ARO 24 Series History

After six years of development, ARO launched the 24 Series in 1972 as its ground-up successor to the M461 line. The ARO 240 soft-top cabriolet was the first body style to reach customers, quickly followed by the 241 four-door soft-top, the 242 single-cab pick-up, the 243 three-door hard-top, and the flagship 244 five-door. An extended 246 variant seating seven was added later. Unlike most Eastern-bloc off-road vehicles of the era, the ARO 24 used independent front suspension and a curved ladder chassis, giving it appreciably better on-road manners alongside proven low-range 4x4 capability.

The 24 Series underwent several styling revisions across its 34-year life. The first generation (1972–1976) borrowed Dacia 1300 headlights; from 1977 round headlights replaced them. A new front grille arrived in 1985, Oltcit Club rear lamps were fitted in 1995, and a final 1998 facelift introduced a lighter frontal treatment. Engines evolved from early Romanian 3.2-litre and 2.7-litre non-turbo diesels (68–72 hp) through a 90-hp Peugeot 2.5-litre turbodiesel and later Ford V6 petrol options, reflecting the broader supplier partnerships ARO pursued after 1989.

The 24 Series was manufactured under licence across four countries: in Romania at Câmpulung-Muscel (1969–2006), in Portugal as the Portaro 4x4 (1975–1995), in Spain as the Hisparo 4x4 (1980–1990), and in Brazil as the Cross Lander 244X (2002–2006). Military and emergency-services derivatives included ambulance (323 Sanitară), school-bus (429 TC), and the flat-panelled ARO Dragon built for the Romanian Army. A plan to bring the 244 to the United States was cancelled in 2005; the company entered bankruptcy in June 2006.