Aavest

Aavest is a brand of motorcoach manufactured by Fainey, a Lathadun state-owned enterprise. The Aavest brand appeared in 1973, initially being domestic-focused before becoming Fainey’s main brand for all markets in the late 1980s. The brand has a long history in Lathadu, and it is well known in other Sedic countries for its unique appearance; today Aavests are billed as affordable, and as offering good value for money.

The keys to its success are said by many to be its competitive price, reliability, simple DIY-friendly mechanics, and simple functionality. The car was built under license in several other countries. The competitive pricing and ease of service made Aavests popular as police cars, taxis, and a range of public service and civil defense vehicles in parts of East Alutra and elsewhere.

Founding
The carraigemaker Fainey was formed by the Lathadun state based in the city of Calleebane out of the desire to create an affordable, reliable car that the Lathadun people could purchase. The corporation was formally brought into existence in 1966, formally announced by Minister of Industry and Artisans Ramsey Corrin. The company began producing the FE-70 (Fainagh Ennoil, or People’s Coach), which resembled a more rugged version of the popular Odrish sedans of that time. The vehicles were given heavier steel body panels and strengthened components, which improved reliability on the country’s bumpy, often unpaved rural roads.

The Aavest
In 1973, the model that would acquaint the rest of the world with Fainey was released in the Aavest, Gundiagh for “mixed breed,” or less generously, “mutt.” The Aavest was a coach designed by Lathadun engineer Patton Lace. Lace got the idea from the Ordrish Dace Minibus, and attempted to update the concept. Lace’s additions were designed to fit on the chassis of the Dace, and in 1971 a deal was struck to provide chassis for the vehicle’s manufacture. Due to the scarcity of auto-repair shops in parts of rural Lathadu, the Aavest was designed to be easily maintained by their owners; indeed, kit versions would later be available with which Lathaduns could assemble the vehicle themselves in large part. The rugged Aavest was popular in East Alutra as well as Osamia and Vidina for customers looking for more affordable alternatives to local brands, and sales of the new coaches were extremely successful, reaching as far as Ta’aroha. Most production for markets outside East Alutra was done by manufacturers that were granted license to create the vehicles with the Aavest name and design. This posed some early issues with the chain of supply of Dace parts going first from Ordrey, then Lathadu, then the final location for manufacture, but these were quickly resolved.

In Alutra, their construction was frequently described as cheap, inspiring joking at the coach’s expense; nonetheless, the Aavest gained a reputation as a solid, unpretentious, and reliable car for any motorist on a budget. The Aavest brand first appeared in 1973, and has since become the main brand for Fainey vehicles. The coach was equipped with rugged drum brakes, proved to be more reliable on poor roads, and more reliable and up-to-date front and rear suspensions, along with increased ground clearance, modernized transmission, and recessed door handles. Due to the extended length of the body compared to that of a standard Dace, the foot pedal assembly was relocated forward and up from the standard position. The fuel tank was also moved from the front to the center for increased safety. Constructed from fiberglass, the body was made from 13 inner and outer panels, including a floor panel, riveted and bonded together. The whole body was designed to bolt directly to an unmodified Dace chassis. In the first prototypes stock front seats from Dace were retained and a lounge-type seat was created for the rear of the vehicle. To add to the rear seating area, a cushion was added above the fuel tank. A single sliding door on the right side was the only entrance. The radio and switches were in the driver’s side panel. Shock absorbing bumpers of composite construction were designed to look like curved wood. The spared wheel was mounted to absorb frontal crash energy. For sunny days a large removable panel was positioned in the center of the roof panel. The work on the new car was conducted by joint groups of Fainey engineers, who worked together in Calleebane as well as labs in Ushteyghoo and elsewhere.

Today
The FE-111 series sedan was introduced in 1993, with the 2111 following in 1998 and the 2112 hatchback completing the range in 2003. A five-door version was introduced in 1995, but saw limited production. The Aavest Treishtveg, a minivan based on the original Aavest, was introduced in 2007. Fainey built a new, modern plant for this model in Ushteyghoo, hoping to sell some 200,000 cars annually. These estimates proved to be ambitious when some early coaches were sold with missing parts, but the kit version of the model far outstripped initial supplies and saw moderate success.

Management
Margaid Bell is the chief executive officer of Fainey. Colum Leece is the CEO of the Aavest business unit, focused on the development of both the Aavest and a few other Fainey-branded coaches. Sheela Boyde is Aavest’s chief designer.

Branding
The first official logo for Fainey was introduced in 1971. It was used by all products regardless of under which name they were marketed. This logo consisted of a colorful windmill, with different colors overlapping with one another to make new ones. In the mid-1990s, the company introduced a newer, more modern, and streamlined version of the same logo. The logo design was well received and has received only minor edits since, in 2004 and 2017, respectively.

In 2008, Fainey officially ended the use of multiple designations for its markets, unifying them from then on all its products under the brand of Aavest.