Meliora Automotive [1955 Olimpo]

[Sillyworld]

Meliora S. de R. L. de C. V. usually stylized as Meliora Automotive is a mexican automobile manufacturer specialized in sports and premium cars founded in 1948. It also owns and produces high-performance cars under Calavera Motors and serves as the parent company of Mastín Trucks.

[TurboJ]

Ooohhh.... Can't wait to see what will be presented under this brand!

[Sillyworld]

The Primus

Back in 1946, after being a seasoned pilot both in military and civilian flights, Eugenio Quiroga retired and opened a small car repair shop, following his passion for cars. A year later he wanted to buy a car for his son (which at the time was working as an engineer in ACM) but due to the lack of nice and cheap cars in the country, he decided to design one himself.

What started as a simple side project soon became time consuming and Eugenio saw lot of potentian on what he was building, so in 1948 officially founded Meliora Automotores (meliora is a latin word which means "better things", "always better", "ever better", or, more fully, "for the pursuit of the better") and presented his first prototype called Primum ("first" in latin).

The body work was inspired on european sports cars and made of aluminum, along with the steel spaceframe chassis everything was designed in home, except the drivetrain. Both the engine and the transmission came from ACM , but were modified to get more performance. The 3.5 liters inline 6 engine originally produced 103 hp, but Eugenio adjusted the pistons for more compression, modified the camshaft to a more agressive design and added a second carburetor, boosting the power up to 144 hp and the torque to 192 ft-lb. The transmission was the same 3 speed founded in the ACM-35, but with a differential with lower gear ratio. Since it only weighted around 900 kg, the car could easilly reach almost 180 km/h and hit 100km/h in 10 seconds. Since the car was still low budget, some compromises had to be made, like the lack of interior or the absence of sway bars.



2 more were produced, and used as a marketing to attract investors and future buyers to the new company.

Finally, in 1950 the Primum got road certified and hit the production line, just in time to participate in the Carrera Panamericana. Only 96 were produced from 1950-1952.
The production model has the same engine as the concept, but was less modified, producing only 138 hp and 187 ft-lb. Also includes a 4 speed transmission (from ADM) and safety bumpers (but no sway bars).



Top speed: 177.4 km/h
0-100 km/h: 8.6 s
1/4 mile: 16.74 s @ 139 km/h
Automation TT: 2:50
Airfield track: 1:42.65

[Sillyworld]

In 1952, when the production of the first Primus trim was to end, Eugenio Quiroga bought a farm outisde the citiy, and transform it into the new factory for Meliora, leaving the small workshop.
In 1953 presented a new trim, the Primus Advanced. It got the same engine, but with a better fine tuning it was more efficient, faster and with better drivability. It was a sales success. 576 were produced from 1953 to 1954.


Top Speed: 206 km/h
0-100 km/h: 8.3s
1/4 mile: 16.50 @ 144 km/h
Automation TT: 2:45.15
Airfield track: 1:39.44

Market price: $15,640
1953 price: $1,915

[Sillyworld]

1955 Olimpo
In 1955, after the success of the Primus advanced, the Olimpo was launched to the public. This time, the car was more close to an actual road car, instead of a track car, with comfortable seats and a simple AM radio, plus leather seats with actual padding.

The engine was designed in home, the first Meliora enginea 2 liters inline 6 with 90 hp. At first it was planned to have a more powerful engine than the Primus, but after the designing began it was obvious than Meliora won't be able to pay for a expensive design, so they went with a more low tech approach, at the end with good results, as the car was lighter and with a better weight distribution.

The car has a modest success in comparision with the previous cars, but it was the first semi mass produced car of the company, selling cars to the US, south america and even a few units were send overseas to europe.

Figures for the fruinian market
Market price: $12,610
1955 price: $1,426