The ARO 24 Series is a 4x4

off-road vehicle An off-road vehicle (ORV), also known as an off-highway vehicle (OHV), overland vehicle or adventure vehicle, is a type of transportation specifically engineered to navigate unpaved roads and surfaces. These include trails, forest roads, and ...

manufactured by

ARO Aro or ARO may refer to: People * Aro (surname) * Aro people, an Igbo subgroup in West Africa * Aro (murderer) (died 1957), last person executed in Papua New Guinea * Aro (Twilight), a character in the ''Twilight'' saga by Stephenie Meyer * Aro, a ...

from 1969 to 2006 and

mass produced Mass production, also known as mass production, series production, series manufacture, or continuous production, is the production of substantial amounts of standardized products in a constant flow, including and especially on assembly lines. ...

from 1972. ARO 240 was the first of the ARO 24 series, which eventually included many other models: the four-door 241 and 244, the 242 pick-up, the three-door 243, the 320, 330 pick-ups, and many other body trims. Last special military versions were called ARO Dragon. It is equipped with many different engines (both diesel and petrol options), and comes in both 4x2 and 4x4 versions. Notable improvements over the years were the introduction of Romanian Diesel engines, units equipped with Toyota engines, and units equipped with Romanian-built Turbo Diesel engines. The ARO-24s are no longer in production, as ARO was shut down. Plans to market the ARO 244 in the United States as the

Cross Lander 244X The Cross Lander 244X was a basic, rugged 4x4 SUV built under license from ARO of Romania, in Manaus, Brazil, and based on the ARO 244. ARO was to supply CKD kits to Brazil for assembly by Cross Lander Industria e Comercio.PORTARO Portaro was the name of a Portugal, Portuguese 4WD offroad utility vehicle which was based on the earlier Romanian original ARO 24 Series 4X4 model produced under license in Portugal. Portaro 4WD models were made between 1975 until 1995. The Por ...

4X4, in Spain they were called

HISPARO Portaro was the name of a Portuguese 4WD offroad utility vehicle which was based on the earlier Romanian original ARO 24 Series 4X4 model produced under license in Portugal. Portaro 4WD models were made between 1975 until 1995. The Portaro name ...

4X4, with a reshaped bodyshell and better equipped.

Engines

Petrol engines

Diesel engines

Versions

Off-road vehicles

* ARO 240 3 door nine seater estate * ARO 241 a 4 door soft top five seater model * ARO 242 a 2 door closed cab pickup * ARO 243 a 3 door three seater van bodied model * ARO 244 a 4 door five seater estate model * ARO 245 Estate a 5 door deluxe model * ARO 246 Estate 5-door seven seater model

Light commercial vehicles

*ARO 242 Regular Cab Pick-up *ARO 320 Regular Cab Pick-up *ARO 324 Double Cab Pick-up *ARO 328 TD Double Cab five seater *ARO 330 Long Cab Pick-up

Others Versions

ARO produced an extensive variety of heavier duty variants * 243 VAN, 263 (8 seats, 3 doors; model based on the 243 version with the wheelbase increased from 2350 mm to 2600 mm), 264 (5 seats, 4 doors; model based on the 244 version with the wheelbase increased from 2350 mm to 2600 mm and body elements borrowed from Dacia. Aro 264 addressed the American market), 266 (7 seats, 5 doors; model based on the 246 version with the wheelbase increased to 2600 mm), 323 Sanitara (Ambulance with a raised roof over the passenger compartment from the B-pillar back), 324, 328 MT MaxiTaxi (7 doors on an extended wheelbase), 330 (flatbed pickup), 330BB, 330C, 33N, 338TC, 350BC, 35S Ambulance (with an ambulance box body), 35M, 429TC/TP. File:ARO_243.jpg, ARO 243 van File:ARO 244 (first example built)-front view.jpg, ARO 244 (first example built)-front view File:ARO 244 (first example built)-rear view.jpg, ARO 244 (first example built)-rear view File:ARO romania (cropped).jpg, ARO 320 Pickup/flatbed File:Ciochina-Romania-transport-scolari2008.jpg, ARO Schoolbus File:ARO_241_(1977_revision).jpg, ARO 241 (1977 revision)

ARO Dragon

While ARO 24 series were used by the Romanian military, a military specific version called the ARO Dragon was designed and built. The ARO Dragon featured a simplified flat paneled body and came in several variants to include an armored variant. The ARO Dragon Civil was a civilian version of the Dragon.

Revisions

The

first generation First generation, Generation I, or variants of this, may refer to: History * 1G, the first generation of wireless telephone technology * First generation of video game consoles, 1972–1983 * First generation computer, a vacuum-tube computer M ...

of ARO 24, between 1972 and 1976, had

Dacia 1300 The Dacia 1300 () is a medium-sized family automobile, car based on the Renault 12 that was built during the Cold War by Romanian auto maker Dacia (car), Dacia. The "1300" stands for the engine displacement. The first Dacia 1300 left the assembly ...

headlights and round taillights similar to the

ARO M461 The ARO M461 was an off-road vehicle built in post-World War II Romania by ARO. IMS-57 The first model was IMS-57, named by the factory initials (Intreprinderea Metalurgică de Stat) and the year it was released. A total of 914 vehicles were built ...

. From 1977, round headlights were used like in the IMS and the rear lights were restyled. In 1985, a new front grille and smaller round headlights were introduced. Also, they were available with double headlights, that were used mostly on the 244. In 1995, the double headlight front design was slightly restyled, and the rear lights were used Oltcit Club lamps. The last restyling, in 1998, was a slight facelift of the previous model and it introduced the so-called ''Toyota-type'' ornaments.

Gallery

File:ARO 246 (1972-2006).jpg, ARO 246 (1995 facelift) File:A_pair_of_1981_PORTARO_240_and_a_260_original_models.jpg, PORTARO 240 and 260 File:Aro 243 D. Unitat Moto Alpina Barcelona.png, Aro 243 High altitude rescue 4WD ambulance of the ''Alpine Motor Unit of the Red Cross'', Barcelona File:Romania stamp - 1975 - 55B - ARO 240.jpg, Romanian stamp from 1975 with ARO 240 File:Aro Transport Valori (cropped).jpg, The Transport Valori (Value Transporter). The technical data is unknown and only 8 units were built. security van File:Militari romani in cadrul misiunii KFOR.jpg, ARO 241 part of

KFOR KFOR may refer to: * KFOR (AM), a radio station (1240 AM) licensed to Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, * KFOR-TV, a television station (channel 4 analog/27 digital) licensed to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, * KFOR-TV (Nebraska), a defun ...

with an AG-9 mounted on it, 2003

References

Original Book The Complete Encyclopedia Of Four Wheel Drive Vehicles by Jiri Fiala from REBO Publishers International BV Holland 2004 Original Book 4X4 Vehicles by John Carroll from Grange Books London England 1996 Regency House Publishing Limited

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aro 24 Series 24 Cars of Romania Off-road vehicles Sport utility vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles 1970s cars 1980s cars 1990s cars 2000s cars Cars introduced in 1972