker has been remembered in Slovakia, especially in connection with the production of trucks in Bánovce nad Bebravou, the development of Tatra passenger cars has an indelible historical mark in Slovakia. This has been the case since 1 July 1960, when the Tatra Bratislava Design and Development Center was established, the task of which was to design commercial vehicles with a Tatra T 603 engine. Already in April 1961 Tatra T 603MB minibus. In the same year, this minibus underwent tests that proved its good driving characteristics.

The designers in Bratislava also designed the Tatra T 603 NP on a similar principle. It was a low-platform flatbed truck, which, according to witnesses, drove around Bratislava on a trial basis and distributed goods to drugstores. However, neither the Tatra T 603MB minibus nor the Tatra T 603 NP ever got into production. However, the most famous project of the Bratislava branch of the Kopřivnice Tatras was the project of the new generation of the Tatra T 603. In 1963, the Bratislava branch was entrusted with the design and development of a new limousine to replace it. The whole project was led by the designer Ján Cina, who at the turn of 1963 and 1964 prepared several body designs for the new limousine.

Photo: Tatra

Tatra 603 X The top work of the Bratislava development department of the Tatras in Bratislava was the successor of the Tatras 603. But it never started production.

The winning design was marked X-5 and the prototype of the new vehicle was marked as T 603 X. At the same time it was the only design that appeared in the form of a functional model. Compared to the Tatra T 603 sedan, several changes could be seen in the T 603 X prototype. These concerned, for example, increased engine power from 77 to 90 kW, increasing the maximum speed to 160 km / h, reducing fuel consumption, or a smaller interior compared to the older Tatra T 603 sedan. The car was completed in 1967 and introduced to the management of Tatra Kopřivnice. Due to the smaller interior of the vehicle, which was crucial for representative vehicles, the T 603 X model was not finally approved by the management of the Kopřivnice car manufacturer.

Nevertheless, the T 603 X is considered one of the top works of the Bratislava branch of Tatra. After several decades, Tatra has returned to Slovakia, this time to Trenčín. At the beginning of July, Tatra Defense Slovakia, a subsidiary of the Czech Tatra Trucks, officially launched its activities there. Tatra Defense Slovakia is launching the production of Tatra trucks at its plant in Trenčín, thus continuing the historical tradition of Tatra production in the Trenčín region. The company plans to employ 150 people in two years and start the production of trucks primarily on Tatra Force and Tatra Tactic chassis.

In addition, Tatra Defense Slovakia will continue the historical tradition of the development of the Tatras in Slovakia, this time focused on the development of trucks. “There is a lot of interest in the Tatras. In addition to production and service, we also plan to actively participate in the development, which enables us to ensure the entire life cycle of the vehicle, “said Michal Baláž, CEO of Tatra Defense Slovakia. To achieve this goal, Tatra Defense Slovakia would join forces with the development capacities of the parent company Tatra Trucks. Thanks to Tatra Defense Slovakia, not only the production of Tatra trucks is returning to Slovakia, but historically the company can also continue the tradition of development and design of Tatras in Slovakia.

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