Portaro: Models and Technical Data

[Ramiro]

Here is a Test from Germany, Auto&Allrad, September 1984:

Hallo, Werner

Did you receive my PM ?...
Please, can you give us more details about the portaro experience?
These 2 models ( 260 DCM Diesel, and 230 Petrol) were transported to Germany only for tests, or Portaro also been exported to Germany.
In Europe, I know that portaro were exported to the United Kingdom and Switzerland, but not for Germany...

Regards

[Ramiro]

Last October, the prestigious magazine “Turbo” published a brief history of the cars built in Portugal, where it appeared, among others, the Portaro.
According to the chronicle, we can consider that Portaro was one of the best off-road vehicles ever built in Portugal.
Here's the photo of the last prototype, who never was marketed.

[Werner]

About Portaro in Germany: Portaro never was imported official in Germany. There was a importer in Switzerland, some cars comes on this way to Germany. Even the car in the Test is whit number plate from Switzerland. I don't know why they find no importer for Germany.
Some Years aga, I send some Spare Parts to Switzerland, to a "Portaro Sercive". They restaurated some cars and need Parts for the Body. But I have no relation to this Guy anymore.

[Ramiro]

About Portaro in Germany: Portaro never was imported official in Germany. There was a importer in Switzerland, some cars comes on this way to Germany. Even the car in the Test is whit number plate from Switzerland. I don't know why they find no importer for Germany.
Some Years aga, I send some Spare Parts to Switzerland, to a "Portaro Sercive". They restaurated some cars and need Parts for the Body. But I have no relation to this Guy anymore.

Hi, Werner

Thanks for your valuable information.
I knew that Portaro was exported to Switzerland, but now i'm glad because the portuguese Aro still exists there and is being restored.
It's a shame that you have lost your contact in Switzerland. We could have more information about the models who were exported.
Unfortunately, in Portugal there aren't Aro service stations...

[Ramiro]

Born to win

The success of Portaro was mainly due to victories in mythical rallys.

Here are the French race drivers, Jean Pierre Kurrer and Jean-Luc Roy, both professional jornalists, celebrating the victory in Paris-Agadir rally, in 1982, with a Portaro Volvo engine (230 PV), before two Mercedes, who took 2nd place...

[Ramiro]

Portaro in Paris-Dakar

In 1983, after the victory in Paris-Agadir rally, the portuguese SEMAL (Garagem Vitoria) decided to participate in Paris-Dakar rally with 5 vehicles; 2 jeeps Portaro for racing, and 3 vans Campina for technical assistance.

The jeeps were amended to strengthen the chassis and decrease weight on the body with polyester. The Volvo engine, 4 cylinders and 150 hp, was specially prepared by the Swedes.

Portaro achieved the 10th place, the best obtained til now by a Portuguese brand.
The racing-drivers were the same as in the rally Paris-Agadir, but the technical team was portuguese.
Here are the names of all the heroes:

Racing drivers:
Jean Pierre Kurrer/Pierre Zanone
Jean-Luc Roy/Xavier Beadet

Technical team:
Vitalino Marques/José Fernando
Luís Santos/Serge Proust
Laurentino Reis/Paulo Gomes

[Ines]

Tudo sobre PORTARO!...O que seria das nossas vidas sem PORT ARO? Uma embalagem vazia.

[Ramiro]

Thanks, Ines!

You're always very kind, but the quality I most admire is your straightforwardness:
Do you always say what you think?

Yes, classic cars, like portuguese Aro, and old trucks, like Aro M461, are my private obsession, but I also like Albert Camus, Kafka, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and, of course, some Portuguese writers.

By the way, can you tell me who is the old lady ?

Regards

[Ines]

Ha ha ha!

Fantastic!

So very nice...not me of course! She is the old lady, ARO is the old lady, coz in my point of view all that is beautiful is female (not male)...and she hasn't said her last words...meaning she did not died and will not die ever and ...the most important!...she did not show it all...

Yes! I am always straight and say what I think/believe...no matter what...but u r the first who sees it as quality ...thank you for that!

I also like Albert Camus, Kafka, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and would love to share this.

Have a wonderful day!

[Ramiro]

Hi, Ines

Frankly, before you change your avatar, I thought you were the old lady, retired, writing feminist chronics at home, and telling us secrets about the revolution...

The “Stranger”, the “Metamorphosis” and “One hundred years of solitude” are masterpieces of the twentieth century.

Speaking of masterpieces, here's João Frazão and Francisco Avelar, driving a Portaro PRV, in rally Sagres Guadiana 500.

The picture was taken from the book Adventure 88/89

[Ines]

Thank you my friend!
U made my day! Yes...maybe I am Dora Diamant...but I've lost my Franz.
I'm happy!
Fantastic!

[Maxim]

WOW!
What beautiful dialog!
Ines, Ramiro! I'm is admired!

[Ines]

Dear Max,

Thank you! & feel free to contribute, u are welcome and we will apreciate your input.
Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis and Albert Camus' The Stranger, both feature protagonists in situations out of which arise existentialist values. We try here to combine the love we feel, each of us, for art and PortAro.
Now, Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts. As the protagonists in these masterpieces, we come to know of our existentialism, only realizing the presence or lack of meaningful moments in our lives...so, if there aren't we must do something about this...this would help us induce positive karma...and later on, at the end of our lives, facing death, to show proudnes and confidence we did the right choices ...and if we can connect this to PortAro is better...if, along the way, we can do something about PortAro existentialism also..should be brilliant...traces of history..
I should stop!...but ...bottom line is that one must engage in social interaction to have a meaning in life! and this is what we are doing here...interacting from PortAro point of view.

I wish u a peaceful day!
And 2 u also Ramiro, destemido e impiedoso Cavaleiro

[Ramiro]

WOW!
What beautiful dialog!
Ines, Ramiro! I'm is admired!

Welcome, Max

After all, culture is a universal language that we share, and here we are talking it, Max.
Remarkable article about existentialism written by ines, when we remember Albert Camus, because he died exactly 50 years ago in a strange car crash.
The portaro brings us to a symbolic dimension of existence, where time does not exist, just like in one hundred years of solitude.

[Ines]

Yes! imagine that...PortAro instead of Macondo and the Buendias... can u get the picture of how, now, we, a unique group of people sharing the same passion, are able and willing to revive the myth?

and while fantasizing on this, Sting came to my mind with his thousand years song:

I may know many things, I may be ignorant
Or I could ride with kings and conquer many lands
Or win this world at cards and let it slip my hands
I could be cannon food, destroyed a thousand times
Reborn as fortune's child to judge another's crimes
Or wear this pilgrim's cloak, or be a common thief
I've kept this single faith, I have but one belief

http://www.casttv.com/video/r4al54/a-th ... ting-video

It's a pity we can't hear the music too, when posting.