Prato Motor Company [New Budget Car 01/04/15}

[np1993]

Every major automotive manufacturer needs a sturdy work truck, van or lori. They move stuff and can move a lot of it, plain and simple. In 1984 Prato Motor Comapny decided it too needed a van and the Carico was born. The direct translation from Italian is 'Cargo'.

Using a steel framed and fiberglass body the box on wheels checked off all of the requirements for a working van, it had 3 seats up front, nearly 20,000L of passenger/cargo space and rear leaf springs. The interior saw a comforable 3 seat bench in the front furnished with all of the standard fixtures of the 80's a clock, radio, cigarette lighter and 8 track player.

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PMC took advantage of its new partnership with VW and equip the van with a 2.0L EA827 SOHC 2 barrel carb I4 made from cast iron. A mild cam was used and the engine was tuned for torque. Producing 97hp and 110 ft.lbs of torque it was no record winner, nor was it going to win any beauty pageants, however it was reliable and was efficient.

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0-100km was accomplished in an underwhelming 14.6 seconds with the 4 speed manual transmission. The lumbering box managed 14.5 miles per gallon and did so with pride. With a 1200lb towing capacity and the cargo room in the back the PMC Carico quickly saw light commercial use internationally. It fit the niche where a truck or semi was too big and a car was simply too small.

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[np1993]

PMC Carico (2nd Gen)

With the coming of the 90's several new and wonderful technologies came about, MPFI, glued alluminum and proper all-wheel-drive most notably. PMC took these technologies and used them ti update the Carico. With a glued aluminum frame and fiber glass body weight was saved, however that weight would be more then made back up by the AWD system implemented. The engine saw revision with a gentle boring out, as well with 5 valves per cylinder DOHC. 115hp and 130ft lbs was produced allowing the Carico to be both quicker and more efficient. 0-100 was completed in 12.9 seconds and 17.6 miles per gallon US consumption was acheived.

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The lumbering hulk, that is the PMC Carico would see next to no exterior changes, save for more modern headlights.

[np1993]

1999 Carico (3rd Gen)

By 1999 the Carico was showing its age and needed an update.

The exterior saw moderate revisions with a new split double grill, new modern headlight and plastic side accents.

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The engine saw revision as well. Aluminum was the material of choice for both the head and block, saving weight over cast iron. The updated 2.1l I4 produced 130hp and 135 ft. lbs being very squared. It was efficient and responsive with a 7200rpm red line, unusual for a work van. The new set up allowed the 1400kg vehicle to travel 0-100 in 10.9 seconds, much, much quicker then the 1st gen Carico. Fuel mileage saw an increase to 18.6mpg US.

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Unfortunately the 3rd gen of Carico would be cut short after 2 years. Sales had become stagnant due to more modern domestic and imported vans on the market which outperformed and outsold the Carico. The Carico was too slow, too expensive to produce and behind the times.

[np1993]

2012 Carico Magnum (1st Gen)

Having experienced failure with a unsuccessful van PMC decided to stay away from the utility vehicle niche for a while and focus on what it did well, building passenger cars. Fast forward to 2011 and PMC executives decide that PMC is ready for another work van and the Carico 'Magnum' was developed.

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Using high grade AHS steel and alluminum body panels the van was tough, rigid and durable. Utilizing mcpherson struts and leaf spring rear suspension the van would resemble predecessors, however that is where the similarities end. The new Carico was more capable then they ever dreamed of being. The body was aerodynamic, for a van. Featuring a sweeping curvature to the windshield and a rounded hood it dispelled the old notion that work vans have to be squares with wheels.

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The engine in the Carico Magnum was a gamble. A deep stroke 6l DOHC was used featuring variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust valves. With DOHC there is always the notion of a high revving engine. A working van does not need a high revving engine, in fact the Carico had quite the opposite. The 240hp 360 ft.lb of torque v8 had a max rev of 5,000 rpm and produce peak horse power at 4500rpm. Max torque was generated at 1700rpm, allowing for hauling very heavy loads and even moderate towing duties. The 2012 Carico Magnum could out haul many imported trucks and even some of the bloated, overpowered domestic 1/2 tones. 0-100km was accomplished in 7.5 seconds (fast for a van) and 19.5 mpg US was managed

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The interior of the Carico Magnum was what you would expect from a work van, a 3 seat front bench of standard quality. Entertainment was up to industry standard, much as the safety equipment. With commercial and light utility work in mind the Carico Magnum did not need a plush interior. The seats didn't hurt the spine, the speakers were loud enough to drown out your boss and the sound deadening kept the jackhammers and city streets at a murmur.



view on automationhub here: http://www.automationhub.net/company-ca ... rmodel/398

[np1993]

2015 Carico Max Duty

For those among us that desire more then just a working van, more then just a storage bin with 4 wheels and a semi comfortable interior, more then just a amalgamation of steel and rubber, for those of us that demand a iron workhorse above all others there is the 2015 PMC Carico Max Duty.

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The base 6.0l DOHC v8 received a man sized serving of performance, with a more aggressive exhaust, a slightly more aggressive cam and a higher compression ratio.

270 hp (30 more than base model) and 363ft.lbs (7 more than base) is put to the ground with a sporty single clutch sequential all wheel drive transmission. No longer will you sit back in your drivers seat with an idle right hand, feel free to pop the van into manual mode and paddle your way through all 5 gears and put the pedal to the metal.

