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MEBEA was an important Greek vehicle manufaturer, producer of light trucks, passenger automobiles, motorcycles, motorbike engines and bicycles.

Small but tough: MEBEA ST150 (1970)

History

MEBEA was founded in Athens in 1960 by the merger of two companies assembling motorbikes since 1954, and its initials stand for Messogiakai Epiheiriseis Biomihanias, Emporiou kai Antiprosopeion (Mediterranean Enterprises for Industry, Commerce and Representations). It grew to be a significant Greek company with two factories in the north of Athens. Its most successful products were light three-wheeler thucks with 50cc Zundapp engines, that became a common sight all over the country for almost three decades and were exported (in commercial and passenger variants) to Asian markets. Its mopeds and motorcycles (models including the Junior, Apollon and Hermes) mostly used Zundapp engines as well, and some were used, among others, by the Greek Postal Service and the Telecommunications Organization. Apart from the previously mentioned vehicles that were of its own development (MEBEA technology was also employed by another Greek motorcycle and three-wheeler manufacturer, Mego), the company cooperated with Reliant of Britain, starting licence production of the latter's TW9 heavier three-wheeler truck in 1970 and Robin three-wheeler passenger car in 1974. In 1979 MEBEA introduced the Fox light utility vehicle, in line with contemporary Greek 'fashion' for such vehicles like the Pony by Namco, the Farma by MAVA-Renault, and others that appeared later. The Fox was originally designed and built in prototype form by MEBEA itself on modified Reliant Kitten basis, but the final development for type certification was done in collaboration with Reliant in order to bypass the difficulties imposed by Greek law for a "passenger car" production permit. In addition to the motorized vehicle construction mentioned above, other activities during MEBEA history included motorbike engine production (on Italian designs) mostly for export, and the operation of the bicycle division producing a range of bicycle models. The company faced problems in the early 1980s when certain Asian markets were lost, but the final blow came when Greek law stopped 'favoring' light passenger-utility vehicles, essentially killing the Fox model (along with about half a dozen similar Greek automobiles). In 1983 production of the Fox was stopped (it then started in Britain, though, by Reliant itself), and soon MEBEA, a company associated with a wide variety of light vehicles that "served" thousands of Greeks, ceased to exist.

Models

This is a list of the main motorized models produced by MEBEA.

Motorcycles

Used by the Hellenic Postal Service: MEBEA Hermes (1970)

50-Zundapp 50cc motorcycle (based on Zundapp model), produced from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s.
Hermes 50cc motorcycle, produced for a number of years, from 1970.
Apollon 50cc motorcycle based on the Hermes, produced for a number of years, from 1970.
Junior, 50cc moped, produced for a number of years, from 1972.
Europino series of 50cc mopeds (Italian designs) produced 1974-1982.

Light three-wheeler trucks (“motorcycle” steering and controls)

First generation, produced in large numbers, available with or without cabin, 1967-1974.
Second generation, available with or without cabin, 1974-1977.
Third generation (model 206), produced in large numbers, available with or without cabin, 1977-1983.

Three-wheeler trucks (“automobile” steering and controls)

ST150 light truck with 300 Kg payload, 1970-1977.
Reliant 1200/TW 9B truck with 800 Kg payload (Reliant licence), 1970-1976.

Light three-wheeler passenger vehicles (“motorcycle” steering and controls)

Bingo, produced almost exclusively for export to Southeast Asia, introduced in 1972.

Passenger automobiles

Reliant Robin three-wheeler automobile (Reliant licence), 1974-1978.
Fox passenger-utility automobile (based on a MEBEA prototype and developed jointly with Reliant), 1979-1983.

References

L.S. Skartsis and G.A. Avramidis, "Made in Greece", Typorama, Patras, Greece (2003).
"Tutte le Auto del Mondo", Editoriale Domus, Milano (1980).
"Daily Express Guide to 1982 World Cars", Motorfair Edition (1982).