# ARO 24 Series

The ARO 24 Series is a 4x4 off-road vehicle manufactured by ARO from 1969 to 2006 and mass produced from 1972.
ARO 240 was the first of the ARO 24 series, which eventually included many other models: the four-door 241 and 244, the 242 pick-up, the three-door 243, the 320, 330 pick-ups, and many other body trims. Last special military versions were called ARO Dragon.
It is equipped with many different engines (both diesel and petrol options), and comes in both 4x2 and 4x4 versions. Notable improvements over the years were the introduction of Romanian Diesel engines, units equipped with Toyota engines, and units equipped with Romanian-built Turbo Diesel engines. The ARO-24s are no longer in production, as ARO was shut down.
Plans to market the ARO 244 in the United States as the Cross Lander 244X in 2005 were eventually cancelled. During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s the original Romanian ARO 4X4 Series were also produced under alternative names, often with modified running gear depending on the export market. In Portugal, they were assembled in Setúbal south of Lisbon and locally known there as the PORTARO 4X4, in Spain they were called HISPARO 4X4, with a reshaped bodyshell and better equipped.

## Engines
### Petrol engines

| Name | Capacity | Type | Power | Torque |
| 2.4 2RZ-FE | 2438 cc | Toyota | 140 PS (103 kW) at 5000 rpm | 212 N⋅m (156 lb⋅ft) at 4000 rpm |
| 2.5 205HX | 2469 cc | Chrysler | 120 PS (88 kW) at 5250 rpm | 190 N⋅m (140 lb⋅ft) at 3500 rpm |
| 2.5 L25 | 2495 cc | ARO | 83 PS (61 kW) at 4200 rpm | 170 N⋅m (125 lb⋅ft) at 3000 rpm |
| 2.5 M-207 | 2512 cc | ARO | 67 PS (49 kW) at 4000 rpm | 160 N⋅m (118 lb⋅ft) at 2500 rpm |
| 2.9 V6 | 2935 cc | Ford | 145 PS (107 kW) at 5500 rpm | 225 N⋅m (166 lb⋅ft) at 3500 rpm |
| 3.0 L30 | 3007 cc | ARO | 95 PS (70 kW) at 4000 rpm | 196 N⋅m (145 lb⋅ft) at 3000 rpm |
| 4.0 V6 | 3958 cc | Ford | 165 PS (121 kW) at 4400 rpm | 316 N⋅m (233 lb⋅ft) at 2400 rpm |
| 2.9 V6 24V | 2932 cc | Cosworth | 207 PS (152 kW) at 5250 rpm | 320 N⋅m (236 lb⋅ft) at 3000 rpm |

### Diesel engines

| Name | Capacity | Type | Power | Torque |
| Andoria 2.4, 4C90 (cylinder diameter = 90 mm, Ricardo Comet V swirl chamber) | 2417 cc | Andoria 4C90 Diesel Indirect injection 4CT90Turbodiesel 4CTi90 Turbodiesel | 69 PS (51 kW) at 4200 rpm 90 PS (66 kW) at 4100 rpm 101 PS (74 kW) at 4100 rpm | 147 N⋅m (108 lb⋅ft) at 2500 rpm 195 N⋅m (144 lb⋅ft) at 2200 rpm 230 N⋅m (170 lb⋅ft) at 2000-2500 rpm |
| 2.4 2L-T | 2446 cc | Toyota Turbodiesel | 86 PS (63 kW) at 4000 rpm | 188 N⋅m (139 lb⋅ft) at 2200 rpm |
| 2.5 XD3 | 2498 cc | Peugeot | 75 PS (55 kW) at 4500 rpm | 147 N⋅m (108 lb⋅ft) at 2500 rpm |
| 2.5 XD3T | 2498 cc | Peugeot Turbodiesel | 95 PS (70 kW) at 4150 rpm | 205 N⋅m (151 lb⋅ft) at 2500 rpm |
| 2.5 L4 OHV | 2499 cc | VM Turbodiesel | 101 PS (74 kW) at 4200 rpm | 232 N⋅m (171 lb⋅ft) at 2200 rpm |
| 2.7 L27 | 2660 cc | ARO | 68 PS (50 kW) at 3800 rpm | 138 N⋅m (102 lb⋅ft) at 2250 rpm |
| 2.7 DX-28 | 2660 cc | ARO | 71 PS (52 kW) at 3900 rpm | 152 N⋅m (112 lb⋅ft) at 2250 rpm |
| 2.7 TDX-28 | 2660 cc | ARO Turbodiesel | 87 PS (64 kW) at 3500 rpm | 191 N⋅m (141 lb⋅ft) at 1900 rpm |
| 3.1 D127 | 3119 cc | UTB | 68 PS (50 kW) at 3200 rpm | 185 N⋅m (136 lb⋅ft) at 1600 rpm |

## Versions
### Off-road vehicles

* ARO 240 3 door nine seater estate
* ARO 241 a 4 door soft top five seater model
* ARO 242 a 2 door closed cab pickup
* ARO 243 a 3 door three seater van bodied model
* ARO 244 a 4 door five seater estate model
* ARO 245 Estate a 5 door deluxe model
* ARO 246 Estate 5-door seven seater model

### Light commercial vehicles

* ARO 242 Regular Cab Pick-up
* ARO 320 Regular Cab Pick-up
* ARO 324 Double Cab Pick-up
* ARO 328 TD Double Cab five seater
* ARO 330 Long Cab Pick-up

### Others Versions

ARO produced an extensive variety of heavier duty variants
* 243 VAN, 263 (8 seats, 3 doors; model based on the 243 version with the wheelbase increased from 2350 mm to 2600 mm), 264 (5 seats, 4 doors; model based on the 244 version with the wheelbase increased from 2350 mm to 2600 mm and body elements borrowed from Dacia. Aro 264 addressed the American market), 266 (7 seats, 5 doors; model based on the 246 version with the wheelbase increased to 2600 mm), 323 Sanitara (Ambulance with a raised roof over the passenger compartment from the B-pillar back), 324, 328 MT MaxiTaxi (7 doors on an extended wheelbase), 330 (flatbed pickup), 330BB, 330C, 33N, 338TC, 350BC, 35S Ambulance (with an ambulance box body), 35M, 429TC/TP.
* ARO 243 van
* ARO 320 Pickup/flatbed
* ARO Schoolbus
* ARO 241 (1977 revision)

### ARO Dragon

While ARO 24 series were used by the Romanian military, a military specific version called the ARO Dragon was designed and built. The ARO Dragon featured a simplified flat paneled body and came in several variants to include an armored variant.
The ARO Dragon Civil was a civilian version of the Dragon.

## Revisions

The first generation of ARO 24, between 1972 and 1976, had Dacia 1300 headlights and round taillights similar to the ARO M461. From 1977, round headlights were used like in the IMS and the rear lights were restyled. In 1985, a new front grille and smaller round headlights were introduced. Also, they were available with double headlights, that were used mostly on the 244. In 1995, the double headlight front design was slightly restyled, and the rear lights were used Oltcit Club lamps. The last restyling, in 1998, was a slight facelift of the previous model and it introduced the so-called Toyota-type ornaments.

## Gallery

* ARO 246 (1995 facelift)
* PORTARO 240 and 260
* Aro 243 High altitude rescue 4WD ambulance of the Alpine Motor Unit of the Red Cross, Barcelona
* Romanian stamp from 1975 with ARO 240
* The Transport Valori (Value Transporter). The technical data is unknown and only 8 units were built. security van
* ARO 241 part of KFOR with an AG-9 mounted on it, 2003