FSO Syrena

The idea to produce the Syrena originated in 1953 from the then Presidium of the Government. The intention was to create an efficient and economical car for managers and representatives of the intelligentsia at the time. In 1956, the production documentation for the Syrena was finally completed, allowing the FSO (Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych) assembly lines to operate at full capacity in 1957.

The Syrena, whose name evoked the Warsaw Mermaid, was a car frequently seen in the capital. Its elegant body with streamlined curves and round headlights made it resemble Western cars, in which beautiful women in headscarves sped along the French Riviera. And although in the People's Republic the backdrop for driving a Syrena was less picturesque – though, thanks to the Palace of Culture, equally iconic – its users must have felt privileged and derived sufficient pleasure from driving it.

The production of the Syrena ended in 1972. The total number of units that hit the roads over those fifteen years exceeded half a million. The car also received many critical reviews – it was accused of generating a lot of noise, having an inefficient cooling system, a lack of corrosion resistance, and high fuel consumption in winter due to the engine's thermal inertia. Despite this, today we fondly remember the Syrena, whose sight immediately puts us in a nostalgic mood.

The drawing was created by Wrocław artist Paweł Grabowski.