In the early 2000s Nasr began producing the Florida range under license from Serbian manufacturer Zastava.

Nasr was a replacement for the short-lived Ramses automobile (also state produced), which suffered from poor design and performance (basically a redesigned NSU Prinz).

Furthermore, the compact and comparatively affordable Fiat-based cars (produced in conjunction with FSO and Zastava) were well suited to the Egyptian market.

As the years progressed, Nasr's best-selling model, the 128 GLS, began to show its age (its design had not been modified since the 1970s).

However, its cars' relative lack of modern design (especially in terms of otherwise standard safety and comfort features), and the increased availability of low-to-mid range foreign brands in Egypt (such as Škoda) have increased the level of competition in Nasr's core market.