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The Rumpler Tropfenwagen ("Rumpler drop car", named after its shape) was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler. Rumpler, born in Vienna, was known as a designer of aircraft when at the 1921 Berlin car show he introduced the Tropfenwagen. It was to be the first ''streamlined car'' (beating the American Chrysler Airflow and Czech Tatra T77). The Rumpler had a drag coefficient of only 0.28, a measurement which astonished later engineers〔Tested at a Volkswagen windtunnel in 1979. Lyons, Pete. "10 Best Ahead-of-Their-Time Machines", in ''Car and Driver'', 1/88, p.73.〕 and would be competitive even today. The Fiat ''Balilla'' of the mid-1930s, by contrast, was rated at 0.60. The car featured a Siemens and Halske-built overhead valve W6 engine, with three banks of paired cylinders, all working on a common crankshaft.〔 Producing ,〔 it was mounted just ahead of the rear axle.〔Wise, p.1965 diagram.〕 The engine, transmission, and final drive were assembled together and installed as a unit. The rear swing axles were suspended by trailing leaf springs, while the front beam axle was suspended by leading leaf springs.〔 Able to seat four or five,〔Wise, p.1966.〕 all the passengers were carried between the axles, for maximum comfort, while the driver was alone at the front, to maximize view.〔 With the 1923 model, two tip-up seats were added. Weighing nearly ,〔 the ''Tropfenwagen'' was nevertheless capable of on its mere .〔 This performance got the attention of Benz & Cie.'s chief engineer, Hans Nibel. Nibel conceived the ''Tropfenwagen'' racers using the virtually unchanged Rumpler chassis.〔 Poor sales and increasing losses led Benz to abandon the project.〔Wise, p.1965.〕 Later Auto Union racing cars resembled the Benz Tropfenwagen racers and were built in part by Rumpler engineers.〔 Rumpler made another attempt in 1924, the 4A106,〔 which used a inline 4-cylinder engine.〔 This compelled a growth in wheelbase, with a consequent increase in seating to six or seven.〔 Although the car was very advanced for its time, it sold poorly—about 100 cars were built. Small problems at the start (cooling, steering), the appearance of the vehicle, and the absence of a luggage compartment hindered sales. Most were sold as taxis, where easy boarding and the high ceiling were advantages. The last cars were built in 1925. The ''Tropfenwagen'' did become famous, thanks to the film "Metropolis", in which Rumplers found a burning end. It also inspired Mercedes-Benz 130H and 150H road cars.〔Lyons, p.74.〕 Only two examples are known to survive, one in the Deutsches Museum's Verkehrszentrum in Munich and one in the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin. ==See also== * Tatra T77 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Rumpler Tropfenwagen」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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