Gurgel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search
For other uses, see Gurgel (surname).

Gurgel

Gurgel Motores (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɡuʁˈʒɛw]) was a Brazilian automobile

manufacturer, named after its founder João do Amaral Gurgel. The company was
founded in 1969 and first specialized in buggies and off-road vehicles. Early models
were fiberglass bodies installed on Volkswagen Beetle chassis and machinery, but
VW bodies and chassis were later replaced by a unique solution made of Plasteel,
which consists of fiberglass and steel joined together, a system patented by Gurgel.
Gurgel also introduced Brazil's first fully domestically designed and manufactured
car, the BR-800.

Contents

• 1History
o 1.1Rise and growth (1969–1987)
o 1.2Urban vehicles (1987–1993)
o 1.3Last projects and bankruptcy (1993–1994)
o 1.4Current days (2000 and beyond)
• 2Vehicles produced
• 3References
• 4External links

History[edit]
Rise and growth (1969–1987)[edit]
A Gurgel SUV

Gurgel G15

The Ipanema was the first car produced by Gurgel, introducing the brand in the
market. The next model was the first commercial success of the brand:
the Xavante (also named X-10): production started in 1973, being the first car of
Gurgel developed using the Plasteel system, which was proved very resistant under
corrosive environments and also very mechanically strong, deforming temporarily but
not smashing under pressure or shocks. Xavante also had a feature
called Selectraction, a system where two individual hand-brakes were installed next
to the driver, for each one of the rear wheels. In a situation of low-traction
environment, it could be used to stop a free-spinning wheel and move the power to
the other one, allowing the driver to restore traction to the ground and to move along.
There was a more sophisticated version of X-10 called X-12, which was the biggest
commercial success of the brand.
In 1974, the Itaipu was a pioneer project of an electric vehicle, which was developed
to be a strict urban car for short distances. However, due to the limited technology of
the batteries of that time – they were too heavy and had low capacity – the project
was halted. Still, in 1980 another electric vehicle was conceived, called Itaipu E400:
it was a van, still designed for urban travels, but making a better autonomy and still a
remarkable mileage. The same body was also listed in brochures as available with a
petrol engine, as the "G-800".
In 1979, the X-15 was released, being a van which could carry 7 passengers, or 2
passengers plus 500 kg of load. A derived model, the G-15L, could carry 1 ton of
load, having 70L of gasoline capacity, which could be extended to 140L, with an
additional tank.
At that time, business was going quite well: Gurgel was the first exporter in special
vehicles, and the second in production and amount, in 1977 and 1978.
In 1981, the XEF model was developed, having only three front seats, an unusual
solution at the time. The car was an urban model, with small dimensions for the
passengers and for the luggage.
In 1984, the Carajás model was introduced: it presented the same Selectraction
system as Xavante and X-12, but had some special qualities, such as the TTS (Tork
Tubing System), used to transfer the power from the engine, on the front of the
vehicle, to the transmission, on the rear. The system gave a good weight balance for
the system, but presented some collateral effects, such as the need for a slower shift
change, due to the inertia of the TTS.
Urban vehicles (1987–1993)[edit]

Enertron engine, installed in the very first BR800

A small, economic, and totally national car was the goal for João Gurgel for a long
time. On September 7 of 1987, a day Gurgel himself called "the day of the Brazilian
technological independence", the project CENA[1] was presented. The first minicar of
the brand was designed to be the cheaper and more economic car offered in the
market. For this project, a tax benefit was granted, reducing the IPI[2] to 5%, aiming at
increasing competitiveness with big automakers.

