the peak of its popularity was in the 1970s, with 18,200 made in 1978. in the 1980s the production decreased. when poland became a democracy again in 1989 the future was bleak for the nysa. development work had been minimal for the past 20 years. most customers, including the police, chose more modern, faster and safer vans of western manufacturers, that became widely imported instead. the production was closed in 1994, after manufacturing 380,575 vehicles.