mel ▁continued ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁the ▁S uss ita ▁ 1 3 / 6 0 , ▁till ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁Rom ▁Car mel ▁manufact ured ▁their ▁own ▁models : ▁Rom ▁Car mel ▁ 1 3 0 0 , ▁and ▁Rom ▁Car mel ▁ 1 3 0 1 , ▁till ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁Sab ra ▁▁ ▁The ▁name ▁" S ab ra " ▁was ▁chosen ▁because ▁it ▁means ▁both ▁" born ▁in ▁Israel " ▁and ▁c act us , ▁which ▁was ▁its ▁logo . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Y itz h ak ▁Sh ub in sky ▁launched ▁an ▁Isra eli - made ▁car ▁at ▁the ▁aut os how ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁very ▁small , ▁under power ed ▁pick - up ▁tr uck . ▁At ▁the ▁show ▁Sh ub in sky ▁realized ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁fut ile ▁attempt , ▁and ▁set ▁forth ▁on ▁a ▁new ▁project . ▁ ▁He ▁bought ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁use ▁an ▁Ash ley ▁body ▁on ▁a ▁Les lie ▁Ball amy ▁ch ass is . ▁He ▁reached ▁an ▁agreement ▁with ▁R eli ant ▁( who ▁had ▁helped ▁producing ▁the ▁" C arm el " ▁and ▁the ▁" S uss ita ") ▁to ▁combine ▁engine , ▁body ▁and ▁ch ass is ▁into ▁a ▁convert ible ▁sports - car . ▁The ▁engine ▁was ▁a ▁Ford ▁ 1 7 0 3   cc . ▁R eli ant ▁was ▁author ized ▁to ▁deliver ▁the ▁first ▁ 1 0 0 ▁cars