Did You Know Vehicles Were Manufactured in Jamaica?
Jamaica is probably not one of the places that comes to mind when most persons think about motor vehicle production.
However, it might surprise you to know that vehicles have been manufactured in Jamaica and exported to other countries
In 2003, Patrick Marzouca, Director of Excel Motors made history when he launched the Island Cruiser.
The Island Cruiser has been described as a comfortable two-door vehicle mounted on a fibreglass chassis and equipped with a 1.5-litre Japanese-made engine.
Both manual and automatic transmission versions of the vehicle were made and they were available with hard and soft tops.
The first body of the Island Cruiser was built in 1999, and the first line of vehicles were produced in 2000.
Marzouca eventually secured the expertise of senior German automotive engineer Hans Fleischer with the help of JAMPRO through the Senior Experten Service (SES) of Germany.
SES is a non-profit association that promotes vocational and technical training, continuous training and qualification of experts at the national and international level.
With the help of Fleischer, the Island Cruiser was able to meet the very stringent requirements for certification from the Bureau of Standards of Jamaica. JAMPRO also provided vital assistance to Excel Motors through the European Union-funded Trade Development Project (TDP), in the form of grant funding and technical support.
The Island Cruiser was first exported to the Bahamas in August 2003 and has been driven in the Turks and Caicos for many years.
See the Jamaican-made motor vehicle below:
Source: The Observer
Download The Jamaican Blogs™ App for your Android device: HERE
Remember to share this article on Facebook and other Social Media Platforms. To submit your own articles or to advertise with us please send us an EMAIL at: [email protected]