- Title: Tunisian carmaker, WallysCar unveils new SUV model
- Date: 18th April 2017
- Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) UNFINISHED WALLYSCAR CAR ON PRODUCTION LINE WITH MECHANIC WORKING ON ANOTHER IN THE BACKGROUND CARS WITH CUSTOM PAINT JOBS WALLYSCARS BRAND CHIEF, OMAR GUIGA, WALKING INTO FACTORY GUIGA GETTING INTO CAR HAND TURNING KEY IN IGNITION REVS GOING UP ON DASHBOARD AT ENGINE STARTED CAR REVERSES FROM FACTORY VARIOUS OF GUIGA DRIVING THE CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALLYSCARS BRAND CHIEF, OMAR GUIGA, SAYING: "My dream would be to see WallysCars all around the world, whether you go to Brazil or Turkey or United States, you see Wallys everywhere." CAR DRIVING INTO FACTORY GUIGA GETTING OUT OF CAR GUIGA WALKING THROUGH DOOR WITH SIGN READING (French): "PRODUCTION WORKSHOP" UNFINISHED CAR REVERSING INTO PLACE INSIDE FACTORY MECHANIC PREPARING A TOOL VARIOUS OF MECHANIC WORKING ON CAR INTERIOR DOCUMENT HEADED (French): "END-OF-PRODUCTION CHECK LIST" GUIGA WALKS OUT OF FACTORY TO CAR BEING FINISHED OUTSIDE VARIOUS OF MECHANICS WORKING ON BODYWORK OF CAR (SOUNBITE) (English) WALLYSCARS DIRECTOR GENERAL, OMAR GUIGA, SAYING: "The most difficult step in the manufacturing is to make sure that the finitions (finishes) are good, are very good, this is one thing. The second thing is the isolation of the sound outside, and the third thing is that water don't get inside the car." GUIGA TALKS TO A WORKER INSIDE FACTORY WORKER WITH CLIPBOARD CHECKS CAR INTERIOR HANDS CLOSE CAR BOOT DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WALLYSCAR CEO, ZIED GUIGA, SAYING: "If we have all the car pieces, we need 16 hours to entirely assemble the car. But there are many steps before that: preparation time, receiving raw materials from suppliers, that's when it takes more time. But the assembling process itself takes 16 hours." FACTORY INTERIOR ZEID GUIGA STANDING AT REAR OF CAR WORKER TAKES DOCUMENT FROM CAR WINDSCREEN LOGO BADGE ON FRONT OF CAR EMPLOYEES STANDING BETWEEN TWO CARS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WALLYSCAR CEO, ZIED GUIGA, SAYING: "The price of this car (Iris model) is 31,000 Tunisian dinars (12,500 euros). It could be considered the cheapest car in its category (SUV). Our competitors have higher prices, about 45,000 and 50,000 dinars." GREEN CAR WITH BONNET OPEN AND LIGHTS FLASHING ENGINE LOGO ON ENGINE
- Embargoed: 2nd May 2017 17:46
- Keywords: Tunisia cars factory SUV
- Location: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- City: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- Country: Tunisia
- Topics: Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA0016CXEA8L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: AUDIO AS INCOMING
Not known as a global centre for car production, Tunisia has one carmaker with big ambitions.
A little over a decade old, WallysCar specialises in jeep-style vehicles with fibreglass bodies and has just brought out its latest SUV model, the IZIS II.
Taking it on a test-drive on the streets near the factory, WallysCars Director General Omar Guiga said:
"My dream would be to see WallysCars all around the world, whether you go to Brazil or Turkey or United States, you see Wallys everywhere."
The fibreglass body makes the cars lightweight and relatively inexpensive and, Guiga says, great care is taken on the bodywork to ensure the cars keep out water and too much road noise.
Once all the pieces are ready, it takes 16 hours for the company's workers to assemble a vehicle, CEO, Zied Guiga said.
"But there are many steps before that: preparation time, receiving raw materials from suppliers, that's when it takes more time."
Zied Guiga says one of the main attractions of WallysCars is the price tag. Speaking of the Iris model that sells at 31 000 Tunisian dinars (12,500 euros), he said: "It could be considered the cheapest car in its category."
Founded in 2006, WallysCar says it aims to produce modest-sized SUVs that are easy to manoeuvre, park and are very reliable. British magazine Autocar featured the brand in an article from a Paris motor show under the heading "the weird and the wonderful", covering off-beat and lesser known manufacturers. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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