Sabra GT Coupé

In Israel are several important places of Christianity, Judaism and Islam as well as the famous Dead Sea with its huge salinity of up to 33 percent. In addition, the country is known for growing olives, flowers, vegetables and fruits, as well as grinding diamonds and producing medicines and chemicals as well as developing software solutions. But only a few readers are likely to know that between 1957 and the early 1980s there was also an automobile production in Haifa. The ‘Autocars Company’ manufactured cars and vans, which were offered under the brand name ‘Sabra’ mainly in the domestic market of Israel. However, there was also a small export business with countries such as Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada and the United States. Sabra (Hebrew צברה) is a common term for Jews who were born in Israel and also refers to a cactus, which therefore formed the brand logo.

Initially, the Autocars Company, founded by Itzhak Shubinski, was in a close cooperation with Reliant from Great Britain, where the plastic bodyworks were constructed. They reached Israel as kits and were completed with all technical components in Haifa. Next to compact vehicles and sedans they finally agreed on a licensed production of a sports car, whose design came from the British company Ashley and became the Sabra Sport with LHD in Israel. Responsible for the chassis was Les Ballamy from Great Britain. Reliant was so excited about this compact athletic car in the end, that they built the Reliant Sabre with RHD from it. After about half of the 379 vehicles produced, the entire production moved to Haifa. Under the bonnet of the Sabra Sport they mounted the 1.7-liter engine from the Ford Consul, which delivered 91 hp thanks to double Solex carburetors and offered very good agility by its installation position behind the front axle. A manual four-speed transmission transferred this power to the rear wheels. From 1963 Sabra also offered the 2+2-seater GT version on request. 144 copies of the Sport were sent to the USA, 81 to Belgium.

The light blue car shown in our picture gallery was produced in April 1963 and delivered to the wife of the Israeli Consul General in Belgium. The penultimate owner carried out an extensive restoration, which took several years to complete. Matching the pastel-blue livery, the sports car received dark blue leatherette with light blue cloth center panels on the seats. In addition to an extensive technical restoration, an electric ignition system and an additional fuel pump for more reliability were installed. Shortly after the completion of the restoration, Bonhams auctioned the vehicle at Amelia Island in 2016.

Now the Sabra GT is ready for auction again at Bonhams, after the current owner won second place at Boston Cup and a class award at Greenwich Concours d’Elegance as well as participating in the classic car endurance rallies New England 1000 and Holy Land 1000. On January 17, the sports car will cross the auction block in Scottsdale and should achieve between 80,000 and 100,000 US$. But it is offered without reserve, so the highest bidder automatically will become the new owner of this Israeli rarity.

Images: Bonhams