Gurgel BR-800

The car presented a big step in the national technology development: the engine,
named Gurgel Enertron, was entirely designed and developed by Gurgel, low cost : it
was a bi-cylindrical engine, originally with 650 cc and 800 cc options, equipped with
totally electronic ignition control, using a system with two coils and no distributor. It
had a good mileage, making 14 km/L on urban traffic, and could achieve 19 km/L on
the road, on constant speed, even without any electronic fuel injection.
The engine was very similar to the VW Beetle boxer engine, even sharing some
internal parts with it, but had many improvements: a sealed water-cooled system,
better compression ratio and a different ignition system. Unlike the VW boxer, it
could be taken to near 6000 rpm without any valve float.
The first model based on the original project was the BR-800, available only with the
800 cc engine option, generating 32 PS of power. It was a direct implementation of
the project, with minor changes and improvements. Like other vehicles from the
brand, the car had a body made using the Plasteel system, weighing only 650 kg
and measuring 3.19 meters, still being the smallest car ever produced in Brazil.
It was first sold in 1988 in a system where the buyer had to acquire shares from
Gurgel in order to buy the car. The car cost about US$5,000, but the buyer had to
buy 750 shares for another US$5,000 in order to get a car, making it considerably
more expensive than a US$7,000 Chevrolet Chevette, the then cheapest car in the
Brazilian market.[3] This system lasted until 1990, when the car was sold
independently of the shares. In this same year, the federal government changed the
rules to give the same reduction of the IPI to all cars below 1000 cc, thus enabling
Gurgel's competitors to develop one-litre models of existing cars.
In 1992, in a response to the market, the Supermini model was created: it had a
better finish, more power (36 PS), a lot of improvement in the body, including a more
robust suspension, a better system for the windows and a real lid for the trunk.
Last projects and bankruptcy (1993–1994)[edit]
When president Fernando Collor went to office in March, 1990, he soon opened the
Brazilian market to foreign products. Even considering the high import taxes, national
industry from the time suffered from the new external competition, and things weren't
different for Gurgel. The Carajás, which had been Brazil's best selling SUV, was
taken out of production in early 1991 as the Lada Niva arrived in the Brazilian
market.

Gurgel Motomachine

The president also extended the IPI reduction of Gurgel BR-800 to all vehicles below
1,000 cc. Fiat quickly responded by launching the Uno Mille, and other automakers
soon followed with their own one-litre cars. This step was considered by
many Gurgelistas a kind of betrayal from the government, as the prices of these
vehicles was now very similar. In 1991 Gurgel released the Motomachine, a
shortened two-seater roadster based on the BR-800. Only 177 of these were built in
1991.
However, Gurgel had gained a lot of experience and feedback from the customers
and investors during the BR-800 sales, and with that input in mind they started a new
project called Gurgel Delta. This project was intended to be cheaper than the BR-
800, aimed at the lower economic classes, being produced in a new plant near the
target market: the northeast.
Governors of state of Ceará and São Paulo signed a letter of intent in December
1991, where they confirmed interest to fund Gurgel in US$30 million and US$50
million each. BNDES would also join if both states confirmed the funding, adding
US$25 million. By that time, Gurgel had already bought the ground of 650000 square
meters, needed for the new factory facilities, and negotiated with Citroën the
purchase of machinery used for 2CV production.
However, in the following years of 1992 and 1993, the state of Ceará did not confirm
the funding, leading to the loss of support from São Paulo and BNDES. The
schedule for production of the new car was delayed, and in 1993 Gurgel entered in a
preventive bankruptcy. Gurgel still tried to contact the federal government, making a
presentation for the Delta project to the current president Itamar Franco.
This presentation resulted in a technical note from the (now extinct) MICT[4] saying
that "immediate actions needed to be taken", treating the matter as of "national
interest". Still, no funding was conceived, and on March 1, 1994, Gurgel had it first
collapse. The administration appealed, but it was already too late, and in the end of
1994 the doors were finally closed and locked.
Current days (2000 and beyond)[edit]
The trademark Gurgel expired, was bought by another business, and is now used by
a small Brazilian importer of tricycles.[5] The current Gurgel has nothing in common
with the original Gurgel company, except the name.
The vehicles produced by the original factory are still running on Brazilian roads
nowadays. It is not uncommon to see X-12, Tocantins, Supermini or BR-800 models
on the streets, despite of the reduced number of specialized workshops and lack of
specific parts for replacement.
Gurgel's founder and owner João do Amaral Gurgel was born in 1926. A few years
after Gurgel's bankruptcy, João do Amaral Gurgel developed Alzheimer's disease.
He died on January 30, 2009, in São Paulo, due to complications from the disease.[6]

