this might explain it
ranian Paykan[edit]
In 1966,
Iran National (now Iran Khodro) of
Iran began to assemble Hillman Hunters from
CKD kits, after a deal was struck between the Rootes Group and Iran National's director,
Mahmoud Khayami. The resulting
Paykan (Persian for arrow) saloon,
utility, and taxi models became known as Iran's national car.
Earlier versions used the Hunter 1,725 cc (105.3 cu in) engine, but later kits were shipped with the Avenger's 1600 cc engine mated to the Arrow range 4-speed gearbox via a special bell-housing. Later, they were all equipped with a 5-speed gearbox. The engine was changed to a Multi Point Electronic Fuel Injection made by the Sagem Company. The spark distributor was replaced with ECU-Controlled Spark Coils. The differential was also upgraded to a version more compatible with the Avenger engine.
In 1977
Roy Axe designed the new facelifted Paykan model using many interior and exterior parts from the
Chrysler Alpine.
Full local production began in 1985, after the original British production lines were closed. The new owner in Britain, Peugeot, established a new contract whereby Iran Khodro would manufacture the Paykan with the same body panels but using
Peugeot 504 engines and suspension, for six more years. This deal was similar to one in South Africa, where Hunters were once built with locally-made Peugeot 404 engines (from which the 504 units evolved) to meet strict local-content laws applicable in the late 1960s.
The Paykan saloon ceased production in May 2005, to be replaced by the Iranian designed
Samand. The
Bardo 1600i, the pick-up version of the Paykan, continued to be the sole remaining Arrow variant until the final car rolled off the Teheran Assembly line in May 2015.
