Cult FSO Polonez Truck found in mint condition at back of car dealership in Cyprus makes triumphant return to Poland
A rare, almost brand new FSO Polonez Truck found in Cyprus, 27 years after it was exported to the country from Gdynia, is now drawing huge crowds at a Polish motor museum after being brought back to the country.
Car mechanic and historic vehicle enthusiast Patryk Czarnecki had been holidaying with a pal on the Mediterranean island when they came across a small car dealership while strolling through the streets of Paphos.
Car mechanic and historic vehicle enthusiast Patryk Czarnecki had been holidaying with a pal on the Mediterranean island when they came across the cult truck in factory-new condition hidden behind a row of run down vintage cars.
Peeking inside he was stunned to see the cult truck in factory-new condition hidden behind a row of run down vintage cars.
Developed in collaboration with Fiat and produced in Poland by Fabryka Samochodόw Osobowych (FSO) between 1988-2003, Polonez Trucks were exported to 40 countries.
The vehicle was in pristine condition, with factory foil covering the interior still intact and with a mileage of only 40km, of which 20km was made by the car on a testing circuit in Poland before its export.
One of only 124 to be sent to Cyprus, the truck found by Czarnecki had been kept by the dealership owner as a display model, being from the last group exported from Gdynia in November 1995.
Czarnecki told Dziennik.pl: “The truck had been standing on display until it became the last remaining example and new FSO Trucks stopped coming from Poland.
Deciding he wanted to buy it, Czarnecki contacted the owner and after long negotiations became the car’s first ever owner.
“The dealer decided to keep the model for himself with the idea of using it in a citrus fruit production business.”
Consequently, the vehicle was in pristine condition, with factory foil covering the interior still intact and with a mileage of only 40km, of which 20km was made by the car on a testing circuit in Poland before its export.
Each of the trucks for export was produced in a snow white colour, L-90, and fitted with a Diesel 1.9 D/70 KM Citroen engine and five gears.
The other 20km were made on route from a Cyprus port to the car salon in Paphos 27 years earlier.
Deciding he wanted to buy it, Czarnecki contacted the owner and after long negotiations became the car’s first ever owner.
After shipping the truck to Greece, it was then transported by tow truck to Wrocław where it was given a short test drive before being loaned for display at the Motor Museum in Jelenia Gόra.
He said: “The owner of the Polonez came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t find better clients for this car.
“In this way, we bought from an FSO salon, a factory new Polonez Truck…I think we are the only ones who have brought a car of Polish production from Cyprus to Poland.”
After shipping the truck to Greece, it was then transported by tow truck to Wrocław where it was given a short test drive before being loaned for display at the Motor Museum in Jelenia Gόra where it has now become a hit with fans.
Posting about the new exhibit, the Motor Museum in Jelenia Gόra said that interest in the Polonez Truck, which they estimated to be worth around PLN 100,000, had eclipsed even that of their star exhibit, a 1989 Lamborghini Coutach.
Posting about the new exhibit, the Motor Museum in Jelenia Gόra said that interest in the Polonez Truck had eclipsed even that of their star exhibit, a 1989 Lamborghini Coutach, with interest also reflected in a report on the on a prime time Polish news channel.
The museum has estimated the car’s value at PLN 100,000.
The car will remain as an exhibit at the Motor Museum in Jelenia Gόra for the foreseeable future, with Czarnecki saying: “I don’t know how long the car will remain on display, but for the time being, I have no other plans connected with it.”
