Ford started assembling the Model T in Berlin in 1925. Ford established a factory in Cologne in Germany in 1931 where production started with the Model B. The Ford Köln was almost identical to the British Ford 8, the first Ford to be built at Dagenham. The 1157cc Eifel was a very popular model. The Taunus appeared just before World War II but was not produced in large numbers. It was continued in 1948 with the same engine. The name Taunus was later used for all Fords built in Germany until 1968 when Ford built identical Ford Escort cars in Germany and
the UK. This was followed a year later by the Capri.
Tag: DE
NSU
NSU (DE) 1905-1969
Like so many other manufacturers, NSU were already well established producers of bicycles before they started with cars. The first NSUs appeared in 1905. The factory in Heilbronn was sold to Fiat in 1930. NSU gave up cars and continued to manufacture motorcycles in the old Neckarsulm works. In 1958 NSU decided to start car production once again. In 1969 NSU merged with Audi to form Audi-NSU-Auto Union A.G. NSU-Fiat (from 1959 onwards renamed Neckar) lasted from 1930 to 1966, building Fiats for the German market.
The first post-war model was the 20 hp Prinz introduced in 1958. NSU are famous for the first Wankel-engined car, a roadster version of the Sport Prinz. 1968 saw the introduction of the Wankel engined RO80. The last NSU project, the K70, appeared later as the VW K70 after NSU merged with AUDI in 1969. The RO80 was the last car to bear the NSU emblem.
BMW 1500
BMW 700
BMW 700 (1959-1965)
This car and the Isetta saved BMW. It had a twin-cylinder 700 cc boxer engine that produced 30 hp. Top speed was 120 km/h
The 700 was also sold in Argentina under the name BMW De Carlo 700.
BMW 502
BMW 502 1954-1963
The 502 was introduced in 1954. It had a 2580 cc V8 engine that delivered 100 PS @ 4800 rpm. It was known as the ‘Barockengel’.
BMW
The letters BMW stand for Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Engine Works). BMW started off as manufacturers of aircraft engines in Munich in 1916. The first vehicle, the R 23 motorcycle, appeared in 1923. BMW quickly established a reputation for reliability and quality. In 1929 they took over the Dixi works in Eisenach and started manufacturing the Modell 3/15 PS, an Austin 7 clone built under license. The car sold well and the range was soon expanded. In 1933 BMW introduced their own straight six-cylinder engine which they fitted to various compact yet elegant motor cars.
The 328 roadster started a new line of sleek sports cars which are very sought-after today.
After WWII the car factory in Eisenach came under Soviet influence but for some years continued to manufacture pre-war models, albeit under the name of EMW (Eisenacher Motor Werke). BMW didn’t re-start until 1948 when they brought out the R 24 motorcycle, a pre-war design. It took until 1951 before BMW introduced their first post-war car, the 501. This was a large saloon fitted initially with a 2 litre six-cylinder engine, later with a 2.5 litre V8.
Post-war austerity meant poor sales and the company very narrowly missed being taken over by Mercedes-Benz and was on the brink of going bankrupt. It was the Isetta bubble car and BMW 700 that just managed to keep the company going until a new class was introduced in 1962: the BMW 1500. With its attractive design the car sold well and evolved into numerous other models, not least the highly successful 2002.