The entire bodywork is made of fibreglass while the roof panel is completely built of glass
You may or may not have heard about Tunisia. For those who haven’t, it is a small Arab country in the Maghreb region of Northern Africa. While in the past decade or so, global poverty rates have come down considerably but that hasn’t been the case for every country.
In less rich nations such as Tunisia, buying a car is still a dream for most common citizens. More so when the country hardly has any manufacturing capabilities of its own. Almost all vehicles plying on Tunisian roads are direct imports and the government levy heavy taxes on all imported vehicles.
Wallys Iris
Therefore, people are forced to consider the used car market since a brand new machine would be out of their budget. Wallys Car, a homegrown manufacturer in Tunisia, however, wants to bring a pleasant change for the common folks of the country.
In this regard, the company has introduced a new compact SUV named Iris which is now the country’s cheapest mobility in four-wheels. Offered at a price of $13,000 (equivalent to INR 9.70 lakh), this SUV has been completely hand-built.
The most interesting thing to note here is that half the cost of the entire car is tied up in its engine which has been imported from France. The entire bodywork of the car has been made from fibreglass in order to bring down the cost. Even at the price, it is being offered, it will be out of reach for most citizens of Tunisia even though it is far cheaper than any other car.
Design & Features
Judging by the limited budget, one can easily infer that build quality is not essentially the car’s strongest suit. Also, the structure of the SUV looks bare-bones and is evidently not high on gizmos as well. However, the manufacturer is being smart by offering a number of features as optional accessories only to those who are willing to spend extra bucks. Exterior highlights include LED headlights, LED fog lights, rear parking sensors, rearview camera and 16-inch alloy wheels, most of them being part of the optional package.
The chassis has been made of galvanized steel while the roof is completely built from glass, therefore, it might not be a very comfortable cabin in excruciating hot summers. It is a three-door SUV that comes with the option of either a two-seat or four-seat configuration. Wallys is also offering the compact SUV with as many as eleven mono-tone colour options.
Engine Specs & Performance
Coming to its powertrain department, it derives its energy from a 1.2-cylinder 3-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine that delivers 82 bhp. This motor is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox exclusively and offers fuel efficiency of around 15.4 kmpl. It is capable of attaining a top speed of 158 kmph and with a 0-60 mph acceleration in 13.2 seconds.
