ARO built four-wheel drives at Câmpulung Muscel from 1957 to 2003: the licensed GAZ-69 as the IMS-57, M59 and M461 — 80,233 of the last, nearly half of them exported — then its own 24 Series from 1969 and the Dacia-based 10 Series from 1980, sold in Britain as the Dacia Duster. About 380,000 vehicles in all, and licence assembly in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Brazil.
The GAZ-69 under licence at Câmpulung Muscel: 914 handbuilt IMS-57s in 1957–59, 3,222 M59s to 1963, and then the M461 of 1964–75 — 80,233 built, 46,549 of them exported, on a 2,330 mm wheelbase with a 2,512 cc four of 70 hp.
ARO’s own design, launched in 1969 and mass produced from 1972 until 2006: a 2,350 mm-wheelbase ladder-frame four-wheel drive in soft-top, van, station-wagon and pick-up bodies, with a long-wheelbase 2,600 mm family alongside it, and licence assembly in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Brazil.
The small ARO of 1980–2006, built on Dacia 1300 mechanicals with something of the Renault Rodeo and the Citroën Méhari about it: wagons, convertibles and pick-ups on 2,400–2,650 mm wheelbases, in 4×2 and 4×4, and sold in Britain as the Dacia Duster from 1985 to 1993.