Vehicles produced[edit]
• Gurgel Moplast: A very small vehicle, with fiberglass body.
• Gurgel Ipanema: A dune buggy, bigger than Moplast, based on VW
platform with fiberglass body.
• Gurgel Xavante X10: With a new chassis made of fiberglass over a steel
framework and VW Beetle engine and transmission, this small off-road car
showed its dune buggy roots but with a more Jeep-like styling and
intended usage. Some thousands produced in 1970 decade. Early models
had more rounded, dune buggy-like lines, while later ones are more
square and Jeep-like.
• Gurgel Xavante X11: Similar to Xavante X10, but from late 1970 decade.
Some thousands produced.
• Gurgel Xavante X12: Also similar to Xavante X10. Some thousands
produced in the 1980s.
• Gurgel Itaipu: The first project for an electric car, still the only electric car
ever produced in Brazilian history. First produced in 1973. Only a few of
these tiny two-seater cars were produced and they were not sold since the
car never developed pass the prototype stage. The car was named after a
huge hydro power plant in the border of Brazil and Paraguay.
 • Gurgel Tocantins: An evolution of Xavante X12. Bigger motor, 4 X 2 and
also with fiberglass chassis. It was a commercial success, exported to 40
countries.
• Gurgel Carajás: A large SUV powered by a 1.8 water-cooled engine from
the Volkswagen Santana. The engine was mounted at the front, with rear
transmission. The last Gurgel Carajás was produced in January 1991.
After the Carajás, no more Gurgel SUVs were made. The rare Carajás
VIP has four doors.
• Gurgel X15: A pick-up with a number of different body types, few units
produced. The X 15 has a longer wheelbase but is otherwise similar.
• Gurgel X20: Another pick-up, few units produced.
• Gurgel E500: An electric-powered pickup/delivery van, with few units
produced.
• Gurgel G800: An internal combustion engine version of the E500, few
units produced.
• Gurgel XEF: City car shaped like a saloon, powered by Volkswagen's air-
cooled 1.6 engine from the original Beetle. Only one hundred Gurgel XEF
were made. It had an unusual three-occupant configuration, with each
occupant sitting side-by-side.
• Gurgel BR-800: City car built from 1988 to 1991. In order to buy one from
the first lot, the customer had to acquire shares from the Gurgel brand, as
a way to capitalize the factory. After 1990, the shares acquisition was no
longer necessary. It sold reasonably well in 1989 and 1990, but sales
dwindled in 1990 after IPI reduction of other cars in the segment.
• Gurgel Supermini: The BR-800 evolution, built from 1991 to 1994. More
improved and with better finish that BR-800.
• Gurgel Motomachine: A smaller two-seat roadster version of the
Supermini, only 177 were produced in 1991.

References[edit]
1. ^ Acronym for "Carro Econômico NAcional", meaning "National Economic Car" in English.
2. ^ Acronym for "Imposto sobre Produtos Industrializados", meaning "Tax over
Industrialized Goods" in English.
3. ^ Nicholson, Brian (1988-10-31). "Brazilian auto maker dreams". UPI.
4. ^ Acronym for "Ministério de Indústria, Comércio e Turismo", which stands for "Ministry of
Industri, Commerce and Tourism" in Englist.
5. ^ "Gurgel renasce e vai voltar a produzir veículos". Motor1.com (in Portuguese).
Retrieved 2018-03-16.
6. ^ "Morre aos 83 anos em SP dono da extinta fábrica de carros Gurgel" [Death of João
Gurgel at the age of 83] (in Portuguese). Globo.com (Brazil). 2009-01-31.