A well kept secret, the “Wallys Izis” is the first car entirely built in Tunisia. For 18 months Zied Guiga was secretly conceiving and building in a workshop at La Marsa, north of Tunis, the prototype of what has already become a success story.
Inspired from Chrysler’s Jeep “Willys”, the car was recently shown at the Paris auto show (Salon Mondial de l’Automobile) where it has attracted considerable attention from both visitors and specialists.
With the exception of the engine, manufactured by Peugeot, the car was not only made in Tunisia, but used Tunisian made car parts (cables, body, joints, chassis, and mechanical parts). The manpower behind its building is also 100% Tunisian.
The “Wallys Izis” is a 3,25 m long, plastic panelled car with a 75 horse power Peugeot 1, 4 litre petrol engine. The engine is Euro 4 compliant and has a NCAP rating. It is ideal for off road leisure activities and boasts a 39 degree angle in climbing mode. Moreover, the car’s steel chassis has a 14 year anti- corrosion guarantee and its plastic body a lifetime guarantee. An electric version is available with a 90 km range.
The car’s sales manager for Europe is Rene Bosch, the inventor of the Dallas in the 80’s and a friend of Zied Guiga’s father. Incidentally it is a meeting with Rene Bosch that will trigger Zied’s urge to design and build the car.
The car comes at a price of 10,000 Euros (about 18,000 dinars) and its inventor hopes that the car will meet with similar enthusiasm from the Tunisian public during the forthcoming Tunis car show, next June, when a four door version of the off-roader will be presented to the public.
[Source: Tunisia Online News]
well the car looks nice, but we want here is real innovation, i do not see one here, rather than emulation.
With raising oil prices the world is looking for renewable energy cars. if this guy can build an electric car, that can be charged from electricity or from solar, or even a hybrid car that runs off elec and gas or gaz then we will applaud him.
we need energy efficient cars. cheaper cars that looks fancy, this would be an innovation too i do not see one here.!
even if he built a car that runs on alternative fuels, it would have been Kaput for this new car.
what the surprise here is that Tunisians are capable of producing anything with their man/woman power, and even rockets to the moon and beyond.
even if he built a car that runs on alternative fuels, it would have been Kaput for this new car from the giants of the industry who don’t want to see any competition to their fuel guzzling enviromentally damaging monsters…
what the surprise here is that Tunisians are capable of producing anything with their man/woman power, and even rockets to the moon and beyond.
Great news!
May be it will be my first car
It’s a great achievement, but I’m afraid he’ll sell out his car model to french or american companies 🙁