Miguel Sánchez
There are years when chance brings together the presentation of several new models destined to mark a before and after in motoring. Thus, while in 1950 Fiat and Alfa Romeo simultaneously launched two family cars with monocoque chassis - the 1400 and 1900 respectively - ready to turn the page on the Second World WarIn 1954, F1 received one of its biggest and most incontestable updates thanks to the Mercedes-Benz W196, Maserati 250F and Lancia D50.
A series of fortuitous appearances were also seen in the field of off-road vehicles, which received one of its greatest boosts in 1951 thanks to the simultaneous arrival of the Austin Champ, Alfa Romeo Matta and Fiat Campagnola. All of them with clear roots in the military world and little commercial echo in the civilian market, although at the same time, capable of extending one step further the concept of a light 4×4 already seen in the Jeep from which they take a not-so-veiled inspiration.
Moreover, as with many other defining issues for off-road vehicles, here the subject cannot be understood without first knowing the willys MBBorn in 1941, this came to satisfy the needs of rapid mobility seen in the American army, which urgently needed a simple, robust and operational vehicle in any of the multiple and very diverse battlefields that appeared during the Second World War.
Furthermore, given the complex logistics inherent to a conflict whose geographic scope was practically global - from Europe to Southeast Asia - ease of transport became an essential requirement. This is where the Willys MB passed with flying colours, being able to be packaged in pieces in a wooden box attached to a parachute to literally rain down units wherever needed.
THE ECHOES OF THE WILLYS MB
To say that the Willys MB is one of the most brilliant and successful cars of all time is by no means an exaggeration. First of all, this It suited its purposes perfectly, so if we conceive engineering as a way of providing practical solutions to immediate problems, we can only applaud its excellent design.
Furthermore, according to the Occam's razor approach - all things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the most appropriate - this lightweight all-terrain vehicle stands out as one of the most brilliant vehicles of all time, which can be assembled by just a few soldiers in just a few minutes without the need for complex tools or advanced knowledge.
Quite an achievement to which we add the simplicity inherent to its eventual repairs, which do not tend to be numerous given the reliability shown for a set of pieces made to withstand the worst and most difficult conditions of war.
In short, a series of attributes capable of raising the Willys MB - as well as its later civilian version Jeep - to the top not only of military vehicles but also of off-road vehicles, even more so in an era where there was still time for the appearance of the Range Rover or the Jeep Commando, both responsible for taking 4x4s to new heights in terms of versatility, equipment and comfort.
1951, THE YEAR OF LIGHT ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES
Given what we have seen, it goes without saying that after the Second World War many of the former Allied powers were impressed by the skills shown by the Willys MB on each and every one of the fronts where it had participated. An essential fact in order to understand the commercial life of the model after the war, not only leading to civilian versions but also registering a large number of orders placed by various European armies.
However, at this point it was just a matter of time to see how they would order their respective local manufacturers models in the image and likeness of the Willys MB in order to save costs when importing units purchased in the United States.
Thus, already at the end of the 1940s we see the first movements in this direction, with the British army giving the starting signal with the call for a project materialized in the first instance by the Nuffield Gutty from 1947. Deficient both in chassis and suspensionsThose three prototypes were carefully improved by specialists from the army itself in order to create something truly suitable.
A process in which Alec Issigonis himself intervened, who designed the suspension of what in 1951 would be the Austin Champ with a four-cylinder engine, 2.838 cc and up to 80 HP. produced under license from Rolls-Royce. Without a doubt the main attraction of the model; that is, in military units, since in the little more than 500 destined for the civil market, the British manufacturer installed the simpler and more economical mechanics of the A90 Atlantic coupé.
THE SHADOW OF THE LAND ROVER
If you have a distilled fondness for light off-road vehicles, you will surely be wondering what we are doing talking aboutl Austin Champ when two years earlier the British Army had already begun to receive the first units of the Land Rover. And yes, you are right, although -don't forget- this is an article focused on the novelties that appeared in 1951.
