The Warszawa on TVP Olsztyn

Sixty-five years ago, on November 6, 1951, at 2:00 p.m., the first passenger car rolled out of assembly hall number 1 at the Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (Passenger Car Factory) in Warszawa. It was the Warszawa M-20, which began the factory's history in Żerań. Then came the Syrenas, Fiats, and Polonezes, and with them a great love for the domestic automotive industry.

The Warszawa, the big Fiat, and the Polonez are icons of the Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych in Warszawa. The owner of the Warszawa 223 is Rafał Sadowski from Olsztyn. His car is a 1973 model. When it came to Mr. Rafał, it needed a complete overhaul. The Olsztyn native took care of every detail of the car—both outside and in. In return for the heart he put in, the Warszawa repaid him by taking its owner on a journey across nearly all of Europe—Sweden, Scotland, England, and Germany.

The Fiat 125p from 1968, in turn, belongs to Edward Klinek from Olsztyn. The car may not cover as many kilometers as the Warszawa, but it is reliable and, for 6 years now, it has delighted its owner's eye every single day, while Mr. Edward's love for big Fiats has lasted nearly 50 years. This feeling, however, is very demanding: "When you own a vehicle like this, you have to collect parts. How? Often through the grapevine," says Mr. Edward.

The trouble with parts for the Fiat is nothing new. You can see it in a clip from the Telewizyjny Kurier Olsztyński (Olsztyn TV News) and in the words of Ludwik Hołowczyc, who in the 1970s was director of the Techniczna Obsługa Samochodów (Vehicle Technical Service) in Olsztyn: "When it comes to spare parts, that is our eternal affliction, one we cannot overcome. Even for brands like our homegrown Fiat, we constantly feel the shortage of basic parts."

After the big Fiat, it was time for the Polonez—for instance the Atu Plus model from 1998, one of the last before production ended. Its owner sums it up briefly—a car you cannot wear out: "The Polonez is for everyday driving. I liked this car's character because it doesn't break down. It is a very rewarding car, and it also brings a collective smile to the street," says Dominik Kowalkowski, owner of the Polonez Atu Plus.

Just like the Syrena. It was initially produced by FSO, but from the 1970s by the Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych (Small Car Factory) in Bielsko-Biała. Just like the trusty "maluchs" that nearly every Pole once dreamed of.

Cars bearing the FSO badge are enjoying a true renaissance. Songs are written about them, and recently there was a presentation of the prototype of the newest Polish-made Warszawa. This car's engine has 550 horsepower and accelerates it to a hundred in under 5 seconds. The cost of such luxury is 1.5 million PLN. For now, that is a dream for the future.

The past, in turn, is recalled by the scent, the sound, and the unique sensations of every drive in the cars of the Warszawa FSO, and every model has found a place in the hearts of both young and mature drivers.

Source: https://olsztyn.tvp.pl/27625890/warszawa-fiat-polonez-te-auta-sa-ikonami-polskiej-motoryzacji.