1959 IKA Carabela

During 1958, Kaiser’s Santa Isabel factory finally starts the production of a local variant of the now defunct Kaiser Manhattan, aimed exclusively at the Argentinean market. Dies sent from the United States are used for the production, while the Continental six powering the car is locally made. The Carabela is identical to the last Manhattan, produced four years ago, except for the specific chromed scripts fixed to the front wings, the lack of a tinted windshield and the removal of the American version’s McCulloch compressor. Praise has to be given to Kaiser’s stylists for, despite its age, the Carabela seems just as fresh now as most new automobiles.


IKA Carabela

● Introduction: February 1950 as the American-built Kaiser, July 1958 as the Argentinean IKA. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled supercharged inline six, 3.7-litre, 116 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Two-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 548 cm. Top speed: 140 kph. Range: four-door sedan.


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Click to learn more about the Carabela's predecessor, the American-built Kaiser Manhattan.
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1960 IKA Carabela

Abandoned in the United States since 1955, the production of the Kaiser Manhattan has started again in Argentina, where all the dies have been shipped. Under the name Carabela, it is there considered a luxury car, mostly purchased by officials and businessmen. For this reason, the car comes with a rich leather upholstery. Furthermore, the suspension’s settings have been changed in order to cope with the less-than-satisfactory roads of provincial Argentina.


IKA Carabela

● Introduction: February 1950 as the American-built Kaiser, July 1958 as the Argentinean IKA. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled supercharged inline six, 3.7-litre, 116 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Two-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 548 cm. Top speed: 140 kph. Range: four-door sedan.


Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1959 – 1960 – 1961 – 1962
Click here to return to a list of all IKA vehicles presented on this blog.
Click here to return to this blog’s initial post, featuring a list of all vehicles already presented.

1962 IKA Carabela

The limited production of the ageing Carabela, based on the discontinued Kaiser Manhattan, now meets its end. An increased choice of automobiles on the local market, and problems to maintain the old dies sent from the United States motivates the suspension of the production after 1962. IKA has considered face-lifting the car, even receiving two projects from the original designer of the Manhattan, Howard “Dutch” Darrin, but has finally dropped these plans as retooling would have been too costly. Instead, IKA has signed an agreement with American Motors to produce its Rambler in Argentina as a replacement for the Carabela.


IKA Carabela

● Introduction: February 1950 as the American-built Kaiser, July 1958 as the Argentinean IKA. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled supercharged inline six, 3.7-litre, 116 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Two-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 548 cm. Top speed: 140 kph. Range: four-door sedan.


Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1959 – 1960 – 1961 – 1962
Click here to return to a list of all IKA vehicles presented on this blog.
Click here to return to this blog’s initial post, featuring a list of all vehicles already presented.

1961 IKA Carabela

Abandoned in the United States since 1955, the production of the Kaiser Manhattan has started again in Argentina, where all the dies have been shipped. Under the name Carabela, it is there considered a luxury car, mostly purchased by officials and businessmen. After achieving good sales among these privileged few, due in part to the fact that the state strictly controls the importation of brand new vehicles, the Carabela’s success now seems to wane.


IKA Carabela

● Introduction: February 1950 as the American-built Kaiser, July 1958 as the Argentinean IKA. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled supercharged inline six, 3.7-litre, 116 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Two-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 548 cm. Top speed: 140 kph. Range: four-door sedan.


Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1959 – 1960 – 1961 – 1962
Click here to return to a list of all IKA vehicles presented on this blog.
Click here to return to this blog’s initial post, featuring a list of all vehicles already presented.

Industrias Kaiser Argentina - IKA (Argentina, 1955-1970)

Willing to establish a local motor industry, Argentina sent a delegation to the United States in 1951, but only one manufacturer proved interested: Kaiser. After the company acquired control of Willys-Overland but stopped production of passenger cars, it opened a factory in Santa Isabel, Córdoba, where Jeeps started being built in 1956 by IKA (Industrias Kaiser Argentina). Two years later, the defunct Kaiser Manhattan became IKA's first passenger car as the luxurious IKA Carabela. Soon IKA looked for partnerships to diversify its offer. The most durable were concluded with American Motors and Renault. When Kaiser Industries decided to divest from the automotive market in 1970, its various companies went to these two partners, IKA in particular going to Renault.


1959 IKA Carabela

1960 IKA Carabela

1961 IKA Carabela

1962 IKA Carabela


Also see Kaiser.

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