http://maine.craigslist.org/ctd/1277510552.html
Interesting little truck......... details anyone?
atriot:
Doug
Interesting little truck......... details anyone?
atriot: Doug
ARO? This seems familiar but WTF is it?
- Thread starter Roving Beetle
- Start date
Good trucks by design, horrible build quality in the past. Straight from Romania.
THere was a company not too long ago that planned to import them state-side and sell around $14k a pop - I'd have bought one right away. It may indeed be the case, because their plan included using Ford powerplant.
THere was a company not too long ago that planned to import them state-side and sell around $14k a pop - I'd have bought one right away. It may indeed be the case, because their plan included using Ford powerplant.
I recall all the hooplah about them coming to the States too. IIRC there are some threads on here from a few years ago.
stay far away.
The only one I have seen looked like somebody crudely welded together a mix of parts.
Here is a brief bit of history. Note the original company has been around since "57.
"The tale started in 2003 when an entrepreneur from Florida named John Perez bought the plant in Romania where the Aro off-roader had been built. Perez had already tried — and failed — to bring the Aro to North America.
Perez promised to turn around the ailing Romanian carmaker, which in the 1980s had enjoyed some export success in Western Europe. His Cross Lander was going to be a cheap SUV that would undercut the pricey competition in the U.S. market. It looked similar to a Land Rover and was described as an Aro-based model that "outpaces the older, simple 4x4 of Romanian past, with its totally finished sport recreation ride and handling."
The Cross Lander had been targeted to go on sale in the U.S. in early 2006, at a price at "a little over $20,000" and represented by 100 dealers. Instead, apparently Perez and his Cross Lander team ran out of steam last autumn, when workers claimed they were not being paid while Perez appeared unlikely to convince the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to import the vehicles because they failed to meet safety standards.
The EPA finally gave in, but a bit too late — reportedly Perez no longer has the necessary funds, and Romanian authorities are said to be planning to bring criminal charges for fraud against him."
The only one I have seen looked like somebody crudely welded together a mix of parts.
Here is a brief bit of history. Note the original company has been around since "57.
"The tale started in 2003 when an entrepreneur from Florida named John Perez bought the plant in Romania where the Aro off-roader had been built. Perez had already tried — and failed — to bring the Aro to North America.
Perez promised to turn around the ailing Romanian carmaker, which in the 1980s had enjoyed some export success in Western Europe. His Cross Lander was going to be a cheap SUV that would undercut the pricey competition in the U.S. market. It looked similar to a Land Rover and was described as an Aro-based model that "outpaces the older, simple 4x4 of Romanian past, with its totally finished sport recreation ride and handling."
The Cross Lander had been targeted to go on sale in the U.S. in early 2006, at a price at "a little over $20,000" and represented by 100 dealers. Instead, apparently Perez and his Cross Lander team ran out of steam last autumn, when workers claimed they were not being paid while Perez appeared unlikely to convince the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to import the vehicles because they failed to meet safety standards.
The EPA finally gave in, but a bit too late — reportedly Perez no longer has the necessary funds, and Romanian authorities are said to be planning to bring criminal charges for fraud against him."
That is a shame, because there is less chance now than ever of getting something like that on our shores.
Getting something simple like that imported legally could potentially open a nice door in the future for bringing other things in. I wonder if someone could pick up where he left off? If the EPA gave the OK, perhaps it might have been possible to persuade them on other things with the right backing. Now, though, I don't think it will be as easy.
I was really hoping the Cross-Lander thing would come through. I wonder if any leftovers are floating around?
Cheers,
Kennith
Getting something simple like that imported legally could potentially open a nice door in the future for bringing other things in. I wonder if someone could pick up where he left off? If the EPA gave the OK, perhaps it might have been possible to persuade them on other things with the right backing. Now, though, I don't think it will be as easy.
I was really hoping the Cross-Lander thing would come through. I wonder if any leftovers are floating around?
Cheers,
Kennith
yea that guy has re-listed it with better pics now. would like to take a ride in one, interesting truck.
i like that it's a buncha ford crap wth a better looking shell too!
i like that it's a buncha ford crap wth a better looking shell too!