Ikarus Tecoplan Leo

07.08.2019 admin 0 Ikarus,

Ikarus. This famous automobile brand is known for its buses that most of us have had the chance to ride on, almost everyone who is over 25 years old. But few people know about the plans of the Hungarian bus manufacturer, which in the late 1980s was going to produce a tiny city car, similar to modern “Smart”. It was called Ikarus Tekoplan Leo.

The car was the result of cooperation of the Hungarian factory, the Munich company Tecoplan and the design studio Target Design. The Germans were mainly engaged in the development, and they planned to establish production at the facilities of Ikarus. The project started in 1987.

Ikarus Tecoplan Leo was fitted with a 750 cc four-cylinder Fiat engine with an output of 35 hp, four-speed manual gearbox, but an automatic transmission was planned as an option. Top speed is 130 km/h.

The microcar was a two-seater. Most of the exterior body parts are made of plastic but the frame is made of steel. Extensive use of lightweight materials reduced the weight of Leo to 450 kilograms. Payload is 250 kg.

In 1989, Ikarus Tecoplan was presented at a motor show in Switzerland in 1989. It was supposed to go into a series in 1991, but judging by the fact that almost nothing is known about this car, its production at Ikarus never started.