After 42 years, the 158,065th and final Tatra 815 rolled off the factory on Tuesday.

The last unit is an 815-2 Terra to be used by Czech firefighters. It features an extended four-door cabin, a direct air-cooled eight-cylinder T3-928 engine, and uses a torsion bar suspension on the front axle as opposed to the air bellows in other variants. The Terra was introduced in 2018 for use by fire departments and the military.

The 815 is one of Tatra’s most iconic truck brands. Originally designed for military use before expanding to civilian capabilities, it began production in 1983 after developing and testing a prototype since 1970.

Multiple trucks from the line exist ranging from 4×4 to as large as 12×12. Besides firefighting, it often used for construction, logging, or other heavy duty responsibilities. Various militaries also employ the 815 for logistics though its role has since been supplanted by the Tatra Force and Armax. Those two along with trucks like the 163 Jamal and TERRN°1 are descended from the 815.

In 1986, Tatra made its debut at the Paris–Dakar Rally with Karel Loprais. He would go on to win the race six times in the Truck category, all coming with vehicles from the 815 family; perhaps the most notable was the Puma, a 4×4 truck formally designated as the T 815-2 R55-16 that won twice. Two 815s, a Puma and HAS, raced the Dakar Classic in January with Loprais’ family team now led by his nephew Aleš; the Puma won the H2T class in a 1–2 finish for Loprais Tatra Team.

“The T 815 has become a legend,” began Tatra R&D board member Radomír Smolka. “Many unique and famous vehicles were created within this model series, which have gone down in the history of Czech automotive history. For example, it was Tatra’s debut in long-distance races and its greatest successes are associated with the T 815. These trucks also formed the backbone of the Czech Army for many years and served and continue to serve in large numbers with firefighters, on construction sites, in industry and in other sectors. The first large export orders in new markets after 1989 are also associated with them.

“If we compare all Tatra model series, the T 815 has historically been the most produced. The T 815 is simply an iconic series that has been a symbol of the Tatra brand for many years.”

The final 815 was given a farewell ceremony as it left the factory in Kopřivnice.

Featured image credit: Tatra Trucks