However, even so, it is impossible to leave aside the reference to the Land Rover because thanks to its efficiency, lightness and reliability, it managed to impose himself against any rival produced by the British industry.
What's more, without counting its technical qualities, the simple fact that it was much smaller than the Austin Champ was more than enough reason to seduce the spirits of military leaders and accountants. As a result, virtually all Champs were quickly relegated to logistics duties in the rear areas or local bases, leaving the bulk of combat action to the various future Land Rover series.
THE ITALIAN QUESTION
After the end of the Second World War, Italy faced many and diverse challenges. To begin with, it had to heal the social wounds caused by fascism, which had not only fractured coexistence with its citizens, but also to heal the wounds caused by fascism. totalitarian practices; had also dragged the transalpine country into a disastrous alliance with Hitler, thus sowing the seeds of destruction.
Destruction was also evident in the industrial sphere, where the rich productive fabric inherent to the north of the country was seriously damaged by the action of the fighting and bombings. All of this was topped off with a clear impoverishment of the population, which resulted in a declining consumer market where the only commercially successful vehicles were bicycles and mopeds.
However, the post-war reconstruction quickly bore fruit, enabling not only the launch of the powerful automobile industry towards a new era but also the full inclusion of the country in the prosperous horizon of an integrated, parliamentary and social Europe.
Area where the Italian army experienced clear needs for renewal, thus opening a competition for the design of a light all-terrain vehicle in the image and likeness of the Willys MBThe result was the Fiat Campagnola and Alfa Romeo Matta, of which the latter was responsible for winning the favour of the local army in 1951.
ALFA ROMEO MATTA, A LIGHTWEIGHT ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE THAT'S NOT SO STRANGE
At first glance, putting together the terms Alfa Romeo and light off-roader may not be what fans of the car expected. historical motorsportHowever, it is worth remembering how this brand was already public before the Second World War, thus going beyond sporting and racing to satisfy all kinds of state needs.
Because of this, in 1950 the Alfa Romeo 1900 finally inaugurating modern, technologically advanced production lines for the brand, aimed at large-scale mass production. A fact complemented by the diversification of the range, even including this all-terrain vehicle - equipped precisely with the engine of the 1900 sedan adjusted to only 65 HP - with a production of around 2.000 units for the army and only about 150 for the civilian market.
Without a doubt, a brief record that can be explained by the appearance of the Fiat Campagnola in 1951. Created in a work team whose direction fell to Dante Giacosa, this lost the Italian army's competition in the first instance to finally become the vehicle chosen by the military just two years later.
All this thanks to its greater mechanical simplicity compared to the complexity of the Alfa Romeo, also showing lower maintenance costs to compensate for the lower power of its 1900 block with about 12 HP less than those deployed by the Matta. In addition, both the independent front suspensions and the diesel option They earned enough points to reach dealerships.
BEYOND 1951, WHICH LIGHT ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE TO CHOOSE
If you often check our events calendar, you may have noticed how we pay special attention to the activities of the Històrics club. Quite plural in its endeavors, it has an interesting focus on the activities of the club. military vehicles which, at the same time, is gradually gaining some followers in the peninsular lands.
That said, you may be thinking about buying a classic, lightweight SUV in light of this article; a choice in which the Jeep and Land Rover They stand out as the most attractive and obvious options, although, to tell the truth, if what you are looking for is to differentiate yourself with something unexpected, possibly nothing is more striking than an Alfa Romeo Matta.
In any case, keep in mind the scarcity of these - also applicable to the Fiat and the Austin - as well as the certain need to go to foreign markets in the lucky case to locate some interesting unit at a reasonable price.
With all this our advice is the following: study the possibility of acquiring and a Preparing a Panda/Marbella for Off-Road use. And unless you want to balance things that are surely out of your reach, with this vehicle you have everything you need to enjoy your light off-road vehicle without even being a light all-terrain vehicle. Anyway, we are preparing an article about it. Stay tuned.
