Drob frem

Frem’s F1 prototype, his first step towards a life-long dream, is set to open the doors for the Lebanese car-making industry and prove that we too can create.

You’ve been something of a local hero for over a year now, how does it feel?

The first thing you need to understand is that this isn’t about me. My pride is that through my achievement, I’ve helped push Lebanon’s image into the international scene. Today someone in America might be reading about the car built in Lebanon. Under impossible conditions, under siege, the Lebanese managed to be constructive.

This is more than just a car then…

It is. My slogan is: ‘only your dreams can build your country.’ This isn’t an individual’s project. I didn’t want it to be about my work. My launch was on the highway, with real people around me, not ribbons and politicians. This was built for them, to open the door for Lebanese car-making.

It isn’t a normal car anyway, is it?

It’s what you call a supercar. The design and aerodynamics are somewhat out of the ordinary, as they should be. This was born of a dream and is meant to give hope. I didn’t give it a diminished status, I parked it next to Class A cars, right from the start. The Frem F1 challenges any other car.

Even performance-wise?

I couldn’t go into high performance. Everything will be different, the four-cylinder theory is completely different from the 12-cylinder theory. If I had another $200,000 I assure you the car would have shocked the world. It performs well, don’t get me wrong. I’m only saying it’s not a racing car, yet. I’m planning to work on a very high performance car very soon. The Frem F2 will be a bomb, in a good way.

The Frem F2?

My upcoming project; a car designed with zero weaknesses. I plan to build it carefully and slowly. I plan to leave no room for criticism. In fact, when I’m done with it, anyone who tries to criticize it will find his friends shutting him up, to avoid embarrassment. The F2 will represent Lebanon internationally and I’ll have no one attacking Lebanon.

You’re an interior designer, how did you move to cars?

Interior design was a hobby, a degree on paper I needed to get to move on. I’ve geared all efforts and talent towards automotive design and while I feel I’m good, I still have some way to go. I wish I had a mentor, someone who has massive work experience in automotive design, to guide me through the difficulties and pitfalls. I would love to have some input, and Lebanon doesn’t have the industry in place yet and, as a result, doesn’t have an industry expert.

So you’re hoping for outside help. Wouldn’t that make your car less Lebanese?

This hypothetical mentor will help, give input, criticize my lines or style; but he won’t touch the car. I need more resources, and I’ll take any I can get my hands on. The final product will be built here, by us.

So you’re the design talent, who’s behind the mechanics?

Well, I’m behind 60 per cent of it. I’ve had to learn and I’ve learned a lot. I don’t know everything, far from it. My team complements me and keeps me going. My mechanics have the freedom to work and I don’t pretend to know more than them. I give my opinion, I have the language for it now. Once in a while I’ll have a better idea and they’ll implement it. It works the other way round as well. You have to have faith in your team.

And in your creation…

Absolutely. I don’t expect a flying carpet to whisk me into stardom. I expect resistance. I expect the international community to say ‘you’re Lebanese, you have no business manufacturing cars.’ I plan to break through that and any other barriers that the world has in store for me. I have high hopes.

So there’s a plan in place?

The Frem F1 was meant to build my name and my country’s name. It was meant for the Detroit exhibition. The F2 will be built for production, maybe 20 or so units. It’ll look and drive like a supercar and will be sold at a super price. That’ll provide funding for the later stages.

Later stages?

The F3, F4 and, above all, I want everything manufactured in Lebanon. I plan to work on a city car, a car built for anyone. Affordable, economic and built to drive up to Faraya without issue. It’ll be efficient, weather tested and I might use hybrid engine technology, if I find it to be efficient enough. The twist though, is that it folds in.

Say what?

You heard me, it folds in. You drive to a parking space, press a button and the car’s size is reduced for parking.

You’re serious?

Absolutely. Give it some time, you’ll see what I mean! And it’ll be affordable. I plan on a retail price of less than $15,000. I’ll import the engines initially, but my main issue is to go step by step. I don’t know what’ll happen in Detroit, much may change. Who knows what opportunities will present themselves. I have to wait and go step by step and push for my plans.

What kind of time scale are we talking about?

I’m not sure. Five years, or maybe ten? Maybe sooner.

Well then, what’s your favorite place in Lebanon?

The higher the better. I’ve recently fallen in love with the areas surrounding Ajaltoun. I love Faraya as well. I love open spaces. If I wanted to buy an office, the first condition would be an open design. I love light, it makes the place feel alive, and me along with it. And as for Beirut, and although I say this a lot, I’m tired of the old ‘Switzerland of the east’ description. In my mind, Switzerland should be the Beirut of the west and be compared to us, not the other way round. Let’s work on that angle, shall we?