Ralf-Stetysz

Advertising of Stetysz cars

Ralf-Stetysz ([ˈralf stɛtɨʂ]) was a Polish car manufacturer. It was formed in 1924, when Duke Stefan Tyszkiewicz started a small automotive firm "Automobiles Ralf Stetysz" in Boulogne near Paris. The name was an acronym of the Polish language name "Rolniczo Automobilowo-Lotnicza Fabryka Stefana Tyszkiewicza" - "Agricultural-Automobile-Aero Factory of Stefan Tyszkiewicz").

Tyszkiewicz designed several cars, drawing heavily from French contemporary car designs, but better suited for dismal Polish roads of the epoch. A single prototype was completed, with a strengthened suspension, a locking differential and a powerful Continental engine. It was presented at the 1926 and 1927 Paris Motor Show, where it received positive reviews as a good "collonial car". The prototype proved interesting and in 1927 Tyszkiewicz was able to secure cooperation with the Warsaw-based K. Rudzki i S-ka company to start serial production, under Stetysz brand. The company produced all the mechanical parts and assembled the vehicles while bodywork was done by Plage i Laśkiewicz aeronautical company.

Eventually the Ralf-Stetysz launched two models for the 1929 model year, both available in several configurations:

• Stetysz TA, with a 4-cylinder Continental engine of 1500 ccm displacement
• Stetysz TC, with a 6-cylinder Continental engine of 2760 ccm

The initial batch of roughly 200 cars of both models proved durable, and their sales looked promising. The cars were advertised at Poznań International Fair and marketed as "the first Polish-made car" and a vehicle "ideal for bad roads". It took part in numerous rallies, including the 1929 Monte Carlo Rally where it initially fared very well, arriving in Paris first. However, near Lyon the co-driver got sick and had to be delivered to the hospital, which cost much time and eventually the car dropped out of the race.

However, on 11 February 1929 the factory in Warsaw was completely destroyed by fire, along with a number of already-completed vehicles awaiting delivery. Tyszkiewicz wanted to rebuild the factory, but the move was blocked by shareholders of K. Rudzki i S-ka, a firm specialising primarily in bridge construction. Eventually Stefan Tyszkiewicz discontinued his own brand and instead focused on importing and eventually licensed production of FIAT and Mercedes cars.