Prvenac Re-Creation- 1958

Designed in the late 1950s by Professor Miroslav Nestorovic, Chair of Motor Vehicles in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Belgrade, the Prvenac (Yugoslavian for “firstborn”) is known as a diamond, or rhombic, chassis car. The Prvenac was not the first vehicle to use this design—examples date as early as 1901, including the Sunbeam Mabley of England.

The diamond chassis was believed to offer several advantages, such as a tighter turning radius than conventional four-wheel cars, achieved through counter-steering of the front and rear wheels. Its narrow front and rear profiles also allowed for a more streamlined body design.

Like most diamond-chassis cars, the Prvenac remained only a prototype and never entered production. The fate of the original is unknown; the vehicle displayed here is a recreation commissioned by the Museum to preserve and interpret this unusual design.

Specifications:

Manufacturer: Miroslav Nestorović (designer) David Pajic Works (manufacturer)

Country of Origin: Yugoslavia

Drivetrain Configuration: Mid-front engine, center-wheel drive

Engine: Tomos-Puch, air-cooled, 250cc, single-cylinder, 2-stroke, 14 bhp

Transmission: 4-speed manual

Top Speed: Unpublished

Years of Production: 1958

Number Produced: 1

Original Cost: Unpublished