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| Syrena 100, 1957 |
The Syrena made its introduction to the motoring world in 1955, when it first debuted at the
Poznan Trade Fair in prototype form.
It's inception began in 1953, when the Polish Government instructed it's factory for
small cars( FSO) to begin work designing prototypes for an affordable people's car.
Fso's intention was to make the Syrena with a monocoque body and to use a four
stroke engine. To combat steel shortages and to cut costs it was envisaged that the
car would use a wooden body that was to be covered with a leather type material, similar
to the pre-War Dkw's.
By December 1953, they had assembled two working prototypes.
The engineer who was given the task of designing an engine for the car was Fryderyk Bluemke.
The 1st prototype was the work of Stanislaw Pankiewicz, who made his car with a wooden
body. The second Prototype was made by Stanislaw Lukaszewicz, with an all steel body.
Both prototypes must have been credible as the factory combined elements of both and made
a car that used the design of Pankiewicz's car and the steel body of Lukaszewicz's, except
for the roof which was to be made of wood.
By March 1955, Fso had 5 working prototypes of the Syrena and used them in an
experimental rally in September to test the car's strengths and weaknesses.
They covered a distance of 5600 km and the fallibility of the wooden roof proved a decisive
lesson that resulted in the death of one of the drivers, Karl Pionnier when he crashed his car.
The Engineers wisely decided after this, to construct the car entirely of steel.
When the Polish Government saw an enthusiastic reception for the car from the public at
the 1955 Poznan Trade Fair, they decided to put that prototype into production.
This was the Syrena 100.
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| 1955 prototype |
As Poland was Communist, the engineers at Fso had many restraints placed upon them,
mainly financial and otherwise, as to what they could and couldn't do.
Like Wartburg and Sachsenring, if what they wanted to do cost money to develop, it was
usually quickly rejected. It's no surprise therefore to learn that the two stroke engine that
appeared in the Syrena 100 and all subsequent models, would be based on the existing
Pre-War Dkw technology that was already freely available to them, through their 'Socialist
brothers' in East Germany.
The Syrena, although developed independently, was very similar to the Zwickau P70 and the
Trabant P50 , that was developed at approximately the same time.
To cut costs yet further, the Syrena would use some parts and much switchgear from their
larger, existing 'Warszawa' four stroke car.
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| Syrena 102, 1962 |
The name 'Syrena' means mermaid in Polish and is synonymous with Polish mythology
and folklore as there was a mermaid who guarded the Wisla river in Warsaw.
A mermaid also features in the city's coat of arms.
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| Syrena Bosto minibus 1960 |
It was available to buy from 1957 and was manufactured until 1983, giving it a lengthy
production run of over 25 years with only minor changes.
The models ran from the 100,101,102,103,104 and 105, with light commercial van and minibus options, known as the Bosto.
The twin cylinder two stroke was later updated with a similar engine and that was eventually replaced with a 3 cylinder, 2 stroke unit of 842cc, which was based on the Wartburg 1000 engine.
The Wartburg 1000 engine was also available as an option on certain, top of the range 102 and 103 models, which was the most powerful variant ever fitted to the Syrena.
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| Syrena 104 1968 |
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