Polonez — mug

Polonez Ceramic Mug

Mug capacity: 330 ml

FSO Polonez

The Polonez, named after the famous dance present at all school and academic events across Poland, first rolled off the production line at the Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (Passenger Car Factory) in 1978. However, its debut in Poland actually occurred in 1977, when the first seven units, still assembled in Italy, arrived in the Polish People's Republic.

One of the features of the Polonez that earned it deserved popularity was its safety, even if its angular body lines and rather austere design might have suggested otherwise. In 1978, the Polonez was the only car produced in the Eastern Bloc countries to pass American crash tests, which proved that the level of passenger safety was high and compliant with standards. In 1994, similar tests were conducted according to European standards – after which it began to be exported globally, with the highest sales in China, where over 41,000 units were delivered.

The technical solutions of the car, which the French would call a polonaise, were mostly borrowed from its predecessor, the Polski Fiat 125p. Until the mid-1990s, the Polonez had brakes adapted from its "older brother," which were too weak for its weight, and this met with general criticism. So perhaps the Polonez isn't the dream car for parallel parking on a steep incline, but it certainly looks great on a t-shirt – red, like lemonade, or green, like grass freshly painted green.

The drawing is by Wrocław artist Paweł Grabowski.