Miguel Sánchez
For an automotive company to be profitable, it must not only offer an adequate range, but also establish itself in the right space. In this way, launching new to the North American market was not easy at all. Even less after the Second World War. When the general motorization of the country was led by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. Known as the Big Three of Detroit. Being able to take over almost all market niches thanks to its overwhelming industrial and logistical power. However, despite this, there were second-rate companies with the skills to gain a foothold in the local market.
In this sense, the union of Nash Motors and Hudson Motor Company created AMC in 1954. One of the most prolific brands of the moment. Ending its days in the midst of a complex situation where it even came to be controlled by Renault when it was still owned by the French state. Nevertheless, as early as 1946 industrialists Joseph Frazer and Henry J. Kaiser had launched a joint venture with the idea of selling passenger cars. The fruit of all that was the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation. A brand that came to light designs as advanced as that of the Kaiser Darrin of 1953. Although, at the same time, it was unable to present passenger cars capable of providing an alternative to those sold by the greats of Detroit.
Thus the things, the own difficulties of any manufacturer of second order in the United States aroused in the accounts of Kaiser-Frazer. A complex situation that an attempt was made to get out of in 1953 thanks to the purchase of Willys-Overland. The historic company founded in 1908 endowed with the manufacturing licenses on the popular and resistant Jeep of the Second World War. Without a doubt an interesting commercial asset. Although increasingly diminished in a country where urban growth prostrated the SUVs towards an increasingly scarce market niche. For all these reasons, just one year later, Kaiser-Frazer decided to leave the North American market to focus on another more suitable one.
FROM THE UNITED STATES TO ARGENTINA, THE BIRTH OF IKA
By the early XNUMXs, Argentina was still a politically turbulent country due to bitter struggles between supporters and opponents of Perón. However, at the same time it was one of the most promising countries in the Southern Cone. Characterized by its important agricultural exports, the basis for increasingly significant urban and industrial growth. With all that, Without a doubt, it was an ideal framework for the installation of an automotive company with the capacity to manufacture both industrial and passenger vehicles.. Just to the same extent as the Spain of those years, where with a good commercial eye FIAT and Renault were installed through SEAT and FASA respectively.
At this point, in 1955 Kaiser-Frazer finalized with the Argentine government the terms of its installation in the South American country. To begin with, a consortium would be formed between the North American company, the Argentine state and a group of local private investors. Something that guaranteed sufficient capital for the creation of the Santa Isabel plant, Cordoba. Place to which a large quantity of capital goods from the Kaiser-Frazer factory were transferred from the United States to give birth to Industrias Kaiser Argentina.
Thus, the range of IKA It debuted with sedan models such as the Carabela and off-road vehicles based on the Jeep, among which the Estanciera stands out. However, the most difficult part was still missing for any manufacturer wishing to be massive and generalist. Adequately cover segments B and C. Therefore, in 1957 talks were held with Renault. A company in the process of expansion, therefore handling manufacturing under license as normal. In fact, the fruit of those deals was the appearance of the IKA-Renault Dauphine. Launched a little less than two years after the first Dauphine assembled at the FASA Valladolid factory in 1958.
Thanks to this, IKA finally offered a model of access to motorsports for families in the middle classes. However, a compact sedan was still missing. Just that model located in the middle of any generalist range, capable of starring long-distance travel without compromising its utility on a day-to-day basis. That is to say, the type of car that in Europe would come to be in the desired and competitive segment C. In this way, IKA turned its sights to Italy in search of an agreement with Alfa Romeo.
IKA BERGANTÍN, AN ARGENTINE WITH AN ITALIAN TOUCH
Possibly the 1900 be the most important Alfa Romeo in the brand's industrial history. And it is that, when it was launched in 1950, it represented a clear commitment to general sales as it was its first model entirely produced in a chain. All this wrapped and sustained in a self-supporting body that served as the basis for a long commercial history in Italy until 1959. Situation that coincided in time with IKA's desire to have a sedan in its range. In this way, it was not difficult for the Argentine consortium to reach an agreement with Alfa Romeo.
An agreement based on the fact that it would provide bodies from the late 1900, which would be the basis for assembly at the Santa Isabel plant of the IKA Bergantín between 1960 and 1962. In fact, although the front was altered so as not to be an exact copy of the model Italian, the first units of the IKA Brigantine sported the same central grille characteristic of Alfa Romeo. That is to say, they were neither more nor less than bodies left over from the 1900 manufacturing. Recycled here for use by IKA, which provided the model with two mechanics of its own design.
On the one hand, a four-cylinder with 2.480cc capable of yielding 77CV connected to the rear axle. And on the other one of six with 3.707cc and up to 115CV powered by special gasoline to reach 165 kilometers per hour. Of course, it should be noted that while the four-cylinder sold almost 8.000 units, the six was awarded just over 350. Not in vain, although the 1900 had been a sales success in Italy, this was no longer a car for wealthy middle classes. A market niche that was still scarce in countries with limited industrial development such as Argentina or Spain.
Regarding other mechanical elements of the IKA Brigantine, these drank directly from the design created by Alfa Romeo. In fact, the suspension with a deformable front wishbone and a rigid axle at the rear are very similar to those of the 1900. In addition, the IKA Brigantine was the first Argentine car to mount a 12-volt electrical system. Nevertheless, the sum of the parts did not result in good quality, giving constant reliability problems related to various points of the model. Something that did not help the already meager sales, causing this transatlantic hybrid that was the IKA Brigantine to cease production in 1962. Of course, it left behind an interesting story in which the Alfa Romeo 1900 lived its last and unforeseen chapter. .
Images: IKA / Alfa Romeo Storico
