Gurgel Supermini History

By 1992 Gurgel responded to market feedback on the BR-800 with the Supermini: a substantially improved city car with better build quality, more power (36 PS from the revised Enertron engine), a more robust suspension, improved window mechanisms, and a proper trunk lid — addressing the main criticisms of its predecessor.

The Supermini arrived at the worst possible moment commercially: Brazil's market had just been opened to foreign competition, and Gurgel lacked the scale and government support to survive the new competitive environment. The company filed for bankruptcy in March 1994 and the factory finally closed later that year. A small number of Superminis are known to survive as collector pieces in Brazil.