You get the same comfortable ride, heavy utility cargo box and styling you get with the base model however this new van is something of a monster. With a 0-100km time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 200kmph work will never have been so fun! The van gets 22.2 MPG US so its not too harsh on the wallet considering your are pushing a 3700lb tub or steel through the streets at speed your local traffic constable might not find so safe.

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View on AutomationHub here: http://www.automationhub.net/company-ca ... rmodel/412

[onix953]

Nice vans .I like the white one most.

[np1993]

Many of you, if you were lucky enough drove or knew somebody who drove a Firenza in the late 90's. They were little economy-sport coupes manufactured by PMC and FIrenza. They were quick and affordable. Many have been lost to the sands of time, being well over 15 years old now. Prato saw a 2001 Firenza sitting on the side of the road with an all too familiar "For Sale by Owner" sign stuck under the windshield wiper. Cash was exchanged and the old Firenza was stuck on the back of a tow truck and brought to the PMC performance shop.

The car came into the shop in pretty rough shape. With 396,000km on the odometer the 2.0 Turbo was blown, somebody had bolted on a massive turbo, jacked up the boost and stuck and ebay performance chip on the ECU and road the piss out of the old girl. The interior was partially gutted, a byproduct of weight saving measures for track day, or a unpleasant break in as the the stereo looked hastily removed via a pry bar.



With tonnes of NOS parts sitting in an old warehouse the engineers though, "hey, why not restore this thing to factory spec, just for fun?" About 6 hours into the project it very became very apparent that the car had seen some shoddy body work and needed a little more TLC then they had bargained for. It was at this moment, with 4 engineers sitting there looking at a pile of parts and the shell of a once-glorious Firenza Coupe Sport that an executive decision was made. The car would be made into a custom, one of, monster of the streets. The body panels would be replaced with NOS body panels and custom fabbed to house new lights, and more aggressive body lines, the wheel arches were flared to unworldly proportions. Side exhausts reminiscent of old time hot rods was chosen, to set the car apart from the crowd.



1000hp is a goal seen achieved by half million dollar sports cars and jet engines. The engineers at PMC had been tinkering with all aluminum crate engine they had bought online that displaced 10.9 liters and was DOHC! Much to everyone surprise and to some dismay, it fit! Direct injection was implemented, and a semi aggressive cam profile was chosen. The power band was smooth and powerful. Most important was the 1000hp and 873 ft.lbs of torque. In order to fit the engine in the hood a large cut out was shaped, which worked well to keep the engine cool and display the engineering prowess that sits under the hood. A petite rear lip applies down force to the beast.



The interior saw an upgrade, one can devastate the streets and/or track all while listening to some high quality tunes and a semi comfortable race style seat. Large street slicks with 17" rims allow the car some measure of grip and adequate handling characteristics, jumbo brakes hid behind the rims. The suspension saw some overhauling as well, being much sportier but still driveable. A dual clutch paddle shifter gets the power to the pavement with its 6 speed and aggressive gearing.



With more wheel spin then a burnout competition the car manages 0-100 in 4.8 seconds, not overly impressive? 80-120 in 2 seconds, a little better? How about a top speed of 350kmph? Now we have your attention. Despite all measures of logic the 3000lb car still manages 28 miles per gallon US, so you can show you neighbours whats, what and not break the bank too badly.

The car was sent to TopGear US, Hotrod magazine and even saw international coverage at the international SEMA show. After making its rounds across both domestic and international race tracks it was sold via online auction and now resides in Dubai.

[np1993]

2014 Benessere

Late 2013 PMC decided that they needed to build a car that could compete with the Micra and Chevy Spark for selling price but did not want to lower quality. Building a car that retails for less then $12,500.00 CAD new while maintaining half decent building quality was going to be a challenge.



PMC resorted to a plastic body for ease of manufacture, low material cost and easy maintenance. When a fender breaks you can simply snap in a new one. The bodystyle is both sleek and modern. Styling was kept simple yet stylish.



The engine is essentially a 'dumbed' down EA827 2.0L R4, built from cast iron with forged internals. With 4 valves per cylender and Variable Valve Timing it produces 101hp and 120ft.lbs. 0-100 is accomplished in 11.3 seconds and when paired with a 5 speed automatic 38.8 MPG US fuel economy.



Front solid disks and rear drums allow the 2500lb car to brake from 100 - 0 in 36.2 meters. Hard road tires with a long road life allows for low maintnence fees. With annual mantenance fees of less then $1275.00 makes the car verry appealing. The car exceeds the Chevy Spark and Nissan Micra in regard to performance, size, and even in efficiency (MPG combined), making it a very tempting choice for first time car buyers.

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[np1993]

2014 Benessere Sport

A manual 'sport' variant of the Berenesse was offered also, with a 6 speed manual transmission and alloy rims. The sport transmission allowed for a 0-100 time of 9.8 seconds, significantly faster then the automatic version. Viscous LSD allows for minimal wheel spin.

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The Sport package was available for an additional 475.00 over the base price for those looking for a little more fun.

[np1993]

http://www.automationhub.net/company-catalog/company/35

Uploaded a new banner to automation hub, showcasing all of PMC's current offerings.

[Speedemon]

Hi.
Will u post more cars?