Alma (Hungary) - AllCarIndex

Alma was a short-lived Hungarian automobile brand that operated between 1995 and 1996. The brand originated from a unique concept developed by a Hungarian sculptor who, in 1990, created a vehicle named Papillon (Butterfly) by encasing a Trabant in a plastic body. This innovative design caught the attention of entrepreneur Imre Papa, who acquired the manufacturing rights four years later.

Imre Papa, who owned a can-making factory in Biharkeresztes, sought to transition his workforce into automobile production. The workers were trained to manufacture plastic bodies and other components for the new vehicle. However, the project faced significant challenges, including poor quality control and the outdated design of the car, which was based on the Trabant floorpan and utilized a Fiat 127 engine. The pricing strategy also proved problematic, as the Alma was priced similarly to more modern vehicles like the Suzuki Swift, despite its inferior quality.

Ultimately, the Alma project was unable to gain traction in the market, leading to its collapse after only a few units were produced. The brand remains a notable example of the difficulties faced by small-scale automotive ventures in Hungary during the 1990s.