engine proved to be nearly a match for a '75 Corvette in every performance category—and the Bricklin's power-operated gullwing doors maxed out the "coefficient of cool" metric. Car and Driver concluded that despite some build quality and ergonomic deficiencies, and a price disadvantage, the Bricklin was "a tangible threat to the Corvette." Intended for the US market, the Bricklin SV1s were manufactured in Canada in the province of New Brunswick which sought to address its unemployment, nearing 25% in the mid-’70s. New Brunswick Premier Richard Hatfield supported the Province’s involvement in the Bricklin venture as a way of establishing a manufacturing base that could provide steady, high paying jobs and attract interest in the Province through the publicity the car provided. Production began in mid 1974 and continued through late 1975, employing over 1200 people in the Saint John and Minto, New Brunswick plants. In September 1975, after building 2,854 cars, and General Vehicles having set up over 400 US automobile dealers with 40,000 back orders, the Province refused to provide further financial assistance and forced the company into receivership. International Automobile Importers (IAI) After Fiat left the U.S. market, Bricklin created International Automobile Importers (IAI) in 1982 to import the Fiat X1/9 and 2000 roadster, renaming them the Bertone and the Pininfarina Azzurra. The company was profitable, but when Cadillac subsequently made a joint venture with Pininfarina, IAI was told that Cadillac didn't want a $14,000 Pininfarina being sold next to its $55,000 Pininfarina-manufactured Allanté — and gave IAI six months before they cancelled production of the cars. Yugo, Global Motors Seeking to import a simple, low cost car to the U.S. market, Bricklin was introduced to Zastava Automobiles, manufactured in Kragujevac Yugoslavia – now Serbia. Zastava had produced cars since 1953 under a license from the Italian company Fiat. In 1984, the entire Yugoslav car industry produced 236,000 cars, 58,000 of which were exported. Bricklin, senior advisor Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Under-Secretary of State and Yugo board member Lawrence Eagleburger, and Global Motors executives met with Zastava. Bricklin agreed to import the Zastava Koral, marketing it as the Yugo. Bricklin and his engineers suggested some 600 changes for the U.S. market, including a 1.1-liter 4-cylinder engine, improvements in the anti-pollution system, comfort adjustments, safety devices, and special carburetors for lead-free gasoline. In addition to the main Kragujevac complex, about 200 smaller Yugoslav factories manufactured parts for the cars.