Alba Regia (Hungary) - AllCarIndex

Alba Regia was a Hungarian microcar brand that emerged in the early 1950s during a period of strict automobile ownership regulations in Hungary. The government limited passenger car ownership to a select few, leading many skilled craftsmen to attempt the creation of vehicles using leftover parts and motorcycles. In 1953, the Hungarian Ministry of Metallurgy and Engineering recognized the need for an official microcar and initiated a project to develop one.

Three engineers—Emo Rubik, Pál Kerekes, and Géza Bengyel—were tasked with this project and were sent to a former airplane repair facility in Székesfehérvár. There, they discovered that local engineer József Horváth had already begun work on a microcar design. This collaboration resulted in the creation of the Alba Regia, a compact vehicle featuring an aluminum body, a Csepel 250cc motorcycle engine, and Isetta gearboxes. The Alba Regia was designed as a 2+2 seater with torsion suspension and distinctive suicide doors.

In addition to the Alba Regia, a second model called the Balaton was developed based on ideas from Horváth's associates. The Hungarian microcar project faced challenges, including the intervention of the 1956 Revolution, which halted production and led to the scrapping of many vehicles, including the Alba Regia and Balaton. Following the revolution, the Székesfehérvár facility was repurposed as part of the Ikarus bus company, marking the end of the Alba Regia brand. Despite its brief existence, the brand is remembered for its innovative approach to microcar design during a restrictive era in Hungary.