Puneet Varma (Editor)

Protea (car)

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Production
  
1957–1958

Class
  
Sports car

Assembly
  
South Africa

Body style
  
Two door, Roadster

Protea (car)

Engine
  
1,172 cubic centimetres (71.5 cu in), 4 cylinder, 27.6 kW @ 4500 r/min

The Protea was South Africa's first production car. The two seater sports car was built in Johannesburg by G.R.P. Engineering between 1957 and 1958. Either 14 or 26 units were completed (Sources vary). The Protea was the first South African sportscar, followed less than 6 months later by the Glass Sport Motors with their Dart and later Flamingo

Known survivors

  • A fully restored Protea can be found in the collection at the Franschhoek Motor Museum
  • The James Hall museum of Transport in Johannesburg has one example on show.
  • Pieter du Toit of Zwartkops raceway owns one.
  • There is another privately owned Protea in Roodepoort, a suburb on Johannesburg's West Rand.

    • References

    Protea (car) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA